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Week 19: Plotter or Pantzer, and why?

Saturday. Six-thirty a.m. I missed the Linky deadline to post my blog link on the Marketing for Romance Writers Blog. I’m on my own here without the #MFRWauthor group, but I’m posting, anyway. Such is life. Therefore, my post for the 52-Week Blog Challenge this week is late.

My grammar checker does not like the word pantzer / pantster / pantser, and it certainly doesn’t like p-l-a-n-t-s-e-r, which is what I am — plotter and pantser. I’m spelling the word in multiple ways in this post. My editor will come through the screen to slap me if she sees this inconsistency. It’s all in fun for this post.

I’ve moved from being a one-hundred percent pantser to around fifty percent plotter. Regardless, I’ll always allow my plantser to do what she does no matter the percentage stated.

To give a short answer, I’ve become both.

Why?

I plot for direction, tentative word count, to keep on track, and to make sure to cover all the basis needed to bring a story to the proper ending–the happily-ever-after, in my case.
I write by the seat of my pants to give my muse free rein, allow creativity to run free, and to surprise myself with what might come next.

However, for an upcoming book to be published this year, I did something different. It’s a brand-new series, setting, and characters not related to my other series. I had to start from scratch with a new setting and new family. It also begins a new story bible for the series.

For the first book, I had to set it up and make plans for the rest of the books and characters. This takes plotting and planning, but it takes writing by the seat of my pants too. Oh, and I had a certain amount of elements to add because of a collaboration with other authors, which gave me more direction.

What did I do different?

Story Beats:

THIS TIME, I laid out a plan using story beats. My plantser does as she/he/they please with the story as long as the story beats are followed and met.

Story beats give me a road map. (I credit author Jeri Gold and her romance beat sheet for this.)

My pantser will always have free rein in a story whether I begin plotting or writing freely. If I don’t have a semi-detailed plan in the beginning when I pantser write, I will have one after starting a book. My goal at first is to start writing Chapter One to get the original idea in story form so I can see it on the screen in words instead of an idea in my head. This chapter one will go through multiple revisions, get moved, or even deleted. Even with using story beats.

To stay within a word count, I think almost one-hundred percent plotting is necessary and makes sense. When my plantser is writing, I aim for a rough word count, but this number isn’t carved in stone. I’m trying to write shorter books, which for me is below the hundred thousand count. A lot of plotters use an outline. I don’t. Plotting out each chapter and scene and sticking to it, doesn’t work for me. My plantser won’t be silenced, and I can’t say I mind. It wouldn’t be fair if I tried.

What about other authors? If you’re interested in knowing if other authors in the group are pantsers or plotters, check out their links at the Marketing for Romance Writers Blog.

If you’re a mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt or uncle, or a mom in any capacity, Happy Mother’s Day to you.

Enjoy your weekend.

Hi folks. Sometimes I do a guest promo post. Not often, but every now and then I will. This is one of those times.

Debra Andrews is a Romantic Suspense Author writing Glitzy, Sexy Romances with a Dangerous Twist. She invites you to come meet the elusive, intriguing Millionaires who will steal your heart and keep you flipping page after page.

Dangerous Millionaires Series

October NEW RELEASE

Weekend Wedding Deception

Blurb:

“Lies, Betrayals, and Second Chances”

Guests have gathered for an elaborate weeklong house party before a wedding at the McAlister mansion, owned by billionaire Mr. James Farrington, patriarch of the family:

The worst thing that could happen to Abby Warren is to run into her ex-boyfriend Jack at her best friend’s wedding. When the man who broke her heart strolls in with Abby’s beautiful ex-roommate clinging to his arm, Abby is sure things can’t get any worse. Dateless herself, Abby plans to immerse herself in the lavish, weeklong festivities at the McAlister mansion and meet someone new out of all the single, handsome men, no matter how much Jack’s being there haunts her.

Moving back to town to purchase his family’s old company, Jack McAlister has tried to wipe away memories of Abby any way he can. After what happened between them, and the trouble she caused him, he can’t stand the reminder of everything they once shared. He is determined to stand fast against the temptation when he’s near her and the jealousy evoked when other men surround her. However, when they come face to face, old feelings surface, making them both wonder how something so right could have ended so wrong.

