Plotters, Pantsers & Points of View

Plotter or Pantser? That’s one of many questions we put to our young writers at Beaminster School. Do you plan your stories before you start to write, or do you fly by the seat of your pants and see where the pen takes you? Whatever they decided, and some were across both camps, there is NO right or wrong – everyone’s method is different and creative process is personal. 

Speaking of personal, we also asked about Point of View. Yes, we demanded a lot of our young writers in this session! 😊 First person? Second? Third person or the all-seeing omniscient narrator? These are decisions a writer must make for their narrative, and often the right way to write becomes clear as character and story develops. Actions and outcomes differ according to a given character’s perspective, and pupils explored this by writing a scenario from three different points of view. The results were fascinating, creative, and highly insightful, from a grape begging not to be eaten, to a bomb witnessing its own detonation.

We looked at story structure, charting the conventions of the ‘Hero’s Journey’ and applying it to books and films we’ve read and seen. It’s amazing how many narratives fit this structure – a kind of detailed Story Arc.

In discussing structural devices such as cliffhangers and flashback, we did yet more writing exercises to bring to life our own flashbacks to dreams and memories. Memory plays a vital role in writing both fiction and non-fiction, and we look forward to seeing longer pieces develop over the next three sessions. Our very own journey with Beaminster School is ongoing - the precise destination is still unknown and all the more exciting for it…