I've made no bones about it. I don't outline. I hated outlining in school. Now that I'm writing, I'm receiving flack for not doing an outline first. Can't stand 'em.
However, at the Skyline Writers meeting today, someone talked about the synopsis. I have written those before, but as the prelude to sending out an MS. Some publishers want a synopsis.
As a tool for the structure of a story - that was a new thought/idea. I like it. I'm going to start one up for 'Blue.' I've already got a timeline-ish thing started. Each chapter has only a couple words written to keep me from losing my place. I will use it to begin my synopsis.I think that will definitely help.
At the upcoming SCBWI conference, I've registered for the ARC talk. Looking forward to that. I'm not as familiar with a story arc as I know I should be. Anything to help the craft.
Great meeting, BTW, today. Two new folks came. Excited folks. I do so love that. A breath of fresh air. The same happened, if you remember my earlier post, at the Writers Ink meeting (3 new people).
Getting ready for the Skyline Conference on August 27th. The speakers sound promising. http://www.skylinewriters.com/conference2011.html
PS - Today was an odd day. I received more hits from Germany than from the United States. Go figure.
PSS - Thanks, Germany!
I am probably a bit unusual in that I have always liked preparing and working with an outline. I like having a framework; I can still be creative within the bounds I have set for myself, but I also have a sense of where the story is going.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that what I use for my own writing is actually an outline, though -- it's probably more like what you describe here. I rely on a timeline that lists a synopsis of the happenings of each day I want to cover in my tale. When I am actually writing a chapter, I might order the details a bit in a rough outline, so that they fit the flow of what is actually being written.
Discussion on story arcs sounds interesting! Hope you'll be able to share some of what you learned after you participate in that!
Clearly, they need to be introduced to the concepts of planners and pansters. Planners have an outline and work through it methodically. Pansters write by the seat of their pants, without an outline. I'm a combination, myself. I start out a panster, but sooner or later need to have on a single page where the story begins and where it ends, so it has to be done in one-line sentences. Works for me. :-)
ReplyDeleteMargaret - you ARE unusual. A really great woman! As for frameworks, with a life as busy as your's, you need them. What you said about your timeline sounds very much like the one I use. Not dates and such, but events happening, using just a few words.
ReplyDeleteOf course I'll share the 'arc' stuff with you.
Ah ha! Another title.... just what I needed.
ReplyDeletePanster
ROTFLMAO