Outlining - How do YOU do it?

[reenkam]

Okay, so, I'm not a big outliner. Sometimes I'll write paragraph summaries a few chapters ahead of where I am, just to keep the story going. And once I wrote chapter titles about ten chapters ahead with one line descriptions, but other than that, I just don't do it.

But, I'm looking to finish 3 books before September. Insane dream, I'm aware. In order to even possibly do it I'll need to outline. So, I'm wondering:

How do you outline your books?

[callalily61]

http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php

Love it, love his methods. Heard him speak last year. Try it--it won't take that long. It was a lifesaver for my mystery outline.

[AJ Clare]

Post-it notes. I write brief chapter outlines on post-it notes, switching colours for different character POV, then I stick them to the wall sequentially and shuffle them about as the story changes. And pull them down when a chapter is done. It sounds silly, but it's a good motivator, and a great feeling when you yank the last post-it off the wall.

[JoNightshade]

I started my WIP by having an overall idea-- beginning, middle, and end (vague). Then I wrote scenes on 3x5 cards of the first third of the book. Then I was going so strong I didn't need any for the second third. Then I got off track and wrote a bunch extra. Now I am outlining my third-third by re-reading the first two thirds and then doing just a word document with bulleted points showing how I will end.

All kind of confusing-- but in the end basically I just work a third ahead of myself at a time. This is because I can only "see" about a third into any story at a time-- and before I get to the end of that third, it's likely that my story will have changed substantially. So it's not worth going further than that, either, or else I'll end up completely at odds with my outline.

[Zoombie]

I start my WIP's on the flimsiest excuses. Such as E.L.F. I was playing an old old old old video game called Harbinger (which, incidentally, took place on a giant planet eating spaceship called Harbinger). Then I had a thought, I realized that I had never written a book with a main character named Jimmy. But I still didn't have the full idea.

Then I was watching some...ahem...quote anime quote and realized that elf girls with pink hair are attractive.

Then, a week later, I thought, What's a better name for robots? And I was thinking about it while reading the Red Dwarf book, Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers (Which also has a gigantic space ship in it...), and I was reading about the G.E.L.F's, Genetically Engineered Life Forms. I noticed when I dropped the G, it became E.L.F. Electronic Life Forms. Robots. I mentally added a T.V antenna to my pink haired E.L.F.

And then, the last bit of the puzzle, struck my brain when I was watching the Terminator. So we have a guy named Jimmy, a giant planet eating space ship, a E.L.F and the Terminator. Then, for NO reason, I threw in some stuff from Cowboy Bebop, and duct taped it all together with realistic teenage behavior and that's how I outline most books.

Too see the result, just click on the link under my offer to Buy War Bonds.

[LeeFlower]

my outlines end up looking kind of like bastardized research paper outlines. Here's an example from the book I'm shopping now:

Chapter 1:
-Kemi and Arik spar in the Firekeeper's tower
--Renn tells them he got a 'strange letter' he wants to speak to the Firekeepers about
-The officers of the White Ward meet the next morning (day 1 c)
--Renn's been found dead in his study
--Kemi gets into an argument with Aloni, the Captain of the Pol Ward
-Oaken has assigned an investigator, preempting the White Ward's jurisdiction
--The investigator believes a White Warden assassinated the king
---the murder weapon is a White Warden's knife
---Renn trained with the White Ward– it would take their training to best him
-Arik calls an inspection of the entire White Ward
--Kai Tsaij, a member of Kemi's squad, cannot account for his knife
---he's afraid he won't get a fair trial because of his social class
---his squad tries to protect him from arrest
-The investigator catches them at it and threatens them with charges
--Altercation between Kemi and Iden about manhandling Kai turns into fistfight (she wins)
--she sends someone to go find Arik

As you can see, it makes little sense to anyone who's not me. Those notes (like 'day 1 c') tell me things about when my MC's shift is supposed to be on duty so that I don't end up writing a book about guards who never seem to do any guarding. I've got other ones scattered throughout the outline that mean different things.

