I’m a serial pantser.

(For anyone unfamiliar with the term, it’s writing by the seat of your pants. Hence, pants-er.)

I try to start with an outline, even just a mental one, but my characters are truly the ones in the driver’s seat. I’m realizing that more than ever now, in the latter half of NaNoWriMo (33,663 words, by the way, BUT WHO’S COUNTING).

If I’m honest, I really prefer pantsing my novels. It’s exciting. My characters continue to surprise me and sometimes it’s even a little scary, but I love the thrill of it. The Adept is getting a bit longer than I’d planned, but in a very good way. It’s taking twists and turns and coming together in ways I hadn’t planned.

Any other pantsers out there that can relate? Or strategic planners that think I’m absolutely nuts?

(I tend to agree, but I fully believe that a healthy dose of insanity is essential for any work of fiction.)