Someone recently sent me a picture of pancakes that she recently made with starter discards.  She said the taste was better than the looks.  I looked at the picture she sent me (below left) and knew exactly what she was doing that gave her the uneven, mottled pancake.  I was able to replicate the technique she used (above left pancake) as well as show her how to achieve a smooth, uniform, golden pancake (above right).  The next time she made pancakes with my suggestion, she sent me a picture of how the pancakes turned out.  (below right)

• Use a non-stick skillet on medium heat
• Preheat the skillet, melt some butter in a microwave, dip it with a paper towel and wipe the pan.  Use this paper towel regularly while making pancakes OR melt the butter in the pan directly and use a paper towel to wipe up the excess butter.  Excess butter causes the batter to brown in parts where the butter pools.  The first pancake is always the sacrificial lamb so don't serve this one!
• Your pancake batter should contain some butter / oil that would prevent the pancake from sticking to the pan.
• Take a soup ladle and pour the batter in the "center" of the pancake and allow the batter to naturally flow outwards.  This will allow your pancakes to be more circular.  Do not swirl your pancake batter.