Thursday, 15 October 2009

Slow Steps Towards NaNo

I am still working on my outline. My experience with outlines is fairly new. In fact, before this one, I only completed one full outline, and even that was not totally prior to writing a draft, so I am still figuring out what kind of outlines work best for me. Having written several first drafts without planning, I now firmly believe that planning ahead and outlining properly is the way to go for me. The reason being that gaping holes in the first draft after it's supposedly finished demotivate me a lot, because then I am usually forced to rewrite from scratch. So I am definitely in favour of outlines now. But with this outline, I aim to do better. Usually when there are hard questions in plot somewhere that I don't know the answer to, I leave them and hope that when I write the first draft, things will just sort themselves out. Most of the time they don't, or if they do, by then I have written considerable amount already. So with NaNo outline, I am planning to have all the important questions answered. I know some people worry that outlining in detail might take away the excitement and creativity from the first draft. Personally for me, that is not the case, because an outline is just that - a list of things that will happen. The first draft is when you put the list together, and turn it into a story. The outline does not have all the details of the draft; it doesn't have quirks and habits of characters; it doesn't have a soul. The outline is just a guideline, a map to get you to the destination you want to get to. So I continue to mark my map. What's important to you in your outline?
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7 comments:

  1. Anonymous15 October 2009 at 21:58

    I don't like to outline, it ruins the writing experience for me. It feels like I already wrote the story but without any of the drama or special moments.

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  2. Eric15 October 2009 at 22:19

    Good job. I have also started my outline, but I'll put up a post about it (since you have me thinking about my own progress). Keep at it. I'm right there in the trenches with ya :)

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  3. Jamie D.15 October 2009 at 22:31

    My outlines are just a collection of scene summaries, really. I basically go through and come up with several "big" scenes that need to be hit, and then fill in with smaller scenes for transitions. I'm still developing my own method, but it's working pretty well so far.

    Good luck with your outline!

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  4. MC Howe15 October 2009 at 22:50

    My outlines are like scene summaries also. And don't ever think outlining can ruin the writing process. Outlining is writing, just not in such detail. We always hear that we shouldn't show anyone a first draft. Would you show anyone your outline? How is it any different?

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  5. C R Ward16 October 2009 at 02:24

    When I do an outline (which isn't often anymore) it's more or less a list of things I want to happen over the course of the story.

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  6. Michelle D. Argyle16 October 2009 at 16:07

    Like I always do when people ask about outlines, I direct them to my series of posts I did awhile ago because it explains exactly how I feel about outlines. :)

    I LOVE how you say the outline doesn't have a soul. That is one of the best explanations I've ever heard!

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  7. Dolly16 October 2009 at 18:30

    Thank you all for sharing your views/methods. I have a feeling that one day not in too distant future I might actually say that I love outlining. Certainly enjoying this one. :)

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