Jerm said:
I've read that alot of people write up a outline of their story before they start it. I use a rough outline to get my scenes in place occasionally. But I was wondering if there was a standard outline format that you use?
Do you begin with Act I? Break it down by first 10 pages? Do you break your outline down scene by scene?
Doesn't seem to me there's any "standard," every writer who outlines uses the form that works for them. I think most writers probably naturally begin at the beginning and work their way to the ending. I wouldn't think a "scene-by-scene" outline would even be achieveable at the outlining stage. An outline is just that, something that frames one's tale, not something that relates it in scene-by-scene detail.
Many writers develop what's known as a "beat sheet," which sets forth the major or significant beats of the story, of which there may be ten or fifteen, roughly equivalent to the "something has to happen every ten pages" idea of screenplays. Story beats are crucial events, turns, twists, reveals, changeups, setups, and payoffs that describe the dramatic landscape the story traverses from top to bottom, or front to back if you will.
Outlining is I think part of story crafting, which is a process that can be carried out in any of several different forms: treatment, step outline, beat sheet, a series of 3x5 cards that present the major beats, and so on. Most screenwriters are loathe to type "FADE IN:" without first having crafted the story they wish to tell in its major beats ... that proscribe the story's spine and its arc. This may be accompanied by biographical sketches of principal characters or other studies that address particular story questions or issues.
The entire process might be described like this:
+ idea/premise (boing!)
+ developmental sketch; research
+ beat sheet (step outline, outline, 3x5 cards, treatment)
+ first draft screenplay
+ second and additional drafts
+ final draft screenplay
+ polish draft screenplay
Clearly, this is a process of moving from the general to the specific, with the story becoming ever more refined and explicit as one moves through the process.
With most writers, the three-act structure provides the basic dramatic architecturre or framework in which their story is built and set. This comes into play early in the process and for me at any rate includes the idea of McKee's "inciting incident," or what Linda Seger referred to as the "story catalyst," which I want done in the first ten pages.
So "outlining" I think is a very personal choice that writers employ as a story crafting tool, with forms and methods varying all over the map.
Me I used to write treatments, but in later times I've taken to doing it all in my head, a process of brainstorming and thinking everything through, testing multiple story part scenarios, ideas about characters, and developing the idea. This might take months or it might be done in six weeks. Usually not less.
So choose your poison and don't sweat it too much, you'll learn what works for you as you go, just as we all have.