With my second novel, I'm trying to do an outline that looks a bit more life a Cliff's Notes version of the book. The cliff's notes version takes longer, but it's cleaner and makes more sense. Since it's more complete, I have fewer details to keep in my head, and it will at least ostensibly save me the trouble of writing a 'clean' outline when I'm ready to shop it (though the story tends to evolve within its outline, so I'll probably still have to do some serious editing).

I often use index cards to keep track of random information, bits of scenes I haven't written yet, etc.

Hope that helps. In the end, do what works.

[Kristin Landon]

"Do what works"—I agree.

I just finished a novel in less than a year for the first time in my life (well, it's finished until my editorgets back to me with revision suggestions). I had to outline, too, of course, but outlines and I don't get along. So I used a method I read about once on, I think, rec.arts.sf.composition—I can't remember who it was. I just started writing and told myself it was the outline. I laid out the book in terms of main events in each chapter, then backed up and went through adding details whenever they occurred to me, and breaking the chapters into scenes. I repeated this until I found myself actually writing some of the scenes.

But if I didn't feel ready to write the next scene, I'd put down some notes to enrich what was there and move on.

It sounds chaotic, but it kept the whole structure of the novel in front of me. It helped me sort out all the threads of the story and shifts in my characters' purposes and emotions. In other words, everything a real official outline does, but in a way that an outline-phobe like me could handle it.

The "outline" of course eventually expanded enough that it was the first draft of the novel.

I will probably use this method again. It helped enormously that I didn't have two separate documents (outline and draft) that I had to check against each other—and that the book grew organically out of the outline.

[IrishScribbler]

I outline in different ways depending on what I'm working on. For Deirdre of Sorrow, I started with a rough outline with phrases/sentences to remind me of what I wanted to happen in the scenes. As I got more research and pre-writing, I developed the outline more, going into more detail about the scenes, and making notes to myself of what I wanted each scene to accomplish for the overall story.

By the end of my pre-writing, my outline read almost like a synopsis rather than a traditional outline.

[EriRae]

I have the book First Draft in 30 Days. It's an outline model. I have yet to finish a more fleshed-out outline that would suffice as a first draft, and I started last year...big failure on my part, but I do have an idea where it's going. I got to the end of a prelim outline and the characters were screaming at me to be on paper, so I started writing instead. I don't know if that will help you get three done before September, but I wish you luck in your quest!

[Azure Skye]

I write a loose synopsis then I look for potential plot holes and try to fix them. Once I get research done and holes fixed I try to expand on it a little more. Then, after I start writing, I try to write a paragraph for the upcoming chapter, usually as I'm finishing the current chapter. It took me a while to figure out a method that works for me.

[althrasher]

I usually end up having notes that look a whole lot more like freewrites. So my "outlines" usually read something like, "Where do they go next? Hm...maybe they could go to Kella's place? Would that be lame? Oh! Then Alexia and Zeroun could go up to Sintrina, have their discussion with Hygelac? That could work. So what happens at Sintrina? I'm hungry. I think I'm going to get breakfast. Mmm, bacon...Ok we're trying to focus here. So they have some battle at Sintrina? Batte--too much?"

And so on. (Actual notes excerpt.)

Once I have about 27 pages of these, I complie them into one long stream-of-thought. It works for me, but I have a VERY chaotic mind.

[Enraptured]

I write a bunch of brainstorming notes, just throwing out any possible scene ideas I have, until I've got something that looks like it has a beginning, middle, and end. From there, I do a phase outline (http://fmwriters.com/Visionback/Issue%2015/phase.htm). It's more detailed than most writers like, but for me, it works great. It keeps me from getting to points where I start drifting aimlessly (which is good, because when I start drifting aimlessly I start wanting to throw the whole thing in the trash).

[reenkam]

wow...lots and lots and lots of outlining methods. I think I'll have to read through them all again to see if any would specifically work for me in this instance...

luckily I know the general topic of each book (well, 2 of the 3) and where everything's going, so I don't have to worry about that as much. but I do have the middles to worry about which is where I'll get uselessly wordy if not careful...

keep the ideas coming! this is really useful

[Chasing the Horizon]

I'm a very detailed outliner. I have to be, because the outline is the one and only time I work from beginning to end without jumping around until my final revision. I'd be rather lost without it.

