Sticking to the outline

I always allow myself to stray from the outline if that's the natural way my characters want to go. If you stick to the outline, your readers will see right through you.

I stuck to my outline the one time I made one. I would elaborate but that's really all there is to say. I don't outline anymore, obviously. I don't see the point in outlining if I'm not going to stick to it pretty closely--hence why I don't bother anymore!

As for wanting something to happen by a certain page, that mystifies me, since I have no clue how many pages anything of mine will have, even WITH an outline. I'm surprised that one can write so strictly. Perhaps I might expect something to happen by a certain chapter (if I have a strict outline, that is), but as for page...? No clue. I guess my writing process is much, much different.

I do know that in my current WIP, I had a character who at the beginning I wanted to appear in the story...then I started getting well into it and she didn't show up, and didn't show up, and didn't show up, so I thought, "Eh, I guess she's not coming," then all of a sudden, there she was. Just not nearly as early on as I'd expected, but now she's a major character and drives much of the subplot. The story would be nowhere without her. It's hard to believe I thought I'd go on without her.

Whereas with ANOTHER character I planned to show up, well, I'm getting close to Part 200 and she's not there, so I'm pretty sure she's not going to be in this story. She'll have to wait for the next one.

My advice might not apply as I don't write with an outline or a word limit in mind (hence why it's easier for me to allow a character or event a lot of time to appear in my story, since it has so many chapters), but perhaps you should just keep doing what you're doing, and just see what happens? You never know, maybe it'll turn out closer to the outline than you thought (if it's meant to). I thought for sure my character was never going to arrive, but she did.

For the last book I tried to outline (it was 5 pages, single spaced), I changed about fifty percent of the last half by the time I reached midpoint. I'd written out a character, changed how two others related, added a romantic subplot, altered one of the villian's motives, and a heck of a lot of other stuff that rendered most of the outline moot.

That's probably why I stopped outlining.

I spent 8 months planning. My planning amounted to over 25 A4 sheets.

Now I've finished 57.5% of the WIP. SO much has changed, that I wonder why I planned. But if I hadn't outlined, then I wouldn't have made these changes.

So yes, my story is turning out to be quite different, but the outlining was essential.

Although I've outlined every book I've written, I've never encountered an instance where I've not changed the outline (sometimes dramatically) when actually writing the manuscript. As we all know, an outline is a guide, nothing more. Some writers rely on an outline while others don't. Unimportant, we each have our own way, and that's all that counts.

My belief is that we shouldn't write TO an outline, but FROM an outline. Write from your guide and change it as the manuscript you are writing demands.

It seems like most of the writers I've talked to don't end up sticking to their outlines. Personally, I always stick to my outline; small details might change, but the overall events stay the same. This isn't because I'm forcing myself to stick to it; I just don't feel like it needs changing. I do all that before I start writing; by the time I start, the plot is pretty solid.

scope said:

My belief is that we shouldn't write TO an outline, but FROM an outline. Write from your guide and change it as the manuscript you are writing demands.

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I agree with this. Since your plot can need to be changed, I'd rather do it in an outline than 30k into a first draft, but yeah, if your characters naturally do something against the will of the outline and you ignore them, your readers will see right through it. For me, an outline is a guide.

I don't outline when writing fiction. The only idea of plot I have is in my head. If I were to ever write a large nonfiction piece, I would outline that.

Never stick to an outline, but I always make one. I have to know sort of where I'm going, but the route getting there might change. I don't think pantsing it actually works very well. At least, the things I've read by pantsers don't read as well or as concise as those written with some kind of outlining system. And, for some reason, endings are a huge issue with the things I've read by pantsers. The endings are usually just sort of tacked on, not complete or something. But, then again, it's only my opinion.

However, I also don't believe in outlining all the fun out of writing. Gotta have some freedom to take a different route. Too much detail means too little room to wiggle. I've found a happy medium that allows me to run off on a tangent if I want, as long as I include it into the outline before I get too far off track. Then I know if it's going to work back into what I wanted in the first place or if the story is going to become far different from the one I envisioned in the beginning.

yep, if it makes sense to change it, change the outline. That's what I do.

It's different for everyone. What works for one person may not work for another. My plot has deviated strongly from the outline, but I feel it's better this way. But such a deviation may horrify other writers.


'tis a matter of personal taste.

Heck, it only an outline. It's your friend, your guide, it gives you direction, it gets you started, it's helpful in so many ways -- but that's certainly not to say you can't change it, and dramatically if needed. Work with your friend. He's not there to work you over.