Are you a plotter or a pantser?

People ask if I’m a plotter or a pantser, and for a long time neither seemed like the right fit. Then I saw a great video by Sarra Cannon (Heart Breathings on YouTube, check her out). She talks about the 9 types of writers she’s identified: Plotter, Scholar, Pantser, Puzzler, Sculptor, Polisher, Binger, Multi-Tasker and Hybrid.

It becamse clear right away, I'm a sculptor.

I don't write one draft and polish it. I build a story in layers, carving away and adding detail each time.

Idea (~2k words)

I start with the core of the story—the characters, the main plot, and the feeling I'm trying to capture.

Expanded concept (~5k words)

I explore the world, the characters, and the major turning points in more detail.

Chapter outline (15–20k words)

Every chapter gets its own outline, scene by scene. By this point I know exactly where the story is going.

Zero Draft (40-60k words)

This is where I finally draft the novel. Because the planning is done, I can focus on getting the story onto the page. It’s fast, it’s rough, there are still gaps and problems. I try to remember, you can’t edit a blank page.

Developmental edit (~60k words)

I reshape the story, strengthen scenes, and make sure everything is working structurally.

Layering (~70k words)

Now I add richer descriptions, replace telling with showing, deepen character arcs, expand on subplots strengthen emotional beats, and hunt down plot holes.

Take a break and give it to beta readers

Fresh eyes spot the things I've become blind to.

Final revisions (~80k words)

After stepping away for a few weeks I spot things I want to change or expand on, add in the beta reader feedback and this still a lot to do at this stage.

By the time a book reaches readers, it's usually grown from a tiny 2,000-word seed into an 80,000-word novel.

Writing, for me, isn't about getting it right the first time. It's about patiently sculpting the story until the one I imagined finally emerges.