Question?
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SimonDoom
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Yes, always. I start with an idea, flesh out the characters and the main plot points in my mind, and then I outline the story from start to finish. The outline usually is just a guideline; I often deviate from it, but I usually write the ending of the story before I am very far into it. Once I do that the rest of the writing is a matter of figuring out how to get to the ending.
SamScribble
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Short answer: No.
Slightly longer answer: Even when I think I know what the story will be about, it often ends up being about something else altogether.
KeithD
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No. I've made a few notes--usually personal and place names--and that's it. But my Muse has already delivered all I need to know to get started, and to be reasonable assured that if I keep writing then, it will all come together.
I do more extensive notes and have a general outline ("this happens in this chapter") of some seven initial chapters (which invariably double in the writing) for something novel length.
I do more extensive notes and have a general outline ("this happens in this chapter") of some seven initial chapters (which invariably double in the writing) for something novel length.
SimonDoom
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I want to borrow your Muse. Or have her talk to mine. My Muse does not work this way, but I wish she did.
KeithD
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Mine mainly works in those moments I'm waking up in the morning. Drops whole storylines--enough to sit down and get started.
Carnevil9
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Always. Although my outline usually isn't very detailed. It just lists major developments and what happens in what order, and where everything needs to end up. If you don't know where you're going, you aren't really crafting a story. You're just daydreaming.
Emirus
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I just want to listen to the muse(ic)
I want a Muse that’s capable of putting my imagination on to the page much better than it’s doing at the moment. My imagination is ok. It’s my fingers that are the problem.
I want a Muse that’s capable of putting my imagination on to the page much better than it’s doing at the moment. My imagination is ok. It’s my fingers that are the problem.
oggbashan
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The outline is usually in my head.
The first thing, after the initial premise, is the ending. How I get to the ending is the difficult part.
There are exceptions. Christmas Fairy was due to end with part 2 but it didn't. I was stuck for a finish short of 'with one bound they were free' or deus ex machina.
For the 2003 NaNoWriMo challenge I wanted to make it more exciting for me. I knew, given few interruptions from the wider family, that I could write 50,000 words in a month. So I set myself a target of getting the whole 50,000 written, edited and POSTED on Literotica before the end of the month. I succeeded and it is now the 12 part Flawed Red Silk.
For that NaNoWriMo I drew up an outline with a start and a finish. In between I had 34 possible chapters with a simple plot structure for each of them. As I started the NaNoWriMo month the chapters I was writing grew longer than I had expected. After the first 3 or 4 I reviewed the other possible chapters. I discarded several because they were variations of similar stories, then some more because they were weaker stories, and finished with just 12. That exercise is the only time I had a detailed outline in a written format.
All my other story outlines including the endings are kept in my head until I start writing. A story can stall and remain in the part-written pending folder after 1,000 words, 5,000 words or even longer. The planned ending, still in my head, remains unchanged.
The first thing, after the initial premise, is the ending. How I get to the ending is the difficult part.
There are exceptions. Christmas Fairy was due to end with part 2 but it didn't. I was stuck for a finish short of 'with one bound they were free' or deus ex machina.
For the 2003 NaNoWriMo challenge I wanted to make it more exciting for me. I knew, given few interruptions from the wider family, that I could write 50,000 words in a month. So I set myself a target of getting the whole 50,000 written, edited and POSTED on Literotica before the end of the month. I succeeded and it is now the 12 part Flawed Red Silk.
For that NaNoWriMo I drew up an outline with a start and a finish. In between I had 34 possible chapters with a simple plot structure for each of them. As I started the NaNoWriMo month the chapters I was writing grew longer than I had expected. After the first 3 or 4 I reviewed the other possible chapters. I discarded several because they were variations of similar stories, then some more because they were weaker stories, and finished with just 12. That exercise is the only time I had a detailed outline in a written format.
All my other story outlines including the endings are kept in my head until I start writing. A story can stall and remain in the part-written pending folder after 1,000 words, 5,000 words or even longer. The planned ending, still in my head, remains unchanged.
C
Cutlassman2017
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I do an outline all the time before I write.
ElectricBlue
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No outlines, maybe a vague image or single scene, but no preconceived plot in my head. I start writing, and plot and characterisation show up as I go along. I'm writing a big long thing at the moment - sometimes a chapter will take a while to start. I don't worry about that, not any more; it just means my subconscious is still mulling things over.
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This.
I often do an image search for people and places first to set the scene in my mind and have those before me as I write, but my muse often leads me a merry chase into unexpected places. Maybe if I was to try to write longer pieces I would need outlines.
H
HandsInTheDark
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Generally, no. I've been known to post with no idea what's going to happen in the next chapter. But more often I have at least some idea where the plot is heading.
Writing is easy, when I have time to do it. A character says something and another replies to it and pretty soon it's a whole conversation, which spawns an action, and then... next thing you know it's three pygmies and a plover in bed with the main character. (Fear not, the plover is only there to observe.) I mean stuff just happens.
Writing is easy, when I have time to do it. A character says something and another replies to it and pretty soon it's a whole conversation, which spawns an action, and then... next thing you know it's three pygmies and a plover in bed with the main character. (Fear not, the plover is only there to observe.) I mean stuff just happens.
