I can’t honestly write about e-books, readers or the new technology without feeling both hesitant and excited. We are living in an age where anything is very likely to become possible. What was once science fiction is quickly becoming science fact (ok, the jury is still out on the little green men—but you get the idea). Sometimes its seems as we are producing things just because we can—with very little thought to whether we should or we need them.
Take the Kindle for example. My mom proudly told me that she will be getting one as a birthday present. I was more than a little floored as my mom is a die-hard bookstore gal. She loves to go to Borders, check out the shelves, grab a coffee in the café and just relax. It’s her routine and it makes her happy. She’s not an Amazon gal. She rarely buys anything online—instead she prefers the experience of buying something in a shop. So, why the sudden urge for a Kindle?
Two words: peer pressure. My brother, uncle and aunt all convinced her that she needed this device. That this will make her life easier, more complete, fulfilled in a way that going to a bookstore just can’t. Frankly, this is just rubbish. Kindles and Amazon are wonderful—for a certain audience/person. I have to say, the idea of never owning a physical book terrifies me. As a writer—one of the goals of writing is to one day see your work bound up in book format. The thought that one day all that might be left is a digital file on a hand held device seems awful. But, that argument is purely nostalgic—and I am going to refrain from nostalgia. Instead, let’s go back to the case study of my mom.
So, my mom is going to be getting a Kindle. When we had a more honest discussion she’s admitted she doesn’t really want a Kindle. That she doesn’t need one, but felt pressured to get one. She said that she’ll still be going to Borders to check out what’s new, but might use the Kindle just to read her book club books (as usually she doesn’t keep them).
My prediction is that my mom will never figure out how to work her Kindle. Instead, she’ll have it for a year or two before she actually understands how it works and then she’ll be ready for an iPad.
With so much new technology now on the market why would anyone tie themselves down to a Kindle or early adopter iPad. People, wait….see what’s out there first before we jump onto the e-reader bandwagon? Everything is still being refined. If e-readers are the way forward (shudder) then at least make sure you do your research and maybe wait a little while before you spend your hard earned cash on a technology that is still evolving. How many of you bought Creative MP3 players? I did. I now own an iPod. Whatever happened to Creative?
But most importantly, don’t let anyone convince you that you ‘need’ something. If you are happy with your routine of popping to the bookstore and picking up your new titles—then do it. For some people, that joy of leaving their worries outside while they step into a bookstore for a half hour (or more) is a palpable and necessary break from the real world. I know that bookstores are my happy place—whenever I feel low I visit one and just browsing the shelves makes me feel better (something I picked up from my mom). I’m not sure I could get the same joy or sense of leaving my worries behind just downloading a file from Amazon.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Reading Something Old New Again
I'm going way off topic this week, but it's because of a certain call I've been answering. And I think that call has to do with all of the edits (and writing) I've been working on.
When I love a story, I always want more. I'll read and re-read the same book again and again. For example, I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen. And, while I haven't read all of her novels, the ones I have read, I read again. And again. She never wrote sequels of her most beloved books. But, other people have.
Just like Sense and Sensibility, I find myself re-reading the Pamela Aiden series Fitzwilliam Darcy, A Gentleman. But, every time I do, it brings to mind a question I've been asking myself for many years. Something of a debate I've held with myself over my guiltiest of pleasures. When is it art and homage and when is it just fan fiction?
When I love a story, I always want more. I'll read and re-read the same book again and again. For example, I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen. And, while I haven't read all of her novels, the ones I have read, I read again. And again. She never wrote sequels of her most beloved books. But, other people have.
Just like Sense and Sensibility, I find myself re-reading the Pamela Aiden series Fitzwilliam Darcy, A Gentleman. But, every time I do, it brings to mind a question I've been asking myself for many years. Something of a debate I've held with myself over my guiltiest of pleasures. When is it art and homage and when is it just fan fiction?
