To Outline or Not to Outline

[teresawarner14]

I am torn between outlining my chapters and just letting the story and character development flow and see where it takes me. Generally when I write, I have the basic idea in my head but the specifics don't come out until I am in front of my computer actually doing the writing. For me it is a more natural way to let the characters come to live and the story to develop rather than me forcing it to flow. What do you suggest?

[moderntimes]

In a nutshell: Whatever works for you.

I hated outlining in college because it was too artificial and really had no positive effect except to get credits when you turned in an outline.

Even when I was writing complex engineering specifications and procedures (I worked as an engineering consultant and tech writer for years) I eschewed outlines. Occasionally if I was working on a joint project, an outline was necessary so we could all keep on track.

That being said, I DO make notes and jot down a general, sketchy outline-layout of my new novels when I begin them. But it's very rough and is essentially just some scattered ideas and concepts that I want to outlay in the new book, ideas to fiddle around with. But a formal-type outline, such as Roman numerals, Arabic numbers, a) b) c)? Nope.

Right now, for example, I'm starting my 4th novel. I've got a file called "ideas" into which I type all sorts of plot sequences. The book is a mystery thriller and has partly to do with a priest who's being blackmailed (he's gay and in the closet) and needs the help of my private detective. So I've got some early character sketches, plot ideas (trying to not be formulaic and conventional -- Is the blackmail about homosexuality or is about something very different? and so on). This file is disorganized and scattered and this is fine for me. I start writing chapters that interest me (not starting Chapter One) and then I cherrypick the ideas from my "dump" file. Very non-outline and for me, it works fine. So if you don't outline, at least DO keep a file or notebook or whatever of story ideas and character bios and such from which to build your story.

However, if you (and by "you" I mean anyone reading this thread) are helped in your planning by an informal (even a formal) outline, feel free by all means to use it. Just don't paint yourself into a corner by committing to "I must make an outline first!" because you don't have to. You may also start all formal and rigid and soon lose the thread and just start writing! Fine, go for it.

[milliethom]

I have a basic outline for all three books of my trilogy. I know the basic plots of each, and where my characters should be heading. But having now almost finished Book 2, I know there is far more in those stories than I had imagined before I set out. For me, plots and characters don't keep to the strict plans I made beforehand. The basic skeleton is still there, but the flesh only develops as I write.

[Syntheticaudio]

I usually have some sort of outline buuuuht I always change the end and then go back and change loads of other things, so sometimes it's pointless. In some cases it has worked on others not.

I think Moderntimes is right. It's whatever works for you, or even whatever works for the book.

[vadadagon]

Teresa,

Outline always. You don't have to outline very chapter but do a simple outline of your book (series if you have a series).
It's very easy to do. For example (I'll use Harry Potter).

Book Outline
1. Orphaned Baby
2. Grows up in obscurity
3. Learns has special powers
4. Is admitted to special school
5. Evil fiend wants to kill him
6. Hero saves the day

Pretty simple gives you room to have the story develop and provides you with an outline of the Book. You can alternatively use a story Outline (Using Harry Potter again) for a series or combine them both.

Story Outline
1. Boy Discovery of Power and defeat first foe
2. Boy becomes outcast and defeats foe
3. Boy finds Godfather and saves him
4. Boy is given an impossible challenge and confronts ultimate evil
5. Boy become outcast and valued member of a group loses Godfather
6. Boy fight along side mentor and mentor dies
7. Boy fights against all odds, confronts evil and defeats evil.

-- 14 Nov 2014, 14:13 --

I have a basic outline for all three books of my trilogy. I know the basic plots of each, and where my characters should be heading. But having now almost finished Book 2, I know there is far more in those stories than I had imagined before I set out. For me, plots and characters don't keep to the strict plans I made beforehand. The basic skeleton is still there, but the flesh only develops as I write.

Millie,

I agree with you. Many times (and most writers will tell you this) you start with an idea and have a general sense of what is going to happen. Boy is discovered and saves the world (pretty simple outline of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson). However, when you start writing the story you'll start getting ideas about backstories, side characters (some of which perhaps aren't even part of the story but only affect the world the story takes place or something - IE Merlin in the Harry Potter stories).

[Hadiqa]

Well, that depends on how much time you have. For example, I am a high school student and therefore most of my time is spent in studying and I cannot write an article. Therefore, I think it is best in these kind of situations to write an outline of a novel idea so you know afterwards what you are going to write and you will not get stuck as well as the idea won't be lost

-- 17 Nov 2014, 20:14 --

I usually have some sort of outline buuuuht I always change the end and then go back and change loads of other things, so sometimes it's pointless. In some cases it has worked on others not.

I think Moderntimes is right. It's whatever works for you, or even whatever works for the book.

I do that too after a while. Like if I read a novel outline I wrote a long time ago and while reading it I am getting new and better ideas, I may change it

[moderntimes]

The important thing about outlining is this: It's to serve your needs, not the other way around. If you think that you MUST follow an outline that you created, you're spinning your wheels. Outlines are purposed to help the author move the story along and to write a coherent theme. But if the outline gets in your way, junk it.

[pretzelsnow]

I usually never brainstorm. It takes too much time and for me my ideas flow naturally to the keyboard.I always like to use my imagination and what I think of on the spot.

[KS Crooks]

Do whatever you think works best, but don't be afraid to try new things. I make an outline of what I want to happen in the first 5 or 6 chapters then state what I want to happen in the later chapters all together. As I come to the later chapters then I decide what will be grouped together. I state 2 or 3 sentences to lay out the overall concept of the chapter. If there is something that requires more details, such as a battle, then I add more details. I think of an outline simply as a place to put my ideas for the story so that my house isn't covered in post-it notes. Good luck with your story.

[nsharpes]

My advice would be to do what works for you, as everyone is different. However, I absolutely hate outlines. I find that I remember enough of the main details of my stories that I don't need them. I have tried using them in the past, for high school and college, but they created writers block instead of helping me. My ideas tend to flow more if I just write and not think to much. I find that writing a little bit a day about anything (free writing), helps to also keep my mind clear and the ideas flowing. The only outline I do is character outlines, especially if my book is going to have a lot of characters.

[ALynnPowers]

Yeah, I'm not much of an outliner either. I have done it before, but I found that most of the time, I ended up not even following it, and it was such a waste of time.

[bedheadisme]

I hate outlines. So much. I'd rather create a sort of "profile" of the characters I hope to use in the novel or story I'm going to write where I describe different personality traits of the character. It allows me to really flesh out the character and know what purpose they can serve to further plot development.

[Anasko]

I hate the idea of outlining. Yet it if you already abstractly know what it is going to be about, it makes a lot of sense. It keeps you on track and makes distraction less of the reason why you stop and over think.

[Hadiqa]

Yeah, I'm not much of an outliner either. I have done it before, but I found that most of the time, I ended up not even following it, and it was such a waste of time.

I only make outlines for novels I plan to write in future, dont know when. Other wise I hate writing a whole tree plan or outline for an easy or story. . . waste of time.

[Darklingblue]

I'd have to say it's fifty-fifty for me, I have started with outlines, and other times I just started writing. Even when I start with an outline the characters seem to grow a mind of their own and dictate the way the story goes, so I've come to treat my outlines as just suggestions for a possible direction the story could go, and let things grow from there.