ElectricBlue
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If you're like me, probably not.
My Geek Anthology thing (the astronaut and the angel) started out as a simple idea and grew to 35k words very quickly. I sent the first 2000 words to my betas and asked "Am I over-reaching on this?" Are you kidding? keep going, was the gist of their response. So I did. And set the story up for a sequel - the "outline" for that is very simple: for every male angel, there's a female demon, right?
MelissaBaby
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This is my method as well. I have likened it to deciding I would travel from one city to another, but haven't determined my route.
My current series will probably run about thirty chapters. I am about to submit Chapter 11. I have already written a rough draft of the last chapter. I know, generally, what will happen in each chapter, but haven't outlined them.
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Poor, poor plover!
Polyacrylate
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Yes. I plan a story out in my head, details and character traits and snippets of conversation. This is the part that largely writes itself.
Once I have that, I make an outline. The outline has all the items listed above, plus character details, various notes about setting(s), and information that won't end up in the story.
Once the outline is complete, I begin filling in the blanks, in a manner that is not at all in chronological order. I try to edit as I write, although I find it difficult to do on a phone. If something doesn't work, is too long a theme gets muddled, this is where I change it. By writing out of order, I tend to stay more engaged than if I write in a linear manner, while h always seems like a slog to me. It also afford the opportunity to find great ways to plant seeds early on for events or ideas that develop over the course of a story.
The only times I don't make an outline is if I'm writing something that is going to be uber-short, or if I'm experimenting with something.
Once I have that, I make an outline. The outline has all the items listed above, plus character details, various notes about setting(s), and information that won't end up in the story.
Once the outline is complete, I begin filling in the blanks, in a manner that is not at all in chronological order. I try to edit as I write, although I find it difficult to do on a phone. If something doesn't work, is too long a theme gets muddled, this is where I change it. By writing out of order, I tend to stay more engaged than if I write in a linear manner, while h always seems like a slog to me. It also afford the opportunity to find great ways to plant seeds early on for events or ideas that develop over the course of a story.
The only times I don't make an outline is if I'm writing something that is going to be uber-short, or if I'm experimenting with something.
Blind_Justice
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Yes. When I sit down to write, I have a general idea how the plot will work, but I tend to get carried away, so I use the outline to keep myself on track. A few words for each major section of the story.
Besides the outline, I keep "character sheets" for all major participants, noting down appearance, special possessions and their capabilities as well as their dominant personality traits and speech patterns, if applicable. For my latest, I even had a cheat sheet for the main spacecraft the story took place in.
It helps to be organized.
Besides the outline, I keep "character sheets" for all major participants, noting down appearance, special possessions and their capabilities as well as their dominant personality traits and speech patterns, if applicable. For my latest, I even had a cheat sheet for the main spacecraft the story took place in.
It helps to be organized.
Bramblethorn
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Usually I either sketch out an outline, or have one in my head. Whether I stick to that outline is another question...
Oblimo
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Mostly I create a movie trailer for the story in my head. I’m a very visual thinker.
The past couple of years, I’ve found myself nailing down snatches of dialogue for a story before I really tackle it.
I wind up with the strangest orphaned exchanges.
Like this one:
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a vagina in the sky.”
“Yeah, well, welcome to Canada.”
All I know about the story is that Jack claimed to have a girlfiend in Canada when he was a high school freshman growing up in New Jersey.
The past couple of years, I’ve found myself nailing down snatches of dialogue for a story before I really tackle it.
I wind up with the strangest orphaned exchanges.
Like this one:
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a vagina in the sky.”
“Yeah, well, welcome to Canada.”
All I know about the story is that Jack claimed to have a girlfiend in Canada when he was a high school freshman growing up in New Jersey.
Last edited:
JaneRamsey
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JaneRamsey
Really Experienced
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The process
My process is kind of spastic.
1. Come up with very general plot and maybe very general main characters.
2. Find music that reminds of the characters and/or plot. I usually have several Pandora stations for my various characters in any given story. I'll also have theme music for particularly intense scenes as well.
3. After that my brain just starts making up shit. I accept %80 of it is crap, but it'll lead me to that **0 that's golden.
4. I write till it feels done
5. Give to my editor who rips **5 of that **0 to shreds. Then we workon that last five percent till it's PERFECT!
FIN
My process is kind of spastic.
1. Come up with very general plot and maybe very general main characters.
2. Find music that reminds of the characters and/or plot. I usually have several Pandora stations for my various characters in any given story. I'll also have theme music for particularly intense scenes as well.
3. After that my brain just starts making up shit. I accept %80 of it is crap, but it'll lead me to that **0 that's golden.
4. I write till it feels done
5. Give to my editor who rips **5 of that **0 to shreds. Then we workon that last five percent till it's PERFECT!
FIN
ElectricBlue
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That's where my brain seems to have given me something very useful - I'd say 97% - 98% of what you read is in my first draft. My editing process is changes to words, sometimes phrases, occasionally sentences, rarely paragraphs. Most writers here say they work and rework their text - I'd die in a ditch if I did that, and my text would lose its spontaneity. Whenever this comes up on AH, I seem to be the exception rather than the rule - but since it works I'm not going to change my approach, not in a million years.
