As many of you know, there are two ways to approach writing: as a Plotter or a Pantser. Plotters like to plan out the entire story before they ever start writing, whereas Pantsers prefer to start writing before they even think about what’s going to happen. Both methods can work, though we feel that there are issues with both.
From my background with programming computers, I am familiar with similar approaches to writing code, known as Top-Down and Bottom-Up. We’ll compare and contrast the two methods.
Plotters or Top-Down
In Top-Down programming, the programmer states the justification for the program as succinctly as possible, identifying all the major functions needed. The fact that those functions are still unwritten isn’t an issue…all we are doing at this step is naming them…describing what they will do comes later. Using the Plotter method in writing, the entire novel is also captured in a few sentences, known as the Logline, and we already know the names of the major ‘functions’ we need: the Five Plot Points.
In our program, now that we’ve named the major functions, we take each one and describe in detail what it is supposed to do, including identifying any other functions it may need to call. Similarly, keeping the Logline in mind, we expand each of the Plot Points into a few short paragraphs.
In programming, we then recursively build each of the newly identified functions…that means that if we need more functions inside the other functions, we just keep identifying…then defining…deeper and deeper until we are down to basic commands. In writing, we do the same thing: we take the big picture of each Plot Point and create the three acts, describing the action in more and more detail. Those acts are then spread out across various chapters, each with short sketches of what is to occur. Then we take those chapters and break them down into Scenes and Sequels, which are then in turn broken down to their individual Goals, Conflicts, and Disasters, and Reactions, Dilemmas, and Choices, finally arriving at the basic parts of writing.
Each step takes something big and progressively breaks it into smaller pieces, until we have all the details worked out. That’s why this method is also known as Stepwise Refinement.
Positive and Negative Points
- You know where you’re going…all you need to do is figure out how to get there.
- Because you don’t have to work on it beginning to end, you can choose which branch to detail next.
- You have a Logline to guide you, so you know what’s appropriate in each scene.
- You have to do a lot of work before you have anything you can show to others for critique, and that critique may suggest significant changes.
- Because you aren’t necessarily writing straight through, some revelation at the end may change the beginning or vice versa.
- If a change, no matter how slight, is made to the upper level of the program or the novel, you will need to rewrite much of it to filter that change down through the rest of the project, often resulting in scenes that no longer belong. (Save them for the next project!)
Pantsers or Bottom-Up
In a Bottom-Up design, the programmer creates some simple functions with basic commands, then combines those functions to make more complicated ones…combining again and again until we have a complete program. We just link each newly created function with others, calling them in the right order, to create a new design. It’s similar to building with Legos: We assemble basic blocks to make walls, floors, and people…then put those together to build a house with occupants. The problem sometimes is in matching the walls to each other or to the floors. Occasionally we have to slightly dismantle the structures we already have, fitting them back together as the design progresses.
In both cases, we have a bunch of pre-made pieces, and just stick them together…but it’s how we put them together makes all the difference.
In writing, many Pantsers already have separate scenes they’ve created years ago…and floating around in a binder or two. Characters may exist as well, even with entire Character Sheets previously filled out. As with the Legos, trying to link some of those isolated scenes may be difficult, as the ending of one may not quite match up with the beginning of the next…so you’ll need to customise one or the other to fit. Also, some of those characters may only be close to what we need, so they, too, may need some tweaking.
Often there is no overarching goal, no Logline, so the storyline has no place to aim, resulting in Plot Points that all point in different directions.
The Good and the Bad
- You already have pieces (both characters and scenes) already sitting around just waiting to be used.
- Your characters have been living in your head for so long, you know them as you would a friend or sibling.
- You can share scenes with your Critique Partners to get feedback on where they think the story should head.
- Because you don’t know what’s going to happen next, your characters might end up putting you into a corner that you’ll have a tough time getting out of.
- You won’t necessarily have a Logline to guide you, so the story may wander around a bit before stabilising.
- As you stick scenes together, making them fit may break something inside, requiring more rewrite to make it flow.
Which is better?
We can’t say that one method is better than the other…as long as it fits in with your writing style. What we can say is that often programmers and writers use both in the same project, so experiment and see where it takes you.