"If you’ve been working steadily, by the time you’re heading into the thick of your draft, you might..."

“If you’ve been working steadily, by the time you’re heading into the thick of your draft, you might be getting a little antsy. If you’re a plotter, this is the perfect time to revisit that outline. See what’s working, figure out what’s not—and why! Revise the outline, if you must. (And it’s highly likely you will!)

 

If you’re not a plotter, this might be just the right time to live a little and try your hand at an outline anyway. Knowing the basics about your story could mean the difference between finishing a draft and letting it languish in perpetuity. And it doesn’t have to be a scene-by-scene roadmap.

 

Start simple, with one paragraph each for beginning, middle and end. Then break down those three sections into smaller chunks, and you’ll start to see chapters fall into place, seemingly with a will of their own!”

-

Sona Charaipotra is a journalist, and received her MFA in Writing for Children. She is the co-founder of CAKE Literary, a boutique book development company with a decidedly diverse bent. Her first novel, Tiny Pretty Things (with co-author Dhonielle Clayton), hits shelves May 26, 2015.

Writer’s Care Packages from Camp NaNoWriMo and We Need Diverse Books.