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We writers sometimes ask each other, "Are you a plotter or a pantser?", meaning, "Do you carefully plot out each scene and outline your books, or do you just sit down and churn out chunks of prose, writing by the seat of your pants?"

I've always described myself as a pantser, but not anymore. Over at Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Novels, Nora Roberts referred to herself as an "organic" writer, and that's what I'm calling myself from now on. So much more elegant than "pantser".

I tried to outline a novel. Turned out a month later I was still working on the outline instead of writing the book. It's not a method that works for me.

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