I format my outlines like this:
A header with the working book title and page numbers, in case the papers get separated while I'm writing.

Chapter One: Cold Hearts -- 4,000 words est.
Scene 1: -- 1,500 words
1-5 sentence description of the scene.
Scene 2: -- 1,000 words
1-5 sentence description of the scene.
Scene 3: -- 1,500 words
1-5 sentence description of the scene.

Chapter Two: Through The Haze -- 6,100 words est.

And so on all the way through the book.

The word count estimates for each scene and chapter are mainly there because I'm obsessive with word count, but also because I check my word count against the estimate after I write scenes and often find that if it's very different, there's a problem with the scene. This also helps ensure that the book ends up close to my target length. This outlining method really helped with the first draft of the novel I'm revising, because it showed that my initial plot ideas were going to yield about 180k words, which is way too much. Changing the plot before I started writing saved me a LOT of work.

I mark the scenes off as I write them, which is a nice way to easily see your progress.

The outlines range from 7-12 single-spaced pages when they're finished, and usually only take me a day or two to write. I revise them as I write the novel so that any scenes which either popped out of nowhere or didn't go as planned are reflected in the outline.

[ClaudiaGray]

My process goes something like this:

*Get idea, scribble down a few thoughts about idea and characters

*Do a wee bit of research, think more, see what comes to mind

*Get plot concept

*Write out very rudimentary version of story (maybe three paragraphs)

*Research and consider and add bits of information/ideas to my document, usually titled "Rough Concept" (by far the longest part of the process, can last months or even years)

* Attempt lengthier outline, see if this idea still sets me on fire

* Write more about character backgrounds, do yet more research

* Attempt very detailed outline with more depth and perspective (this step known as the Moment Of Truth)

* Start writing!

* Modify outline as needed while working and/or revising


Sometimes the modifications are very dramatic, sometimes not, but I always know my characters, my beginning, my end, my big story beats and fundamentally what I'm tryint to accomplish. It works for me, not least because I've already tested myself to be sure that I am very, very committed to seeing something through. (Tons of these concepts never make it to the later stages.)

[Scrawler]

I do what LeeFlower does. Then the outlines morph into chapters as I flesh out the notes. I usually make a time line so I know how to pace it.

[Danger Jane]

Do a crapload of research, think a lot about the plot while researching, start writing.

[Manderley]

- For the first book, I used a very basic outline with a sentence or two on each chapter I had planned.
- For book number two, I used the Snowflake method. It was OK, but not quite there for me.
- So for book number three (current WIP), I'm using the Phase method, and I really like this one. As Enraptured said: it's definitely not for everyone, but it works for me.

[billyf027]

Does it use a outline?

[Manderley]

The Phase-method IS an outline. Check Enraptureds link a few posts higher up. It explains it all.

[scarletpeaches]

I don't.

I just get on with writing the book.

[JohnDavidPaxton]

My strategy is extraordinarily anal. It's probably the only thing about the writing process I become a Nazi over.

I sit down and right a bullet point for every 1,000 projected words in a novel. And if I could not come up with 100 bullet points, I could not start the project.

It is my opinion that if you do not what MAJOR action is going to occur at least every 1,000 words you are stumbling around blindly. Remember, that's about one bullet point per four pages in print. If you can't be bothered to know that much about your plot ahead of time, don't be surprised if your work turns out be Styrofoam peanuts. :)

[Serenity]

I was at a convention this weekend and sat in on a panel discussion with three published writers. One outlined from start to finish with the key ideas for every chapter jotted down in order. One outlined only in the most general of terms (mostly the three or four main points that had to happen in the order they needed to happen) and then sort of went with the flow. The third tried outlining and never ended up where he said he was going to anyhow, so doesn't outline for his original fiction any more. The only time all three did outline was for the tie-in novels they all write, because it's a requirement.

That having been said, did outlining make the one writer better than all the others? Nope. Because all three were of the same opinion: do what works best for you.

