Outline or Just write

Gardenia31 · Nov 26, 2008

What's the best route to take when writing a novel in your opinion, write an outline first or to just write it?

ChaosTitan · Nov 26, 2008

There is no best route, in general. There is only the best route for any particular writer. You're going to get a lot of varying opinions on this question, based on the experience of the different writers here.

Personally, I do some pre-planning and character development, but I don't outline before I start writing. And it works well for me.

Mr. Chuckletrousers · Nov 26, 2008

Gardenia31 said:
What's the best route to take when writing a novel in your opinion, write an outline first or to just write it?

Yes.

scarletpeaches · Nov 26, 2008

Round and round and round it goes, plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose...

Julia · Nov 26, 2008

I personally prefer to outline. It gives a direction to what you have in mind. However, I have found that, in the end, the story finds its own direction and diverges somewhat from the outline as it goes. Even if you outline, you will still get surprise while writing.

dpaterso · Nov 26, 2008

Some folks wing it, some prefer to outline and plan ahead. There is no right or wrong, there's only what suits you best.

Outlining is just another form of writing. If you can work out your story in shorthand form, and iron out any major creases before you start writing the novel, I'd say your chances of finishing said novel go up. And there could be a quality bonus as well.

-Derek

Adam · Nov 27, 2008

Like most people have already said, either way can work, it depends on you and how you work as a writer.

Personally, I tend to write out a very vague sequence of events so I can roughly gauge my pacing and then start writing. I find that this leaves me plenty of opportunities for creativity, but gives me something to refer to if I'm 'stuck'.

Hope this helps

KTC · Nov 27, 2008

Gardenia31 said:
What's the best route to take when writing a novel in your opinion, write an outline first or to just write it?

This is a matter of personal preference. You have to decide for yourself which way best suits you. Maybe you should try it both ways and see what feels more comfortable to you. I never ever outline. When I tried to, I found that I completely ignored the outline I created.

Linda Adams · Nov 27, 2008

It depends on what works best for you. Some people find that it's easier to jump right in and start writing; others have to work out the story.

But if you are considering an outline, experiment to find one that works best for you. Not all of them are made alike. I've always known I probably needed an outline to write a novel, but it took a considerable amount of experimentation to find one that fit how I write.

You might start by looking at The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing. It's written by an agent, and he gives step-by-step instruction on how to outline a book. Granted, it's not a method for everyone or every type of story; it didn't work for me, but I did pick up some important information on how to structure a novel.

eqb · Nov 27, 2008

Linda Adams said:
But if you are considering an outline, experiment to find one that works best for you. Not all of them are made alike.

Quoted for truth.

Not everyone outlines, and not all outlines are the same.

I tend to use a very loose, very informal set of plot notes, divided up into chapters. It helps me to keep on track with the plot, but I also don't worry if things change. My middle chapters always shift around and gain more detail and a subplot or two. My final chapters always expand more than I expect. (My current WIP started off with 12 chapters in outline. The final chapter count will be seventeen.)

tehuti88 · Nov 27, 2008

I'm a "just write it" type of person, BUT, I understand the use of outlines, and in truth I think I'd probably use one for a more structured sort of story like a novel. (I write serials that go on for many chapters and contain numerous plots, so for those, not outlining is okay.)

I'll often "just write" until I might get stuck or worried that I'll overlook important plot points, and THEN I'll make a short outline of events to come, just to sort them all out and end the story properly. I did that for my current serial and for the ones in the past.

I partially outlined a couple of my past novels (while already in progress), and fully outlined one. The last one I finished a lot more quickly, but I didn't find it as exciting to write.

In short, there is no best way to do it, just the way that works for somebody personally. Though that's been said plenty of times already.

ishtar'sgate · Nov 27, 2008

Whatever works for you. I tried outlining and just can't make it work for me. I even tried beat sheets, a looser form of outlining to cover only the really big scenes, but I didn't like that either and scrapped it after a couple of chapters. I may get into trouble as the complexity of the novel increases but I don't think I can write with an outline. If I run across a method of outlining that resonates with my muse I'll most definitely use it.

Mad Queen · Nov 27, 2008

Outlining saves me time. Outlines are way faster and easier to write than first drafts and let you detect the problems and strengths just as well.

darrtwish · Nov 28, 2008

It depends on the project. Some times it's best just to go with the flow and write, other times it's best to outline. I'm starting to be more in favour of outlining though...if only I could develop a more detailed outline.

