Must I Outline?

Is this a trick question? No, but it's one every new and aspiring writer should ask herself or himself. Stories come to authors in as many ways as there are ants in a hill and there is no one method used in a universal way to start at word one and finish with The End.

You've got an idea in your brain about a story you want to write. "I want to be a writer, but I just don't know how to get started."

Ever hear anyone say that to you? I have, all too frequently. If I had a buck for every time I signed books and someone standing in line waiting for me to sign one said, "I've always wanted to be a writer, but…" Then there are those who tell you, "I've got this great story idea…" and they proceed to try to tell you the entire storyline while others are patiently waiting, or not so patiently waiting, book in hand, to speak to you.

The person who wants to tell you the entire story, is someone who could produce a detailed outline. The other person wants to be known as a writer, an author, but has no real ambition to learn the craft and do all that is necessary to learn it or produce a novel. Most of them claim to be too busy to read, let alone spend months writing on a project.

How disciplined are you? Do you consider yourself in the Very Organized group of folks, or are you among the Somewhat Disorganized or Seriously Disorganized groups? Who you are dictates how you will tend to begin writing.

Very Organized Brain Group

This author will create a character history for each main character. They will know there characters inside and outside before this history is done. This gets put aside for reference material. Never dump this history into the book. Weave it in.

Then the author makes a plotline, usually formal and highly structured. For example, this happens here, that happens there, plot point (or twist) happens here, the black moment starts here and ends here, and so on.
What about a synopsis? Will this author write it before or after the book is written? The Very Organized writer often produces a synopsis before writing the actual ms. There are exceptions.

Now comes the outline. The organized writer will choose to outline each chapter and scene. (This is assuming all pertinent research is done, of course.) Only then does the author sit down to write the story. More often than not, they will follow their outline fastidiously, only allowing an occasional new idea to creep in to the work.

Somewhat Disorganized Brain Group

This author will sometimes have a beginning, middle and end event written out on a sheet of paper. They may even start developing characters' personality and background on another sheet.

They've decided where to start the book, and how they want it to end. It's a bare bones method and from then on they sit and fill in the gaps. This method cannot be called a full-fledged seat-of-the-pants kind of writer, though, because there is some scrap of where the book is going in the beginning.

The writer in this group often changes his/her mind about their initial beginning, middle and end, either in whole or in part. The disorganized groups often subject themselves to false starts, because they are unsure they really want to write the book the way they originally thought to write it. It's okay to change your mind, by the way, never think otherwise. But beware of practicing this ad nauseum. This writer needs a bit more focus to make the work go smoother. Unfortunately that takes discipline, an area where our Somewhat Disorganized folks are not terribly strong. Outlining can help a person focus, but not everyone is suited to outlining. The author must use what ever method works best in accordance with who they are. They frequently become frustrated with how the work is proceeding, or suffer writer's block.

Seriously Disorganized Brain Group

This person first needs to look in the mirror and be honest. "Do I really have what it takes to be a writer?" Sitting down to write and their brain going fifty directions at once with ideas floating like stars in the sky hardly qualifies as focus. So why would anybody with such a busy mind even consider such a career?

Believe it or not, there are many writers in this group who do write and even become a success at it. They are the dyed in the wool, seat-of-the-pants writers, and I am constantly amazed at what they do. But unless they at least make notes of the names of characters or gender of horses, they could make mistakes in starting out with a mare and ending up with a stallion. Inconsistencies are a constant problem with this type of writer. They wouldn't dream of outlining. They couldn't follow it anyway. It's too distracting and smothers their creativity. Their brain simply works differently from the other two types, and so what? Does the fact you don't outline a book mean it's going to turn out a candidate for the trash? Not necessarily, though it can, if you're in the learning stages and haven't figured out what works best for you.

In this case, it's recommended you try to write using each of these methods, at least for a while, until you discover the method most comfortable for you.

The No Name Group

I haven't mentioned the writer who falls somewhere in between these three types. I don't yet have a name for this one. This writer creates a history and personality profile for each main character. They may or may not know what is in the middle, though they know how the story is to begin, and they may or may not know how precisely to end the book. There is a nebulous idea floating out there that must cook in the author's brain for a while. That's okay.

No Name asks himself before he/she begins each chapter what they want to accomplish in only that chapter. What things do they want to happen and why? One chapter at a time is their motto. Instead of in-depth outlines they might write a few sentences in list form in a different color above the beginning of the chapter, and when the item or event gets incorporated, they erase the sentence off the list. When the list is complete, the chapter is done.

This method requires a strict chronological order between scene and sequel. And if there is a danger something important may be left out for a later time in the book, then it must be noted down so it's not forgotten. Remember those loose ends must be tied up by the end of the story.

Which method you choose, what sort of writer you become, isn't the real issue and there is no need to agonize over which you are. All these methods can work, outline or no outline. It simply depends on how your mind works. Don't fight what feels natural. Can you hold cohesive thoughts in your head long enough to be a pantser? Or must you have strict structure to keep you on track? The reader won't care as long as you deliver a great read and they don't feel they've wasted their money buying your book. Real writers write because they must; it's inside them and must come out on paper.

Wannabes, no matter what, are our readers, and should never be taken for granted.