tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post631718798334819506..comments2023-12-10T19:04:26.773-08:00Comments on Author2Author: Outlining Goodness (Or How I Spent Last Weekend)Emily Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07073350248209507278noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-44675526936470972222009-03-01T22:57:00.000-08:002009-03-01T22:57:00.000-08:00These are really great ideas. I am totally addicte...These are really great ideas. I am totally addicted to an outline after writing up my last WIP. I was lucky to have my instructor look over it too and tell me what areas would be a problem. I found it interesting when I got to those places as I wrote, I realized how right she was and i'm glad i made those changes.<BR/><BR/>So I'd say if you can, have your critique group look over your outline or a friend. It really saves you a lot of pain and rewriting later.Christina Farleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03459203755170266842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-33811487535422669342009-02-26T17:39:00.000-08:002009-02-26T17:39:00.000-08:00Wow Rhonda-- neat way of outlining!It IS so intere...Wow Rhonda-- neat way of outlining!<BR/><BR/>It IS so interesting to see what everyone does!Kristina Springerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03171504801682649341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-65182429461183206832009-02-26T14:16:00.000-08:002009-02-26T14:16:00.000-08:00What a good idea to write up scenes, print them ou...What a good idea to write up scenes, print them out and then arrange. I tried this with post-it notes once, after the book was partially written. But the post-it notes were more character revelations, plot points, etc, and not really scenes. I LOVE the idea of doing this with scenes and trying to fit them together.<BR/><BR/>I outline pretty normal, just in a computer document and most of my outline makes absolutely no sense, except to myself. I use if very loosely when writing. I've wanted to try a better outline for my next book--and let is sit in my mind for a good few weeks or so.<BR/><BR/>And Rhonda--good suggestion on trying to figure out where certain scenes should go!Emily Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07073350248209507278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-59867081971708826832009-02-26T13:45:00.000-08:002009-02-26T13:45:00.000-08:00Wow, this is really interesting. I think the part ...Wow, this is really interesting. I think the part I'm stuck on right now is "I think of the major plot points." I could see how Tina's method might jump start that thought process if I had little scenes running around in my head driving me crazy all day. Which happens to me quite a lot, actually.Kate Fallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12856887940900664692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-91774374999980184132009-02-26T13:19:00.000-08:002009-02-26T13:19:00.000-08:00Deena, I need that daily page goal when writing an...Deena, I need that daily page goal when writing and such, so it really, REALLY helps me to start that way from the beginning. :D<BR/><BR/>I looove seeing how other people write. It's fascinating!Rhonda Helmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11855833088957182413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-72131566023400592642009-02-26T12:49:00.000-08:002009-02-26T12:49:00.000-08:00Tina -- I love your way of outlining! It seems mo...Tina -- I love your way of outlining! It seems more organic.<BR/><BR/>Rhonda -- your mathy part of figuring how many scenes you need gives you a concrete page goal. I like it!<BR/><BR/>Maybe I should try outlining.....DeenaMLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093257361683249174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-38482218690938292962009-02-26T10:34:00.000-08:002009-02-26T10:34:00.000-08:00Good question! I do kind of like what you do:--fir...Good question! I do kind of like what you do:<BR/><BR/>--first, I figure out approximately how many scenes the story will be. See, I generally know how many pages my scenes average, so I do a guestimate to get me started (e.g., if I write 6-page scenes, and my book is 180 pages, I need 30 scenes).<BR/><BR/>--then, I think of my major plot points (usually 2-3)...those are the cornerstone of my outline. They usually occur at even points in the manuscript (e.g., if I'm having 2 major plot twist points, they'll be scenes 10 and 20).<BR/><BR/>--after that, I write out a list of scenes that will fill in the gaps between my plot twist scenes and lead me to those major plot points. All very scientific, haha.<BR/><BR/>--last, I flesh out my scenes to make sure they have enough meat, and I make sure I wrapped up all dangling threads.<BR/><BR/>And then, I go at it and write like the wind!Rhonda Helmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11855833088957182413noreply@blogger.com