[stylist] Novel Outlines

Mon Jul 12 15:07:50 UTC 2010

Hi Jewel and all,
Jewel mentions research, and I want to underscore that. There were a 
number of aspects of the book that I wasn't qualified to write about 
without doing a little background work -- one of my characters has to do 
first aid, for instance, and I wanted to make that reflect the latest 
thinking; one scene takes place in an historical location where I've 
never been. I have the calendar of full moons for the period of the book 
as well. Also, some of my place names and characters have names drawn 
from various mythologies, and I have kept notes on passages from books 
that inspired me and inform my writing.

I don't think I mentioned it, but I keep an "Older Versions" folder, 
which contains date folders with the book in earlier forms. I also have 
a "Stray Scenes" folder, for those scenes I had to cut for one reason or 
another. It's easier to make the decision to cut something, when I know 
I'm saving it in reserve and not deleting it into the ether. They can go 
back in as easily as they came out, if need be.

Donna

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Jewel S. wrote:
> The books I'm working on have no outline. However, I type them all up
> on my computer. Each book has a older, and within the folder, I have
> folders for each character and each setting. For example, one book is
> about a girl named Erica who has dreams about a well and who "falls"
> into a dark place whenever she has a bad moment...so, I have a folder
> called "erica" which contains a description of her physically and
> emotionally, a background file that talks about her history before the
> book (which starts when she's 16 or 17) and a file that talks about
> her connections to other characters. I have a folder for her mother,
> who is a big character, and for her sister, another major character.
> These folders contain the same basic information about the character.
> Then I have a folder about the dream...what is the dream, where does
> it come from, how does it affect Erica, etc. Another folder is a
> description of Erica's home, one for her town, and one with events of
> the times (what's happening in the rest of the world) that I can refer
> to for scenes. Since Erica is interested in psychology, I also have a
> folder with psychology research, and one about soccer since Erica
> plays soccer.
>
> So, no outline, but as you can see, I get pretty organized. Everything
> is in folders. Story bits are placed within the main folder with an
> appropriate name (ex. Dream- May 8, 1998)...sorta like a journal.
> Eventually I will combine like dates and create chapters out of them.
> Still in the beginning process, though, and the characters aren't
> quite telling me what to do yet.
>
> ~Jewel
>
> On 7/11/10, James H. "Jim" Canaday M.A. N6YR <n6yr at sunflower.com> wrote:
>   
>> p.s.
>> I should have mentioned in my comments: use braille absolutely if you
>> know it!   use braille for the outlines, sketches, journal,
>> etc.  hard copy is very good for the human brain/mind.
>> jc
>>
>> At 04:21 PM 7/11/2010, you wrote:
>>     
>>> Hi Joe,
>>> Glad to hear you're having some forward progress. Mine is almost
>>> done, and yesterday I had a major break-through and wrote the last
>>> chapter. I knew what was supposed to happen, but not how I wanted to
>>> tell it and/or not tell it. Inspiration is a wonderful thing when it
>>> finally hits!
>>>
>>> As for outlines ... I didn't use an outline like you would use for a
>>> term paper, but I did plan ahead and used a calendar, which I guess
>>> was a sort of outline. I did a lot of off-paper thinking about the
>>> events that happened prior to the beginning of the book, the
>>> character' lives prior to the book, etc. and I kept notes -- on tape
>>> in those days -- about my thoughts, including my conflicts about
>>> going in different directions and how that would impact other parts
>>> of the story. Everybody has a past, and I wrote up back stories on
>>> the major and some of the minor characters. That was very helpful in
>>> giving me an idea of how they would respond to a given situation.
>>> Initially, I wrote out a broad overview of what happened in the
>>> book. I did have a list of chapters, which was helpful, but it has
>>> changed a bit.
>>> HTH,
>>> Donna
>>>
>>> Read Donna's articles on
>>> Suite 101:
>>> www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/donna_hill
>>> American Chronicle:
>>> www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885
>>>
>>> Connect with Donna on
>>> Twitter:
>>> www.twitter.com/dewhill
>>> LinkedIn:
>>> www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
>>> FaceBook:
>>> www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.
>>>
>>> Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
>>> cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
>>> Apple I-Tunes
>>> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374
>>>
>>> Check out the "Sound in Sight" CD project Donna is Head of Media
>>> Relations for the nonprofit Performing Arts Division of the National
>>> Federation of the Blind:
>>> www.padnfb.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Joe Orozco wrote:
>>>       
>>>>         Hello all,
>>>>
>>>> Okay, so my so-called novel is coming along at a decent hum.  Who knows if
>>>> it will ever amount to anything, but damn it, at least it's coming along!
>>>> So, my question:  How many of you guys use outlines to write, and if you
>>>> do,
>>>> what kind of format do you use?  I'm considering a few different outcomes,
>>>> and although I always hesitated to use outlines for anything other than
>>>> academic pieces, I think I'd better become more organized.  Any thoughts,
>>>> tips, suggestions would be most appreciated.  Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> Joe
>>>>
>>>> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
>>>> some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing
>>>>
>>>>
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