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Great E-book Debate
A lot is being made of the Kindle--the electronic reader that has a wireless Internet connection, allows you to store hundreds of books inside and read them on the screen, as well as instantly downloading books in electronic format for $9.99 each. There are a lot of benefits being touted, such as that you don't have to carry around a lot of books to have them at your fingertips (the Kindle is narrow and lightweight).
I've seen the pro-vs.-con argument phrased as a "Usability vs. Nostalgia" conundrum, and while I agree that there are nostalgic reasons to hang on to books, this way of framing the issue sets books up to fail--who wants to let nostalgia and silly emotions get in the way of better convenience and usability? I've even seen some people start to write about actual books as "analog books" (Seriously? Analog books?). The word "analog" automatically denotes something hopelessly behind the times, in my opinion--and again weighs the outcome in the mind of the reader before they've even read the article.
So this is my response to that: Why real books are more user-friendly and convenient than e-books, in my opinion.
I can't read an eBook in the bath. I love reading books in places where you wouldn't want to take a Kindle: in the bathtub, on the beach, in an inner tube floating on a lake. You get your book so wet it can't be read, and it'll cost you a couple of bucks to replace it. You get your Kindle wet, and you're a little under $300 in the hole. Clear disadvantage to the Kindle there.
Kindles are EXPENSIVE. Speaking of how much it costs: even if you're a voracious reader, reading is an inexpensive hobby. You can go to libraries and buy your books used--and you don't have to furnish an arm and a leg to feed your reading habit. But a Kindle will cost you a lot--Amazon is selling it for $259 right now. In my opinion, it's a way of making a low-tech, inexpensive hobby more pricey and less easy to get into. If Kindles become the norm, will people stop reading as much because they can't afford one?
I look at a screen all day. I need a break. A lot of workers look at computer screens from 9-5 every day, if not more. When I read, I'm getting away from the screen. I love getting unplugged from the world and reading a book. A Kindle keeps your eyes glued to the screen--not a fun way to spend a vacation, in my opinion.
Your Kindle can run out of batteries. Kindles have a long battery life--up to seven days with the wireless turned on and two weeks without. But they still have a battery life. What if I wanted to take mine camping and there's no plug-in on the mountaintop? Or what if you just forget to plug it in? A book may be heavier in your backpack, but it won't run out of batteries.
You can't write in your Kindle. My books tend to be lived-in. I dog-ear, I write in the margins, I highlight. You can't do that with a Kindle.
You can't lend your books out. I love exchanging books with friends--and of course if I read mainly on a Kindle, I couldn't do that. I'd have to lend out my entire Kindle, and not read anything til my friend gave it back. Or *gasp* be stuck with "analog" books until then.
No sensory book experience. When talking about the things Kindle takes away from the reading experience, a lot of people bring up the sensory book-reading experience--the smell of a new book, the way the pages feel and sound as you turn them, and so on. I think this is ultimately a losing argument--it draws on emotion and nostalgia, which have a hard time standing against the next new thing in popular opinion. But I believe there's something to it--you just don't get that sensory experience with a Kindle.
Do you use a Kindle? Do you prefer it over books? And, do you feel it's better in some situations than others?
I've seen the pro-vs.-con argument phrased as a "Usability vs. Nostalgia" conundrum, and while I agree that there are nostalgic reasons to hang on to books, this way of framing the issue sets books up to fail--who wants to let nostalgia and silly emotions get in the way of better convenience and usability? I've even seen some people start to write about actual books as "analog books" (Seriously? Analog books?). The word "analog" automatically denotes something hopelessly behind the times, in my opinion--and again weighs the outcome in the mind of the reader before they've even read the article.
So this is my response to that: Why real books are more user-friendly and convenient than e-books, in my opinion.
I can't read an eBook in the bath. I love reading books in places where you wouldn't want to take a Kindle: in the bathtub, on the beach, in an inner tube floating on a lake. You get your book so wet it can't be read, and it'll cost you a couple of bucks to replace it. You get your Kindle wet, and you're a little under $300 in the hole. Clear disadvantage to the Kindle there.
