by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
As you know, I’ve been a very reluctant
convert to outlining. I look for ways in
which outlining doesn’t work for me.
convert to outlining. I look for ways in
which outlining doesn’t work for me.
I have an outline due for an editor by
September 1. Chapter one of that book is
due on the same date. I worked a bit on
the outline while I was traveling those two weeks in July. Then, the last week of July, I worked harder
on it and finished it.
September 1. Chapter one of that book is
due on the same date. I worked a bit on
the outline while I was traveling those two weeks in July. Then, the last week of July, I worked harder
on it and finished it.
August 1, I started writing chapter one
of the book…and stalled out. I continued
writing, but I realized that chapter one wasn’t right.
The tone and the mood were all off. I was reluctant to even open up the
document every day to work on it.
of the book…and stalled out. I continued
writing, but I realized that chapter one wasn’t right.
The tone and the mood were all off. I was reluctant to even open up the
document every day to work on it.
Finally, it occurred to me (I can be
completely task-oriented and unwilling to look for root causes of problems)
that I should go back to the outline and see if I could figure out why that
first chapter was going so poorly.
completely task-oriented and unwilling to look for root causes of problems)
that I should go back to the outline and see if I could figure out why that
first chapter was going so poorly.
After reading through the outline, the
answer was obvious to me. This wasn’t a cozy mystery at all. It was a mystery—it had a couple of murders and a
sleuth who solved the case by piecing together clues after interviewing
suspects and chasing red herrings.
answer was obvious to me. This wasn’t a cozy mystery at all. It was a mystery—it had a couple of murders and a
sleuth who solved the case by piecing together clues after interviewing
suspects and chasing red herrings.
But it was way too dark. The victim had been a ruthless person. The
victims of the victim—now suspects—had seriously been taken advantage of. One of the suspects was a recurring character
in the series and the sleuth was involved in a very unusual and disturbing way.
victims of the victim—now suspects—had seriously been taken advantage of. One of the suspects was a recurring character
in the series and the sleuth was involved in a very unusual and disturbing way.
This outline could be for a police
procedural or maybe even a private eye.
Heck, it could even be made into a noir. But it wasn’t a cozy mystery. And it had absolutely no mention of quilting
in there, for heaven’s sake, which was the series hook. The outline also didn’t include the books’
recurring characters …characters that I knew were popular with readers of the
series.
procedural or maybe even a private eye.
Heck, it could even be made into a noir. But it wasn’t a cozy mystery. And it had absolutely no mention of quilting
in there, for heaven’s sake, which was the series hook. The outline also didn’t include the books’
recurring characters …characters that I knew were popular with readers of the
series.
The day before this
post came out about the importance of knowing our audience was the day when
I realized I needed to take the outline back to the drawing board.
post came out about the importance of knowing our audience was the day when
I realized I needed to take the outline back to the drawing board.
I was able to adjust the outline to make
it more appropriate to my genre. I changed the suspects, I changed the victim’s
personality a bit to make him more of a rogue with an edge, I eliminated the
reason my sleuth was involved, I changed the motives. I lightened it up. Then I
scrapped my chapter one.
it more appropriate to my genre. I changed the suspects, I changed the victim’s
personality a bit to make him more of a rogue with an edge, I eliminated the
reason my sleuth was involved, I changed the motives. I lightened it up. Then I
scrapped my chapter one.
I’ve had to make similar changes before
with manuscripts, but it’s a lot more
time-consuming when you’re making the changes on a finished draft. I used the basic plot premise that was in the
original outline and was able to make the changes to the outline in three days. Chapter one was quickly written after that.
with manuscripts, but it’s a lot more
time-consuming when you’re making the changes on a finished draft. I used the basic plot premise that was in the
original outline and was able to make the changes to the outline in three days. Chapter one was quickly written after that.
So—the outline can be a litmus test. You
can see from your outline if the story you’re planning will work…for your
genre, for your protagonist, for your readers. You can see plot holes, you can
see where there might be an issue with tone, you can see where readers might
have to suspend their disbelief too frequently.
An outline can be a useful tool.
(Bleh.)
can see from your outline if the story you’re planning will work…for your
genre, for your protagonist, for your readers. You can see plot holes, you can
see where there might be an issue with tone, you can see where readers might
have to suspend their disbelief too frequently.
An outline can be a useful tool.
(Bleh.)
I still don’t enjoy making them, but they
are becoming more useful to me.
are becoming more useful to me.
How is your writing process going for
you? Made any tweaks with it lately to make it work better?
you? Made any tweaks with it lately to make it work better?
