Plotting for a Pantser

Well, the run is over--at least my writing run, but my blogging run continues! I didn't get around to my WIP yesterday. Well, I didn't get around to actually writing. I did start thinking that maybe I should start working on a tagline or backcover blurb or summary paragraph. Last year I attended a workshop given by Stephanie Bond, and she'd said that she writes those first. I guess it sort of gives her a feel for the story and then, while she's writing, she can make sure that all her plot lines trend in the direction of the book's themes. Suddenly that seems to make perfect sense to me. When she said it, I thought to myself, 'I could never do that--I don't know where the book is going yet.' At least completely, 100% sure. But so what. I can tweak the tagline a little if I have to, rewrite the blurb. As long as I can keep track of what I'm writing.

That's the problem I'm having now. I really love the overall idea of the book I'm working on right now. I love the characters, the premise. But a few little details are up in the air. Should I give the book a greater, overriding theme, should I hint of said theme all the way through? That brings up an entirely different problem. I've only entered my work in a few contests, but those I have entered have resulted in conflicting feedback: either I'm explaining too much or not explaining enough. Makes me wonder what I should say and what I should leave unsaid. How can you ever know?

Maybe that's where a good critique partner would fill the gap...
I'll blog on that tomorrow.