How do you outline? Do you outline?

[Danteyoyo]

I'm just wondering how other people outline their stories or if they do at all. I see a lot of people who post one chapter at a time and it makes me think that my system for outlining must be shoddy because I always have to go back and revise chapters as the story develops.

[Nephylim]

I have only ever posted two stories as I write them. The first one ground to a halt and the other one has kind of lurched. What I do now is completely write the story and then post it chapter by chapter so most of my stories are fully written before I even start to post.

[Y_B]

I'm just wondering how other people outline their stories or if they do at all. I see a lot of people who post one chapter at a time and it makes me think that my system for outlining must be shoddy because I always have to go back and revise chapters as the story develops.

 

I think most stories are structured by the authors regardless of how their sections are released, and the kind of outlining you need depends on your skill as a writer and how you want your story to turn out. If you find there as you progress there's a need to go back and tweak around, then perhaps it may be better to write several chapters at a time and don't release any until you are sure it's how you want it.

 

As for me, I'm writing one and have a very general outline layed out. What works for me is that I took my outline and filled in the spaces with more detailed bits and once I think I have the basic sequence and idea down, I started writing the first chapter, and then second, etc. I have found that I did need to constantly go back and tweet but they were more for story consistency than error.

[Skylights]

you have to know how you work.

 

I can do both (writing with an outline/without an outline) but have issues with both of them. It really depends on how you work, if you have a natural flow and can just sit down and write then go ahead and do so but outlining something can help make a story more concrete and you know where you want to go, you just need to decide in detail how you're going to get there.

 

I didn't used to outline, I still don't do it always--esp for short stories, but I have several outlines (very basic) of stories in my notebook and If I get an idea I can go back and add it here and there. I find this is useful to me because I have a really really poor memory and if I have an idea I need to write it down .

[Forty-Two]

I agree that you just have to play around with your writing style and see what works.

 

I find that as a story develops in my head, I write down all the details so that I don't forget them and to keep my thoughts organized. Then as I write I fill in the plot holes. The longer the story, the more it usually has changed by the time I get to the end of the outline. For me writing a story from scratch with no outline is only something I do as a writing exercise.

 

I also usually write a whole story before posting because I honestly do believe that the art of writing is re-writing and very few people put down gold onto the page the first time around. Sometimes posting a chapter at a time is done with a wholly written story to get more feedback as it is posted, increase suspense among readers, and to get feedback as you go along (especially if you don't have a beta reader).

 

I don't really think it matters what your process is, as long as you're writing and finishing what you start

[Tipdin]

I'm flexible. Usually I just sit down and write, my stories are not so long that I can't remember what's been going on. However, for my longer stories I usually write a good portion and then outline what I've done. Sometimes I do much more outlining than writing; especially if time is a problem. At least the basic ideas are captured.

 

Although an outline has become imperative for my longest story; it's several hundred pages. It helps me keep track of where I've been, where I'm going and how pieces may link to other sections of the story.

[hh5]

Right now I'm writing a long story ... and stumble like you did.

 

I do have a general outline sort of but I am still trying to get the feel for the story.

 

This particular story ... its hard to discover the 1 2 3

 

I'm glad to not publish weekly like I did on my first long story.

It was hair raising to write it out week after week,

[Kev de Cauchery]

Before I started writing in English, my story outline consists of only two parts: a perfect opening which I constantly revised until satisfied, and after that, and ending to the story.

The other parts in between, I let them flow.

 

The only only stories I've posted here, though, were all finished before I posted them.

 

Now I'm actually working on several, say 6 - 7 projects and they're all now in hiatus since the flow of inspiration stopped. I'm pondering whether to post the existing chapters to gain some response.

 

On the other hand, I normally can't post stories when I'm writing them because I only think of the title after I finish the story.

[Hamen Cheese]

My style is I have two word documents open at all times while writing.

 

In the first one, I write the entire story in a numbered outline i.e.

P. Jacob is Born

1. Recollection of Adam's Rescue

2. Adam's Departure from the Mage City with his Teacher

3. Arrival at the Human Settlement

4. Confrontation with Jacob

 

(Above outline is an actual excerpt from my outline for Adamagika. It stretches all the way down to the last chapter of the story.)

 

Also included in this first document is an Atlas of story which includes names of people and descriptions of them and relevance in the story

Adam

[Cia]

Sometimes I outline, sometimes I don't. I think I begin each story I think will be long with at least a few pages of notes, though not necessarily a list of characters and chapter outline for each. Though I do try to do something like that if I don't think I'll be able to get to writing it right away. I typically post each story as I write and then end up going back looking for details if I can't remember something. That wastes a lot of time though. I like not knowing how each chapter will go though. It's a mystery where each chapter is going as I sit down to write it. That's fun for me. So I guess I see the upside to each way of writing.

[Former Member]

It really depends on the length of the project. If I have a story idea which will be novel length, it is unavoidable, I have to do an outline, especially as I write in the fantasy genre most times, and after I've written the background of a fantasy world, characters, culture, history (sometimes a few), it's necessary for me to consolidate all of my thoughts. In this situation, writing an outline also helps me when I am editing or proof-reading making sure my chapters accomplish everything they need to accomplish. If I need to add some action, or I've left out a vital detail, comparing the manuscript to the outline can be helpful. For projects shorter than novella length, I don't make an outline, although I might do a brief sketch of what I want to accomplish.

 

How I go about it? Chapter by chapter most of the time, or a very details synopsis, perhaps 3 or so pages in length. Because I am an editor also, and some of the places I've worked for require an author submit a synopsis or a brief outline of the entire story, I know it's much easier to do this beforehand, or gradually, then at the end, having to go back and take care of it.