Outlining for Plan-sters
When I was a writing newbie, a critique partner introduced me to the 3-act play.
He had gone to a conference where the instructor spoke at great lengths on the subject. My CP kindly sent me a copy of his notes.
His notes were so structured and detailed I immediately saw a pattern on how the play developed. It also gave me a basis for creating an outline. I started with a nugget of an idea. Like a seed, I let it sprout, one leaf at a time.
Maria's Outline Tips
• Start with a blurb: I know a lot of people do the blurb last, but I do it first. I want to know how I would pitch this. Not only does it give me the tone of the novel, but also a clear understanding on where the conflict lies.
• Know how I want it to end: I know what the conflict is (from the blurb). Now I decide how it needs to end. There's nothing specific yet. 'Hero beats bad guy.' 'Heroine gets her man.' That kind of thing.
• Decide how many chapters I'll need: I tend to write short chapters. I know for the average 80k book, I will need a minimum of 35-40 chapters.
• Blurb the chapters: Every chapter gets a two or three line sentence diagramming what happens. There must be a conflict and there must be a resolution -- or a segue to the next conflict. For me, this is the most important aspect on how I outline.
Every chapter must have an obstacle. If I can't identify the hurdle, then the chapter has failed. It isn't moving to the next, more challenging problem leading to the black moment.
When I finish, I will have 35+ chapter headings with a two line description for each chapter.
These little pods of information keep me honest. I know the story is always moving toward its inevitable conclusion, yet it gives me total freedom of creativity when I write the actual story.
***
Fooled you with this post, didn't I? LOL.
I don't write a lot of 'writing mechanics' posts, but Elana Johnson suggested today's topic because she was looking for ideas on how to outline. Elana has like a billion gazillion readers and she'll probably get more ideas on outlining than she needs, but this is my take.
--and I needed a topic! Thanks, Elana.
My system is easy-peasy, especially for my cluttered brain.
Writers: Do you outline? Do you have any tips you'd like to share?
He had gone to a conference where the instructor spoke at great lengths on the subject. My CP kindly sent me a copy of his notes.
His notes were so structured and detailed I immediately saw a pattern on how the play developed. It also gave me a basis for creating an outline. I started with a nugget of an idea. Like a seed, I let it sprout, one leaf at a time.
Maria's Outline Tips
• Start with a blurb: I know a lot of people do the blurb last, but I do it first. I want to know how I would pitch this. Not only does it give me the tone of the novel, but also a clear understanding on where the conflict lies.
• Know how I want it to end: I know what the conflict is (from the blurb). Now I decide how it needs to end. There's nothing specific yet. 'Hero beats bad guy.' 'Heroine gets her man.' That kind of thing.
• Decide how many chapters I'll need: I tend to write short chapters. I know for the average 80k book, I will need a minimum of 35-40 chapters.
• Blurb the chapters: Every chapter gets a two or three line sentence diagramming what happens. There must be a conflict and there must be a resolution -- or a segue to the next conflict. For me, this is the most important aspect on how I outline.
Every chapter must have an obstacle. If I can't identify the hurdle, then the chapter has failed. It isn't moving to the next, more challenging problem leading to the black moment.
When I finish, I will have 35+ chapter headings with a two line description for each chapter.
These little pods of information keep me honest. I know the story is always moving toward its inevitable conclusion, yet it gives me total freedom of creativity when I write the actual story.
***
Fooled you with this post, didn't I? LOL.
I don't write a lot of 'writing mechanics' posts, but Elana Johnson suggested today's topic because she was looking for ideas on how to outline. Elana has like a billion gazillion readers and she'll probably get more ideas on outlining than she needs, but this is my take.
--and I needed a topic! Thanks, Elana.
My system is easy-peasy, especially for my cluttered brain.
Writers: Do you outline? Do you have any tips you'd like to share?
Comments
Ref: ...every chapter needs a problem to solve!
This is my favorite part of this process. When I used to write off the cuff, it was easy to meander and not stay true to the story.
The story is less likely to slow down or sit around doing nothing.
