Writer on a Horse
And a Dog

The world looks better from the back of a horse and the roads of life are easier with a good dog beside you.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Outline or by the seat of your pants??


Like this picture, writing isn't always brown and white. Just because your eyes look, doesn't mean that you see everything present. I see four horses and a colt... what do you see?
Writing is a creative act and for me doing an outline is not something I can do and keep the creative juices flowing. If I outline, it's like the story is in stone and I have to write it that way. I have to play with ideas and write them, rewrite them and sometimes chunk them. I've read all the articles about how it will keep you focused but I can't to it. Now, I do clustering where I take a scene and branch off different ideas. That might be redneck outlining and if that is so... I guess I outline. :)
What are your thoughts on outlines?

Word for today: notorious -- generally known and talked of; widely and unfavorably known

Book reviewers are notoriously known for tears and heartache.

2 comments:

Lori W. said...

I felt the same way as you about outlines. More fun to play. BUT, I just had a writer/editor say outlining took six months off her process. Six months! She used the beautiful image of an outline as a map where you've got one destination but many possible routes. That feels more fun than "this way only" type of outline.

Amy Jane said...

I absolutely HATE outlines. When I write, I like to not know where the story is going. Just like a new reader, I dont know what is going to happen in my stories until it happens. I am just the vessel to get the story down, my imagination is the brains behind the story. I write down what my head comes up with, when it creates the story.