Anyone have any tips? I'm thinking of doing it in a time-line like way, so everything is in chronological order and I can kinda see how it all fits without looking at the pages long block letter style writing. Have you ever heard of anyone doing this? How do you outline?
Um...what are you outlining? If it's a bunch of dates and facts to go with them, then that probably works. If it's more like concepts and stuff, you could do something more like a traditional outline, but not really. I haven't outlined outside of science notes (which is you I: A.B.C.1.2.3 standard format) but when I take notes, here's how I do it.
-I start off with the first big point here.
-Then I include
-a subpoint or two
-Of course, those could have subpoints as well.
I personally find outlines to be a bit restricting. Very general outlines of what will happen are good because they leave room for things you may discover along the way. But specific timelines don't do that. And besides, where's the fun in writing the story if you've got it all planned out?
Please, sit down before you fall down.
Belloq, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
Ah, but some people can't function without outlining. Like me. I at least need to know where I'm headed. Otherwise I get ADD and completely go off topic..
The way I outline is by having one page describing the entire plot. Just a main overview. Then I "zoom in" to smaller scenes that might cause trouble and I write out the main points of the scene, like "Crysi lands, explores, then is confronted by a shadow" etc.
So yeah. I can't do traditional outlines.. Just try whatever you think will work best for you. Start plotting in your mind then write it out in a way that makes sense to you, or just write whatever comes naturally. Good luck!
Yeah, I'm like Crysi, if I don't know what's going to happen I add bits as the ideas come (and boy do they come ...) and eventually I have no idea what I'm writing or where it started. But my plan's not set in stone, if I come up with a great alternitive, I change the story to fit it in, I make things up as I write, particually if my characters start getting their own minds (which they have done on several occasions and wreaked my outline for that section ... but I went with the change).
But I'm a very detailed outliner. I start big, then go in small, then go in smaller.
THE BIG START:
Ok, I'll assume you have a vague, but not amazingly clear idea of the story because you haven't really told me.
First, write down where the story starts, and where it finishes. THen make up the middle. To make up the middle think of some scenes you would really love to write, like "Main Character discovers they have magic by accidently hurting someone they like" (I find putting my characters through a little mental anguise fun). Once you have a few of these scenes, put them in an order that makes sense, cross off the ones you think are kind of lame and voila! That's a very basic outline. Very basic.
Now, I always zoom in.
GETTING SMALLER ...
What I did with my current story is that I divided it inot three "sections". This is not complusary ... I just did it without even thinking. If you want the sections (you don't turn the book into a trilogy or anything, or even into "parts" with a seperate tile page for each one, it's all in your mind) then write what you want to happen in each section in ... however long. A fair length though, detailing (if your a perfectionist like me anyway) things like the characters emotions (put them in some hot water there ...) where they go, major plot points, who they meet etc.
Then ... I go tinsy
TINSY:
What I am currenty doing is what I call my Chapter Plan. This is way to restricting for some people, but it really helps me because otherwise I feel like I've flaoted out to the deep end in the swimming pool without a bouancy device, and just remembered I can't swim. So, not everyone's cup of tea. But that's what I do, and none of it's set in stone. If I want to cut bits, I cut them. If I want to move this bit into the next chapter, I do it. It doesn't restrict me at all.
***
Well, timelines. I don't use the for my outline, but I have used a few for working out the events which happen BEFORE the story begins ... it's kind of like a history lesson. You can glance at it and go "Hmm, ok, the main character was two-years-old when that war was happening."
So anyway, hope that helped a bit.
Oh, you're angry! Click your pen.
--Music and Lyrics
Personally I just take a piece of paper and draw big boxes right down the middle of the paper. They are all connected by a line inbetween the boxes. Then I get to actually writing.
First box!- first event
Second box!- next event
And I keep doing that until I have all the important events mapped out. Then I draw smaller boxes off the sides of those. I fill them with way that stuff happens or other not-so-important facts. It will eventually look like a messy spiders web but it does the job. Well that's just me so I don't know exactly how to help you but my way is always an option.
For now I will let the blood drip from my fingers...
There's this computer program called Inspiration!7 that I used to do my report for school. Very helpful...especially for me, being of the organizationally challenged. It helped a ton- I wrote my report in about 15 minutes.
Graffiti is the most passionate form of literature there is.
There's a big difference between going blindly and having the kind of detailed outline Wandwaver described. I do the same thing as you, Crysi, only I don't actually put it onto paper.
Please, sit down before you fall down.
Belloq, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
Stage 1) Very bascially what I want to do (eg. sci-fi story. lots of action. set on mars)
Stage 2) Outline each chapter in very little detail.
Stage 3) Do each chapter again, in a bit more detail. Add in any extra new ideas that come up.
Stage 4) Actualy writing.
I usually use different symbols that formal outlining, depending on how I feel. For example, in my last outline, I used stars for the main points and slashes for the subpoints.
i do the same sort of thing as reichieru. lol i'm really bad at actually writing things down at the moment, but i figure as long as i keep it in my head, it doesn't matter too much.
i like to get a general idea of the plot - the beginning comes at around the same sort of time as the characters, who i try to have as much information for as possible. i like to have at least a general idea of the end, even if it is a bit vague... *shifty eyes*
then i go in a bit deeper - i don't plan chapters straight away, but focus on sub-plots. should these two characters get together? what sort of settings are they going to visit? that sort of thing.
i get onto chapters after that, but i tend to keep it quite vague still and i only plan the next five chapters or so. otherwise, i'd just feel too restricted...
the other thing i like to do is to make character sheets just full of quotes from the story, under sub-headings such as: personality, appearance, opinions on specific topics, etc. by the way, i do think appearance matters to some extent - for example, there might be a war between two countries and one of the ways you can tell what 'nationality' a character is, is by the colour of their hair or eyes or whatever.
anyway i'm straying into another topic so i'll stop now...
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