Plotting and Pantsing

The general consensus is that there are two types of fiction writers: plotters and pantsers. 

Plotters plan out their stories, scene by scene, chapter by chapter before they start their manuscripts. They know exactly where they're going and how they plan to get there.

Pantsers, as the name implies, fly by the seat of their pants. As much as I've tried to become more of a plotter, I find the technique difficult. Once I start a novel, I have a general sense of my main characters, theme and plot. Endings are no brainers for romantic suspense writers like me - the romance genre requires happy-ever-after resolutions, of which I've always been a fan.

My characters often have minds of their own and take me in unanticipated directions. Today, as I penned my sixth chapter, the hero of my current novel (I'm branching off into sci-fi romance) revealed he has a drinking problem. I had no idea.

My problem as a pantser is that I can dig myself into plot holes in terms of sequence and continuity. I suspect I spend much more time on edits and revisions than most plotters.

I wonder if the plotter/pantser dichotomy might be considered a right brain/left brain issue. Left brainers are thought to be logical, analytical, orderly, right brainers more on the creative, intuitive side. Though Google's generative AI informs me this distinction may be outdated, and that "the human brain is complex and constantly changing." 

Yep, I can agree with that.

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