- Joined
- Jan 24, 2017
- Messages
- 172
- Reaction score
- 19
- Location
- Maple Valley, WA
- Website
- theydontcry.wordpress.com
I'm a plotter, but I'm kind of bad at outlining. I need some help. I'm looking for some methods of outlining that fall outside of what the average writer's conference seminar would tell you.
To explain: I certainly believe in the benefit of outlining, of writing out a summary of each scene with a goal, conflict, disaster, reaction dilemma and decision. And I believe in giving each character an agenda in the scene. But when I actually sit down to put these things into a spreadsheet -- ugh, total lockup.
So instead I use the corkboard feature of Scrivener to put a bunch of 10-word summaries of my scenes on cards and then I start writing the scenes and the end result is a weirdly structured manuscript. I have three of these on my computer. Friends have said, "Well, it's ok, but kind of... odd. I don't know what else to tell you."
I've read The Plot Whisperer, a good book, and also the stickies here on plotting, and several nice documents from my local writers' association. But what else do people do to get their outline together? Dictation in a recorder? Going on long walks and torturing your spouse with plot details? Fingerpainting? Sticky notes on the ceiling? Reading a summary to a pet? Spider chart of the subplots?
p.s. I swear I looked through the stickies, but if this question is already answered somewhere, a gentle redirect would be appreciated.
To explain: I certainly believe in the benefit of outlining, of writing out a summary of each scene with a goal, conflict, disaster, reaction dilemma and decision. And I believe in giving each character an agenda in the scene. But when I actually sit down to put these things into a spreadsheet -- ugh, total lockup.
So instead I use the corkboard feature of Scrivener to put a bunch of 10-word summaries of my scenes on cards and then I start writing the scenes and the end result is a weirdly structured manuscript. I have three of these on my computer. Friends have said, "Well, it's ok, but kind of... odd. I don't know what else to tell you."
I've read The Plot Whisperer, a good book, and also the stickies here on plotting, and several nice documents from my local writers' association. But what else do people do to get their outline together? Dictation in a recorder? Going on long walks and torturing your spouse with plot details? Fingerpainting? Sticky notes on the ceiling? Reading a summary to a pet? Spider chart of the subplots?
p.s. I swear I looked through the stickies, but if this question is already answered somewhere, a gentle redirect would be appreciated.