Outlining is one of the things I hate most about writing. I usually like to “pants” my writing – fly by the seat of my pants and see what comes out of my mind and spills onto the page. But when it comes to writing something that’s novel length, and you need to make sure to tie up all the loose ends and make sure you don’t leave any plot holes, an outline is a good place to start.
Part of my hatred for outlines comes from the feeling they give me. In school, you have to turn in your outline for teacher approval, then stick to that outline for the final paper. I carried that feeling with me into other aspects of writing, and felt them very limiting in story writing. Until someone with much more experience than me pointed out that outlines, like rules, are meant to be broken. Yes, they offer a road map to where you’re going, but it doesn’t take into account the sights and attractions along the way that may take you off the beaten path.
My first novel and the one that follows were in desperate need of one. Not only is there a lot going on, but you could consider there to be two main characters, each with their own drama. There are secondary characters that relate to the main characters and may have a bit of their own subplot. There are minor characters who come in and make a splash and leave. All of them and their lives and worlds need to be accounted for. How else than through an outline?
The outline helps keep everyone straight, but also allows me to give them a new experience that either takes them out of their comfort zone or is something they’ve wanted to do for a while but never got the chance.
I’m working on the outline for my second novel. It includes all of the above, and the outline is proving useful in keeping everything and everyone on the right path. I may grow to love outlines, but for now, I’ll tolerate them as a tool to get my work done.
What is your experience with outlines? Do you love them or hate them? Why? Let’s talk on Facebook!