While editing my rough draft (and researching how best to approach the editing for my rough draft), I’ve been overtaken by the urge to plot! I am a plotter, I always have been, but it is quite time consuming. I’ve outlined 25 chapters so far, and pushed another 15 off to the side while I figure out the ordering.

Over the years, when people talk about plotters / planners, I’ve heard a lot of negative opinions. Outlining isn’t writing. Planners obsess over details and never finish. Those kinds of comments weigh on my mind while I’m adjusting my plot structure, and the pressure dulls my concentration. I end up feeling too guilty to continue most of the time.

Recently, I heard another take on plotters. Planning is the architect laying the foundation. You can’t build a house without framing. I find I enjoy referring to myself as The Architect.