As an author I love writing on the fly, so to speak. It’s therapeutic and allows me to explore the worlds I create without any kind of hesitation or barrier. I believe in those moments my own personal writing is in the purest form. The worlds come from a subconscious place that allows me to take fire from water and set it free into the universe.
Oh yes, I love those times. They are…the ultimate high and can’t be replaced by anything.
So why would I even want to outline? In general I don’t, however when I am faced with a project that is longer than three books, I often find myself trying to weave them together in a way that makes sense to readers. For example, The Hunter, a novella I wrote about a girl who meets her destiny head on during her quest for revenge–I thought I was going to stop that story there. Then one night for no apparent reason at all, the entire world opened up to me in a scream. Yes that’s right, a scream. I woke up screaming in the middle of the night. Needless to say I scared the hell out of my husband and children. I secretly laugh about that now because…well it’s funny.
Anyways, the entire world opened itself up to me and now I’m working on an entire series of novellas. I wasn’t sure how they all pieced together, so I started to outline. This is the first time I’ve used the outline method to create a story line or series. My only rule for this outline thing is I don’t write the last part or ending. I’m leaving that as a surprise for me. No, even I don’t know how it ends. Isn’t that where the fun is anyways?
For some authors, outlining is a way of life, a road map of the world they’re creating. I can respect that. It’s just I know me well enough to know that if I outline the entire story, it won’t get written. If I know the ending I’m bored. When it comes to outlining, it depends on the author. If you want to know the beginning middle and end to each story, it’s a wonderful tool to use. If you’re like me, then you may not want to use one.
What it really boils down to–which always seems to be the best advice–DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU.
There isn’t a magic formula…no matter what anyone says. There isn’t a manuscript fairy, no matter how many times we wish there was…and life is full of choices. Allow the outcome of everything you do, represent who you are. Ultimately we are an amalgum of all the characters and worlds we create. We are the heaven and the hell of our own work. We created them and we are all capable of all the choices out characters make. That’s just human nature. At the end of it all, if I can breathe life into those worlds and make them real emotionally, the outline doesn’t really matter.
The funny thing about all of this is outlining comes right back to censorship. Are you using the outline as a way to leave certain offensive measures out of your novel or story? If so, set the outline down and step away. Allow the characters to be who they are in all their glorious gritty real selves. If you’re trying to write the perfect person, character, dog or whatever, forgetaboutit. We as humans are flawed and so too must our characters be. They should be. They need to be. Why spend so much time on perfection when it’s so dull and not worth remembering?
Outlining is a tool, period. It should be treated as such in fiction. Outlining in non-fiction is a whole other story. It keeps facts in line and assists in setting up a time line of true events. However since I don’t really write nonfiction, I think I’ll leave it at that for the moment.
No matter what way you decide, remember the whole point of the entire process is the journey. If you’re not loving the journey then stop outlining. Let the words flow from that unknown unseen space inside of us. Take a chance and look in the abyss. Take a risk and jump. It’s not if you fall but if you fall in love…because that will shine through.
Much love, Peace out
Joann