My (in depth) Outlining/Planning Process
Part One: The Aesthetics
Recently, I officially began working on working on the outline of my most recent W.I.P. This is also one of the most in depth W.I.P.s I have ever tried to cover, so outlining is a much needed process. A process that keeps all information for every possible thing I could need, or any thing I would write for this story.
That being said, this is how I outline.
First, I create a Pintrest board for the W.I.P. I usually have a basic idea of at least a one of the characters or an overarching theme of the story. So, I will compile pictures, quotes, and face claims that could be put into later aesthetics that I would make for the W.I.P later in the outlining process.
Depending on how fast the board grows in size, and how fast I come up with characters, I will separate the board into smaller sections. These sections will be labeled with the characters name, as well as their purpose in the story.
EX; Board name: Blackwood Forest, Section Name: Hannah Emily, Section Description: The Girl The Town Died For
Each character section has at least 60-ish pins on a good day, or when I have a lot of time to flesh out the board. If not I stop around 20. But regardless, no matter what, I make sure I have nine.
This is because I need nine to make my aesthetics. I have many different combinations of what kind of aesthetics and what goes into them, but I always have nine spaces.
The most common aesthetic sets go as follows (in order left to right, top to bottom):
Quote, drawing, physical attribute, flaw, face claim, strength, physical attribute, drawing, quote.
Quote, physical attribute, quote, piece of clothing, body type (faceless), piece of clothing, quote, physical attribute, quote.
Theme (photo), quote, physical attribute, physical attribute doing something, faceless aesthetic of their gender and race, physical attribute doing something, physical attribute, quote, theme (photo)
Generally speaking, like things go on opposite sides of the grid (colors, themes, pictures, etc.).
I always create aesthetics first, always, when making a new W.I.P. That is just part of my personal creation process. It helps me come up with characters, flaws, and plot twists.
This is only part one! Part two will be coming soon!
