You Need an Outline
We’ve all seen it happen a lot, maybe more than others if you happen to frequent the NaNoWriMo forums. Much love to wrimos, this is not a diss on the NaNo format, I wouldn’t have gotten to my current writing place if it weren’t for that group.
Pantsers. People who write without an outline, without a plan in place, or even a concept of where the story is going. All you know is the idea that jumped into your head a moment ago, and maybe some of the details of your cast.
You might be thinking, Hey! That’s just because I’m so inspired by the story, I don’t have time to sit down and plot it all out when I could be writing! Isn’t that the whole point of being a writer, actually writing?
Well…yes and no. Yes, writers write. That’s what defines us as a species. But to get a functional novel that you don’t have to completely rewrite afterwards…you need to know where it’s going. You have to have more than just a sparkling idea that excites you.
Think about it like a relationship. Good looks are the spark that carries you into NRE(New Relationship Energy), but without a solid foundation that relationship will fizzle out and you’re going to break up sooner or later. Hopefully sooner, or else you’re going to have wasted a lot of time.
Writing a book is exactly the same. Sometimes NIE(New Idea Energy) will carry you half way through the book, sometimes only a few pages, but you will always hit that point where you wonder why this was even a good idea to begin with, and where is it all going? Some novelists will continue to bang out the words with the motto in mind that “every rough draft sucks” and “everyone has to rewrite anyways.” And while it’s true that the grammar, formulation of a scene, or balance of show and tell likely suck in most first drafts…a well plotted story won’t need an actual rewrite.
If you’re defending your time so fiercely, why not actually put in the effort to make a solid outline that will carry you through the moments of doubts and what if’s, so that you can write the story you want to write…the first time.
Build the foundation, move past NIE, and love your novel.
