In the ongoing conversation on writing

[jadislefeu]

My friend Jared wrote a post on eir outlining method, which is interesting. I'm not sure I'm like, disciplined enough to use it? By which I mean I am pretty sure I would accidentally start writing prose while trying to do the prose outline, judging by the half-prose state of my current outline attempt, which keeps growing dialog.

Clearly works for em, though--if I recall correctly ey wrote 16k in one day with this method to finish a fic in time for an exchange once. I guess I get struck by a sort of writing FOMO, if you'll forgive the term, except it actually has a basis in reality, because my memory is famously terrible and if I think of a line of prose I want to include and don't write it down, I almost certainly will forget it.

What do y'all think? Useful for you, too much, interesting?

Comments

[friendlyrobotpal]

it seems really interesting... I haven't ever really tried outlining any fiction, but maybe I'll try it sometime. It's kind of similar to how I used to outline my essays for uni, acrtually, and the feeling of having the structure there and just having to make it pretty is VERY satisfying ngl.

[heras_daughter]

Definitely interesting. I wonder if it would help with my problem of starting the story way too far back and getting bogged down in exposition. It does seem like it would make the process of writing feel more... mechanical? Fitting pieces together, rather than telling a story. That could be a pro or a con, depending on your point of view. Anyway, I might try it with some of the stuff I want to write in January.

[jadislefeu]

It's just so much more disciplined that I ever have been about anything in my life :P