Plotting for Pantsers
How to plan a novel without tying yourself down
I’ve written before about plotting and pantsing being a spectrum, rather than a binary choice – and that there are myriad different ways to write a book, none of which are ‘better’ than another.
But I do also think that for the vast majority of writers, a little bit of plotting can help. I’m sure there are some pure discovery writers out there who just start writing with absolutely no clue what is going to happen and write a great book – but if you are a pantser who is getting stuck, can’t work out what to write next, has lost the thread of your story, or has written books before which then required ginormous edits, I am going to suggest you try a little bit of plotting as you go.
Let’s start by defining what we mean by ‘plotting’. There is a belief, often, that this means plotting out the entire story beat by beat, and then following it to the letter. But plotting is much more flexible that that! You might plot out the next few scenes or chapters and then reassess. You might plot a rough midpoint and ending, but not what comes in between. You might plot something, start writing it, and then realise you have a better idea and so disregard your plotting entirely (and even if you are a diehard plotter, I would always recommend being open to the idea that things might need to change as you go).
Plotting might look like:
Knowing the question you’re exploring
Having an idea of the tone you’re trying to capture and some rough ideas of events that might fit into that
Knowing the ending or twist you’re aiming for
Planning the structure, whether beat by beat or by major milestones
Detailed outlining
Some of those will feel more comfortable to you than others – but you can also change your approach at any time. Each book you write might need a different level of plotting, but you can also change within a project. Maybe you get halfway through and are stuck – and so you look ahead to potential endings and plan how to move forward. Or perhaps you plot a few chapters to kick you off, write until you get stuck, and then plot a couple more.
Plotting might even look like jotting down what you plan to write next each time you finish a writing session, so that you’re not coming back to a blinking cursor with no idea what to write each time.
Something I find very often with manuscripts written by pantsers is that there are large chunks of the manuscript which don’t need to be there – and so which end up deleted in edits. For some authors – and some books – this is just the process; maybe we don’t need that backstory or detail in the novel, but working it out helped solidify a character in the author’s mind so that they feel much more 3D in the scenes that do stay in the manuscript. But sometimes a little bit of plotting in advance can help avoid it.
A version of plotting I really like is having an ending in mind. I don’t mean that you need to have the actual ending decided – maybe you don’t know yet who the killer is, or how the villain’s plot will be thwarted – but instead have a sense of the kind of ending you want. That might be that you want the case to be cracked, a relationship to begin or end, something to be revealed, or it might be even vaguer than that: you want a happy ending, or a sad one, or to end on a twist. Knowing even roughly what you are working towards gives you something to aim for – and it can help stop things drifting off course so that the plot takes too many detours before it gets to the end. You’re still free to explore and follow where the writing takes you, but you have a general direction to head in so you don’t get lost.
Always, always, you should feel free to abandon your plan at any point it’s not working for you. If your characters aren’t doing what you want without you forcing them, or things are feeling flat or boring, then rip your plotting up and throw it away! But remember too that planning isn’t just for before you start writing: you can plot at any point. If you’re stuck in the middle, you can plan the next few chapters. If you’re between drafts and want to know what to work on in the next round, you can plan the overall shape of your ideal next version. You can plan whenever you need to work out what’s next – and change that plan whenever you need to. Plotting should work for you – not constrain you.
For paid readers there’s a practical exercise for you to use next time you’re stuck mid-draft and want to try plotting a little – scroll down to the bottom to try it out (and please let me know how you get on, or if you want to brainstorm, in the chat!).
If you’re looking for support and encouragement to get your novel finished this year, don’t forget my new series, Write Your Novel in 2026:
Part one, on working out what story you’re telling, is here:
And there are more posts to help you dig into plotting, planning and structure here:
Ways to Work With Me
If you’re currently looking for an agent and would like to submit to me at The Ampersand Agency, you can find the agency submissions guidelines here, and my manuscript wishlist on my website.
You can also find me on Instagram, or if you’re looking for an editor you can contact me via my website.
Thank you so much for reading, commenting, liking and sharing and especially to those of you who have become paid subscribers and support this Substack. As always, please do let me know in the comments if there’s anything in particular you’d like me to write about – or head to the chat to talk about your current projects, ask questions, and get advice!
Happy writing!
Abi
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