Outlining--The Best of Both Worlds

The first book I wrote, and sold (there’s two ‘starter’ books under my bed) I created an outline – sort of. But when I started writing my second book, it
threw me for a bit of a loop. It’s a paranormal romance, and my first foray into
world building. Before I knew it, I didn’t know which end was up.

Some sharp advice from my editor and an online search for help led me to K.M.
Weiland’s book, Outlining your Novel-Map Your Way to Success.

I devoured the book in two days, absorbing every detail. Not only is the book
a boon for sage advice and ideas, it helped me realize I was not alone. I
realized I wasn’t the only writer, whose story, sans outline, was, as Weiland
puts it, a “rambling, wandering, bloated mess.”

While working on this story, I’ve taken a step back, perhaps, but I also know
I’ve taken two forward. I’ve no doubt I’ll make more missteps along the way (and
don’t they yield some of the best discoveries?) But I now have a working outline
that I can refer to when I get stuck and I don’t have to spend an hour searching
for something. I work a day job, so it’s faster and easier for me to get back
into my story. And, what seemed at first to be counter intuitive to creativity,
is actually enabling me to be more creative: I can be as sloppy as I
want, within my framework, and still stay on track. I can pants within my plot –
the best of both worlds.

Weiland also includes short interviews with about a dozen authors, asking
them their opinions and methods regarding outlines. Very enlightening!

Perhaps most valuable is the premise that the outline serves you, not the
other way around. The outline is a tool, and it’s flexible. It’s not an
exercise in futility, designed only to resurrect grade school nightmares of
Roman numeral hell.

I’d love to hear from you! Outline or no outline? Are you somewhere in
between? What organizational methods have brought you success?

I’ll leave you with this quote, from Thomas Berger, author of Little
Big Man:

“Beginners sometimes ask me how a novel is written, the answer to which is:
Any way at all. One knows only when it is finished, and then if one is at all
serious, he will never do it the same way again.”

 Change, here’s looking at you!