Do you outline? If so, what is your method?

[clint_csperry-org]

IF I spent any time outlining, I would never write a thing. If I spend my energy trying to envision a skeletal frame for the story, I would never create it. I am a pantser. For me, the story flows out as it will. I follow where the characters take me, and the plot builds itself. Often when I think I might know where it will end, the characters take a detour and surprise me with something completely different. At the end I have some clean up, sure, but the story is fresh, not forced into a frame. The characters act as people do, they are not stilted cardboard cut outs moving by strings pulled in the background.

[Inkroverts]

Yes, I like to keep things organised, so I will definitely outline when I write a book... or any stories in general.
Since I note down my ideas, I don't want to forget about them. If I write spontaneously for the whole story, I'm sure I will miss out something because of my poor memory.

[Bhaskins]

This is all really great advice. I love how helpful everyone is. I just googled the snowflake method as mentioned about and think that it is going to be very helpful. I love outlines personally because I feel like I need a plan.

[TopaAzul062]

I completed an outline many months back for this little project I'm working on (hoping to compile a graphic novel). I outlined what each chapter will be out so that I could see how the story will flow from A-B. It also helps me ensure consistency in my story as I have a tendency to forget and really don't won't to mess up my first project.

For regular writing, I just go with the flow and write till everything comes together as they scenes play out in my head.

[Bigwig1973]

I'm not a fiction writer and even so, I still have never liked outlines. I understand the point of outlines, but it always seemed to me that most books are stories and that when one outlines, it confines the story. Not to mention, when you start asking yourself questions: what am I going to write about, what is the best way to say this, the most appropriate way to say this, what is my purpose or intention - you are kind of outlining, at least in your head anyways. In some writing situations, outlining might be almost essential and extraordinarily helpful. Outlining probably helps in many ways, even in fiction writing: so then the writer remembers to not omit information. Suppose you have to research and don't currently have the information, then having the outline serves as a reminder to include or research that particular point.

[Black Jewel]

I'm constantly waffling on to outline or not. I hate outlines, but I understand they have their uses. And I feel like creating one would be quite beneficial. I just have a horrible time actually making myself do one. They don't feel natural to me. I'm more of a write by the seat of my pants person... But I have trouble finishing what I start as it always peters out... Which loops me back to trying to create an outline. lol.

[usef nahg]

i usually draw a big line that represents the timeline of the actions happening, and then i cut the line into sections that say what scene happens when. helps me have a clear structure of the story and timeline

[Kammeuchechukwu Mark Okereke]

It's a little complex for me. I know that over 60% of the books I've ever written were done with a base outline. Now, the remaining 40% were a little weirdish, and here is what I mean. I always had a start and endpoint for my story so what I did most of the time was to create and imagine mutually exclusive scenes that occurred through the length of the story and then, try to patch them up by adding joints or fillers along the way. That method has worked for me incredibly as well, but it is hard to say whether or not that method classifies as an outline as well.

[hayisa]

Yes, I outline and I use mindmaps. The particular application I'm using now is MIndomo. It helps to stay on the road because often, I forget and change courses. Also, it helps you see where the book is supposed to go instead of blindly diving into it.

[Nedim]

Before starting to write anything, I always ask myself one pertinent question: what do you want to write about? This gives me an understanding that I should write down the things I must include in my write-up. I start by taking out my pen and book, and then begin to note down ideas one after the other. After that, I can now arrange the ideas in a way that will look meaningful where one thought would come before the other.

[Sameeha Ismail]

I like to outline my works with short paragraphs. But these days there are so many formats for outlining. I think they destroy my creativity and force me into a mold. So, I just scribble away the major plot points and get to writing.

[Ludovica Peruzzi]

I used to not outline at all and just go with the flow until I realized how much time I was wasting just figuring out what to do next only to change my mind and have to rewrite entire chapters when I saw things weren't working. Started outlining and now the whole process is much quicker 'cause I can explore every route and figure out if they work or not Before actually putting them into writing.

[Angie828]

I have never outlined. I have just started writing. I do think a lot about what I want to write before writing it, so I guess I could say that perhaps I am outlining in my head.

[echoesofmj]

I cannot, for the life of me, outline. I have tried it so many times, and every time that I did, I just couldn't find it in me to finish the novel or even pick it up. I find that I am just writing, not always knowing exactly where I'm going or how I'm going to get there. I used to view writing as being some sort of vessel to the characters that would come to me and just...compel me to write their stories. Therefore, I never really knew where this was going exactly. I would only have a faint idea.
I have begun to outline, however, when I began rewriting some of my stories. It hasn't worked out well, to be honest, as I prefer the "liberty" of just letting the story take me where it needs to be taken.