Best-selling author Stephen King divides fiction writers into one of two types: plotters and pantsers. A plotter is an author that outlines the novel in detail before they start writing the book. Plotters build a plan and then execute it.

Pantsers, by contrast, literally fly by the seat of their pants. They make it all up as they go along. Whilst they might have an idea of the direction, they’re not sure how they’ll get there. The process is completely emergent, as if the author is digging the story out of the ground.

Stephen King is a pantser. He argues that it makes for a more thrilling and exciting read. He should know, he’s sold over 400 million books! In the literary world, both plotters and pantsers succeed. There is no right or wrong way to write a book.

Product development is different. Developing an idea into a saleable product is not something that can be done well by the seat of your pants. Not unless you want to take on a ton of risk and waste huge amounts of time, money and effort in the process.

Taking an idea and transforming it into a product needs a framework – a plan. To build this framework requires the mindset of a plotter; envisioning the end-product and working back to outline all the work required to get there.

If this is something that you’ve never done before then it can seem a daunting or intimidating process. No different than an author facing a blank sheet of paper and having to write 100,000 words or more to create a novel. That’s why some writers are plotters not pantsers.

If you have an idea and are unsure about how to turn that into a tangible, saleable product then get in touch. We can help build a custom framework around your unique idea and give you a practical and manageable action plan for your team and business to succeed.