To Outline or Not to Outline
You’re sitting down to write the next blockbuster novel that you’re sure Oprah will want her audience to read. You’ve got the premise in your head, a character you love, and an ending that will blow them away. The first fifty pages fly from your fingertips like magic. Then you stop. What next? You reread the last ten pages and realize you are straying from your storyline. You get a sinking feeling that you’re not quite sure how you’re going to connect the excellent beginning you envisioned to the ultimate ending you planned. Uh oh…
Should you have started with an outline? Ask any writer this question and you will receive a wide range of responses that can be boiled to two and two only. Yes and No.
It would be fair to say that the true answer is actually “Yes”. Some writers will deny it vehemently and proclaim that an outline stifles their creativity. They are not lying to you when they say “no” but they are momentarily blind to the fact that they do work from an outline. It’s simply that the outline in question is in their head. The whole story has been gradually mapped out for them before ever putting pen to paper. They give their characters some liberties but their paths are predestined. It’s easy to get lost in a forest of words when the only breadcrumbs available are commas and periods.
An outline can be extremely helpful. The level of detail you dedicate to it is up to you. Just remember that it is only an outline and you can take as many detours as you want to. There is no commitment here except to your creativity.
Photo Courtesy of Alec Longstreth
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Comments
Thanks Laurie. And you are absolutely right about applying an outline to one’s life. I’ve actually been practicing a productivity system I came up with that is based on the GTD concept and mindmapping to plan ahead, capture project ideas, etc. It’s a fluid system that can be altered at any time. It’s been a huge benefit.
Rick,
I’m not familiar with the GTD concept and mind mapping. Could you explain? How has it helped you with your own system?
I’m in education and one of the things I do is based on “Understanding by Design” an educational process model. In UBD, one decides where they want to end up and then goes backwards in designing how they will get there.
One thing I have kept as a mantra from the UBD training is: “Think big, start small, and go for an instant win!” I am starting my own business and that is the mantra I keep repeating to myself. It has been helpful.
GTD is the “Getting Things Done” productivity model created by David Allen. It’s a task managing system which at first glance appears completely intuitive. I call the method I use “taskmapping” and it borrows from David Allen’s concept along with another one called mindmapping. I’m a very forgetful person at times and have way too many projects going on at once. I could go on for hours on how this simple system works, but basically I capture all of my projects and ideas within MindManager - a mindmapping tool that works on the theory that visualization stimulates the mind and assists the memory. For example - If I have a writing project at hand, I will brainstorm it in “MindManager” (this can be used with anything - house projects, work, etc). After that step I identify actionable items that I need to perform in order to satisfy the project or achieve the end result. These “to-do” items are captured in a program called “Things”. This method of capturing ideas and mapping them to tasks have greatly reduced the stress of trying to remember everything. Like I said - I could go on and on about it but that’s it in a nutshell. The UBD method you mentioned may encompass some of this at a conceptual level, or may even benefit from it.
Oprah’s 4 interviews with Jill Bolte Taylor were the first that Oprah did after Eckhart Tolle and they take everything Tolle talks about to another level. Oprah’s copy of Jill’s book, MY STROKE OF INSIGHT, was dog-eared and all marked up and kept reading from it the way she read from A New Earth and recommended it highly.
Oprah’s recommendation was enough for me. I read My Stroke of Insight and I loved it too. This story is as inspiring as The Last Lecture or Tuesdays with Morrie - and even better, it has a Happy Ending!
I bought the book on Amazon because they have it for 40% off retail and they also had an amazing interview with Dr Taylor that I haven’t seen anywhere else - Here is the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/My-Stroke-Insight-Scientists-Personal/dp/0670020745/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211471755&sr=1-2
This sounds like you could also apply this to outlining your life’s path as well. Have a plan, a direction but allow yourself to consider things that come up along the way. Good points here Rick. I am really enjoying your blog! :O)