Serious writers outline. Everyone knows this. They create visualization boards and put awesome color-coded cards on corkboards with pushpins. They keep character bibles. They plan out Three Main Points of Action, they catalog the Try-Fail cycles, they draw sweeping character arcs.
I try to do these things. I try to be an outliner.
I can’t.
I write like a toddler playing with shiny glass beads. I play at it, which I am aware is not the world’s best work ethic. But it’s fun, and sometimes I allow myself to remember that writing is fun.
When I try to write like someone else, I find that less happens on the page. I think I finally figured out why. Here’s today’s epiphany. I love the discovery parts of writing. The starting from a point of conflict (usually emotional, but physical works, too) and growing a character inside a situation that will become clear later, when I feel like writing the scene where that stuff gets decided. The beginning with a conversation and building out into an interaction that grows into a written relationship… that’s the kind of writing that I love to do. Discovery-work.
Which still somehow feels LESS than it should be. So I try the other ways. I write an outline, and I make scene cards and they’re numbered and they have handwritten notes about what should happen in scenes, and then I put those cards up on a corkboard with red pushpins. And it looks really pretty, and I have NO FUN writing those scenes.
I think it’s because I already did the discovery-work part, and everything left over is work-work. And the rest of today’s epiphany? I don’t have to eliminate discovery-work. I don’t need to write like anyone else does. I don’t have to keep the charts, or learn how to use Excel, or color code my world (as much as I would love to do that part). I can write the way I write and take as long as it takes and put the words on the page as they come into my heart, and not worry so much that my mind doesn’t have a plan. Because the words want to be written. They want to exist on pages. They want to be shared, and they’ll come, even if it’s all out of order and skeewampus for a few drafts. The characters want to grow and become and flourish and try and fail and succeed and love and laugh, and they will, even if it’s in a different way than most people make it happen.
My way isn’t the best way to write. It’s not the fastest, or the most organized, or the smartest, or the most teachable. But it’s my way, and I can do it my way if I want to. And I want to.
(12) Comments for this blog
YES!!!!!!!!!! Freaking, yes! Thank you for posting this. I feel exactly the same way and feel so ashamed of myself. Seriously. It’s funny because I was just working on a post about this same thing and the work-around I finally came up with. Well put. On behalf of discovery writers everywhere, I thank you.
YES!!!!!!!!!! Freaking, yes! Thank you for posting this. I feel exactly the same way and feel so ashamed of myself. Seriously. It’s funny because I was just working on a post about this same thing and the work-around I finally came up with. Well put. On behalf of discovery writers everywhere, I thank you.
I’m trying to figure myself out. See, I’ve always been an outliner but lately, the more I outline, the less I want to write it. And I suspect it’s for the same reasons. I already know what will happen and the rest is work. But it’s pounded into you that if you don’t outline, you don’t create “good enough” stories. And I’m not sure I really believe that. I mean, isn’t that what revision is FOR? Making sure that your story is good and makes sense? I don’t know. Sometimes I feel pretty bad about it too. I just don’t really know where I fit yet.
I’m trying to figure myself out. See, I’ve always been an outliner but lately, the more I outline, the less I want to write it. And I suspect it’s for the same reasons. I already know what will happen and the rest is work. But it’s pounded into you that if you don’t outline, you don’t create “good enough” stories. And I’m not sure I really believe that. I mean, isn’t that what revision is FOR? Making sure that your story is good and makes sense? I don’t know. Sometimes I feel pretty bad about it too. I just don’t really know where I fit yet.
Well said!
I’m a discovery writer myself, but I now use a very minimal outline, just to give me a slight nudge in the direction of Organized Chaos. I write with a VAGUE idea what’s going to happen, but with no idea HOW it will happen. Seems to be working thus far. And that’s the real trick. Finding what works, sticking with it, and ignoring the noise of the crowd.
At its core, writing is a solitary pursuit. Our fabulous writers community doesn’t change that. All the blogs and tweets and FB pages in the world will never change that. And I think acknowledging that is very important for some reason.
Well said!
I’m a discovery writer myself, but I now use a very minimal outline, just to give me a slight nudge in the direction of Organized Chaos. I write with a VAGUE idea what’s going to happen, but with no idea HOW it will happen. Seems to be working thus far. And that’s the real trick. Finding what works, sticking with it, and ignoring the noise of the crowd.
At its core, writing is a solitary pursuit. Our fabulous writers community doesn’t change that. All the blogs and tweets and FB pages in the world will never change that. And I think acknowledging that is very important for some reason.
You know my deal with this. I’ve always been a discovery writer. I’ve found that I fight much less with my story when I outline and things still go outside of the outline anyway and I still get to discover, so I guess I get the best of both worlds, so I’ve found, at least for the time being, my sweet spot (until it isn’t anymore).
You know my deal with this. I’ve always been a discovery writer. I’ve found that I fight much less with my story when I outline and things still go outside of the outline anyway and I still get to discover, so I guess I get the best of both worlds, so I’ve found, at least for the time being, my sweet spot (until it isn’t anymore).
Mrs. Wilhite . . . you’re awesome. That’s all.
Mrs. Wilhite . . . you’re awesome. That’s all.
I’m a pantser/outliner. That sounds weird, but I outline a little and then just try to keep my story heading toward the plot line. Love it!
I’m a pantser/outliner. That sounds weird, but I outline a little and then just try to keep my story heading toward the plot line. Love it!