Kindles are EXPENSIVE. Speaking of how much it costs: even if you're a voracious reader, reading is an inexpensive hobby. You can go to libraries and buy your books used--and you don't have to furnish an arm and a leg to feed your reading habit. But a Kindle will cost you a lot--Amazon is selling it for $259 right now. In my opinion, it's a way of making a low-tech, inexpensive hobby more pricey and less easy to get into. If Kindles become the norm, will people stop reading as much because they can't afford one?
I look at a screen all day. I need a break. A lot of workers look at computer screens from 9-5 every day, if not more. When I read, I'm getting away from the screen. I love getting unplugged from the world and reading a book. A Kindle keeps your eyes glued to the screen--not a fun way to spend a vacation, in my opinion.
Your Kindle can run out of batteries. Kindles have a long battery life--up to seven days with the wireless turned on and two weeks without. But they still have a battery life. What if I wanted to take mine camping and there's no plug-in on the mountaintop? Or what if you just forget to plug it in? A book may be heavier in your backpack, but it won't run out of batteries.
You can't write in your Kindle. My books tend to be lived-in. I dog-ear, I write in the margins, I highlight. You can't do that with a Kindle.
You can't lend your books out. I love exchanging books with friends--and of course if I read mainly on a Kindle, I couldn't do that. I'd have to lend out my entire Kindle, and not read anything til my friend gave it back. Or *gasp* be stuck with "analog" books until then.
No sensory book experience. When talking about the things Kindle takes away from the reading experience, a lot of people bring up the sensory book-reading experience--the smell of a new book, the way the pages feel and sound as you turn them, and so on. I think this is ultimately a losing argument--it draws on emotion and nostalgia, which have a hard time standing against the next new thing in popular opinion. But I believe there's something to it--you just don't get that sensory experience with a Kindle.
Do you use a Kindle? Do you prefer it over books? And, do you feel it's better in some situations than others?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Write with the passion of a four-year-old blowing bubbles and revise with the discipline of a Yoga- master with OCD!
Jenny and Angel both bring up really good points about outlines. Much like Angel, I am still not sold on the usefulness of an outline while writing a first draft.
Here's why:
First Drafts are Overwhelming
Or overwhelming enough to me without the stress of having to hit plot points and character arcs (not to mention plot twists and subplots, whew). For me, this is where my characters get to feel their oats, they get to tell me who they are. I can't tell you the amount of times that I think a character is going to be one type of person and I'm proved wrong by his/her next action. If I had to follow an outline I'm not sure I would have been able to give the characters the room they need to develop. Or, even worse I'm not sure I'd be able to get through all of the plot points needed to get to the end of the book.
That said, I never start a story that I don't know the ending to
Actually, I usually begin every story knowing the end first. I have a rough idea of the plot, what has to happen and what the characters need to do from the start to finish in their journeys. Usually I know the pivotal plot points and maybe a few other relevant details. I tend to do a lot of 'pre-outlining' before I start writing. This is all generally in my head and never makes it onto paper or screen. I am awful at beginnings though, which is maybe why I encourage myself to write without knowing the beginning first (I just start with the action). This usually means my beginnings change quite a bit between drafts.
However, that said, now that I am editing my first novel, I am completely convinced of the need for an outline for revisions. My first draft is a train wreck, mostly because about halfway through my novel I changed my initial ideas about what the focus of the novel was. Which has made the story much richer, and was something I felt able to do, because I hadn't pre-plotted out everything. Because while writing I allowed myself the flexibility to see my characters as changeable and capable of a growth I hadn't outlined or predicted.
Now, that I am actually re-writing this beast (and it is a beast!) having an outline that gives me a clear set of checkpoints to hit, makes sense of my plot and helps me to chart each of my characters growth is vital. When I began revising I read through each of the chapters made corrections and jumped in feet first. This seemed like a good idea. An idea free of procrastination and filled with actions. I am good with actions. When I have any excuse to procrastinate I will. However, I found myself becoming more and more confused by the narrative of my plot. I was overwhelmed by my story. I needed to break things down scene by scene (or chapter by chapter).
