Outlining and My "Writing Process"

Without the playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable." — Carl Jung

First off... BSP:

My tour stop today is: The Long and the Short of It Romance Reviews -- I'm in the author spotlight. And I'm giving away a free download of any of my stories, including but not limited to, "One Love For Liv". Come on by!

My daily contest is here.

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Yesterday, I mentioned that I would have to "outline" my story about Camilla. Brandy expressed surprise that I don't typically outline and Dru asked me if it was the first time I've outlined a story.

Well, yes and no.

When I write a novel-length work (I qualify this, because I behave in a completely different manner for stories that are shorter) I consider the first draft an outline of a sort. Typically, I'll explore the characters before I start to write. I have several character "interviews" that I'll ask them (yes, really... you don't think the characters are their own people? Trust me, they are!) and see what happens. If I get stuck on something (one question was about any traumatic events in childhood... and I knew something had happened to Camilla, but I wasn't certain what it was) I'll write a scene about that and see what shows up on the paper (turns out as a pre-teen, Camilla witnessed three teenaged boys beating a cat, rescues it and it feeds the "nurturer" in her as well as causes her to choose the profession she's in).

After I feel I know my characters well enough to make them behave... well... in character, I'll brainstorm possible scenes. Sometimes I use writing prompts. Sometimes I use "dares" from the NaNo forum. Sometimes I use other writing books that ask things like "will their be a chance that your H/H will do X, Y and Z?" and consider that.

Once I've got at least 20 or so scenes, I sit down and write. And there begins all the things that throw wrenches into the system. No, wait... I didn't expect THAT to happen! No, wait... you don't have your first kiss there -or- conversely, what do you MEAN you don't want to kiss yet? You have to or else this next scene won't work.

I tried outlining once, during my first "real" writing class at WVU. One of the lessons tells you to make an outline. I struggled and sweated through an outline for "Playing House" and thought it was perfect. And then I sat down to write and my characters said, "No way, Jose."

The difference between outlining Camilla's story NOW as opposed to when I started was this: I'm essentially done with the work, and it probably won't change all that much. I'm just having some problems with timelines and need to get it all written down in front of me to see just how long I need to keep Jed bedridden to work in the story. I have the last 15,000 words (or so) to write, but they're already loosely in my brain... which means "outlining" may not be the right word for me to have used yesterday.

And, wow... that was long-winded!

To all you writers out there... what about YOU? Plotter? Pantser? Somewhere in between (like me?).

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Jen had nice words to say about "One Love For Liv" on her blog yesterday. Go see!

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You Are Black Pepper

You may be considered ordinary by some, but you're far from boring. You elevate the mood of any discussion, and people miss you when you're not around. You are secretly very dominant and powerful. Most can only take you in small doses.

What Spice Are You?

Dang... I wanted to be basil like Charity...