The Power of Outlining
How to Keep Your Novel on Track
Have you ever started writing your novel and then, five pages in, realized that you have no idea where it’s going? This happens to the best of us, but what can we do to keep from losing our way? If you outline before you write, it’s much easier to stay focused on your story when the real creative work begins. Here’s how outlining can help you write the novel of your dreams instead of being stuck in limbo forever. Read on to see why some people outline and why they would never tackle a long writing project without one.
Why do we need to outline?
Outlines are a great way to keep your novel under control. You can use them to plan the whole thing out before you write, so you know exactly where your story is going. You can also use them as a reference while you're writing, which can save you time in the long run. Finally, if something doesn't work in your outline and it becomes a major problem later, at least you'll know what went wrong and be able to fix it without having wasted a bunch of time..
Understand what the purpose of an outline is.
An outline is a key element in the writing process. It helps you figure out what your story is and how it's going to play out. It can help keep your novel on track, because if you know where you're going, it becomes easier to write each chapter. An outline can also help with writer's block. If you have an idea for a chapter, but don't know how it should go, looking at your outline can give you ideas for what might happen next.
Why is it important to know where you are going?
There are many benefits to outlining your novel. You will know what direction you want the story to go and how it will end, so that when you're writing, you can concentrate on the details. If you don't have a plan, it's easy for your story to take a turn and lose focus. The best thing about outlining is that it takes away the guesswork and allows you to keep your novel focused.
What is at stake when writing without an outline?
When you write without an outline, it's easy for your story to take a wrong turn and head in a direction that you weren't intending. You can end up spending time and energy writing scenes that don't advance the plot or develop the characters—scenes that may never see the light of day if you don't have a good grasp on where you want your story to go.
Writing with a plan will help everyone in the process (the writer, editor and reader) have a better experience.
Outlining before you write can help you stay focused and increase your productivity. Writing with a plan will help everyone in the process have a better experience. It's also much less daunting to write when you know where the story is going, what needs to happen next, and how the chapters fit together.
Ending thoughts about outlining.
Outlining is a powerful tool that can help you stay focused and committed to your novel, but it's not always the easiest thing to do. Scrivener, the wildly popular writer’s software, has built-in outlining capabilities. If you use this software, try the outlining function. It may help you stay organized so you can keep your novel focused and on track. Some people say outlining makes writing a lot more fun. Want to know how you can start outlining with Scrivener? Watch the short video below.
Conclusion
Full disclosure: I have written in other articles how I do not use outlines. I’m a pantser, an on-the-fly type of guy who prefers to make it up as I go. Honestly, I’ve tried outlining and found I don’t have the foresight for it. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a useful tool. For those who are good at outlining, they see it as an invaluable part of the writing process. Try it. You may ask how you ever lived without it.
