Why most writers are actually plantsers…

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Most writers pick a side. But I think the real answer is messier and more nuanced. In this video, I break down the gardening vs. architecting spectrum from a fantasy and sci-fi writer’s perspective.

Whether you’re writing flash fiction or a 10-book epic series, your approach to outlining needs to match your story’s scope, your voice, and how your creative brain actually works.

I share the hybrid system I used across two series of epic fiction, including the four-act structure I mapped out for each volume of the Torth series.

Here’s why a meticulous outline can fall apart mid-draft when a new character shows up, and why my series skeleton is a work in progress even 390,000 words in.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Gardening vs. Architecting (the real plotter/pantser debate)
• 0:26 Why story scope and format change everything
• 0:58 What discovery writing actually looks like
• 1:57 The case for writing to a formula (and why I don’t)
• 2:51 My four-act structure and the Torth series
• 3:47 The house of cards problem, 390,000 words in
• 5:28 My hybrid approach: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon method

Crafting an epic novel (or series of them) is like building a house of cards. The foundational layers are crucial and difficult to change. The upper layers are malleable and in flux.

Do you daydream so much it feels like a problem? What if it’s actually your greatest writing superpower?

0:00 Introduction: Vivid Imagination as a Creative Superpower
0:16 What Is Maladaptive Daydreaming?
0:41 How Daydreaming Fuels Epic Storytelling & World Building
1:24 The Daily Walk Method: Visualizing Scenes Before You Write
1:54 Crafting Emotional Waves in Your Story
2:18 Building Characters You’re Obsessed With
3:07 Using Music Playlists as Creative Cues
3:33 Keyword Triggers & Getting Into the Zone
4:12 You Don’t Have to Walk, Other Routine Activities That Work
4:27 When Daydreaming Bleeds Into Lucid Dreams
5:18 Keeping a Healthy Boundary Between Fiction and Reality
5:47 Let Excitement & Characters Lead
6:08 Pantser vs. Plotter: Why Daydreaming Is Both

Are you a creative with a vivid imagination, or maybe even a daydreamer who can’t seem to turn it off? In this video, author and artist Abby shares how she transformed her lifelong habit of intense daydreaming into a powerful writing tool. From daily walk-and-daydream sessions to mood-cueing playlists and lucid dreaming, she breaks down her exact process for visualizing scenes, building emotionally resonant story arcs, and crafting characters you can’t stop thinking about. Whether you’re a pantser, a plotter, or something in between, this video will help you unlock the storytelling superpower hiding inside your own imagination.