Throughout the past week, I’ve been revamping and changing my outline for CHRYSANTHEMUM PROMISE. I’ve added more chapters to the beginning to better identify the close relationship between my MC Kaiyo and her mother; I’ve taken out a few characters and one sidestory that I thought would draw attention away from the main one; and I’ve added another character.
I’m figuring I probably should actually work on outlining what I’m actually writing for NaNo instead of the changes, but that pesky inner editor of mine wasn’t letting me 
So, the goal this weekend and the coming week is to get through most of the outline–at least to Part III.
I know I won’t follow this exactly–I always change something along the way as I’m actually writing–but at least it’s there to give me an idea of what will happen next. While I’m generally not an organized person, when I’m writing I have to be, at least somewhat. I cannot understand how writers can go without outlines–I’d be going all over the place. Perhaps they feel that an outline stifles the creativity. But each has their own style that works for them. Mine is the basic ever-changing outline.
If you’re writing for NaNo–or just writing a book at all–are you outlining it? Or do you work better without one?
I never used to outline in the beginning – it was as though if I ‘knew’ what was going to happen I got bored and didn’t bother writing.
Hope you get your outline to where you want it.
That’s not the case now. I generally start with a loose outline and then every few days add depth to that so that I have a better idea of where I am going and don’t get too far off track.
That said, I still never totally pin down my endings. I usually know a few key things that are going to happen, but not a lot more, it means I still feel excited to get there and see what comes out, and the closer I get to it, the better I know what it will entail.
Everyone has different ways to do it, but I am learning that the more you know in advance, the less you have to fix up in rewrites! lol Having a decent outline seems invaluable in saving time later in the process.
Good luck
have to outline. when I don’t, I end up with a LOT of dead characters… sigh….
BUT… this does not preclude spontaneity. all sorts of ideas pop up in the meantime. an outline simply keeps me aware of what I thought was supposed to happen.
but sometimes the work goes in a slightly different direction… keeping an open mind is the key.