[scarletpeaches]

It is my opinion that if you do not what MAJOR action is going to occur at least every 1,000 words you are stumbling around blindly. Remember, that's about one bullet point per four pages in print. If you can't be bothered to know that much about your plot ahead of time, don't be surprised if your work turns out be Styrofoam peanuts. :)

Well in that case your opinion is wrong. Plenty of writers don't outline. I don't tell you to fly by the seat of your pants, don't tell me my method is wrong. I'd rather get on with writing the book than planning every 1,000 words - something I could write faster than I could plan anyway. Why think about it when you can get on with writing it?

And it's not a case of not being bothered about my plot* in advance. It's a case of not needing to know.





*I hate that word anyway. Character is plot. You know your characters, you know all you need to know.

[Enraptured]

Why think about it when you can get on with writing it?

Because if I try to do that, I find I can't get on with writing it, because I have no clue where to go. I end up staring at the screen in frustration. Whereas with a detailed outline, I zoom through.

I agree with you, though - no one way is right or wrong. It really depends on the individual writer.

[Jamesaritchie]

I don't outline. I hate outlining. And I never, ever stumble around in the dark. This is a total misunderstanding of what it's like to not use an outline properly.

Not outlining is so much faster and easier than outlining that I can't begin to say how much easier it is, if you go about it properly. Really prolific writers seldom outline anything. It's one of the main reasons they're so prolific.

Situation, character, and structure are the keys to not outlining. It isn't stream of consciousness writing, it isn't "organic" writing, and it isn't stumbling around in the dark.

[LeeFlower]

I'm not a mod or anything, but I'd really, really appreciate it if this thread didn't turn into another argument about whether outlines are awesome or useless.

If you don't outline and that works for you, great. The bottom line is, outlining works for some people and not for others. There's no need for any of us to tell other people their methods are pants-- if your method gets you to 'the end,' you win.

But I as an outliner find the opportunity to discuss outlining methods very helpful, and I really don't want to see that discussion get sidetracked into another pointless argument. So if everyone could do me a huge favor and try to be mindful of their words so they're not generalizing or making this about defending their method, I would really, really appreciate it.

[JohnDavidPaxton]

Well in that case your opinion is wrong. Plenty of writers don't outline. I don't tell you to fly by the seat of your pants, don't tell me my method is wrong. I'd rather get on with writing the book than planning every 1,000 words - something I could write faster than I could plan anyway. Why think about it when you can get on with writing it?

And it's not a case of not being bothered about my plot* in advance. It's a case of not needing to know.


*I hate that word anyway. Character is plot. You know your characters, you know all you need to know.

My opinion is wrong? Wow. Well, that's pretty simple. I have other questions for you of ambiguity and personal dilemma or you at another time if you don't mind.

On this: Well, you can think my opinion is wrong all you want. Fair enough. But it's not empirical. It's not measured. We're exchanging opinions here, not facts.

Your argument is simply that it's time you could be spent writing. That's true. I concede it.

My argument is that you'll spend less time writing if you know what you're doing, at least in a very broad sense, every four pages of published script. You'll have less packing peanuts and more meat. You'll have less wondering and more connections.

If one is FORCED to sit down and look at how their story is going to turn out then they can avoid plot holes and tie together lose ends before they even start.

The most lost, the greatest amount of meaningless wording someone can do in my system, is 999 words. And that's pushing it. That means you got in idea in there that was one word (and hats off to you! :)).

There is not such thing as "Writers Block" for someone with a clear outline. You can't possibly be stumped if you wrote the whole story out before you got started. You didn't jot down a map: You made a path. If you can't get to that next point you've lost your will, not your way.

And, keep in mind, I'm only talking about bullet points here.

Things like:
Conversation about ducks (ties back in to migratory theme).

If you truly know how great your story is you're out, for a 100,000 word piece, ten minutes at the most.

I've tried writing without an outline. I've tried writing with one. I think an excellent exercise for anyone is to try it both ways. See which one works best for them.

But again, this is only my opinion. :D

[swvaughn]

I never used to outline, but now I have to. *sniffle* I'm getting used to it veeeeery sloooowly...

I don't outline, though, I synopsize. Hooray for turning words that shouldn't be verbs into verbs! This last go-round, I wrote a skeleton with some plot ideas and fleshed it out in several passes, using things like MAIN CHARACTER and BFF and EVIL OVERLORD WHO LOVES CHILDREN and MID-SIZED TOWN in place of names (those were basically the last things I came up with) while researching in between and adding detail with each pass...