And I did.... with much procrastination (I am still awful about this!) I devised an outline that has allowed me to go back through my story and actually make sense of everything I have written. What seemed like an overwhelming wreckage of writing before is now a manageable story-- albeit a story that needs some changes. I have been using my outline now to revise my novel and I couldn't be happier. When I finish my second book-- sometime in the spring, the first thing I'll do is draw up an outline. I am not sure I could revise without an outline. I am confident that for me, having an outline while writing is prohibitive, but while revising it's a necessity.
Does this make me still on the fence about outlines? Well, probably not. I do think outlines are necessary; they are the nuts and bolts of writing. They are the compass and maps of a story (ok, or GPS/Magellan/Tom-Tom/pick your own SatNav system). You need some sort of well thought out plan to make it to the end-game, to a finished novel that you feel confident showing to other people. However, when I'm writing, I still think I just need to listen to my characters-- even if later on I wished I hadn't. All's fair in first drafts and second, no?
Here's why:
First Drafts are Overwhelming
Or overwhelming enough to me without the stress of having to hit plot points and character arcs (not to mention plot twists and subplots, whew). For me, this is where my characters get to feel their oats, they get to tell me who they are. I can't tell you the amount of times that I think a character is going to be one type of person and I'm proved wrong by his/her next action. If I had to follow an outline I'm not sure I would have been able to give the characters the room they need to develop. Or, even worse I'm not sure I'd be able to get through all of the plot points needed to get to the end of the book.
That said, I never start a story that I don't know the ending to
Actually, I usually begin every story knowing the end first. I have a rough idea of the plot, what has to happen and what the characters need to do from the start to finish in their journeys. Usually I know the pivotal plot points and maybe a few other relevant details. I tend to do a lot of 'pre-outlining' before I start writing. This is all generally in my head and never makes it onto paper or screen. I am awful at beginnings though, which is maybe why I encourage myself to write without knowing the beginning first (I just start with the action). This usually means my beginnings change quite a bit between drafts.
However, that said, now that I am editing my first novel, I am completely convinced of the need for an outline for revisions. My first draft is a train wreck, mostly because about halfway through my novel I changed my initial ideas about what the focus of the novel was. Which has made the story much richer, and was something I felt able to do, because I hadn't pre-plotted out everything. Because while writing I allowed myself the flexibility to see my characters as changeable and capable of a growth I hadn't outlined or predicted.
Now, that I am actually re-writing this beast (and it is a beast!) having an outline that gives me a clear set of checkpoints to hit, makes sense of my plot and helps me to chart each of my characters growth is vital. When I began revising I read through each of the chapters made corrections and jumped in feet first. This seemed like a good idea. An idea free of procrastination and filled with actions. I am good with actions. When I have any excuse to procrastinate I will. However, I found myself becoming more and more confused by the narrative of my plot. I was overwhelmed by my story. I needed to break things down scene by scene (or chapter by chapter).
And I did.... with much procrastination (I am still awful about this!) I devised an outline that has allowed me to go back through my story and actually make sense of everything I have written. What seemed like an overwhelming wreckage of writing before is now a manageable story-- albeit a story that needs some changes. I have been using my outline now to revise my novel and I couldn't be happier. When I finish my second book-- sometime in the spring, the first thing I'll do is draw up an outline. I am not sure I could revise without an outline. I am confident that for me, having an outline while writing is prohibitive, but while revising it's a necessity.
Does this make me still on the fence about outlines? Well, probably not. I do think outlines are necessary; they are the nuts and bolts of writing. They are the compass and maps of a story (ok, or GPS/Magellan/Tom-Tom/pick your own SatNav system). You need some sort of well thought out plan to make it to the end-game, to a finished novel that you feel confident showing to other people. However, when I'm writing, I still think I just need to listen to my characters-- even if later on I wished I hadn't. All's fair in first drafts and second, no?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Outlines: Another Side of the Die
Granted, outlines can be useful; I wouldn't outright say that outlines aren't useful.
