Jemma Murdoch, an Australian novelist, currently exploring the diversity of literary fiction, whilst working towards her first publication. Follow this awesome lady on Twitter
Head down, madly scribbling on my notebook. Yep. That was me, fellow writers and readers, a plotter through and through.
During the creation of my first two novels, I craved those sticky notes and carefully drafted character bios like my morning coffee. Messy handwriting filled page after page of those dollar notebooks from the department store. And yes, the plotting extended further than paper. My whole story would be mapped out in mind, a virtual movie, before my fingertips ever graced the keyboard. Now—I see you looking back at the title—see there you go, eyes back on the article please. Bear with me. I still love those character arcs and plot lines, but realised done too early in the piece, they limit my creativity.
When I get the idea for a new manuscript, excitement entails; Bull at a gate, I want to start typing! For book one and two, I curtailed myself and sat down to hours of rigorous plotting. I thought ahead to how the narrative might look from beginning to end and then tried to stick to it, changing very little of my original premise. By the end of a novel I was mentally exhausted. Bored. Happily I admit that the works suffered because of it.
When you write fiction you bring to life characters and create a world inside the mind of a reader. That is hard to do if you put a cap on your own creativity. So, for my latest work in progress; I sat down purposefully as soon as the idea sprung. I had a character, a vague theme and something to explore.
When you write fiction you bring to life characters and create a world inside the mind of a reader.
Jemma Murdoch
Away with the notebooks and straight to my laptop. Seven o’clock in the evening I sat down and began madly typing words, unsure of where they were taking me. I thought to myself, ‘Jemma, are you . . . becoming a panster?’ Cue horror on my little perfectionist face—but I rolled with it and, for me, it was the best thing I have ever done.
Fast forward to the present, I’m erring close to the half way mark. Never have I felt so alive in composition and the ideas just keep coming! Have I picked up a note book? Sure have!
Once the ideas were flowing and enough material was written that the general plot was in mind, I thought, why not pop some of it down. This was important to me, for record and so that I didn’t lose track of the plot line that satisfied.
Born again, I say. No longer a plotter, not a panster, but a planster; one of those names that used to make me think, ‘how can anyone possibly be both?’
In summation, I say to you, be whatever makes you more creative! As authors the basis of our work is creativity! If that means hours of plotting, plot away my friend! If it means firing at the keyboard, no clear direction in mind, panster for your life, by all means! Just don’t be afraid to change it up if you need to and let that creative sparkle shine. Go get it, you fabulous writer, you!
