McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

In Line With Outlines?

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weever:
I've recently taken a writing class where the instructor swore by writing an outline before writing a story.  I've also heard authors say that their book would never have been written if they tried to do an outline first.
Now I'm trapped in this limbo between wanting to write free and plan the hell out of it.  What works?  Is there a happy medium, or is it one of those "whatever works for you" things? ???

Amber:
Hmmm...

I write an outline.  Then I start writing.  Then when I have an idea that takes me off of the outline, I re-outline to fit the new plan.  Lather. rinse. repeat.

Could explain why I'm stuck about 10 chapters in ;)

ethyachk:
My first book I didn't bother with an outline. It got finished eventually, but I ran into a GSM problem and couldn't quite figure out how to end it either. My second book had an outline and I finished it much more quickly and directly. I also didn't keep to the outline, but I thought the outline helped direct my writing much better. My latest book also had an outline that I didn't strictly follow. Not quite done that one, but the outline helped again. My opinion: the outline can't hurt, and you can certainly ignore it when it gets in the way.  ;)

Mickey Finn:
I don't use outlines, because I'm a short story author.

I'm working on two novels, but I'm just not an outline type...I have one in my head, I make notes so I don't forget where I want to go, but it's definately not an outline.

pathele:
I don't generally use an outline.  I have tried it in the past and never made it past the outline phase.  What works for me is to keep notes about everything, especially key scenes.  I have a list of key scenes and write toward them.  If a scene doesn't work becasue the plot has shifted, then I either adapt or abandon the scene.  It's not perfect, but it works for me.

-paul

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