Outline v Organic

[naomi_jay]

So I was asking people on Twitter yesterday about outlining versus pantsing. Generally the views were mixed, which leads me to believe that, like so many things in writing, it's case of "each to their own." Some people like to/need to outline first, some people like to go organic, and we're all cool with that. I personally am a pantser. I generally start a novel with an idea about the characters, the ending, and maybe a few key plot points to get in there. Everything else just sort of happens. Like shuggoths.

Every writer I know has a different method for preparing/writing their novel, and there are all kinds of tips and tricks around to help you refine or completely change your methods. I'm wondering if I can learn to be a plotter. Why, you ask? Largely because I'd like to get through projects faster, and I'm wondering if an outline of some kind would help keep me focused. Because I'm very prone to "Ooh Shiny!" Syndrome when writing.

My reservation is that I've found in the past that trying to outline anything in detail puts me off writing it. I know! But it's like some weird alchemical transition occurs in my brain where the minute I write down any notes, my mind decides it would rather write something else entirely. I used to keep reams and reams of story ideas jotted down in notebooks*, but nowadays I very rarely scribble anything down** - I just start writing and hope for the best, and it usually works out fine.

But as I'm now, like, under contract for stuff and hoping to be under contract for more stuff, I'm aiming to get organised. One of the crucial things I'm going to do when we move house is set up a proper working area, with a desk and no shiny things. I need to break the habit of slouching around on my bed writing; it's only making my arm worse, as well as causing a lot of back pain, which nobody wants, right? Right. In addition to changing my physical working habits, I'd like to have a crack at changing my mental ones. With that in mind, I'm going to attempt to outline the Cassandra novel (that really needs a title). Nothing crazy, just a quick breakdown of What's Going Down and Who's Going Down With It.

*That I never wrote, but that was probably for the best since they were all basically convoluted high fantasy nightmares involving Great Destiny and talking animals.
**I do keep series notes, otherwise I'm prone to forgetting characters' surnames and ages.

Comments

[david-bridger.livejournal.com]

I'd like to get through projects faster, and I'm wondering if an outline of some kind would help keep me focused.

That's why I've settled on my method. Light outlining works for me. It stops me wandering along dead-ends without killing my joy in the story.

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

I outline everything, shich can be alittle hard going at times, so lately I've started to delegate more.

Once I know the key points and major conflicts, I tell my sub-conscious to come up with clever plot twists and minor story arcs while I get on with the main writing. It seems to work quite well :)

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

That's probably what I'll go for!

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Light outlining seems like a good compromise for me, so I'll give it a go for the Cassandra novel and see what happens...

[cherith.livejournal.com]

OMG! You just described exactly what happens to me. I hate outlining because as soon as I do it, it's like all the mystery has gone out of the story for me. That's when I get new ideas for things I'd far rather be writing about.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's exactly it. I'd rather not know what's going to happen before I start writing, same as with reading.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I started out as a complete pantser, then tried light outlining and liked it - it's nice to have a vague idea of where you're going and what's happening next. Now that UtH has completely put a spanner in my original outline I'm finding it very scary to go back to not knowing where I'm going or what I'm doing, and finding it out as I go along. I end up doubting that I'll actually get there at all.

[blythe025.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering if an outline of some kind would help keep me focused. Because I'm very prone to "Ooh Shiny!" Syndrome when writing.

I wonder the same thing, because your approach sounds a lot like mine.

I have written very rough outlines before, but usually I never look at them again after getting them on paper.

[faerylite.livejournal.com]

I'm an outliner -- outlining just means you do a lot of the thinking before you start, instead of as you go.

I believe we all go through the same processes -- building character arcs, crafting turning points, fixing plot problems etc.. Outliners just do it at the beginning. Organic writers do it as they go, or once they have a draft. Outliners play in their heads, organic writers need building blocks.

So you're not really changing anything, see? You're just doing things in a different order :)

[spiderling.livejournal.com]

If you 'pants' quickly then it's a good method. But outlining will keep you on track. I have been writing a novel for two years now it's over 100,000 words and it's STILL somewhere in the middle. That is my 'pantser' book. The one I just started is much more organized, is going quickly.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you'll finish eventually. You're just taking the scenic route!

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

I have literally dozens of notebooks full of notes and outlines for stories that I've never looked at again. It's like once it's out of my head and on paper, my imagination is done with it.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Aha, cunning! I like the way you think.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Lol, that really is an epic!

[skarrah.livejournal.com]

If I know exactly what's going to happen I get boared and want to write something else. If I don't know exactly what's going to happen I get lost and end up a million miles away from where I'm meant to be.

It's a very thin line. I'm still working on it. ;)

[blythe025.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[spiderling.livejournal.com]

Arg... I'm not sure epic is even the word. I call it The Russian Fucking Novel because its SOOOO long and not much is happening so far. In the event of it's completion about 80% of the first half is going to have to be cut.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

*g* After today I'm much less sure that I'll finish it at all! I swear it's jinxed.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Same here. But in a way that's good to know - if it's not just me, that makes it okay!