I’ve wondered about this for a while myself. Should I outline or plunge into the story? Like puberty, stress, and the urge to touch a hot stove even though your mother told you not to, asking this question is usually unavoidable. And different things work for different people.
OUTLINES
PROS
- a solid idea of where the story is going
- fun for the writers who like planning more than writing
- less irritation in seeing your MC fall in love with someone she or he wasn’t supposed to love
CONS
- the tiniest idea may take your outline completely off course
- less fun in seeing your characters doing something unexpected and/or stupid*
THE PLUNGE
PROS
- you can throw in any plot ninja you like and it can turn into something good
- beneficial for the writers who excel at spontaneous storytelling rather than structuring
- because the next happening is unknown, the twists and turns in the story are genuine more often than not
CONS
- sometimes have no idea where the heck the plot is right now
- matters in the story will come up that need research, which may hinder writers who have just gotten “in the zone”
I think we’re just as likely to cut things from an outline-based story as we are after the plunge. You could even think about the second option as a very long and intricate outline itself.
Different processes work for different writers. Ann Aguirre, author of Grimspace, says, “I’d grown frustrated of writing within a certain formula…So I sat down with a blank mind and began to write.” (from this interview http://bit.ly/6HLgqU , which I found from the lovely InkyGirl http://bit.ly/60jtzZ). J.K. Rowling “always ha[s] a basic plot outline, but [she likes] to leave some things to be decided while [she writes].” (http://bit.ly/559Bow). So it’s really up to you.
Personally, I prefer the plunge. I’m just not an outlining sort of person. I can make notes about characters and events I want to happen, but those are usually in my mind, not on any sort of tangible paper, unless I’m terribly bored in class. I’m willing to take it at the cost of rooting through thorns and brush to get to the plot.
- Ann X.
9,450/365k
*I hope I’m not the only one who gets fun from this.
