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Author Craft / Question for outliners...
« on: February 03, 2012, 04:38:58 PM »
I never outline. Well, almost never. Halfway through a story I might jot down some thoughts on where it could go, or if I get in a tangle I'll think out loud on paper. But now I have these ideas for this epic fantasy I've been wanting to write. I'm outlining mostly as a way of getting the ideas down so I don't forget them. I'm kind of enjoying this spate of pre-writing. I'm writing sloppy paragraphs like this (none of this is actually in my outline):
Jill goes to well, finds bucket outside on the ground. Problem, she worries about it. Finds bucket dented, smear of blood. Worries Jack's in well, but no sign of him. Turns to look at distant hill; did he go without her? Turns to go, sees wolf tracks, assumes wolf has Jack. Remembers wolf vowing revenge for 3 pigs incident. Knows she'll need help. She'll have to go to the woodsman. Afraid of him, poss. former relationship? Will ex help her rescue current boyfriend from big bad wolf?
The question is, how do you know when your outline is enough to fill a book vs. too much for one book? Can you judge book length by your outline?
Jill goes to well, finds bucket outside on the ground. Problem, she worries about it. Finds bucket dented, smear of blood. Worries Jack's in well, but no sign of him. Turns to look at distant hill; did he go without her? Turns to go, sees wolf tracks, assumes wolf has Jack. Remembers wolf vowing revenge for 3 pigs incident. Knows she'll need help. She'll have to go to the woodsman. Afraid of him, poss. former relationship? Will ex help her rescue current boyfriend from big bad wolf?
The question is, how do you know when your outline is enough to fill a book vs. too much for one book? Can you judge book length by your outline?