There is a lot of debate in Authorland about outlining. Some writers prefer to outline a plot before tackling the process of writing a novel. Other writers prefer “pantsing” -- writing by the seat of the pants, with no map to point the way.
Is one method better than the other? Does one alternative lead to better results? Those are the questions I’ve been pondering lately as I write my novel, and this is what I’ve discovered:
The answer depends on who you ask.
Lee Child, bestselling author of thirteen novels in the Jack Reacher series, never uses an outline. At Thrillerfest 2008, he described his writing process as beginning the story with a question, and then asking another question, and another, and so forth, keeping the reader in suspense and carrying the story forward until those questions are resolved.
John Grisham takes the opposite approach. He writes lengthy outlines -- sometimes fifty pages or more -- to map out the major plot points. Jeffery Deaver also creates a detailed outline before writing a novel. He describes his process in this video. Deaver has been known to spend up to eight months researching and crafting an outline to map out each plot twist and red herring.
In her How to Think Sideways online course for writers, Holly Lisle explains her process of writing a loose outline using a separate index card for each scene, making it easy to shuffle scenes around as needed. (The course is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for ways to jumpstart your writing.)
Some writers don’t outline on paper but instead map out the story in their mind ahead of time. They know how their story begins and how it ends, and they have a few important events and plot milestones planned before they write a book.
My approach to outlining falls somewhere in between all the methods described above. I create an outline with a couple of sentences for each scene that occurs in the first two-thirds of the novel. By the time I’ve mapped out the major plot points and details for those scenes and laid the necessary groundwork for any plot twists, the rest of the scenes fall into place and an outline isn’t really necessary for the last third of the book. Everything in the story flows together naturally.
I don’t use any fancy software to create an outline. I simply open up a blank Word document and start adding notes about each scene. I include notes about characters, description, dialogue, or anything else that comes to mind. I write in a shorthand that makes sense to me, abbreviating character names and listing any scene elements I don’t want to forget. At first, the outline might look something like this:
1. T.G. at the crime scene where the first body is discovered. / blood / candles / symbols / photos / media.
2. R.V. learns of the murder, sees T.G. for the first time. / blackout / missing memory /white light.
3. T.G. visits the church to show the photos to Father M. / “Where is everyone?” / Feels like he’s being followed.
etc. etc.
The further I get into the outline, the more details and pieces of the plot come to mind for earlier scenes, so I go back and add those extra details in the appropriate place. Snippets of dialogue and bits of description also pop into my mind during the outlining stage. I write them in the outline, but sometimes I find myself in a writing groove and end up writing the entire scene right then and there. When that happens, I just copy that text and paste it into the corresponding chapter in the manuscript, so at the same time I’m creating the outline, I’m also writing parts of the book. It’s an organic process.
As I write my current novel-in-progress, I always keep one thing in mind: the outline is not set in stone. New ideas hit me all the time. If I like an idea, I find a way to weave it into the story, even if it means abandoning something in the outline.
When it comes to outlining or pantsing, the important thing is to do whatever works for you. One method isn’t better than the other. Each approach has its benefits and drawbacks, and what works for one writer might not work as well for another. Experiment with the methods that appeal to you and find out which approach best suits your personal writing style.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I like what you had to say, helps out those of us that get lost in the transition of one thought to another. I know one of Gary’s motivational speakers, Josh Hinds does ‘mind mapping’ in a visual format. I can literally picture myself one day writing my first novel and mind mapping with huge pieces of paper taped to the wall. As you say, whatever works for the writer, ultimately bringing the passion within outward on paper is all that matters. Ah, you inspire me!
Hi Caryl!
Mind mapping is such a great tool! I use it for some aspects of the writing process, especially in the early stages when I’m exploring ideas for characters or delving into an idea to see if it will provide enough material for a full-length story.
For my current novel-in-progress, I used a form of clustering/mapping to develop the two main characters, and I hung the maps on a corkboard on my office door so I would see them every time I walked in or out of the office. I scribble new notes on them all the time. I’ll walk by and a particular part of the map will catch my eye and trigger a whole cascade of ideas.