And I certainly wouldn't say that whatever I have against them involves stifling my creativity.
My first story was written the whole way through with a kind of non-traditional outline. The story is set in a specific time-frame, and I needed to keep that frame in mind. And so, I set a loose outline of that story up in a day planner. My chapters are less "chapters" and more like what happens each day for my three protagonists. The day-planner approach (I hesitate to call it an outline, but it is one. Kind of.) was really helpful for me in visualizing what was going on and the pacing of my story. But it hasn't worked in all cases, for example, my second story.
For my second story (a Nano-Novel), there was no physical outline. I thought about a day planner, but it didn't fit. I had a plan from the beginning for the over-reaching story arc and while the smaller stories with in it have been developing within that framework, there wasn't an outline set out for the first (or second, or third) of what I hope to be a series of three. I finished the story, ran through a first set of edits and then a second, marking in the text notes for what I wanted to see and when. I had a fairly good idea about the way the story flowed and the way it progressed. I've always been a bit of a patchwork writer anyway and I see the connections between pieces. It's all in my head and I'm good at visualizing where it goes and if it needs to be moved. The big picture.
It wasn't until the three of us sat down and set out a specific deadline for passing around a draft of one of our novels that someone even mentioned outlining, and while I did it to stay in tandem with both Genn and Jenny, I really felt that doing the outline was keeping me from doing what I needed to actually do on my actual story -- do something about all of those notes about "move this here," "eliminate this," or "bring this in here." The only thing the outline I completed has helped me to do is to see where I put the song lyric quotes I still am not convinced I need for most chapters. There are one or two chapters where the song quote is just too perfect to get rid of, which is why I'm still having a bit of a hink about keeping them or not. I broke up a few chapters into smaller pieces, but really, the reason I'd had them together as one before was thematic. I spent most of January working on something that the whole time I was convinced (and am still convinced) that at this point, I don't need. It was far too late for an outline on this story.
My third story, still being written, is also going right along without an outline. But, it's also a story line I've had in my head for a while, and while I've had a few fits on some specific scenes (some characters just don't want to be written out! What cheek!), it's still going right along without one. I know what I need to write next, even if it's hard. And I know what I need to do for the last chapter. I've written some of it already, thanks to another suggestion of Mike's, something I've been leery of letting myself do as it's part of my prior MO with my unfinished novels -- writing scenes out of order. I never used outlines back then, either. I don't think I'm creating an outline for this one. I feel pretty confident I know what's going on the whole story through.
My fourth story (another Nano-Novel), was actually finished before my third story, but it's the second for the series mentioned earlier. I'm still tottering on whether or not this edit is going to need an outline. If I do, should I go with an option -- like with my first novel -- that isn't conventional. The problems with the story were ones I'd realized before I'd finished, much like the earlier Nano-Novel: this one ends abruptly, there stuff missing -- like tension and a plot line. I don't want this to be filler between the first and third stories, so I have to find some way of making this story stand up on it's own, and once I've finished with this round of edits on the second story (confused yet?), I need to roll up my sleeves and figure out some way to breathe life into the inert monster that is this second-of-three-stories. Even so, not having read it over once yet, I'm fairly confident I know what's wrong and what I need to do where. No outline, but an idea of where things go in my head.
So, I'm still out on whether or not I think outlines are useful or just a procrastination tool. I haven't finished a story because I've had an outline. I've finished a story because I gave myself goals and deadlines and put my butt in the chair and got to work. That's just how I roll....
Although, I could have probably used an outline for this blog post.... ;)
And I certainly wouldn't say that whatever I have against them involves stifling my creativity.
But, I think there's a time and a place for everything under heaven. And at some point if you haven't set the thing down on paper, creating one is actually more of a procrastination tool than anything else.
