I'm Definitely a Pantser

I'm a pantser, not a plotter. It's taken this fourth book for me to realize I'm not going to change in that regard.

I wrote over 500 new words last night. Then proceeded to delete 1000 older words. And you know what? I didn't have a problem with that. That's what happens when you have a breakthrough and realize what you wrote previously won't work.

Granted, I saved the previous version of my manuscript and started a new version before I hit the delete key (in other words – my file GhostlyLiaison10.doc became GhostlyLiaison11.doc). This is something I always do, just in case I need to go back and use something I had deleted earlier (and yes, I'm up to 11 – that's how many times I've gone back and changed something significant).

I'm in a happy place, though. This story is starting to work for me. It's not a struggle any longer. Maybe because I know my characters better now. It's a VERY rough draft, but it's getting written – that's the important part. And once I hit THE END, I look forward to fixing it – giving it meat (like I've mentioned before – I enjoy all aspects of writing – at least I have so far).

But plot the book? There's no way I could do that. I just can't think that far in advance. One or two scenes at a time are all that's in me, along with a vague idea of how the book will end. How I get there is the adventure. And I'm always amazed at how my characters take me on this journey. It's their story, after all.

Am I motivated to write? Heck yes. I can't wait to see how it all plays out!