Plotters Are Pantsers, Too

Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin tackle the old plotters-versus-pantsers divide and ask whether the distinction is really as clear as writers make it out to be. Along the way, they explore getting unstuck, taming sprawling drafts, genre expectations, and why sometimes the best way forward is to step outside your usual writing process.

Chapters

00:00 Intro
00:32 Are Plotters Really Pantsers?
09:08 Can a Pantser Become a Plotter?
16:15 Too Many Subplots and POVs
22:40 Know Your Genre’s Expectations
28:53 Know the Rules Before You Break Them
32:59 Getting Unstuck by Changing Your Process
37:28 Outro

Links Referenced in This Episode:

Working Writers Episode 5: Every Writer Needs Critique Partners
https://workingwriters.io/2026/10/06/are-writing-competitions-worth-it/

Hugo Awards definitions/categories
https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-categories/

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