That said, I've worked on my own stories both with and without it, and I think that needing one or not, and the format you use (as Mike Chen mentioned not too long ago, when talking about his story webs), depends on the narrative. For me, at least.
My first story was written the whole way through with a kind of non-traditional outline. The story is set in a specific time-frame, and I needed to keep that frame in mind. And so, I set a loose outline of that story up in a day planner. My chapters are less "chapters" and more like what happens each day for my three protagonists. The day-planner approach (I hesitate to call it an outline, but it is one. Kind of.) was really helpful for me in visualizing what was going on and the pacing of my story. But it hasn't worked in all cases, for example, my second story.
For my second story (a Nano-Novel), there was no physical outline. I thought about a day planner, but it didn't fit. I had a plan from the beginning for the over-reaching story arc and while the smaller stories with in it have been developing within that framework, there wasn't an outline set out for the first (or second, or third) of what I hope to be a series of three. I finished the story, ran through a first set of edits and then a second, marking in the text notes for what I wanted to see and when. I had a fairly good idea about the way the story flowed and the way it progressed. I've always been a bit of a patchwork writer anyway and I see the connections between pieces. It's all in my head and I'm good at visualizing where it goes and if it needs to be moved. The big picture.
It wasn't until the three of us sat down and set out a specific deadline for passing around a draft of one of our novels that someone even mentioned outlining, and while I did it to stay in tandem with both Genn and Jenny, I really felt that doing the outline was keeping me from doing what I needed to actually do on my actual story -- do something about all of those notes about "move this here," "eliminate this," or "bring this in here." The only thing the outline I completed has helped me to do is to see where I put the song lyric quotes I still am not convinced I need for most chapters. There are one or two chapters where the song quote is just too perfect to get rid of, which is why I'm still having a bit of a hink about keeping them or not. I broke up a few chapters into smaller pieces, but really, the reason I'd had them together as one before was thematic. I spent most of January working on something that the whole time I was convinced (and am still convinced) that at this point, I don't need. It was far too late for an outline on this story.
My third story, still being written, is also going right along without an outline. But, it's also a story line I've had in my head for a while, and while I've had a few fits on some specific scenes (some characters just don't want to be written out! What cheek!), it's still going right along without one. I know what I need to write next, even if it's hard. And I know what I need to do for the last chapter. I've written some of it already, thanks to another suggestion of Mike's, something I've been leery of letting myself do as it's part of my prior MO with my unfinished novels -- writing scenes out of order. I never used outlines back then, either. I don't think I'm creating an outline for this one. I feel pretty confident I know what's going on the whole story through.
My fourth story (another Nano-Novel), was actually finished before my third story, but it's the second for the series mentioned earlier. I'm still tottering on whether or not this edit is going to need an outline. If I do, should I go with an option -- like with my first novel -- that isn't conventional. The problems with the story were ones I'd realized before I'd finished, much like the earlier Nano-Novel: this one ends abruptly, there stuff missing -- like tension and a plot line. I don't want this to be filler between the first and third stories, so I have to find some way of making this story stand up on it's own, and once I've finished with this round of edits on the second story (confused yet?), I need to roll up my sleeves and figure out some way to breathe life into the inert monster that is this second-of-three-stories. Even so, not having read it over once yet, I'm fairly confident I know what's wrong and what I need to do where. No outline, but an idea of where things go in my head.
A lot of times, I think what really is my bug-a-boo about outlines is that I'm not entirely a lineal thinker. I can keep it all straight in my head, but if I were to create something to show the whole network of plot bits, I'd have to have the software used to plot epidemics (a whole web of connections) or I'd have to create an "idea mobile, with strings connecting each floating piece, or use an erector set with little tags on it for each point at my desk (hmmm... I like this idea. I haven't done that in a while.... where is that erector set...?) -- and that takes up a lot of physical space.
So, I'm still out on whether or not I think outlines are useful or just a procrastination tool. I haven't finished a story because I've had an outline. I've finished a story because I gave myself goals and deadlines and put my butt in the chair and got to work. That's just how I roll....
