I figure outlining has cost me about a month’s worth of time that could have been spent actually writing this book.
Last month, as I really got into this project, I started to get obsessed with the book outline, because I was getting so many comments from well-meaning friends about how important it was to really flesh out the outline in great detail for a project this big.
I listened, and frittered away many hours working on the thing, frustrated all the while, shuffling the decks and not making any significant progress.
What I failed to take into account is that I DON’T WRITE THAT WAY!
Outlines work for me in a very general, macro sort of way. If I’m writing 1,000 words, I might create an outline in my head of three or four items. Say this, talk about that, example here, etc. And I do have the equivalent of that kind of outline for this book, with five-six subheadings per chapter. But trying to get deeper than that in the outline is where things go awry.
I just need to write the damn thing. I know what I need to say. I need to get it out. Then I go back, see what I have, fill in gaps, then re-order everything and cut out what doesn’t fit. In other words, I’m a much better organizer than outliner.
So, I’m back to what works for me. I’m just doing it. I’m much happier, and the book is coming along at a much better pace.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t outline, either. On a complex project, I might sort of categorize ideas so I’m not trying to keep everything straight in my head, but otherwise, I need to just jump in and start writing. Otherwise, I think I’d never get past the outlining stage.
Outlining has frustrated me since my days as an English teacher many years ago. I was supposed to teach my students to outline their papers before writing, all the time knowing that I never did that. I think there are different kinds of writers: what I call “organic” writers and then “outline” writers. Organic writers write from the inside out like a flower growing and blooming and bursting forth (I know, it sounds silly). Others write outlines and then fill in the blanks, sort of from the outside in maybe. I was much relieved when “mind mapping” came into vogue. Here was a representation of how I think and write. Even when I take notes, I go in circles and end up writing around the margins of my paper with lots of arrows going off here and there. I love your idea of being an organizer rather than an outliner. I sit down and start writing. Then I organize, fill in, and make it logical. I don’t think there is a good, better, best way to write…it has to do with the way our brains are wired.
Hi Cindy and Joanne-
Glad to hear I am not alone! And Joanne, I hadn’t made that connection, but you are absolutely right about the mind mapping! I actually bought that software for another project and had even thought about it for the book. Doh!
Thanks,
Kivi