Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults
Outlines?
Everyone Does (Excerpt From Write Your Novel Now Workshop)
Applications
As
we’re developing our story, through brainstorming, synopsis, story questions,
and plot points, the outline gives us a grid in which to see the overall
effect. What umbrella will best cover this sequence?
If
you are writing within a real historical timeline, you may need, or want to
use, some particular events as external plot points. So you’ll need to know
where you can place it alongside your character’s external or internal
conflict.
As
you come to each chapter, decide which outline will work best for this
particular next step. Do the micro-steps in stages. Then when you’re done, you
can lift out all the outlines and examine the overall macro view.
Another
advantage is that the micro can be pulled out of a larger work and shared
either as blogs or workshop sections. And the micro can be extended into full-length
projects. We’ll talk more about blogs in a few weeks.
Your
turn to make decisions.
1.
So write an outline first and then write your chapter draft from it.
2.
Or write your chapter draft and then outline it according to the style you’ve
chosen.
3.
For either, review: Where are the missing parts? Do you need research in that
area? Make a separate work list for later or for your time filler schedule. And
then move to the next chapter on your next writing time.
4.
Another creative jumpstart is to find an outline that represents your focus and
apply it to a novel that you admire. Fill it in first with the story itself,
and then replace those lines with generic sentences just as you did with the
story questions.
For
example, if you needed a structure for introducing a legend, deconstruct a
novel that does the same and mark where and how the “event” is covered. Or in
your research if there’s an incident for a hero or heroine that is perfect for
a sequence for your character then write up an outline for it and then watch
for a place to adapt it to your character’s personality.
Caution
Don’t let outlining become a chore. Begin
with the easiest and fill in as you go. Outlines make all the structure so much
easier to plan and to edit, but they’re meant to be fun too.
Action Steps:
1. Using the steps above outline your
potential book.
Share: Which part was the most
difficult? Why?
Read deep, marcy
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