The Purpose of the Outline

Whether consciously or not, every writer is in search of a process.

The outline is an often misunderstood element in the creative process. Some novelists eschew it completely, considering it to limit their imagination, while others set out to plot their stories so completely there will be no surprises along the way.

As I see it, the purpose of the outline is to help the writer see beyond his fixed idea to a more dynamic version, before losing himself in the world of the story.

The other reason is that it could be helpful to develop a sense of a beginning, middle, and ending, before beginning the first draft, as it often frees him from unnecessary anxiety.

With a basic confidence in the story, this can paradoxically allow the novelist or non-fiction writer to pursue a narrative with abandon, allowing the story to have a sense of surprise.

Let me know your thoughts.