Here is a visual timeline of Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austin
Essential Software for Pantsers:
The Intersection of Writing and Technology Part 2
I still think the three things you need to write a great novel fall under these three resources: A great planning tool. A great writing tool. And a great editing tool.
Are you planning to write a novel? Or a blog series? Or spit out a short story? What tickles your fancy feather of delight? How do you deem your purpose? Are you a planning fool or someone who wings it? To Scheme or Not to Scheme? That is the question.
While I use PLOTTR, I think Pantsers should not shut it out. This tool is a relatively new software for writers and can be used by both plotters and pantsers. Oh yes, pantsers too. It is taking authors by storm and became my favorite planning tool within a few weeks. Guess what it does? Yep, it helps the writer’s plot. But it’s not just an outliner, it’s a visual plotting software.
Here is a visual timeline of Pride and Prejudice
This tool is amazing. I can utilize it to plot out books, series, poetry, a collection of recipes, or characters or location development. Whatever I need to do. It is the best thing since pencil sharpeners. I had to secure it in my arsenal of writing weapons. I used the trial for 30 days, then a single license for $139 for a year. In reality, I was waiting to save the funds for a lifetime Pro subscription at $299. I got that last year. I haven’t looked back.
Oh, wait, you pansters are scratching your head? How does a “natural writer” use this tool since you require space for thought and billowy clouds to float upon while you capture the next event? The reckless pantser can still utilize the awesome visualized timeline and develop robust quirky fantasmical characters, all the while taking notes for that writing session that captures the codex of magic, they’ve been ruminating on for ten years. PLOTTR also offers a wonderful location tool to introduce various settings allowing the writer to create location profiles to keep track of these places and their descriptions, recording events as they imagine them up. The freewheeling fairy that you are is completely in bliss to use the tool to spread the magic of writing. During the writing of your novel, you can secure your plot using PLOTTR and update it as you go with each ongoing twist and turn. Or, after you’ve written your novel you can reverse engineering your chapters to see if there are any gaps. You can also add it to PLOTTR to see the cumulative plot and character arcs.
This, of course, is an alternative to the plotting cyborg of industry that knows how to outline and create the entire novel in one big stream of event after event. Hmm?
Here is my reverse-engineered novel outline example of The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
Believe it or not, most of us identify as plotters, but really, we are part of the cogs of a giant wheel that fall under PLANTERS – those who dabble a little in both realms. Whether Pantser or Plotter the benefits are many.
- Organization: Plottr provides an excellent organizational tool for writers to structure their writing projects. It allows writers to create and manage character profiles, settings, and plot outlines in one place, which helps them keep track of their story elements.
- Visual representation: Plottr offers a visual representation of the story’s structure, which makes it easier for writers to see the big picture and make changes accordingly.
- Customization: Plottr allows writers to customize their story elements, such as character traits, story arcs, and settings, which helps them tailor their stories to their liking.
- Collaboration: Plottr allows multiple users to collaborate on a single project. This feature is particularly useful for co-authoring, as well as for giving and receiving feedback.
The Cons are similar to Scrivener in that there is a learning curve. I told you the pricing is not exactly cheap, there is also limited formatting (i.e., basic fonts that are most popular), but I’ve never really noticed this. I’m a TNR girl mostly. Some say the compatibility of files is not always compatible with other software, which may cause issues when transferring documents between different systems. Again, I’ve not noticed this at all.
JLNichauthor, Misfit Scribe of SFF
So, as we bid adieu to this odyssey blog, let us not forget the infinite possibilities that lie beyond the horizon of reality. Whether you’re a seasoned author navigating wormholes between dimensions or a voracious reader ready to leap into the next epic saga, remember that the universe of science fiction and fantasy is ever-expanding, limited only by the boundaries of your imagination.
I have finished my latest manuscript, Draytons Discoveries, a space opera hero adventure, with Herman D as the main character, the man who discovers a new energy source and builds a galactic empire on a new distant planet.
It is approximately 100,000 intriguing words long, to really enjoy the beginning family saga of the Drayton family.
Also, check out a few of my Affiliate Links of the best of the best software for writers.
BONUS- How to create a character bio in PLOTTR – check out my Youtube for upcoming videos @jlnichauthorsff
Joseph Michael’s Learn Scrivener Fast e-course
Please read and review my serial publishing novel Sparrow’s Legacy on Kindle Vella. You can read the first three chapters free on Amazon by searching for “Sparrows Legacy Kindle Vella” or clicking here. I hope you enjoyed this blog. Please subscribe to my website if you want to be notified when I’ll be publishing or to get free samples of my work.
JLNich, Science Fiction Fantasy Author
