Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and it’s time for another review. Today, I am reviewing Libbie Hawker’s Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing.

Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books For Faster, Better Writing was published in 2015 by Running Rabbit Press and is 162 pages long.

What It’s About
When it comes to the art (because it is an art) of plotting a story or a novel, authors often find themselves navigating a maze of endless possibilities. The task can be daunting, especially for those more inclined towards pantsing (writing by the seat of their pants without a detailed outline). However, Libbie Hawker’s ‘Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing’ offers an inviting and refreshing approach that helps to simplify this intricate process.

Writing Style
One of the standouts of Hawker’s writing is her engaging and conversational tone. She presents complex concepts in an accessible manner, making the book feel less like a dry ‘how-to manual’ and more like a heartfelt conversation with a knowledgeable friend.

‘Take Off Your Pants’ champions a particular outlining method that contrasts somewhat with the more freeform writing styles often romanticized in literary circles (the title itself is a playful jab at ‘pantsers’). However, rather than dismissing improvisation altogether, Hawker offers a structured framework that is a combination of ‘pantsing’ and ‘outlining’, allowing creativity to flourish within the boundaries you construct. She argues that having an outline speeds up the writing process and enhances the depth and cohesion of the story.

Central to Hawker’s methodology is what she terms ‘The Story Core’, a concept that encourages writers to focus on the fundamental aspects of a story, such as character transformation and thematic depth, before delving into plot details. By prioritizing these elements, Hawker posits that stories naturally unfold with greater authenticity and emotional resonance. Her breakdown of ‘The Story Core’ is detailed and accessible, making it easy for writers at any stage in their career or ability to grasp its significance.

Additionally, one of the book’s aspects I most appreciated is its brevity; Hawker keeps to the point without sacrificing substance — a rare feat in instructional books, which can sometimes veer into verbosity. At just over 160 pages, it provides concise yet comprehensive insights that respect your time and creative energy. Writers can apply her techniques directly to their current projects or use them as a foundation to build custom approaches tailored toward their individual needs.

Final Thoughts
Overall, ‘Take Off Your Pants!’ provides a roadmap for completing a first draft while instilling a sense of joy and adventure in the writing journey. This book is a gem in terms of what it offers in writing advice, and it will undoubtedly resonate with writers across all genres. I have already begun to use some of the advice from the book, such as ‘The Story Core’, and I can already see how it will help me create more fully rounded characters and more impactful plots.

I am giving Take Off Your Pants a 9/10.

Have you read Take Off Your Pants? What did you think?

Thank you, as ever, for reading my review.

Until next time,

George

© 2025 GLT

Categories: Book Reviews, Outlines, Reading

Tags: character, outline, pantser, Plot, story core, storytelling