It seemed to work. Bit of a muddle, but I finished said synopsis in a few days. :D

[ccarver30]

Easy. I don't. :)

[scarletpeaches]

My opinion is wrong? Wow. Well, that's pretty simple. I have other questions for you of ambiguity and personal dilemma or you at another time if you don't mind.

Well you were the one who said, "It is my opinion that if you do not what MAJOR action is going to occur at least every 1,000 words you are stumbling around blindly."

Clearly, that isn't the case as many non-outliners aren't stumbling around blindly. So what applies to you doesn't apply to everyone. The number of people who don't know what's going to occur every 1,000 disprove your opinion. Maybe it applies to some people, but definitely not all. It would be more accurate to say, "SOME people who do not know what MAJOR action is going to occur at least every 1,000 words are stumbling around blindly."

On this: Well, you can think my opinion is wrong all you want. Fair enough. But it's not empirical. It's not measured. We're exchanging opinions here, not facts.

Exactly my point.

My argument is that you'll spend less time writing if you know what you're doing, at least in a very broad sense, every four pages of published script. You'll have less packing peanuts and more meat. You'll have less wondering and more connections.

And my point is I do know what I'm doing. I don't waste time wondering and my connections are just fine, thank you.

If one is FORCED to sit down and look at how their story is going to turn out then they can avoid plot holes and tie together lose ends before they even start.

You think pantsers suffer from plot-holes and loose ends? Interesting. Not a problem I've ever had.

...the greatest amount of meaningless wording someone can do in my system, is 999 words

I prefer not to write meaningless words.

There is not such thing as "Writers Block" for someone with a clear outline. You can't possibly be stumped if you wrote the whole story out before you got started. You didn't jot down a map: You made a path. If you can't get to that next point you've lost your will, not your way.

I don't believe in writer's block either. I've never suffered from it and I never will as long as I show up at the keyboard each day.

[MelodyO]

Wow, what a wide variety of methods. It's comforting to know there's more than one way to get to the finish line.

I can't write a full outline for my WIP because I have no idea what happens yet. As seems to be my MO, I know the plot of the first half of the book, the ending, and then there's that big swampy second half where amazing things happen...I just don't know what they are. :D

As for my first half, I have the basic outline of what needs to happen in every chapter in my head. If I get stuck on execution, I write out what I need the chapter to do/say. And that works for me 95 percent of the time.

Oh, and my way is the only way, do you hear me?! YOU'RE ALL WRONG WRONG WRONG! ::pitches a fit::

Hee, that was fun.

[ChaosTitan]

I'm not a mod or anything, but I'd really, really appreciate it if this thread didn't turn into another argument about whether outlines are awesome or useless.

Thank you, LeeFlower. That was my thought as soon as this thread appeared.

The OP asked that those who outline come forward and express *how* you outline. Let's keep this one on-topic. There are at least a dozen other threads that debate the whole outline v. pantser thing (which I believe is a moot argument, anyway, since every writer must figure out what works best for them), and any one of them can be revisted if we really want to keep rehashing the same old stuff.

For now, let's stick to reenkam's question.

[callalily61]

Although I'm using an outline for the currrent WIP, it's changing as I write. I just moved a scene up several chapters, cut a scene that turned out to be a yawner, and realized I need to ramp up the danger to the MC sooner. So my trusty Excel spreadsheet is also a WIP. :)

I *think* I know the details of the climactic scene, but they've changed once already (Yeah, bad guy gets shot, but should MC shoot her or MC's boss? Makes a HUGE difference--but it's going to depend on what MC tells me her stake is--which is getting huger all the time.)

For my other WIP, the horror--I don't need an outline. I've been living with these people for a couple years now. I know what's going to happen.

[LeeFlower]

So I just followed the 'phaze method' link listed upthread, and I'm quite intrigued. Could someone who's used the system speak to their experience with it? Did it actually allow you to finish a book in a month? Do you have any words of advice about the system to share with someone who's trying it out for the first time? Did you make any variations to it that you found particularly helpful, or did it work great out of the box?

