The Problem with Plotting

If you’re a novelist, you’ve probably wrestled with the eternal debate: plotting versus pantsing. Should you meticulously outline every twist and turn, or should you dive in and let the story reveal itself to you?

I’ve seen both sides of this debate firsthand. Before I became a novelist, I worked in television screenwriting. In TV, plotting isn’t optional—it’s mandatory.

The Problem with Plotting

Television writing requires structure for a reason. You’re dealing with commercial breaks, weekly episodes, and long hiatuses between seasons. You have to carefully plot out every beat to ensure viewers stay hooked and return for more.

And it’s not a solo job. Television writing is a collaborative process, with writers gathering around like modern-day knights at a round table (except the pen isn’t always mightier than the sword in real-world debates!). You’re constantly explaining your thinking, justifying character motivations, and working to get everyone on the same page.

Writing novels is different.

As novelists, we’re solitary creatures. We don’t need to defend our choices to a team. We don’t need to outline every detail to satisfy a room full of collaborators. We can do whatever we want with our stories, whenever we want.

While plotting can provide structure, it can also feel rigid and confining. It can tie us in knots, demanding so much attention to detail that we lose the joy of discovery.

That’s why so many writers are drawn to pantsing, or discovery writing. Pantsing lets you take detours, wander off the beaten path, and stumble upon ideas that a plot might have never led you to. It’s freeing, creative, and full of surprises.

But here’s a sharp-edged reality: even pantsing has rules.

Storytelling has a rhythm. There are best practices, well-worn paths, and patterns that readers return to again and again. These are the expectations your audience brings to your story—whether you’re writing a romance, a thriller, or an epic fantasy.

Without understanding these paths, your story risks wandering so far off course that it loses readers.

The Solution: Finding the Balance

Here’s what I believe: You don’t need a rigid, step-by-step plot to tell a great story. But you do need to understand the pacing that makes stories work.

In the Page Turner Pacing method, I provide you with twelve guiding posts which you can use as a checklist -or an outline if you’re so inclined. But there’s TONS of wiggle room between these guideposts to veer off course for a side question, or you can stick to the map I’ve drawn without any deviations and still come out the other end with a story to tell.

Inspired by my time in television, this approach focuses on the key beats and rhythms that keep readers hooked—without boxing you into a strict outline. With Page Turner Pacing, you’ll find the balance between structure and freedom. You’ll have the tools to craft stories that flow naturally, without feeling boxed in by a rigid plot.

Want in? Check out my Kickstarter that has the ebook, printbook, workbook (digital workbook coming soon), and course.