tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post7231696843331819967..comments2023-10-30T09:45:16.159-06:00Comments on Writing on the Wall: The Great Debate: Outline or Discover?Precision Editing Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054725687044240043noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post-81750127935036009402009-03-12T17:15:00.000-06:002009-03-12T17:15:00.000-06:00I'm definitely a Discoverer. I write the whole the...I'm definitely a Discoverer. I write the whole the whole thing first and then go back, chapter by chapter, and summarize what I've talked about in each.<BR/><BR/>I've tried to be an Outliner and it's never worked for me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post-81529809207922789132009-03-11T23:07:00.000-06:002009-03-11T23:07:00.000-06:00Hmm. Yeap, I'm both. If I don't have a clue what...Hmm. Yeap, I'm both. If I don't have a clue what the story arc is, I don't have a story. If I outline myself to death, I kill the passion and spontenaity. I definitely find things out as I go, discover new angles and think of cool twists that never existed in my original plan. I do like having something written down before I start my book, though. It's kind of like a road map. I might not know where I'll stop along the way, but I really need to know where I'm going.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16390956322434938751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post-40707202476058996212009-03-11T19:53:00.000-06:002009-03-11T19:53:00.000-06:00I totally started out as a discovery writer, which...I totally started out as a discovery writer, which is probably why I have over a dozen unfinished books on my hard drive. In the last year or so I've been leaning more toward outlining first and writing has become much easier for me. <BR/><BR/>On the other hand when I head about people writing 50 page outlines I just want to shake my head. I tend to write the first few scenes (because I have to know who my characters are and the setting before I can plan), then pull open an Excell document and write one-sentence descriptions of the basics of what I want to have happen in each scene. <BR/><BR/>Do I refer back to it often? No, not so much, but if I start to feel lost or I want to make sure I'm staying on track, I'll refer back to what I've got written up and make sure I'm hitting all of my major signposts along the way. Sometimes I add scenes at the last moment, or I finish the book adn then realize I wrote scene in a different order, but that doesn't matter, what matters is that I have enough conflict to carry my story (conflict does not grow organically for me), and I don't lose any of the major threads. <BR/><BR/>My recent projects are not only getting finished, but I do so in under 5 version instead of 15 or 18.Heather Justesenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16585046213575146355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post-11033154902964285762009-03-11T18:35:00.000-06:002009-03-11T18:35:00.000-06:00I have written two historical fictions and outline...I have written two historical fictions and outlined them according to history and it worked well. But like you said you don't know the detail to the T, or how you are going to cross the bridge until you get there. It's like saying your going to eat a taco, but as you prepare your taco (write within the outline) you decide to add lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and fresh tomatoes, which gives it the finished product. I have also written one young adult novel and had only the idea in my head of what I wanted to happen. Each chapter was plotted one at a time. In both methods I think the creative juices have shown me how the writer learns the story right along with reader. That is the part I love the most! Its like unveiling an unknown world, what could be better?<BR/>(I know being published!!!)Danettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18087615157420716868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post-70111816159554834592009-03-11T15:53:00.000-06:002009-03-11T15:53:00.000-06:00I'm a fence sitter and do both. I don't do formal ...I'm a fence sitter and do both. I don't do formal outlines on paper, but rather informal ones in my own head. I know where the story is going and have an easier time writing.Julie Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15311231654035295596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post-8187177249593238342009-03-11T15:01:00.000-06:002009-03-11T15:01:00.000-06:00I have a very difficult time outlining, not becaus...I have a very difficult time outlining, not because the story isn't fun after I know it, but because I feel like I have to stick to it and my stories don't usually grow that same direction. At the same time, the discovery method is why I end up with hundreds of cut pages for my books. I'm still trying to perfect my way of going about it, but am so glad to know there is an option there that can just be 'me'. I also love learning how other writer's make it work, I often get ideas (like your landmark idea you gave me awhile back) that helps me out a great deal.Josihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10615874450489497826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113459088262891680.post-66881894131819320322009-03-11T14:37:00.000-06:002009-03-11T14:37:00.000-06:00This strikes such a chord for me. I started out p...This strikes such a chord for me. I started out parked firmly in the Discoverer camp (not surprising since I wrote my first draft during NaNoWriMo), and found a great deal of joy in it. And then frustration over the endless rewrites as I struggled for cohesion. I'm definitely finding more balance now, and this post made me grin rather hugely.Kimberly Vanderhorsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01653757517652257445noreply@blogger.com