Outlining vs. Pantsing: Finding a Flexible Path to Your First Draft
My first pass at Ocean Child started as pure discovery. The Sydney surf scenes poured out, but I reverse-outlined later to fix broken arcs. That’s when I landed on my system: draft loose, then architect.
Whether you swear by scrupulous outlines or you chase the page to see what shows up, we all start in the same place: a blinking cursor and a quiet room. This piece unpacks the strengths and weaknesses of both discovery drafting (“pantsing”) and outlining—and then offers a hybrid method I use to get a usable, lived-in first draft without strangling spontaneity.
The case for discovery (aka “pantsing”)
What it is: You write forward with minimal pre-planning, following heat and curiosity.
Why writers love it
Momentum & surprise. Scenes spill out; you uncover turns you couldn’t have planned.
Character truth. People on the page reveal themselves in conflict, not spreadsheets.
Joy. When it’s working, drafting feels like play.
Where it hurts
Structural mess. Plot holes, orphaned arcs, and wobbly stakes often require heavy surgery.
Reverse outlining later. Draft two becomes your “real” draft one as you reconstruct causality.
Continuity drift. Who knows what, when? You’ll chase your tail without a map.
Bottom line: Pantsing is fantastic for discovery but almost guarantees a strenuous second pass.
The case for outlining
What it is: You map the story’s spine—beats, character arcs, key turns—before drafting.
Why writers love it
Usable first draft. Cleaner causality and pacing mean your early readers/dev editor can help sooner.
Confidence. You know where you’re headed; fewer dead ends and partial drafts.
Sharper arcs. You set wants, wounds, and change before dialogue distracts you.
Where it hurts
“Coloring by numbers.” If you over-specify, scenes can feel dutiful instead of alive.
False certainty. A plan can make you ignore better ideas that emerge while writing.
Bottom line: Outlining saves time later, but can dull discovery if treated as law.
The hybrid method: map the rails, keep room to wander
My approach blends both: outline just enough to stay oriented, then draft with permission to deviate when the work offers something better. Treat the outline as a map, not a cage—revise it as you learn.
The framework (what I prepare before Chapter One)
One-page beat sheet. Opening image → inciting incident → first irreversible choice → midpoint shift → low point → finale → final image.
3–5 signpost scenes. Keystone moments the story must hit (not every stop, just the anchors).
Character one-pagers. For each major character:
Want (what they think they want) • Wound (old pain shaping choices) • Change (how this story will alter them).Baseline paragraph. A day-in-the-life snapshot of your protagonist (let readers feel the status quo so the shake-up lands).
Cause-and-effect ladder. Draft five “because of that…” statements that link key beats. This kills “and then…” plotting.
The drafting rules (how I protect spontaneity)
Star discovery-friendly scenes (⭐). Places I want surprise (arguments, reveals, new pairings).
Update the map after sessions. If something changed, I spend 5 minutes noting what/why and who now knows what.
No mid-scene head hopping. Even in third-person limited, I switch POV only on clear scene or chapter breaks.
A quick, non-spoilery note from Ocean Child
When I realized a London-based character’s coping mechanism would surface earlier than planned, I didn’t force the outline. I let the moment land, then adjusted the beat sheet: that earlier reveal moved the midpoint’s emotional work and strengthened the cause-and-effect chain. The key wasn’t predicting the moment; it was recognizing it and re-mapping to keep stakes honest.
Step-by-step: build your hybrid in one afternoon
Sketch your spine (30–45 min).
Write a single sentence for each major beat. Imperfect is fine.Name your signposts (10 min).
Circle 3–5 non-negotiable scenes your story must hit.Profile characters (20–30 min).
For each major character: Want • Wound • Change. Add one stress behavior (how they act under pressure).Write the baseline (10 min).
A 120-word paragraph of your protagonist’s normal world.Chain causality (10–15 min).
Write five “Because of that…” lines connecting beats. If you can’t write them, you’ve found a story gap.Mark discovery zones (5 min).
Place ⭐ next to scenes where you’ll let improvisation lead.Draft Chapter One.
Don’t perfect it—get it down, then adjust the outline after the session.
Common pitfalls (and fixes)
Outline bloat. If prep stretches past a day or two, you might be hiding from the draft. Fix: cap your prep time and start writing.
Character inconsistency. A single off-brand reaction jars readers. Fix: keep a visible note with each major character’s want/wound/change and a stress tell.
“And then…” plotting. When beats don’t cause the next beat, momentum dies. Fix: every major turn should be a consequence of choices, not author thunderbolts.
Info-dump openings. Starting with setting lectures stalls empathy. Fix: seed lived-in details through action (smells, signage, textures) instead of exposition blocks.
Try this (5-minute starter)
Write your protagonist’s day-in-the-life paragraph. Then add:
Inciting incident: 2 sentences.
Three links: “Because of that…,” “Because of that…,” “Because of that…”
You’ve now built a micro-map you can actually draft from tonight.
Quick checklist (save/print)
One-page beat sheet drafted
3–5 signpost scenes identified
Major characters: Want • Wound • Change (+ stress tell)
Baseline paragraph complete
Five “because of that…” links written
⭐ on discovery-friendly scenes
Post-session outline updates scheduled (5 minutes)
FAQ (lightning round)
Can I write multiple first-person narrators?
Yes—but it raises difficulty. For a first novel, consider third-person limited with 1–3 POVs.
What if a better idea breaks the outline?
Take it. Then revise the map so causality and stakes remain clear.
How detailed should the outline be?
Detailed enough to keep you oriented; sparse enough to keep you curious.
Closing thought
You don’t need to choose between a blank-page thrill ride and a rigid itinerary. Outline enough to not get lost. Draft loose enough to be surprised. If the work offers a better road, take it and update your map so the journey still makes sense.