That is interesting, I never would have guessed that John D. MacDonald didn't plan his plots out in advance. I guess he was a bit like Travis McGee and simply followed his instincts.
Great subject. I’m a Jim Thompson-style writer, which may seem slapdash to others who plot methodically, but it’s ‘seat of your pants storytelling’ backed by knowledge and experience of the elements used in telling a particular story. In other words, a highly stylized, intellectually well-informed, and highly entertaining bullshit artist. How to apply it: Think of stopping a friend on the street on your way to work, and you need to tell him how the roof of your house collapsed last night and vampires kidnapped your wife. You only have a few minutes, and there’s no time “to plot it out.” Your friend is stunned at the story, might not believe a word of it, but can’t pull himself away due to your ability to entertain his imagination. At the end of the day, it is storytelling. My personal belief is that those who plot tend to see it as literature, and those who don’t see it as storytelling. Of course, there are plenty who are combo of the two.
I like that analogy. I'm a bit of a hybrid writer and a lot of it is determined by the nature of the project. Outlining used to feel like homework to me, and I hated homework in school. Now I started with my current novel plotting some major turns but discovering details as I go .
That is interesting, I never would have guessed that John D. MacDonald didn't plan his plots out in advance. I guess he was a bit like Travis McGee and simply followed his instincts.
Mr. Smith,
Thank you for the excellent article. And I agree: the term "pantsing" is for sissies.
Great subject. I’m a Jim Thompson-style writer, which may seem slapdash to others who plot methodically, but it’s ‘seat of your pants storytelling’ backed by knowledge and experience of the elements used in telling a particular story. In other words, a highly stylized, intellectually well-informed, and highly entertaining bullshit artist. How to apply it: Think of stopping a friend on the street on your way to work, and you need to tell him how the roof of your house collapsed last night and vampires kidnapped your wife. You only have a few minutes, and there’s no time “to plot it out.” Your friend is stunned at the story, might not believe a word of it, but can’t pull himself away due to your ability to entertain his imagination. At the end of the day, it is storytelling. My personal belief is that those who plot tend to see it as literature, and those who don’t see it as storytelling. Of course, there are plenty who are combo of the two.
I like that analogy. I'm a bit of a hybrid writer and a lot of it is determined by the nature of the project. Outlining used to feel like homework to me, and I hated homework in school. Now I started with my current novel plotting some major turns but discovering details as I go .