So people always love to think of writing as a hobby for me and I get the ‘you should take time for your family’ comments. My daughter is never second to writing. My family is the most important part of my life, but this doesn’t stop the writing.
Full time writing is like giving yourself take home work everyday of your life. You do it and you continue on. It’s not one or the other, but it’s also fulfilling to let part of who you are in your creative soul be released.
I never say anything I’m not mad at the first comments, because clearly our mindsets are different.
Plus let’s say I was trying to ignore my daughter in any way shape or form. She is a determined girl who gets her way as the picture indicated and she can make me laugh. So ultimately she was the winner in the ‘outline’ thing i like to do that my panther self wants to burn. Plotters and pantsers are the opposite type of writers. I like to say I’m a pantser who goes logically, but there is a certain element of plotting my free flowing needs to do, even if I ignore the whole thing. (Plotters are meticulous at writing out every detail and that’s not me. Oftentimes my favorite reviews are the ones that say something like “I knew that this would happen” because most of the time I didn’t know. However a basic plot helps me find out the surprises in store and then I can drop it on the readers.
Like right now for Secret Tryst, I know who tried to take down Belle’s plane. This will be revealed but that’s not the main story. The main story is Matthew and Ashley. So seeing how it blends is the key.
Anyhow I hope you are well. Talk to you soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do full-time writers balance family life with their writing?
Full-time writing is like having take-home work every day of your life — you do it and continue on. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. Many writers consider family their top priority while still nurturing their creative identity. The key is recognizing that expressing your creative self doesn’t mean neglecting the people you love most.
What is a pantser writer and how do they approach plotting?
A pantser is a writer who writes freely without meticulous pre-planning, as opposed to a plotter who outlines every detail. Some pantsers use a basic plot framework to discover surprises along the way rather than plan them. For example, knowing a general story direction — like who the main characters are — helps a pantser uncover unexpected twists to share with readers.
Should I be a plotter or a pantser when writing a novel?
Plotters meticulously outline every story detail before writing, while pantsers write freely and discover the story as it unfolds. Some writers blend both approaches — using a loose basic plot to find direction while leaving room for surprises. Readers who say ‘I knew that would happen’ often don’t realize the author didn’t plan it either, which speaks to the organic power of pantsing.
