Is A.K. Vande Vorde a Plotter or a Pantser?
In the writing industry, there is a ubiquitous question that writers ask other writers about their process: “Are you a plotter or a pantser?”
If you’re wondering what on earth that means, let me break it down for you.
Plotters are the writers who plot out their novels before they start writing them. These are the more (arguably) Type-A writers who prefer to create an outline of their novel so that as they’re writing, they know exactly what comes next.
Pantsers are the more (arguably) Type-B writers who write more spontaneously, or “by the seat of their pants,” preferring to allow the story to unfold as they write it instead of sticking to a rigid outline.
Which one am I? Allow me to introduce you to a third option known as a “plantser”—the hybrid lovechild between a plotter and a pantser.
As a “plantser,” I tend to write down a summary for every scene I have in my head as chronologically as I can, then fill in the gaps with spontaneous writing of wherever the plot or characters take me. During the first draft, if I hit writer’s block, I proceed to the next planned scene and flesh out what happens in between in a subsequent draft.
As a plantser, I love using a writing app called Scrivener, particularly its notecards feature. When I have an idea for a scene, I write a summary on a notecard. (The chapter numbers come later.) One of the most wonderful features of Scrivener is that if I believe a scene works better somewhere else, I can reorder the notecards with a single click-and-drag. Once the scene is written, I categorize the status as “Draft 1,” which appears on the notecard like a lovely stamp. (See below.)
While some people believe you can only be a plotter or a pantser (and some may include plantser as an option), I personally believe it’s a spectrum. I fall somewhere in between, with a slight lean toward plotter.
Updates
Writing
In March 2026, I reached 30,000 words on my WIP (work in progress). My goal is to reach at least 50,000 words. This is a much shorter novel than The Boston R.A.T.S., yet I hope it’s no less powerful. For reference, The Boston R.A.T.S. is about 104,000 words, or a little over 400 pages in a Word document. As of now, my WIP just reached 115 pages.
Blurbs
In December 2025, I began contacting agents of established dark academia authors to request that they read my manuscript and write a blurb. A blurb is a brief endorsement that appears in the front matter of the book for promotional purposes. I contacted 54 agents, and 6 said their author would be interested in writing a blurb for me.
This month, I received my first blurb:
“An engrossing tale of love and obsession that moves relentlessly towards its devastating conclusion.” —Marie O’Regan (award-winning, #1 bestselling author/editor of Celeste, In These Hallowed Halls, These Dreaming Spires, and Death Comes at Christmas)
I am absolutely obsessed with the adjectives she chose: “engrossing,” “relentless,” and “devastating.” If my readers feel this way about The Boston R.A.T.S., I would joyfully feel I did my job.
Front Matter Fun
My publisher hired an artist to include a map of the Fortress (the Boston Rats’ underground hideout) in the front matter of the book! I hope this will be an aesthetically beautiful addition to the story, and that it will help readers visualize the Fortress the way I intend it.
Last month, I sent out a poll to ask my subscribers if you would like to know the final word in The Boston Revolutionary Art and Teacup Society, and an overwhelming 100% said yes.
Well, I have listened.
So, readers . . . the final word of the book is . . .
S.
There you have it. I hope it breaks you as much as it broke me when I wrote it.
What do you think of the last word of the book? Leave a comment!
Tirra Lirra,
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