Teens Writing for Teens, the 5th

I agree they are very very confusing and i cant understand them. What you need to do is find a system that works for you.

Me for outlines i go on Word and just write out an outline by the days, what is going to happen what day for length of the book. Alot of the days are very vague but i fill them in when i get to that day. But that is only the system that works for me the best, it took me years to find something i really could keep track of and understand, i tried handwriting out the whole plot, i tried spreed sheeting but none of that worked. So find your system!

I will definitely try to do that. I'm gonna experiment with different outlining systems me thinks. Originally I learned to outline scene by scene, but that's not working very well for me, haha.

it didnt work for me either, i have too many crazy scenes and i needed an overview of the entire book.

So since i start each book with only a very very vague idea and a few scenes that seem awesome

First i'd wirte down a small description of the scenes i wanted then my overall vague idea then i go through and force ideas out of me that connect everything so i have a beginning middle and end and the small stuff that connect everything, then i let all that sit for a bit and start plotting everything day by day. Even now i still end up changing the outline or adding stuff or deleting stuff, its just the fact i know where it is going that keeps me on track, although for this book i still dont have a firm ending set

Just popping in to say goodnight. Good luck with outlining experiments, Keags.

G'night, and thanks BG!

I might do something similar to that, only instead of outlining scene by scene, outlining chapter by chapter with one or two key scenes that make the chapter unique from the other ones.

I'm also debating on where exactly the story should begin. Obviously I can't start from the very beginning...I'd have a book that's miles long. So I'm gonna experiment with different starting points as well.

sounds like a plan

hey guys

Yes it does! : D I'm really excited now!

Thank you so much! <3

And hello String!

how's it going Keags? I see you're outlining...

Yes I am! XD I'm dabbling with different outlining methods to see which one works for me. I'm gonna be trying the snowflake method tonight.

I'm so jealous of all the pantsers out there. >.>; When I find myself winging it, I wind up with universal sized plot holes. o 3 o;

ETA - On second thought. Snowflake method seems way too structured. more structured than my own outlining method which did not work for me.

I haven't finished a novel, ever, so plotholes are not top of my priority, finishing is

I've never finished a novel either. I just know the plot holes in my head are the size of small universes. >.>; Hell, I get stuck writing short stories because of plot holes.

haha, I once sat down and wrote a 4 page first person short story, with no planning, where the narrator rhymed every line. Took about two hours.

Heya guys.

I've finished one novel. No plot holes, but it generally sucked. Weeping doesn't have plot holes either, only because I outlined the hell out of it and scrutinized it for holes for about 2 weeks before I started writing it. Thus they ended up being filled in beforehand. They are evil.

And I posted my nonfiction query over in QLH if anyone wants to have a look at it.

lucky you...I feel like the best part of writing the novel is finally writing that scene you've been dying to see unfold, and if I planned out that scene I think I would ruin it for myself

but I'm going outside to skate board I'll be back in like 20-30 minutes

I read it over briefly, but I've got nothing to add since I've never written a query or a proposal, and therefore I have no idea how that stuff even works. :<

But your writing sounds fun and enthusiastic if that helps any.

OTWOV said:

lucky you...I feel like the best part of writing the novel is finally writing that scene you've been dying to see unfold, and if I planned out that scene I think I would ruin it for myself

Click to expand...

See, this doesn't happen to me. Just writing about the scene's existence on the outline doesn't even slightly compare to the actual writing it out with dialogue and all. You don't get the emotion and whatnot.

Keagerz said:

But your writing sounds fun and enthusiastic if that helps any.

Click to expand...

It does, actually, considering I know the agent I'm going for likes when they can see the enthusiasm

OTWOV said:

I feel like the best part of writing the novel is finally writing that scene you've been dying to see unfold, and if I planned out that scene I think I would ruin it for myself

Click to expand...

knock knock, hope i'm not interrupting anything.
newbie haha

But I just wanted to agree with this. I feel the EXACT same way. I feel if I planned/outline a scene I've waiting to write/see that everything would be spoiled and that there wouldn't be the surprise factor about it; and because I'm not surprised, I'm afraid MC won't be either.

Arianna Sterling said:

See, this doesn't happen to me. Just writing about the scene's existence on the outline doesn't even slightly compare to the actual writing it out with dialogue and all. You don't get the emotion and whatnot

Click to expand...

For me to provide the reader with true emotion, I too, have to be caught up in the moment, as my MC (first person). So writing an outline first ruins that element of surprise and terror as I find out my arch-nemesis, is actually my dad

oh and welcome DrunkenLilacs

I'm back... I've been re-fixing my Itunes for hours... the pain in the ass problem with getting a new computer...well worth it with this computer... God the music quality is to die for!

Anyway, sorry dont have much to say about all this. I've finished 8 books, but that's because i have no life and have been writing non-stop for the last 9 years, all i have to say is what i find the number one reason people dont finish books is because the there obsession with editing so its perfect. Well there is no perfect book and that's what drafts are for.

welcome, back. I just got a new laptop. I'm keeping this one though and using that one solely for University stuff...I think...for now anyways.

Haha, I can see where that would come from. I can usually slip into my character's mind well enough that they're getting a total mindscrew while I'm cackling horribly at them though.

Welcome, DrunkenLilacs! I feel I should ask you the usual twiftie questions...but I don't remember what they are. 2 in the morning; I forget things.

Yeah my old one was acting up a little plus my mom hated hers and then we saw this deal that if you buy a new windows computer you can get a free X-box 360 so we just decided I'd get a new one and my mom could have my old one, problems solved, and I now UTTERLY LOVE my new one. ITs the most amazing thing that's ever been mine!!!

Oh Welcome!

2 Questions:
What do you write?
How old are you?

Adrianna, I can't remember them either, and I was asked only 5 days ago ahah

ampltj, that's good. My new one is beast, top of the line $1500 mega laptop. I swear I thought it was going to turn into a transformer.

^^Ahh, well spotted^^