Throwback Thursday: How I Used to Plot

So... how I used to plot.  I have to think back to 2008, because, before that... I didn't really plot.  I was a pantser, who just wrote what I thought would work, and didn't think there was anything wrong with it.  Heck, I still don't think anything is wrong with it, because I will pants short stories vs outright planning them, and I like it.  So, again, nothing horrible with pantsing.  I am a former and current one.

But, thinking back to 2008, for my first NaNoWriMo win, I don't think I really had an outline?  It's been eight years (jeez!) and I had a lot going on. For starters, I was a volunteer in the field for the OFA.  I was doing long days and I didn't start until day 5 of the month.  Also, I had one of the worst flus of my short life and I don't think I wrote more than 500 words a day until I was better.  But I put my head down and wrote, getting to 50,000 words.  I then put the novel away until marathon writing to get a free proof as part of the winner goodies.  I still have that proof.

As for if I had an outline, I did.  I finally found it, in the deep dark depths of my computer, and see that I was doing a back and forth between the good guys and the bad guys.  It's something that I've only tried once again, with Mystery of the Dark going back and forth between Kate and Justinian, but it didn't work.  I feel like going back and forth can work, considering A Song of Fire and Ice, but you have to make sure that your plot is strong enough.  It should also be consistent, which my plot was not, as I had three or four chapters before it changed sides.  I feel like the plot of Power is strong enough to go through that, but I need to go back and edit.  The writing... well, it's horrible.  I love the plot but that writing from 2008 is horrible.  I don't even feel bad telling on myself.

So, looking back, I was a lot more rigid in how I wrote with the outlines.  There was no "Hey, side mission looks cool" fluidity.  It was point A to point Z with nothing stopping them.  I don't think I could write like that now but it would be an interesting challenge to try.  So, readers, how much have you changed from when you finished your first novel and now with planning?  Have you not changed much?  Gone from pantser to plotter?  Plotter to pantser?  Leave your comments below and, until next time, keep on writing.