Although, I could have probably used an outline for this blog post.... ;)
Monday, February 1, 2010
Outlines: Why I Never Work Without One.
Outlining is a bit of a contentious subject in noveling. Some people swear by their outlining process. Others believe that it’s stifling to the creative process. Personally, I can’t get through a novel without at least a basic outline—and would even go so far as to suggest that if you’ve gotten halfway through several novels before abandoning them, it’s probably because you’re an outliner trying to write like a non-outliner. Here’s why outlining is so crucial to my noveling.
Because inspiration won’t carry you forever. This happens to me every time I sit down to write a novel. For the first 100 pages or so, inspiration carries me. I know exactly where I want the novel to go—and the beautiful scenes just flow. Then around the 100-to-150-page mark, I lose my direction. I hit the point where I have to make real choices—limiting choices—about my plot and characters. Indecision can freeze me—and leave me thinking it would be better to just scrap this one and start over.
Because outlining gets me over story loathing. I get this around the same time that I lose my direction in terms of inspiration. I start to hate the story. I want to give up—and I’ve lost many novel ideas over the years this way before figuring out that this is how I work. The outline is like a lifeline, pulling me out of story loathing and back to a place where I can be excited about the book. It shows me that yes, this plot works, I have a plan—and I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Because without one, I couldn’t keep this stuff straight. I would lose my way so fast without an outline—especially after inspiring discussions with my writing group, new ideas about how the plot goes, and figuring out how to integrate all that. Without an outline, I’d lose new ideas as fast as I came up with them—or start to doubt them because I couldn’t see how they worked in the bigger picture.
Because outlines give you a sense of timing. Are you doing enough to build tension between your hero and heroine? Have you built up the suspense gradually, or is it all in one clump at the end? Timing is everything, and even in a long work like a novel it’s easy to get it wrong. The outline allows me to work out timing issues before I start writing—and my margin for mistakes is lower.
Outlining literally saved my writing career. Before, I would start novels, get them halfway done, hit a wall and then give up. I'd think the problem was what came before--and I'd erase and start over. I never got anywhere--until I started really committing to an outline. Then I finished the first novel I tried it with. If you don't outline, and you've never finished a novel--a lack of organizational structure may be at the root of why.
Because inspiration won’t carry you forever. This happens to me every time I sit down to write a novel. For the first 100 pages or so, inspiration carries me. I know exactly where I want the novel to go—and the beautiful scenes just flow. Then around the 100-to-150-page mark, I lose my direction. I hit the point where I have to make real choices—limiting choices—about my plot and characters. Indecision can freeze me—and leave me thinking it would be better to just scrap this one and start over.
Because outlining gets me over story loathing. I get this around the same time that I lose my direction in terms of inspiration. I start to hate the story. I want to give up—and I’ve lost many novel ideas over the years this way before figuring out that this is how I work. The outline is like a lifeline, pulling me out of story loathing and back to a place where I can be excited about the book. It shows me that yes, this plot works, I have a plan—and I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Because without one, I couldn’t keep this stuff straight. I would lose my way so fast without an outline—especially after inspiring discussions with my writing group, new ideas about how the plot goes, and figuring out how to integrate all that. Without an outline, I’d lose new ideas as fast as I came up with them—or start to doubt them because I couldn’t see how they worked in the bigger picture.
Because outlines give you a sense of timing. Are you doing enough to build tension between your hero and heroine? Have you built up the suspense gradually, or is it all in one clump at the end? Timing is everything, and even in a long work like a novel it’s easy to get it wrong. The outline allows me to work out timing issues before I start writing—and my margin for mistakes is lower.
Outlining literally saved my writing career. Before, I would start novels, get them halfway done, hit a wall and then give up. I'd think the problem was what came before--and I'd erase and start over. I never got anywhere--until I started really committing to an outline. Then I finished the first novel I tried it with. If you don't outline, and you've never finished a novel--a lack of organizational structure may be at the root of why.
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