I’m going through the exact same process–the story just wasn’t working and neither was chapter 1. Then I realized I hated my protagonist. So I’m rewriting the outline from another character’POV, and already the story’s got more life to it. So glad I didn’t plough through the book with an MC I hate!
I’m an outliner–but–I do play with the story as I’m writing, so it doesn’t always turn out exactly the same. When I get stuck though, it’s very helpful to have the outline to go back to. Usually, hidden in the scribbles, I find the key to unlock the block.
Elizabeth – Isn’t it interesting how we can think we’re writing one kind of story…but we’re not. I’m glad for you that you were able to go back to the outline and make the changes you needed. I’m impressed you spotted what was going on, too.
I usually work out the bulk of the plot in my head in advance of any actual writing. It does mean that my early chapters are the ones that need the most work when I do my revisions, because I frequently start while I’m still defining the characters and their goals.
Elizabeth,
I would love to hear more about your actual outlining process and the structure your outlines take.
I am also a reluctant outliner and I have struggled to find a method that really fits me for outlining my story effectively even though I believe that doing so will strengthen my writing process.
Better to catch it in the outline than the finished manuscript. That’s why I spend months working on mine. That and I’m a lazy writer.
Kessie–Sounds like you found the perfect solution!
wrightingwords–It really can be useful. It’s a pity that I didn’t realize how helpful they were before.
Paul –That’s very true. Sometimes my first chapters are a little flat.
Margot–I’m just glad I caught it!
Alex–Months spent on it? Wow. I limited myself to a week!
I just finished fixing the problems in my last novel after some suggestions from a well-known author. I didn’t outline this one and I’m here to tell you it would have been easier to just write a new novel than fix a completed one. Now I’m a believer in outlining. I just began my next project using principles of outline I’ve picked up from Larry Brooks and others. By just writing down the major plot points, I can immediately see the problems and fix them. I love it and I’ll never go back to pansting. Too much work!
Maybe that was you trying to branch out into a new genre?
Jing Wang–Maybe I can post on that next Wednesday. It can be tough to find something that works.
Ron–Larry Brooks is a real master. I like his Storyfix.
Diane–I’m wondering! Maybe so…
I love outlining. My outline always changes throughout the writing process. But I need to have some sort of plan while I’m writing!
Happy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines
No secret I’m a Larry Brooks fan too.
His point is not that you need to outline, but that there are 9 story questions you need to answer before you begin. Get those right, and the story can be pantsed, one section at a time.
If you know those elements in advance, there’s far less rewriting, scrapping, wasted time.
I’ll never pants a book again. I don’t have the time, and I don’t have the emotional strength to keep throwing good writing away because I wrote the wrong stuff.
I’m trying to be an outliner, but it really isn’t nearly as fun as pantsting! But I’m trying :)
Laura–My outlines change, too. :) Characters tend to dictate storylines.
Joel–Larry Brooks does a great job not only nailing what needs to be done/asked, but he also articulates it well to others, I think. He’s a good instructor.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head for me…I don’t have the time to make the story up as I go along.
“the outline can be a litmus test.”
Yes! I’m finding this as well, it helps me organize my thoughts and see if everything I needed/wanted in the story is there.
Outlining is SO much easier since I’ve been using Scrivener. Anyway, wonderful post, thank you! :-)
I do a combination of outlining and pantsing. I do enough of an outline to give me direction and leave enough open to allow me some flexibility. I was into my fourth chapter or so of my WIP and then I realized that it wasn’t the whole story. Something was missing. It has been awesome to have an outline so I can easily remove and add and tweak instead of my whole stinking manuscript. Outlining is hard to do, but I’m thinking it’s worth it also.
I’m rather using mind map. Learnt it from little boy, when he had learnt it in school >:)
Cold As Heaven
Jemi–It’s not fun at all! I’m trying, too. :)
Karen–That’s a lot to do with it, I think…it just helps with coherency and organization of thought.
Cold–I’ve tried. Sigh. I must be doing something wrong. It’s good for brainstorming, though. My dog actually ate a paper copy of a mind map I did once. :)
I”m so glad you found the issues in the outlines stage! I absolutely love outlines…at least loose ones. I use index cards, laying them out by scene. Then I can see where there are big chunks of story missing.
Julie–I love the idea of index cards! But I’m a little worried about my propensity to lose things. :)
Rochelle–I think you’ve nailed it–it’s supposed to be something that *helps* us and not something that ties us down. We should be flexible and feel free to go off in a different direction.
Hi Elizabeth — I was most interested in your reaction to learning your story was too dark. That’s exactly why I shifted from writing cozies after two tries to writing standalone suspense. My inner writer wanted to do something different, and I might never have figured it out if I stuck to my series characters with rigid outlines.