There is No Right or Wrong in the Creative Process

There’s only creating or not creating.

Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash

My writing style has changed in multiple ways over the years. Some of this reflects things I’ve learned along the way, some is influenced by other authors I’ve read or conversed with. My first editor didn’t just edit my first finished fantasy novel but taught me how to approach my characters better, how to handle perspective better, and how to be an editor in my own right.

I saw her influence about halfway into book 2 of Source Chronicles. The tonal shift, while probably not so obvious to anyone else, was utterly clear to me.

Over the next few years, thanks to her influence and assistance, I gained perspective and better analytics for my work. I continued, however, to write from the fundamental approach of being a pantser.

Pantsers vs planners

I’ve written about this before, but it’s still worth defining again.

Pantser is derived from the adage of doing work “by the seat of your pants.” A pantser typically sits down at the keyboard (or with a notepad and pen) and writes. You go with the flow and bang out/write out what comes to mind. I wrote all the Source Chronicles novels as a pantser as well as 4/5 of my Void Incursion sci-fi series.