Looking at it, I'd be concerned that I'd need my individual phases to be much clearer than the ones the author used as examples. Is it hard to keep the specifics (like who the dialogue is for) in your head, or does it just sort of stay in there?

Thanks in advance.

[Enraptured]

So I just followed the 'phaze method' link listed upthread, and I'm quite intrigued. Could someone who's used the system speak to their experience with it? Did it actually allow you to finish a book in a month? Do you have any words of advice about the system to share with someone who's trying it out for the first time? Did you make any variations to it that you found particularly helpful, or did it work great out of the box?

Looking at it, I'd be concerned that I'd need my individual phases to be much clearer than the ones the author used as examples. Is it hard to keep the specifics (like who the dialogue is for) in your head, or does it just sort of stay in there?

Thanks in advance.

I've used the phase outline system for my last two novels, and they came out so much better than anything I'd written before. Part of that was that my writing skill increased, but I think the outline also helped a lot.

What I do is brainstorm possible scenes and story complications beforehand, and then dive in to the outlining. That way if I can't figure out where the outline is going, I can look over my list of ideas. Other than that, I use it pretty much straight out of the box. Since I'm fairly dialogue-based (the dialogue is often the first part of a scene to appear in my head), my phases include a lot of it, though I don't put in the exact words - just the general idea of what the characters will say. And I label the dialogue with the first letter of the character's name, so I don't get confused as to who it belongs to.

Here are a couple of examples of mine, one from fairly early in the book and one from later on:


Alarm goes off, makes Aurora jump, wakes the others. L: How are you? Aurora doesn't know how to answer; of course she's not okay. Lija understands. L: You'll get used to it after awhile; sometimes it's bearable, sometimes it's not, but it becomes normal. Declan seconds that (though he hasn't been there too long) and smiles at her.

---

N: I have faith in you; losing faith in everything else, but can hold to you. A: Don’t deserve it. Nathan kisses her. Aurora hesitates; could do this, comfort him, give her something to cling to. But can’t. Pushes him away. Apologetic. N: No, I understand; but if you change your mind, I’m here.


Mine are often a bit cryptic, since I make references to things that people not inside my head won't necessarily understand - but I make sure to explain enough that I'll understand what I wrote later. (Otherwise there wouldn't be much point to the outline ;) )

I did actually finish a book in a month with it - and the book was nearly 200,000 words long (which made the revision quite a painful process, as I had to figure out how to get it more book-sized and less doorstop-sized :tongue ). But it's definitely not a system that will work for everyone. So if you try it, and discover that you hate it, don't try to force yourself to continue. There are lots of different outlining methods out there.

If you have any more questions, let me know; I'll be happy to answer.

[Williebee]

I'm trying something different (for me) with the latest WIP. 3X5 cards of each
scene, color coded on the sides (each significant character has their own color). The theory is, I have the beginning, a few of the plot points, and the end. I'm hoping that I can then see just how much fill in has to be done.

The color coding, I think, will help me to see whether or not I have a balance with the characters.

Oh, and this process could be completely full of crap.

[JohnDavidPaxton]

I'm trying something different (for me) with the latest WIP. 3X5 cards of each
scene, color coded on the sides (each significant character has their own color). The theory is, I have the beginning, a few of the plot points, and the end. I'm hoping that I can then see just how much fill in has to be done.

The color coding, I think, will help me to see whether or not I have a balance with the characters.

Oh, and this process could be completely full of crap.

Full of highly intelligent and motivated crap!

I'm intrigued by your system. If you feel so inclined, please PM or post the results later. I feel that, for visual people, that could be a hell of a thing.

[LeeFlower]

Thanks a bunch, Enraptured. The phaze method appeals to me because I'm someone who like to have the whole book 'written out' in my head before I try to write it. Once I settle on an outline I'm happy with, writing the actual book really does seem to just fly by.

I think I'll give it a whirl for the project I'm outlining now. Thanks again for the info.

[Scrawler]

Really prolific writers seldom outline anything. It's one of the main reasons they're so prolific.
Oh? Who?

[LeeFlower]

Please take it to another thread.

