Do you outline? If so, what is your method?
If you have spelling or grammar questions, please post them in the International Grammar section.
If you want feedback for poetry or short stories you have written, please post the poem or short story in either the Creative Original Works: Short Stories section or the Creative Original Works: Poetry section.
If you have a book that you want reviewed, click here to submit your book for review.
- chattykathy
- Posts: 44
- Joined: 07 Mar 2017, 18:13
- Currently Reading: Lost Bastards
- Bookshelf Size: 17
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-chattykathy.html
- Latest Review: "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs
Re: Do you outline? If so, what is your method?
- Amagine
- Posts: 5441
- Joined: 04 Mar 2017, 19:27
- Bookshelf Size: 721
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-amagine.html
- Latest Review: "Salome and Gogo visit Soweto" by Cora Groenewald
- Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG
"I am grateful for all the books that sparked my imagination." -Unknown
- Sabrinah Brendah
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 14 Mar 2017, 12:38
- Bookshelf Size: 0
Even when writing, some great ideas might pop up in your head buy you're writing a scene that isn't connected to whatever idea you just got.
It's better to write it down then get back to it when the time is right
- Amagine
- Posts: 5441
- Joined: 04 Mar 2017, 19:27
- Bookshelf Size: 721
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-amagine.html
- Latest Review: "Salome and Gogo visit Soweto" by Cora Groenewald
- Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG
I agree that it is important to hurry and write down an idea that pops into your head. You would regret losing it if you didn't. I had that happen to me more times than I care to admit.Sabrinah Brendah wrote:Definitely outline. its easier to remember the original storyline IG you're so deep into writing the novel.
Even when writing, some great ideas might pop up in your head buy you're writing a scene that isn't connected to whatever idea you just got.
It's better to write it down then get back to it when the time is right
"I am grateful for all the books that sparked my imagination." -Unknown
- rssllue
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 50731
- Joined: 02 Oct 2014, 01:52
- Favorite Book: The Bible
- Currently Reading: A Year with C. S. Lewis
- Bookshelf Size: 602
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rssllue.html
- Latest Review: My Personal Desert Storm by Marcus Johnson
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. ~ Psalms 4:8
-
- Posts: 113
- Joined: 27 Feb 2017, 00:54
- Currently Reading: The Algorithm Design Manual
- Bookshelf Size: 21
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-classicaltwist.html
- Latest Review: "The Stealer of Memories" by Mois Benarroch
- Reading Device: B00I15SB16
- rssllue
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 50731
- Joined: 02 Oct 2014, 01:52
- Favorite Book: The Bible
- Currently Reading: A Year with C. S. Lewis
- Bookshelf Size: 602
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rssllue.html
- Latest Review: My Personal Desert Storm by Marcus Johnson
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. ~ Psalms 4:8
- bobRas
- Posts: 33
- Joined: 12 Oct 2016, 16:49
- Bookshelf Size: 16
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bobras.html
- Latest Review: "Randy Love...at your service" by Shay Carter
The simplest outline method I have seen so far is the seven-point story structure. Hook, Plot Point 1 (25%), Pinch Point 1, Midpoint (50%), Pinch Point 2, Plot Point 2 (75%), Resolution.
- katiestardis
- Posts: 30
- Joined: 11 Apr 2017, 23:24
- Currently Reading: Just Dreaming
- Bookshelf Size: 336
- Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
- Antares
- Posts: 79
- Joined: 11 May 2017, 18:59
- Bookshelf Size: 10
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-antares.html
- Latest Review: "The 11.05 Murders" by Brian O'Hare
When I get that story idea, I close my eyes and watch it like a movie. Not the whole story, sometimes just the beginning or the "twist". I spend about a week flushing out this "movie" in my mind. I decide if I like it, if I like those people.
I then take 3x5 index cards and write "scenes" or places or short pieces of dialog that pop into my head. Mostly when I am outside smoking or taking a shower.
Finally I arrange those 3x5 cards on a cork board and scribble thoughts, questions and /or events in the spaces between cards.
The final results start to look like a crazy serial killer board or a police board and, I am pretty sure that it freaks my husband out.
Is that an outline system? I don't know. Does it make it easy? totally.
Find what works for you, everyone is different.
-
- Posts: 54
- Joined: 25 May 2017, 13:32
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 38
- Nina Butler
- Posts: 48
- Joined: 05 Apr 2017, 08:57
- Currently Reading: rubies
- Bookshelf Size: 78
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nina-butler.html
- Latest Review: "Escape" by Belle Ami
- Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG
- jmrott
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 11:49
- Bookshelf Size: 0
Let me tell you of a simple method I have used and developed. Thumbnail of the idea. Start by writing it out in about 2000 words or more. Not too much detail just the nuts and bolts of the story. Try and break it down to its three parts. Write those down in a list of 3 to 10 items. The goal is to granulate this idea out to 50+ scenes. If you write each scene with an average length of 2000 or so words you will have enough for a novel. Think of your story as a movie or a painting try and visualize it in your minds eye. Have conversations as the characters would. Feel as the characters would feel. During this process of writing each of the scenes keep a writers journal recording background story and ideas for upcoming content. Write thumbnails of each scene. Write about the story plot and character plot while thinking of the journey they are on. Doing this or something like this will be your own journey. You may even find that your own characters surprise even you as you write them. Bradbury called this the secrit self. I am paraphrasing when he said that he writes the story the characters wanted to tell.
I hope this helps you. I cannot leave you without advising that you find some good books on fiction writing. I've learned so much from others that have written so well on this topic. Oh and most important find your own methods. Use the methods you read about as simple tools.
As my creative writing professor said "writing is revision,revision, revision." while my art teacher said "The difference between and artist and a painter is knowing when to drop the brush."
- jorecca robinson
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 04 Jun 2017, 17:03
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Sushan Ekanayake
- Official Reviewer Representative
- Posts: 4914
- Joined: 04 May 2018, 19:13
- Currently Reading: Quest: Finding Freddie
- Bookshelf Size: 412
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sushan-ekanayake.html
- Latest Review: Unsettled Disruption by Juana Catalina Rodriguez
- Reading Device: B0794JC2K5
- Bill Gates -
$u$han €kanayak€