Published by Deborah on 22 Dec 2005 at 04:10 pm
Outlining
How many of you outline your novels before you start on them? If you do, how do you keep yourself on cours? I’ve tried traditional outlining as well as mindmapping, to no avail. New ideas always spring up and poke holes in my carefully written plan. Outlining non-fiction is much easier because the research is out there, waiting for me to gather it up, organize it, and turn it into something useful.
Benjamin Solah on 22 Dec 2005 at 6:06 pm #
Simply put, I don’t force myself to stay on course. If my characters take me outside the outline, I go with them and ammend the rest of the outline.
And then for extra sub-plots and stuff, I write them down and edit them into the re-write. (At least, that is what I plan to do when I finish my draft ;))
Chris Howard on 22 Dec 2005 at 6:47 pm #
I agree with Benjamin. A fiction outline is more like a guideline, something the author can stretch, modify, even let the characters bump up against and drive, as long as the author re-outlines the story, or makes the repairs necessary to fit the new direction into the old outline.
I outline and mindmap also, but I try not to make anything too detailed, which makes it easier to shift and gives me room to maneuver. I have to do it. I need some kind of track to follow, even if it’s faint.
Deborah on 22 Dec 2005 at 7:06 pm #
I’m glad to hear that I’m not alone with this. I have the beginning and the end of my story, but getting from Point A to Point B is the challenge. I used to try and come up with a detailed outline, but that would inevitably go into the circular file. Today, I just type and hope I can outline the story afterwards.
Yzabel on 22 Dec 2005 at 11:53 pm #
I do a rough outline, meaning that I loosely plan whatever can be planned, in a few lines, but if the characters or plot turn toward another direction along the road, I let them do and see where it’ll take me.
My primary goal with an outline is to provide me with something to write about, so that I always know where I’m going, and don’t have to face this part of writer’s block that is “okay, now what do I do with sub-plots A, B and C? How do I tie this together?” I’ve noticed that with NaNo, I work much better this way, and faster as well. Sure, the confusion and block can happen even with an outline, if I stray too much, but then, I can outline the new plot bits as well, and be prepared.
Mindmapping, on the other hand, doesn’t work too well for me. I tend to get lost in it pretty quickly, I’m not sure why (it’s the same at work anyway, not only in writing).
I’ll also agree that outlining non-fiction is easier, or at least seems to be. There aren’t that many twists to be pulled out (probably none, in fact), contrary to what happens with characters.
Lee Pletzers on 23 Dec 2005 at 6:28 am #
ever read the snowball effect?
i do rough outlining, usually chapter by chapter, some other parts are already worked out in advance.
Deborah on 23 Dec 2005 at 10:37 am #
Yzabel: You did great with the NaNo contest. Are you going to yet this published? As for outlining, I find that mindmapping is easier when I’m trying to draw up characters. Traditional outlining is difficult because my plot is complex.
Lee: The snowball effect is what usually occurs when I write. If the ideas fail to form a cohesive plot, then the story experiences an avalanche.
Yzabel on 23 Dec 2005 at 1:58 pm #
Deborah, I’m not sure yet. I have rougly 1.5 chapters left to write (didn’t do much in the wake of Christmas, with a 6-rooms house to clean… bleh), and once this is done, I’ll pass it around and will reread/edit heavily. After this, if I deem it worth it, I’ll go on the lookout for an agent. It’s not that easy to write in another language than my mother tongue, and I’m not sure I’m the best person to judge. So, we’ll see
Deborah on 23 Dec 2005 at 3:01 pm #
Ah, you’re almost there.
I can totally understand being too preoccupied with Christmas. As for writing in another language, that’s got to be difficult. I never realized how backwards the English language is until I took Spanish in high school. Please keep us posted!
Lee Pletzers on 25 Dec 2005 at 11:55 pm #
When I said the snowflake method I meant this:
http://www.rsingermanson.com/html/the_snowflake.html
Deborah on 26 Dec 2005 at 9:35 am #
This is great, Lee.
I’m going to print it out for future reference. Thanks!
pat kirby on 27 Dec 2005 at 10:13 am #
I start out very freeform, no outline, letting the character interact and getting to know each other, etc. After about 20-30K (varies), I realize I need a game plan, and hammer out a rough outline. That evolves as I continue writing the work.
Deborah on 27 Dec 2005 at 12:29 pm #
That’s how I’ve been working all this time. The first step (and maybe the hardest one) is getting to know the characters.