Here's a link (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65582) to one all about debating outlines and their usefulness. Have fun.

But some of us here are actually trying to have a productive discussion about outlining methods. It'd be really nice of you guys to let us do that.

[ClaudiaGray]

I've heard of a number of prolific writers who do outline, as well as some who don't. So I doubt outlining makes people work slower (or faster, given that the writing time you save by outlining is, naturally, taken up by the outlining itself).

I'm in the last stages of writing my second novel in less than a year. I have outlines more or less ready to go for the three books after that, so I don't think I'll be slowing down (barring external complications). For me, outlining makes me work more efficiently. I can see that for others it could end up as a dodge or a quagmire -- but that's a function of who those people are as writers, not of outlining itself. It's not an inherently good or bad thing. It's just a process that may or may not work for you and is worth trying out. For me, it works.

To add something about specific outlining methods -- I wrote out my general strategy above, but I'll describe how my outlines look when they're done. I have a chapter-by-chapter breakdown. Sometimes I also break it down scene by scene, though I'm more likely to detail a couple of major scenes and trust my instincts about filling in smaller points. I indicate what's going on plotwise, where the characters are emotionally and the main points to hit. If I've thought of some dialogue I like a lot, I throw that in too. So there's a pretty firm blueprint for each chapter, as well as reminders of how certain plot and character arcs have developed to this point.

[reenkam]

Lots and lots of responses...this is great.

Since I'm usually a non-outliner, the really intense ones probably won't work for me, right now. Not with my current goal at least. But after looking over the tons of different methods everyone's been posting, I've come up with two ways I'll try for now. I'll write about them incase someone cares:

WIP#1: Second in a series, so I know general ideas. I think I'll do a very lose synopsis, bulleting the major turning points of the book. Then I'll fill in the smaller areas that are twists. This will be 1/2 a page, written, perhaps. Then, as I'll write, I'll summarize one or two chapters ahead...

WIP#2: This one I'm breaking down to the smallest pieces, either 56 or 42 "chapters." I listed all the major named characters and I'll write a line about each of them for where they're going in the story, and then connection lines for how they all relate. Then I'll just go for it, as usual.

I'll see how both of these turn out...maybe I'll turn into a semi-outliner. :)

[Enraptured]

Lots and lots of responses...this is great.

Since I'm usually a non-outliner, the really intense ones probably won't work for me, right now. Not with my current goal at least. But after looking over the tons of different methods everyone's been posting, I've come up with two ways I'll try for now. I'll write about them incase someone cares:

WIP#1: Second in a series, so I know general ideas. I think I'll do a very lose synopsis, bulleting the major turning points of the book. Then I'll fill in the smaller areas that are twists. This will be 1/2 a page, written, perhaps. Then, as I'll write, I'll summarize one or two chapters ahead...

WIP#2: This one I'm breaking down to the smallest pieces, either 56 or 42 "chapters." I listed all the major named characters and I'll write a line about each of them for where they're going in the story, and then connection lines for how they all relate. Then I'll just go for it, as usual.

I'll see how both of these turn out...maybe I'll turn into a semi-outliner. :)

Sounds like a good plan. Let us know how it goes!

[Dave.C.Robinson]

I generally outline to one degree or another. Essentially I break the novel down into chunks and then break those 3-4 chunks down into parts and go from there. The outline grows along with the novel. It's a combination of a synopsis and a plan. I usually write it in Notepad and it's anything from sentences to bullet points about character motivation.

That's how I normally do it.

On my current WIP (on hiatus while I revise another) I am using MS OneNote and seeing how it works with a more spatial organization.

Wish me luck.

[PhatDad]

I generally outline to one degree or another. Essentially I break the novel down into chunks and then break those 3-4 chunks down into parts and go from there. The outline grows along with the novel. It's a combination of a synopsis and a plan. I usually write it in Notepad and it's anything from sentences to bullet points about character motivation.

That's how I normally do it.

On my current WIP (on hiatus while I revise another) I am using MS OneNote and seeing how it works with a more spatial organization.

Wish me luck.

Good Luck!!!