The Lady · Nov 28, 2008

Nobody actually even agrees what those two terms even means. First we would need to establish a group consensus on what each is, and how to do it. There would be screams of outrage and denial from each camp and people shamefacedly changing sides as they realised that their methods actually are not strictly speaking, either.

A technique I've learned lately for just about anything is this. Figure out the end product and act. So as it applies to a novel, sort out what you want the end to be and write in that general direction. After a while you will find out that you are either outlining or writing, or possibly both simultaneously. (Both simultaneously is actually my method except for the times when I don't.)
The key factor though, is not to attach too strongly to the ending, Yes, I do believe you should always know what it is, but you are allowed to change your mind up to 48 times a day. Anymore than that is just silliness.

Varthikes · Nov 28, 2008

Beth Bernobich said:
I tend to use a very loose, very informal set of plot notes, divided up into chapters. It helps me to keep on track with the plot, but I also don't worry if things change.

That's mainly what I do.

Jerry B. Flory · Nov 28, 2008

Write now, control later.
There is no control, it is an illusion, control is merely an excuse for english professors to have jobs because they can't get published. No control forget it. dive in . Characters write their own stories. Your ham-handed efforts of control are insults to them. Write it first, grade it later. English is rules, grammar is control and those are the process. Writing is the disaster. Rules and control are the clean up crew.
I could do this all day.

echnos · Nov 28, 2008

The two times I did not outline, I ended up with ms's that were almost 300,000 long. I kinda got carried away... LOL. Cutting was a challenge. But boy was it fun! This time, I'm trying a skeletal outline, and worked it so that it is basically a single line of 'this is what happens in this chapter' type of outline. Very, very loose still, lots of flexibility within each chapter. I'm only now digging in though--will have to see if it keeps me in control or not. Grin.

scope · Nov 28, 2008

Some writers, like me, always outline. Others never outline. Some outline a little. And there are writers who sometimes outline and other times do not. Some believe in outlines and others do not. But when it comes to answering this question, what other writers do should be of no consequence to you. You will have to discover what is the best way for you to work. So, try both methods and see how you feel about the each process and the results. In short order you will learn what is best for you.

Elidibus · Nov 30, 2008

No offense to anyone in this thread, but I despise outlines. My hatred for outlines started in middle school, where the teachers always forced us to "outline" every single report we did. I always thought to myself "why bother with the outline? It's easy enough to research the material, write it down in a coherent format and turn it in for an A" but no teacher would accept that excuse, so, in order to be as contrary as possible, I always did my outline last.

That, and one evening a rabid cadre of outlines attacked me in my sleep. I had paper cuts that took months to heal!

As for writing fiction. I tried outlining once, since that's what I was "supposed" to do according to my school. But adhering to the darn thing proved more difficult than just winging it.

So now, whenever I start a new work, I get the idea for a few MCs, and a vague ending. Sleep on it for a day. Wake up. Sit in front of the computer and see what happens. Oftentimes, what happens ends up being more awesome than I could have ever planned.

But that's just me. I think every person should find what works for them and stick to it! Try both and see what works. =D

TrickyFiction · Nov 30, 2008

Both! Just write until you think you know where this baby's going, then outline it so you don't get lost. But don't stick too much to the outline and don't be afraid to get lost every now and then. Accidents are sometimes the best moments ever.

cooeedownunder · Nov 30, 2008

I have never outlined before and never had trouble writing, but this time with a story idea I have been asked for an outline, and gee, I have since been stumped and wrote very little. I feel stilted by an outline, but it appears to work great with some people. I think I need to forget I was asked for the outline and just write.

Dark Cyril · Nov 30, 2008

I don't like doing outlines generally, unless I have a very clear idea of where the narrative is going, in which case, a brief plot synopsis is about all the more detailed I usually get, because if I've got the end result and the path clear in mind, I've got most of the difficult part done.

The rest of the difficulty is actually sitting down and writing. That's where I've kept falling in the past.

Claudia Gray · Nov 30, 2008

Do whatever works for you. I personally have found outlining to be a great help, but not everybody's process is the same. Give both methods a go and see which one helps you make progress.

ishtar'sgate · Nov 30, 2008

Elidibus said:
Oftentimes, what happens ends up being more awesome than I could have ever planned.

Exactly. This happens to me too but my current wip requires some dovetailing of subplots so I needed something. What may turn out to work best is a simple timeline for each character, showing crosslines where their paths intersect and then the final merge with the through plot. Not sure if it will be what I want but it beats outlining, which simply does not work for me.

Outline or Just write

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