tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post2737057555621165482..comments2024-03-28T07:00:43.256-06:00Comments on Author Elana Johnson: Outlining UpdateElana Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-21955039224640770092010-09-01T07:10:21.667-06:002010-09-01T07:10:21.667-06:00so funny! Your staring comment is spot-on for me!...so funny! Your staring comment is spot-on for me! I am trying not to be a pantser because I know in the long run it will be a lot easier the next time around. Well done, you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-47776080897184806152010-09-01T06:10:58.634-06:002010-09-01T06:10:58.634-06:00I like your description of outlining as concentrat...I like your description of outlining as concentrated thinking. It seems accurate, and is probably why I should outline more than I do. I could get all that thinking out there early.<br /><br />Most of my outlines are so skimpy I'm practically a pantster, so I think I get both sides of the debate. I can't deny though that often when I write, I swear to myself that in the future I <i> will </i> outline more. We'll see.Kelsey (Dominique) Ridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646757546422013401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-32064723642670192142010-09-01T04:22:46.692-06:002010-09-01T04:22:46.692-06:00I'm a casual outliner.
I loved this post, esp...I'm a casual outliner.<br /><br />I loved this post, especially the part about not putting outline on your todo list. I tend to put edit on there and yeah, it NEVER gets crossed off.<br /><br />I adore your orange juice analogy!Melanie Hooyengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781235493983907234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-2120351784432715892010-08-31T23:04:01.231-06:002010-08-31T23:04:01.231-06:00Pantser for life!!!
Although I do have a few conv...Pantser for life!!!<br /><br />Although I do have a few conversations and scenes in my head before i start tapping away on the keyboard.Claire Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14354840714847021685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-49194121449055609072010-08-31T22:32:04.248-06:002010-08-31T22:32:04.248-06:00Now didn't I warn you not to sit and stare at ...Now didn't I warn you not to sit and stare at the screen? When you're trying to come up with your plot you need to do some sort of mindless physical activity, like take a walk or wash dishes. Or better yet, brainstorm with a couple of friends. <i>Of course</i> it sucks if you just stare at the screen. <br /><br />BTW, you can't judge how well you like outlining until after you finish the first draft. That's when you'll see the results of your work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-28987171949065484562010-08-31T21:30:50.751-06:002010-08-31T21:30:50.751-06:00Oddly, though, the shorter a piece the easier the ...Oddly, though, the shorter a piece the easier the outline comes to me, and I find that for my picture books an outline almost always eventually becomes essential and is no problem to do. But that may be because they're so dang short. Outlining a novel is rather a different kettle of (usually raw) fish.Ishta Mercuriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17776946702988283453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-44909979510585846382010-08-31T21:27:23.758-06:002010-08-31T21:27:23.758-06:00I'm a pantser by nature. I learned to do outl...I'm a pantser by nature. I learned to do outlines in high school, but at my core I'm a total pantser. Outlining feels like putting myself in shackles; it feels like I'm trying to force a roomful of nervous energy into a 4" x 4" box. It makes me want to get up and run laps every few minutes just to get the energy out. It's bad for me.Ishta Mercuriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17776946702988283453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-84187540386296027452010-08-31T21:25:48.054-06:002010-08-31T21:25:48.054-06:00Oh man, sounds scary. Do you have to outline for y...Oh man, sounds scary. Do you have to outline for your agent?Jessica Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12365768876905444157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-29650270542765173402010-08-31T20:24:35.491-06:002010-08-31T20:24:35.491-06:00I can say with 100% certainty that I feel the same...I can say with 100% certainty that I feel the same way you do about outlines. Why were they easier in high school? I seem to remember getting really good grades on those. Dang it. Of course, maybe I don't remember correctly. Maybe I don't want to remember correctly....<br /><br />Oh..outlines? They suck! They have benefits in the long run, but my patience is not always thick enough.Kristi Faithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17527544253341529009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-84300158613236811202010-08-31T20:21:11.687-06:002010-08-31T20:21:11.687-06:00Well, i was a panster which has created my revisio...Well, i was a panster which has created my revisions to take a friggin year and has made me rewrite huge sections of my WiP. With my new idea, I'm trying to outline but loosely. I'm not sure how that's going to go. <br />You're line with the orange juice cracked me up. Hilarious. <br />Good luck!Christine Danekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00979611961825725350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-19539042766517727262010-08-31T20:17:28.407-06:002010-08-31T20:17:28.407-06:00I'm a little of both. I do find outlining pain...I'm a little of both. I do find outlining painful but I see the benefits of it so I keep trying. Is there a benefit of knocking one's head against a wall?Lynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-15888561705291977142010-08-31T20:06:23.429-06:002010-08-31T20:06:23.429-06:00I'm glad Alex Sokoloff's blog helped -- it...I'm glad Alex Sokoloff's blog helped -- it set off an ah-ha moment for me, too. (And I love her "whatever works is good" motto.)Jamie