Ever sat down to write a picture book and felt like you had to pick a side?
Are you a plotter — someone who outlines every beat before writing a single word?
Or a pantser — someone who flies by the seat of their pants, discovering the story as they go?
Here’s a little secret: the most successful picture book writers often use both approaches at the same time.
Call it hybrid planning. Call it plotting your pants off. Call it whatever you like.
But leaning into both plotting and pantsing might just be your new best friend.
What’s the Real Difference Between a Plotter and a Pantser?
Plotters love structure. They sketch story arcs, create character profiles, maybe even storyboard page turns.
Pantsers love discovery. They chase voice. They follow surprise. They let their characters misbehave.
In picture books, the tension between the two approaches is real — because picture books need structure and surprise.
The best stories feel inevitable but unpredictable.
And hybrid planning lets you build both.
Three Picture Books That Balance Plotting and Pantsing Brilliantly
Let’s look at three recent picture books that feel effortless — but underneath, you can see that perfect dance between planning and discovery.
Téo’s Tutu by Maryann Jacob Macias, illustrated by Alea Marley
At first glance, Téo’s Tutu feels like a quiet character-driven story about a boy who loves to dance.
But look closer: there’s a beautifully plotted emotional arc underneath the lyrical voice. Téo wants to wear a tutu in dance class. He hesitates. He observes. He builds courage. And then… that moment of triumph.
Macias could have pantsed her way into Téo’s heart — but then structured the story to land that final, joyful page turn.
Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima
This clever story about a house that doesn’t want to be haunted is pure pantsing energy in its quirky voice and inventive scenes.
But the plot? Rock solid.
First: the house tries to be normal. Then: she fails hilariously. Finally: she accepts herself (ghosts and all).
Pantsers might write those giggle-worthy scenes first, but hybrid writers zoom out to shape a beginning, middle, and end that satisfies.
Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias,illustrated by Tracy Subisak
This gorgeous intergenerational story uses reverse structure brilliantly — the first half shows shy distance between a girl visiting her grandmother in Taiwan, and the second half mirrors the same scenes as they grow close.
That kind of structure doesn’t happen by accident. Greanias may have written freely at first, but hybrid planning helps layer meaning into every scene and page turn.
Why Hybrid Planning Works So Well for Picture Books
→ Pantsing gets you voice, heart, and originality. It’s spontaneous and joyful.
→ Plotting gives you clarity, pacing, and emotional payoff. That’s your revision and rewrites at work.
You don’t have to choose between them. In fact, using both might save you from:
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Endless revisions with no clear ending in sight.
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Over-outlined stories that feel flat or mechanical.
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Voice-y drafts with no emotional arc.
How to Combine Plotting and Pantsing in Your Picture Book Process
1. Pants First, Plot Later
Start messy. Freewrite your idea. Follow the character’s voice. Chase weird images.
Then pause.
Ask: What is this story about at its heart?
Shape that raw draft into a plotted framework.
2. Plot First, Pants Later
If you love outlines, try this: Map out your beats or page turns first.
Then — on purpose — pants your way between them. Write scenes without worrying about perfect wording. Let your character surprise you.
3. Storyboard Like a Hybrid
Try a visual outline. Use sticky notes or index cards.
For each spread, jot down:
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What happens
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The emotional shift
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A possible visual or line of dialogue
Now play. Move things around. Add scenes that feel wild. Delete scenes that drag.
4. Zoom In, Zoom Out
Toggle between micro (voice, language, imagery) and macro (structure, arc, pacing).
Example: After writing a fun scene, ask yourself:
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Does this move the story forward?
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Is there escalation or change?
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Could this scene only happen right here in the story?
- Does every single word need to be there?
5. Reverse Engineer Mentor Texts
Grab Téo’s Tutu, Hardly Haunted, or Amah Faraway.
Ask:
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Where might the author have pantsed?
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Where is the plotting visible?
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How could I borrow this balance in my own work?
Final Thought
Picture book writing isn’t either/or.
It’s yes/and.
Be a plotter and a pantser.
Be an explorer and an architect.
Let voice lead you into discovery — then let structure lead you to the finish line.
Because the best picture books don’t just happen. They’re built. They’re discovered. And they’re shaped — one sticky note, one wild idea, one hybrid draft at a time.
