CaptainFreedom

Greetings Forum Friends,

I’m about to start my third book, and I want to try to do it without using an outline. I kind of know how the plot should go, and I’ve already come up with a great ending. I just wanted to ask some of you non-outliners how you get started. I could sit down and just start writing, but then I wouldn’t know what the character’s names were or anything. It just seems like it’s going to be dog shit.

Even you guys who don’t outline still make a list of the characters or scenes you want to put in, right? I’m also not sure if this is the right book to try without an outline because I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. Even if I don’t write it down, I still have a basic outline in my head.

I just wanted to ask you non-outliner what you start with, if anything.

Best Regards,
CF

RomanticRose

I know my characters, the beginning, the projected ending, and usually between 5 and 10 pivotal scenes that are necessary to get me from the beginning and the end. The transitions from one pivotal scene to the next is where the fun begins.

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astralis

Because you already have an idea about how the plot develops, if you haven't done it already, read On Writing by Stephen King. Plot structure is second-nature to him and in that book he explains how he writes without an outline. I think his books ramble in the last third of the books and have weak endings because he doesn't plot, though.

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Sam Winchester

I haven't outlined for any of my four novels. When I started the first, I knew three characters (I made up their names on a spur-of-the-moment thing). They were two main characters, and the antagonist. I had a idea for the start and one for the end. Nothing else. Everything was spur of the moment. I got one idea, started to write it, and then another one popped into my head, and so on... all the way to the finale.

You can start with a lot of things: the reason for the main plot of your novel, a prologue (though many don't recommend them), a scene with your main character... just whatever comes readily to mind. Worry about getting from that point once you start writing.

Sam.

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Wallmaker

Motivations from scene per scene make nice transitions. Just knowing... so and so's hungry, so and so wants to solve the case and so and so is a homocidal killer helps keep my scenes usuable when I go back and revise.

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September

Since the majority of my writing is through roleplaying with one of my friends, I never make outlines. We have a few points that we need to get to to keep the story moving and that's all. Everything just sort of fits into place as long as you know where you're working towards. As for what I start with, it's usually just one developed main character that I've thought about for awhile and then I start writing with them. I don't make lists or anything, although once I've thought of a character I like to profile them to help me stick with it. Not sure if that helps you much, but ah well. ^^; Also, dont' worry about starting at the beginning. Start with something you know will happen, and then work towards it if that's easier.

Remedy

I've tried an outline twice; both times I found that it inhibited me more than it helped me.

Here's my suggestion: just think about it. It's best to know your characters well before you start writing them, and that includes their name. Just think of them as you'd think of your friends; you probably know details about them without having to write it down.

Judith Tramayne

When I wrote my novel "Conspiracy" I had the premise of a young girl struck by lightning and receiving paranormal tendencies. I knew her so well, she started running the movie in my head and I simply took dictation.

For non-fiction books, I use outlines. Otherwise I might not stick to the point (smile).

Judith

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The Hopper

I am hardly a published writer, but when I finally got the start I had been wanting for years it was a flash of inspiration. I was walking through downtown D.C. with a friend and stopped at Starbucks, had my laptop and felt the overwhelming urge to sit down and write, we sat there for hours and I had several chapters of story I never knew I would write, not that exact story anyway, and it has been fun writing it eversince. I had no outline at first. Even now, I have seperate documents with a list of names and family history and ideas that I have not yet worked into the story. I have only a general idea of what I want to happen, the how is the most entertaining part for me. Once I started, I told myself I would not get caught up in all the editing and rules until I had the majority of the work done. As I go along, there is a certain amount of editing and outlining that I find unavoidable. But the majority of that work will be done when I have atleast 75% of the story completed.

Hope that helps.

dhyre

I have to say that I agree with Remedy, sure having an outline makes logical sense, it is great and a place to put all those little details but it is not my style. Mine is more curvy, an outline is too rigid for me.

But what I did instead was developed a 'theory' worksheet. I write characters names and details as I come up with them, places, animals anything I think is important to my work and it is all as I go...

And I mean, if you already know the characters, scenes and basic plot, why do you need to write them down? Keep them in your head until you use them and see where your imagination takes you.

Given a lot of the transitions for me are done during editing, so it takes a little longer that way.

Good luck!

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flashgordon

I don't write fiction, but I would assume it is easier to do without an outline, as long as you know the basic premise. I usually have some rough idea of what the book is going to be, then start writing, then revise the outline accordingly, then back to writing, then back to the outline, etc. It never crystallizes until the very end.

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lin

There are other ways to organize than outlines.
I think the most helpful is a pegboard. I have used actual cork pegboards back in the day, marked into squares with ribbon or tape, and each scene a 3x5 notecard cut in half (and therefore a 3x2.5 notecard) with a tag name and short jot, pinned up in the squares and moveable around.

This helps organize, gives your scenes or chapters at a glance, and is fluid and unconfining.
These days I use the electronic equivalent, a WP document with a table.

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topper

It's all about OneNote (Microsoft Vista program) for me. I start writing and every time I write down something that is important to plot or details about the characters I copy and paste them into a file for future reference. Normally, I have a beginning and end figured out when I start writing the story, and the middle is just figuring out the how, when, and (the part that has the most effect on my story) why. I reread most of the story every 5000 words or so, and the plot kind of gets revised into being.