[WorldPlanter]

My approach to outlining is a hybrid of traditional and improvised techniques. In addition to creating an outline I also setup a Wiki for each of my stories so I can easily cross reference characters, locations, events, and any other details that pertain to the reality I'm trying to recreate for the reader.

In many ways, I spend a large portion of my pre-production time world building since most of my projects are high concept stories that require an extensive history. I probably produce four or more pages of back story for every page of actual story that ends up in the book. Even though much of the material that I write never ends up in the finished product it indirectly adds layers of depth that would likely never occur if I didn't use this story development strategy. This kind of falls outside the realm of outlining but is still an essential process for me.

[Manderley]

So I just followed the 'phaze method' link listed upthread, and I'm quite intrigued. Could someone who's used the system speak to their experience with it? Did it actually allow you to finish a book in a month?

Nope, I didn't finish the book in a month (which is a shame, as it originally was meant for Nano-2006), but life got in the way, not the method.

I'm one of those who cannot write without an outline, it just doesn't work for me. The phase method allowed me to think a lot about the development of my story. Whereas with other methods, I could just write a vague sentence about what a chapter was to contain (and which I was never able to write out satisfactory either, as I never really knew exactly what i wanted to say), I now have to be specific.

It took a long time to make the outline, and it's a lot like a puzzle: you start with the corners and the edges, and little by little you find all the pieces that fits together until you have a full story. This WIP is the first one using the phase, but so far so good. I have 200 phases, making the outline about 15 pages long.

I think the reason I like this, is that I'm always in a rush to tell the story, and this is to the detriment of both the story and the language and style. With the phase, I have already told the story when I start writing, so there's no need to rush. I can just go to the writing, knowing I only need to do one or two phases that day, and then dwell on those one or two phases those 500-800 words, rather than hurrying along.

I don't really have any advices that's not already covered in the link. The only thing would be: give it a go, try it out for yourself, and if you like it then great for having found something that works, and if not, well, at least you know.

[OverTheHills&FarAway]

One thing I've never done before but which has worked amazingly for me lately is this:

I came up with a general situation in my head, and a main character. Certain that this was someone I wanted to spend the next couple of months with, I started daydreaming and coming up with new scenarios for him and his problem. I had a general chronology in my head, but basically, everything I came up with over the next few weeks were separate events that I wrote in my journal as "possible" events in the novel. Some were vague feelings, a change in a character's life that centered around an object (one was a popsicle stick), a bit of dialogue, a single action, or an entirely fleshed-out scene. Most of the work went on in my head, over the course of several weeks, while doing something else. Like laundry or the dishes. After a while, I had a whole pile of stuff concerning this character, his plight, a logical beginning and end.

Then the work came. I trolled through my journal and compiled all the scene fragments into a single word document, printed it out, and labeled each one with a letter, starting with A. All the ones that went together somehow got the same letter. When I got to the end, I had about thirty separate major events, that I then separated into separate word documents and numbered, chronologically. Each document has from several pages of notes to just a sentence, that I go back and fill in with the narrative and dialogue and action that makes up a story. Even though I have the story laid out, from beginning to end, chronologically, I can go through and write out of order and still feel like I'm keeping my internal logic.

This is the most organic thing I've done, and, now that I think about it, is exactly what Robert Olen Butler suggests in his book "From Where You Dream," which I loved and agreed with but never thought I could consciously do. I just changed the mechanics of it and stopped forcing myself, tailored it to my own needs, and out it came. And surprisingly, even though it wasn't something I focused on, in the daydreaming stage, my story has definite themes, motifs, symbols, and foreshadows itself quite nicely. I think this is because it came from my subconscious, day-dreaming side, and themes and symbols are just ways for writers to translate how people think and feel into story. I may just be crazy, but it really works.

[Varthikes]

First, I write down what must happen in the story.

Then, I write a numbered list of points that I will cover in Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc.

Example:

CHAPTER 1
1: Opposing factions in WhiteSpace engage in battle
2: Task force monitoring portal detect disturbance in fabric of space

CHAPTER 2
3: Varthikes arrives at Hatching with Vruthes; Ilka examining Varth, studying Draconian physiology
4: Amity and other younglings arrive to meet Varth. Vruthes goes off with children

etc...