Story Outlines (Are Not For Me)

Many writers make a story outline before they write a story.  Nakakatulong 'yon para mas mapadali ang pagsusulat nila.  Planning first what will happen in every chapter before writing the story.  But for me, it never really works.  The only time that I have ever written a story outline was when I wrote my very first novel.  Pero hindi ko rin siya nasunod and I realized na outlining the story first before writing them was not really for me.

Since then I just go with the flow of the story.  Pero hindi naman ibig sabihin no'n na basta-basta na lang akong nagsusulat ng kahit na anong maisipan ko.  Once I think of a plot and a conflict to that plot, then I start writing.  Pero dahil nga hindi ako nagawa ng outline at wala akong idea sa kung papaano tatakbo ang kwento, matagal bago ako makatapos ng isang kweto.  It takes me an average of three weeks bago ako makatapos ng isa.  But take note, sa three weeks na 'yan wala dapat akong ibang ginagawa kundi 'yan lang.

It's frustrating sometimes.  Kasi kung alam ko na beforehand kung paano tatakbo yung story ko at alam ko na kung ano ang ilalagay kong mga eksena sa bawat chapters, mas mabilis siguro akong makakatapos ng isang kwento.  But the thing is, I don't really work that way.  Mas lalo akong walang matatapos kung pipilitin ko ang sarili ko na gumawa ng outline.  Hindi ko kayang mag-isip beforehand ng mga eksena na ilalagay ko sa kwento.  That's why whenever I start a story, I just let the characters do the work for me.  Sila ang boss kumbaga.  Ibabase mo ang lahat ng gagawin mo sa kung paano siya kumilos, sa ugali niya, and how he/she would handle a certain situation.

Yes, my process is definitely slower compared to those writers who make story outlines.  Pero dito ako komprotable eh.  So I'll stick with it for a little while longer. :)