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Wendy Parciak's avatar

Nothing makes me happier than messing around with an outline. Though it's all about plotting, I find there's a big creative "pantsing" element to it, in dreaming up various scenarios and asking myself "what if?"

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Joanne Rossmassler Fritz's avatar

Thank you for this, Janet. I’ve always been a pantser but would much prefer to be a planner (or plotter, as some people say). I also write lean in the first draft, and have to add more words with each subsequent draft.

I much prefer revision to drafting.

But imho the most important point you make is that we each have to find what works for us. Before my debut novel, Everywhere Blue, I wrote four MG manuscripts. None will ever be published. They were my “learning how to write” novels.

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