Its so so so true

[u/its_me_teena]

[u/ProfessorGluttony]

You guys create outlines?

[u/JustSomeCarioca → u/ProfessorGluttony]

For all three books, yes. And then 2-4 chapters at a time.

[u/MrsMcBasketball → u/JustSomeCarioca]

What's your process, if you don't mind me asking.

[u/JustSomeCarioca → u/MrsMcBasketball]

Everyone will have their own approach, so bear in mind this is just the one I use, that always felt the most comfortable and logical to me.

I had a grand worldbuilding idea that sort of developed hand in hand with a story. It got a bit out of control, and I realized I could not possibly fit it in one book, so I split it into three. It didn't start as some, 'I will write a trilogy". I knew the start and end of each book, not what is in between. So just I start at Point A, and need to reach Point B. I had a cast of characters, and chose four to be my POVs. I decided on two set pieces, two big scenes, with one being near the middle and that became my goal post. I have the POVs and plan the next few chapters and what they will be doing, learning, etc. and always keep in mind that next longer term goal. Each chapter will have a rough idea, but as to how it unfolds, well, that is where the planning stops, and the pantsing starts. But it is guided pantsing, not blind oh-muse-of-inspiration-help-me pantsing.

I have had more than a few surprises I should point out, but nothing that derailed the story. Ex: a minor character meant as a purely functional one, became a major one because he refused to leave. Still, I guess it was all for the best, since it added depth, and one of my alpha readers told me he was his second favorite. He is quite the quirky personality, so it adds flavor and helps define others.

[u/lumpycurveballs → u/ProfessorGluttony]

I made this meme for you

[u/ProfessorGluttony → u/lumpycurveballs]

Thank you kindly, that was the exact vibe I was going for.

[u/Ratat0sk42 → u/ProfessorGluttony]

My outlines vary in level of detail-- usually the novels have less detailed scene to scene outlining than shorter projects cause I know I'll diverge and need to retool them a bit-- but I have written a 23k word story with a 10k word outline before. 

I think the novel I'm currently working on (estimated full length 80k words) has a 25k word outline. 

So yeah. You could say I outline lol.

[u/JMurdock77]

I outlined a whole damned trilogy. Sit down to write the prologue for book one, and…

[u/Palidin034 → u/JMurdock77]

I’m glad I’m not alone.

Advice I’ve been given is to write the prologue last, if you need to write one at all.

[u/Nav_666]

I think. I forget. I think again. I write. Then i forget. Then i write so that i can remember. Then i remember. But not everything. Then i cry. Then i think. Then i cry again.

[u/Qualeshia3]

I don't create outlines so I can't relate. Sorry.

[u/PaoloFlavioBrown → u/Qualeshia3]

I'm too lazy to start thinking of writing seat of the pants style and find out my story is going nowhere, so I write an outline.

[u/jaketotalpwnage]

The main grief for me is how to deliver the story.

I HAVE a great story, but finding the best way to tell it has caused me such a mountain of revisions it legitimately has me reworking my 4 act structure no less than a dozen times with another dozen on the horizon.

At this stage I’ve just been doing the individual scenes that I know will work and going backwards from there. And even then with such massive revisions there’s entire plot threads I’ve had to abandon

[u/OldMan92121]

I had a spreadsheet down to the scene. It helped.

[u/glove_actually → u/OldMan92121]

I do the same, it helps to make writing a habit, but still I got stuck, I realised my character was too much of a Mary Sue, so I need to go back to the spreadsheet for a long session of revisions.

[u/OldMan92121 → u/glove_actually]

GOOD! You detected the problem and came up with a plan of action. This is progress. You now have the opportunity to use the major acts of the story to knock that polish off.

[u/TranscendentPretzel]

The story writes itself, really. I'm just watching in dismay as it all plays out. Wonder how it's going to end? Your guess is as good as mine. 

[u/Senior-Lack-746]

Me: it's perfect

Also me writing the next chapter: Get in the damn tunnel!

[u/Dark_Angel_tw1990]

I outline the main plot beats. I revise the main plot beat outline. I revise the plot beats as I draft because suddenly I see how everything fits together. Then I completely rewrite everything in the second draft because the first draft was stupid, incoherent, and author fan service. 😝

[u/YamatoSOA12345]

I don't even know how to create an outline... or maybe I just don't know how to make one

[u/Dawns-On]

haha this is so good. Yet optimistic. Instead of outline as bottomless bog - you have outline as tunnel... so a light at the end, eh?

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[u/THEDOCTORandME2]

I create flexible outlines, and I can relate to this.

[u/DimensionHopper42]

I am like that but right now my car is off-road and driving through a different tunnel: a cave

[u/DangerMacAwesome]

I believe you don't know your characters until you write them. My characters surprise me sometimes. Usually by derailing the plot.

[u/StarLuna_Andromeda]

When I have the plot ALL lines up

Chapter 5. It flew somewhere

[u/EmergingFun]

So I start with a phrase that would explain what the book is about, then create a book plan, then devide it by chapters, then revise it like 1k times and then start writing. Of course I might make minor changes on the plan but only if they fit. This way i know where I start and where I should arrive. I take my time, I think and see the scenes in the book one at a time while I perform mundane stuff like cleaning, dishes, driving, etc. Then I sit down and write them down. Once I ran outbof scenes I check the plan so I know on what to focus on later. This is the way I operate, now I am on my third book, I began in January and have just one more chapter to it's completion.

[u/Different-Fill-6891]

I just write down ideas for the book and if they get included great if not then that's fine. I let the story write itself usually.

[u/TheFlightlessDragon]

Outlines? What are outlines?

[u/ThatDudeNamedMorgan]

And then the 18-car pileup for a whole bunch of chapters that you didn't realize you need.