Smith Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16947966931430504394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-62036334398185896462010-08-31T19:42:42.946-06:002010-08-31T19:42:42.946-06:00This post is hilarious! I'm totally LOL right ...This post is hilarious! I'm totally LOL right now and my husband is looking at me weird. I'm in the process of trying to outline AND do character profile right now for my new project...it's not going so well. I just stare at the computer screen until I can't take it anymore and I just turn it off. I was able to write a very rough outline for the first 10 chapters, but part of me thinks that I only wrote those ideas down to say that I actually did something. I think I'm gonna stop while I'm ahead and just start writing.Kelly Lymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14773120663217816189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-55925539864657400872010-08-31T19:30:53.559-06:002010-08-31T19:30:53.559-06:00Elana--please send a paramedic...I just fell out o...Elana--please send a paramedic...I just fell out of my chair! I might have broken something....I thought you were a sworn pantser. I was following in your awesome footsteps and now, what am I supposed to do????Sharon K. Mayhewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07799235347319851345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-40611235220251637862010-08-31T17:36:28.671-06:002010-08-31T17:36:28.671-06:00I can't outline. The most I can do is make no...I can't outline. The most I can do is make notes about things I think of that will have to come up later, like: Make-out scene, she runs, finds xyz at home. And I usually only do that if I have to stop writing when I'm in a groove, or if I think of something that has to come much later, but I think I'll forget it.<br /><br />And I love how what I just wrote would only make sense to a writer (it did make sense, didn't it?).<br /><br />;)Larissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08874147599272424056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-72575761265315723072010-08-31T15:45:16.656-06:002010-08-31T15:45:16.656-06:00So panster, here! Funny post! I relate:)
I tried ...So panster, here! Funny post! I relate:)<br /><br />I tried outlining once. I never wrote the story. The thrill was gone...Terry Stonecrophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03726985400500572770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-25267559801452331852010-08-31T14:59:19.398-06:002010-08-31T14:59:19.398-06:00Pantser - big time! I love your #5. it's per...Pantser - big time! I love your #5. it's perfect. :-)Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-7316693958905379602010-08-31T14:19:40.167-06:002010-08-31T14:19:40.167-06:00Definitely a pantser. I tried outlining once and i...Definitely a pantser. I tried outlining once and it took all the fun out of writing.Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00685341739870191402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-55038825363392187342010-08-31T13:53:02.316-06:002010-08-31T13:53:02.316-06:00I am absolutely determined to outline my next book...I am absolutely determined to outline my next book – it’s on my to do list. :)Southpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16539290964546504171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-90352393468964622632010-08-31T13:52:51.463-06:002010-08-31T13:52:51.463-06:00I am absolutely determined to outline my next book...I am absolutely determined to outline my next book – it’s on my to do list. :)Southpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16539290964546504171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-41304362650524235592010-08-31T13:19:35.831-06:002010-08-31T13:19:35.831-06:00I prefer to outline. Hell, I don't even leave ...I prefer to outline. Hell, I don't even leave the house without a map and a plan!Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-25615497582306263392010-08-31T13:18:35.301-06:002010-08-31T13:18:35.301-06:00I definitely like outlining in the lose sense of t...I definitely like outlining in the lose sense of the word, nothing too formal. I just need a brief idea of where my characters are running off to, and what their conflicts and goals are.<br /><br />I like have part of the puzzle before starting, it excites me:)Tamika:https://www.blogger.com/profile/04874834971492028558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-13730739285952507782010-08-31T12:29:29.306-06:002010-08-31T12:29:29.306-06:00I am a connect-the-dotser. I like to know my major...I am a connect-the-dotser. I like to know my major plot points and turning points and ending before I stop--but those are usually just dumped in a loose synopsis-like thing I spend a couple days on as I 'think' the plot through. Then I pants the rest as I go from plot point to plot point. <br /><br />I LOATHE outlining. And nothing guarantees a flat, lifeless book more (for me at least) than working from a rigid outline. For some reason it makes me lost all the fun in my story and turn it formulaic.Shannon Messengerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08003607156860716462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-59383759745665448572010-08-31T11:38:55.985-06:002010-08-31T11:38:55.985-06:00I think the super concentrated effort of outlining...I think the super concentrated effort of outlining is what keeps me from doing it. It is daunting. It is scary. I don't know if I have that much brain power to spare.<br /><br />On the other hand, I often think while I'm pantsing along how much an outline would help. :PKrispyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09492607213249874138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9058478111996476699.post-77556006163561318162010-08-31T11:22:08.949-06:002010-08-31T11:22:08.949-06:00Great information. You're one busy writer!Great information. You're one busy writer!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02953440041536434213noreply@blogger.com