I wrote a blog already about why you should decide between plotting and pantsing based on your own strengths. You shouldn't do one or the other, just because someone else thinks you should. That being said, I thought it would be a good idea to write you a blog about the way I work, so you can decide if it's for you.
One of the big reasons I pants rather than plot, is that I write in a chronological way. I don't want to discover something about the novel before I'm meant to know. I think there are some inherent issues with doing things out of order.
I mean, suppose you were able to look at the structure of time and see that you would go to Chipotle later today... would you still go? and if you don't... what is it you saw? And if you did go, would you be able to live in the moment, or enjoy deciding with your friends or family which place you are going to eat at later? It would entirely change the way you live your life... to know things in advance.
If you read a book by reading every third chapter, then started back at the beginning and read straight through... would you enjoy the book in a normal way? Would you cry when you're meant to, and laugh when you're meant to?
Essentially what I'm insinuating is that if I plot too far ahead, before I write the book, am I changing the experience for myself in such a way that I won't experience the book as my readers will... in order?
When I write a book as a pantser, I find myself laughing, crying, and feeling fear as my readers would. But if I was working from a pre-written plot I'm not sure I would be feeling things correctly. In other words, the story is as much a surprise to me as it is to my readers... and to me that's a good thing. It also forces me, and allows me, to get to know my characters better. Instead of feeling pressured to stick to a fully written plot, I find myself being able to say, "No, that character wouldn't do this... I have to take another path than I believed I would." I change the story for my characters. An event may not take place, because the character is just too wicked for the plot to take it's assigned course. I believe that this results in my characters being very strong, and my plot seeming, perhaps, more realistic.
Reality is not defined by timelines, it is defined by how people choose to interact with and alter time. I write my stories with this in mind... that the characters of my novels should define the time and reality in which they exist. Thanks for reading, I hope you got something from this. If you did, but want some more concise writing advice, you can check me out on twitter... @advice_writing
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