Then, with minimum planning I write - bit like kindling - just to get the fire started.
After a sizeable chunk I stop, because by then I have a fairly clear idea of where it's heading and can see the conclusion. It's then I plan, chapter by chapter - and with a great sense of relief.
But I can't plan at all before that initial raw chunk. For me it's much easier to get the momentum going before calculating a plan. It's much easier to that raw chunk, cutting what's no longer relevant and reinforcing the major themes by judicious seeding.
The only tip this sums up is that there's more than one way to skin a horse, or indeed a well endowed pig.
I used to just write the story from one idea, pantsing it the whole way, and after many false starts, crappy results and many tears while rewriting, another writer mentioned outlining to me and although I balked and resisted with every ounce of stubborness in me, I did give it a go. That outline produced one of the best manuscripts I've written (IMHO) and I was converted from a pantser to a plotter.
I also write a blurb and a query beforehand
The only reason I don't do that anymore is because I think it takes me too long to come to a reasonable conclusion.
But I like throwing myself into the story. The story feels bigger when I do it that way.
Ref: well endowed pig
I'm not sure where you're going with that. --and maybe it's better I don't ask. LOL.
False starts. I think that nails it on the head for me. I feel like I don't get into the grit of the real story.
Thanks for giving it a name!
Thanks!
That is very smart to do the query first. I do the blurb, but not how I'll present it to an agent/editor.
I might try that with my next one and see if that helps me. Thank you!
But like Mike above, everyone skins that horse differently.
You have to use what works best for you. But I kinda like the idea of blurbing and writing six chapters before making an outline. I can see its benefit.
Exactly, horses for courses. I can't think of a conclusion, never mind planning something starting from cold. I need a ball of yarn before I start spinning
Ref: well endowed pig
I'm not sure where you're going with that. Either am I but you do the blurb...and I'll try to plan it out :)
For me, each story needs something different. The one I'm working on now came to me in clumps of dreams which I wrote as they happened in June. Then I sat down with the Marshall Plan and plotted the thing. I've been writing the story, including what I need/can from the barrage of wordage I got in June.
But hey, I'm not published and am mostly just playing and learning right now.
My biggest problem is that I don't know what happens. If I did, I don't think outlining would be such a plague. So do you just have the whole book already imagined in your head?
Outline? What's that? J/K ;) I birth my stories directly on my computer screen. I see the story in my head, sit at my desk and type nonstop until it's finished (let me clarify here, short stories, not a novel). Outlines don't work for me at all. My fellow writers in my writing group do the same. They either write it long hand or type it directly.
Claudia
P.S. I was able to fix the problem I was having with my link. ;)
I know in my experience one of my books was a bear to outline. I don't know why. When I decided to run with what I had it seemed to go smoother. Then I went back to the outline once I felt comfortable with it.
Ref: So do you just have the whole book already imagined in your head?
Oh heck no. It did happen once but I think that was a fluke. I just have a vague idea of how it should end. As long as I have a destination, I can figure out the rest.
That is very similar to my modus operandi. I like to let it simmer too. I've found even when I'm not actually thinking about it--I really am.
The story is always working in my subconscious.
Ref: I was able to fix the problem I was having with my link.
Oh, good. At least now people can reach you.
Ref: I birth my stories ...
That's like the stuff of miracles. LOL.
I can never work off the fly. I need some guide wires or I'll fall off the balance beam.
I start from very general to very specific. That's a simplified version of how i do it!
Oh, and I also do character sheets before hand.
:)
Everyone else I know who uses them, loves them.
I think I'm just being difficult.
Ref: ...lots of great ideas ...
I know. I really like all the suggestions people have been contributing.
Ref: Notecards!
I have a friend who does that and she loves it. I couldn't make it work for me. Obviously, I don't have the right pens. ;)
Ref: I'll save it for my post.
Looking forward to it, Tia. I'm always looking for better ways to skin a book.
Ref: timeline
Charlie, you brought up something that I completely forgot about. I usually don't bring in the timeline until the end, but I can see how doing it first could help a lot.
Thanks!