How to Outline Life
When I began today’s topic, it was actually for a different post. However, that post took on a life of its own and spun out of control quickly. However, as a pantser, a writer understands that he/she must follow wherever the writing process leads. If done properly, it generally leads to a good place. Despite what some may believe, being a pantser does not mean that all writing is random or unstructured.
As I read over my notes, it occurred to me that much of it could be generalized to more than writing and the writing process.
When approaching writing (or anything in life), one should have a goal (or, at the very least, some general idea) of what he/she would like to accomplish. That’s a jumping-off point. Many people have more than one. Therefore, the first thing would be to order or rank them in order of importance. Basically, this is prioritizing goals. In the writing world, this may include deciding if one if wants to write professionally or as a hobby or deciding the type of books one wishes to write. In a story, it could be deciding on story ideas/plots and which one to write first.
Once a person has established his/her priorities, the next step is to create a list or catalog of everything within those priorities. For example, if a priority is to write romance, this list might include elements or specific character types that you know you want to include in the story. You may have no idea where any of it will lead, but you know to leave space to work it in. In life, if a priority is to increase socializing, this list may include activities to do, places to visit or travel to, or people you want to spend time with. Generally, this list will be long and abstract or vague. Basically, it is a huge brain dump.
Once the list is created, it’s time to schedule. For example, July 1 began Camp NaNoWriMo. The person wanting to write a romance may make a schedule of specific times he/she intends to write the manuscript or times to do research. A person who wants to improve his/her physical health may hash out times to meal prep, grocery shop, and/or weekly menu.
The final part of this would be to make notes regarding how your schedule is working. Going back to writing a romance novel as an example, the person may examine what times they were more productive in writing or if some locations were better to write than others. This would be a place to hash out what work and what doesn’t. Not only will it help make progress in the current goal, but these notes may also be helpful/useful in future goals.
That’s all that I’ve got for this. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.
Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.
When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.
Order your copy at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9
Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W
Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.
Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.
Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.
Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.
For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.
If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or for search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.
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Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.
Author Bio
Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting lost anywhere beyond her front yard (the back is pushing it as she’s very geographically challenged), falling in love with shelter animals (and she adopts them), asking off-the-beaten-path questions that make one go “hmm,” and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well.
