WRITING with an OUTLINE

I touched briefly on this idea in my last post but I feel it's an important enough strategy to focus an entire post on it. Welcome to...The OUTLINE.

Simplicity.

For me outlines are very basic. You don't have to get super-detailed with thembecause that's what the actual writing is about. Outlines are the skeletons and writing is the meat you hang on the bones. When you see a skeleton on the street (!) you don't say, "Hey! That's Frank. I'd know his outline anywehere." But the Skeleton is still essential to the Frank you know because if you saw Frank without it, odds are you wouldn't recognize him that way, either.

I create an outline which is numbered (1, 2, 3...you do remember numbers, right?). Each number represents a chapter of the the book I'm working on. "A Ghost of Fire" has 30 chapters. Guess how many numbbers were on the outline? 30.

Each number gets one to three lines which give shape to the "big idea" of the chapter. You fill in the rest later. Here's a brief example where we'll use a fake book with three measly chapters:

Frank's Day Out: A Novel of the Postmodern Condition.

Chapter 1. Franks wakes up and goes to make breakfast. Frank can't decide what to make (too many options)
Chapter 2. Frank leaves for work and stops at a Starbuck's. Frank can't choose what he wants (WAY too many options)
Chapter 3. Frank stops at the Bank where a robbery occurs. The robbers says to him, "You're money or your life?" Frank can't choose (too many options). Frank is shot. Poor Frank.

That gives us a little something basic to work with, an order. We also have a theme develop. We also see we need a much more interesting character. Frank's a real moron.

Flexible.

Your outline should not be set in stone. I suggest a word processor instead. Why? One word: "Backspace."

While working on the last book I had an entire chapter from the outline that was completely cut. Why? it didn't serve the story. That's another benefit of outlining: You see it all laid out before you and you can begin to see what DOES and DOESN'T work.

An Extra Mile.

I've found it helpful recently to take the chapter from the outline...and then create an outline for the chapter. I'll come up with anywhere between three and seven thing I want to hit in a chapter and make those an outline.

As always I hope this helps.

Smooth writing to you,
Sam.

For more info on my stuff:

My Blog http://sam-whittaker.blogspot.com/

My Website http://samwhittaker.webstarts.com/

My book's facebook page http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/A-Ghost-of-Fire/113144592112247