As if dealing with Abby’s presence isn’t bad enough, his new girlfriend is clamoring for an engagement ring, and Jack soon becomes aware that he has enemies and business rivals—there is obviously someone who has an ax to grind and wants a bit of revenge…

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0164O2FVM

Barnes & Noble Print

Also by Debra:

Disguised with the Millionaire

Blurb:

She came to the company to find a Killer

Kate Meyers is grief stricken after the news of her brother’s death at a construction site owned by wealthy Trent Farrington. After speculation of faulty equipment and wrongdoing, the police eventually clear his company. Not believing the results, Kate lands a job with the Florida Corporation to do her own investigation. When she meets Trent, Kate instantly dislikes the strikingly handsome millionaire and thinks he’s involved. Her greatest pleasure would be to see him pay for what he’s done—behind bars.

Confirmed bachelor Trent Farrington finds himself intrigued by the company’s newest employee, but previous bad experiences with women have taught him to be cautious. However, he is drawn to the alluring beauty, but he’s puzzled that she seems to hate him for some unknown reason. He’s used to women throwing themselves at him, and her attitude shocks him and is refreshing all at the same time.

While Kate searches for the evidence to implicate Trent, she has to work closely with him. However, the information she uncovers isn’t exactly adding up against her new boss. She dislikes how her traitorous body reacts whenever he is near, although he appears to enjoy her reaction immensely. She vows to leave the company as soon as she collects the evidence, but soon learns nothing is as it seemed…

Available in eBook and Print.

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00MZ8HCHY

5 Star Review: “Contagious…”

Dangerous Paradise

Blurb:

Strangers on the run for their lives

Kelly Cochran’s late father was accused of embezzlement, causing the financial ruin of many clients. After death threats, she gets away on a South Pacific cruise to consider her options. She thinks she has her life all figured out. She’ll save the family business to repay the investors and marry her Mr. Right, her childhood crush and mentor–the wealthy movie producer Robert Hillyard. Everything is going as planned on the cruise ship until an assassination attempt on her life leaves Kelly in a life-and-death survival situation with her fiancé’s associate, Alex Drake.

English actor Alex is devastatingly handsome and the most infuriating man she’s ever met. He’s recently out of a marriage made in Hell and vows never to remarry. The cynical playboy is the last person she’d want to be stranded with alone on a tropical island. For Alex, who wants to be the next major movie star, getting involved with Kelly is career suicide as her future husband employs him.

Now, in a fish-out-of-water survival game and trying to find their way home, they are dependent on each other for everything, even in the depths of the night. To survive, Kelly and Alex must put aside their differences while their attraction escalates. Unfortunately, the two don’t have time to analyze their feelings for each other since the only people who know they are alive are those out to kill her.

DANGEROUS PARADISE –
**Finalist in the 2012 National Readers’ Choice Awards for Romantic Suspense **RWA’s San Diego “Spring Into Romance” Contest Finalist (2011)

Kindle/Amazon Available in eBook & Print:

Barnes and Noble Print (Same book, different cover)

The Romance Reviews (Delta) (5 stars, TOP PICK)

About Debra:

Debra Andrews has dabbled with fiction writing most of her life. She writes “Glitzy, Sexy, Romances with a Dangerous Twist,” with sexy alpha males and the women who fall in love with them. Her books include family drama, humor, danger, action-adventure, mystery, suspense, and always an emotional, knock-your-socks-off romance. The heat level is steamy.

Her current work is the romantic-suspense series DANGEROUS MILLIONAIRES. The stories feature distant cousins from around the globe. All the men are bonded together as a family by their uncle and patriarch of the family—billionaire James Farrington. Share their adventures while they fall in love.

DANGEROUS PARADISE was a National Readers’ Choice Awards Finalist in Romantic Suspense. DISGUISED WITH THE MILLIONAIRE was released in September 2014. WEEKEND WEDDING DECEPTION is the newest release.

Check out Debra’s website for more information. She also has a newsletter. (Books are standalones and can be read in any order.)

When she is not working, she is enjoying her life with her husband, family, and pets. She is a member of Romance Writers of America.

Visit Debra:

Website | Facebook Page | Twitter | Goodreads

It was a pleasure to host the Dangerous Millionaires Series on my blog today. Best of luck with your writing career, Debra.

Debra might not be able to drop by to reply to any comments today, but she’ll come by when she can.

Thank you for dropping by today.