The Joy of the Unknown

Or more aptly named,

The Joy of being a Panster.

I spent a lot of my young writer years meticulously plotting my stories - I went the whole nine yards - character sheets, binders, maps, notebooks full of information.
It was fun - and I felt like I was doing the right thing because so much of what we see from writers is to plot, to plan, to have chapter outlines, to know how your story ends.

I’m here to talk to the people who this doesn’t work for.

I’m here to call out to the writers who don’t have it all figured out.

I’m here to tell those writer’s that that’s ok.

I’ve just finished writing my seventh novel - a two-part story that will eventually be part of a Duology (because what’s better than an 80K word novel? TWO 80k word novels).

I started this series with the first couple of chapters planned - two characters - a central theme I wanted to explore and so many questions.

And here’s the crux of it for me.

I write to explore.

Through my words and worlds, through my characters, through the plot to unfolds, I write to discover the story.

Does this mean my drafts are messy? Sure.

Chaotic? Most definitely.

But that’s ok. Because that first draft is figuring out the answer.

Drafts 3,4,5,6 (yes, many many many drafts will be needed) is where you hone in on plot and structure, character development and motivation.

But the first draft?
That is a place of pure exploration.

If you are a different kind of writer - that’s ok. You can have your beautifully printed outline, or you gorgeous pin boards and whiteboards, you can have you journals and character notes.
Or like me, you can have nothing but a question and the desire to write until you find an answer.

Because you are a writer,

And being a writer give you permission to do whatever the hell you want.
(That’s full permission by the way).

Much Love,

Keep writing,

AM,

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