KYRA DAVIS: Writing Outlines: How I've Learned Not To Hate It

On Monday I went to see Jennifer Weiner speak at Vroman’s in Pasadena. If you haven’t heard her yet she’s a spectacular speaker and attending her events is well worth whatever drive is required to get to them (I’ll write more about Jennifer in a different post). During the event someone asked her if she wrote outlines for her books. I’m not sure why but it’s a question that comes up at almost every book event I have ever attended or spoken at.

Outlines are funny things. I didn’t write one for Sex, Murder And A Double Latte but then why would I have? I started that book with the intention of just writing a short little story to help distract me from a difficult divorce (is there any other kind?). It wasn’t until I was half way through it that I decided to make it into a book and then I wrote out a general game plan as to how I wanted the story to go but I wouldn’t call it an outline.

The 2nd book I wrote (and my 3rd book published) was So Much For My Happy Ending. That was basically a highly fictionalized autobiography so I didn’t have to write an outline. I knew EXACTLY how that story went. I had already lived it. It poured out of my like a tidal wave of pent up emotion.

But when I got to Passion, Betrayal And Killer Highlights (3rd book written, 2nd published) I decided I was going to be über professional about it and wrote a detailed outline. Everything was planned out. And then I started actually writing the book. Guess what? The outline didn’t hold up. Or it would have held up if I had wanted to turn in a 200 page manuscript to my editor but I knew my editor would tell me that was too short. Mitch Albom can get away with writing a 200 page hardcover, I can’t and although I had planned out each chapter in the outline things were moving at a much faster pace than I had anticipated. So I threw the outline out and proceeded without it. I tried writing an outline for Obsession, Deceit And Really Dark Chocolate and although there was no problem with the length, its structure didn’t hold up once I tried to flesh it out in a manuscript so I threw that out too.

It wasn’t until I was ready to write Lust, Loathing And A Little Lip Gloss that it finally dawned on me what my problem was:

I hate writing outlines.

Hate, hate, hate it. It’s right up there with one of my least favorite things to do as a writer, perhaps second to the last round of edits when I’m checking for missed spelling errors and somebody else’s typos. But that said, just like checking for spelling errors, writing an outline can be an important task. They help to add structure to a book and can really help keep the pacing and action strong. But when I sit down at my computer knowing that I must start the process of creating a book by writing an outline I get an instant headache. It’s like telling a small child that he has to start his meal with brussel sprouts with only a vague promise that after he’s finished them he’ll get something better to eat. True, that means he’s saving the best for last but it might be hard getting the kid to the table. And when I think I have to start a writing project with an outline it really is hard to get me to the table. Once I’m there I rush through the chore neglecting details by metaphorically tossing them to the dogs (or rabbit...we are talking about vegetables here) or shoving them under my plate so I can hurry up and get to the good part.

But actually starting the book itself, introducing (or in the case of Sophie, reintroducing) myself to characters and a new storyline...well that’s my cocktail. I love that part. I realized that if I could just start with THAT I would be rushing to the table whenever it was time to start a new project.

So now I begin my books by writing about 15 pages without anything. Then I’ll stop long enough to write a 2 page synopsis which gives me a general direction. Once I get to 40 or 50 pages of manuscript that’s when I write an outline. I did this with both Lust, Loathing And A Little Lip Gloss and Vows, Vendettas & A Little Black Dress. By the time I’m done with those first few chapters I know who my characters are, how long it will take them to do the things I want them to do and I know how I want the story to go. Perhaps more importantly, I am always excited about what I’m writing by the time I’m done with those pages which makes putting together an outline seem like less of a chore. The promise of what’s to come after the brussel sprouts isn’t vague, it’s totally tangible and I’ll happily submit to the work of creating an outline in order to get to the main course.

I realize this approach won’t work for everyone but if you have a hard time sticking to outlines you might want to try it. If nothing else you’ll get to have a cocktail before your veggies.

Kyra Davis

Bestselling Author of:

The Sophie Katz Mystery Series
and
So Much For My Happy Ending
Order Vows, Vendettas & A Little Black Dress today!

Vows, Vendettas and a Little
Black Dress

6 comments :

Alina AdamsThursday, August 5, 2010 at 3:45:00 PM PDT
I *love* writing outlines, LOL! Outlines allow me to see the whole book in front of me, nice, neat, tidy. The scenes are where I want them, the tags are all great, everything has a rhythm and a pace, every point I want to make has been made exactly where I want to make it, and nothing is obscure - because I spelled it right out in black and white.

And then comes the whole unwieldy book. Suddenly characters are taking off on tangents, a scene that worked in a one line synopsis so doesn't work when shown instead of told and that clue I planted in chapter three? Even I can't remember what it was supposed to mean.

Nah, for me, outlines are the honeymoon. The book is the marriage...
kyradavisThursday, August 5, 2010 at 6:06:00 PM PDT
LOL, well at least your experience with marriage is more pleasant than my own. You know how to muddle through the tough times (or scenes) until you get to the fun stuff. But I'm not really surprised that you like outlines. You're much more structured and, well, organized than I am (not that that's saying a lot). ;)
azusmomFriday, August 6, 2010 at 9:32:00 AM PDT
Back when I was trying to write a book (before having kids and realizing that perhaps I'm too much of a spaz to be able to sit and write), I tried the outline thing. And failed miserably. I just wanted to sit and write stories in my notebooks, so that's what I did.

Ah, Vroman's! I MISS that place!!!!!! I took my son there all the time when he was a baby. I think he sensed how calm it made me, and it made him calm and happy, too. (Plus we could pop into the Target next door and replenish our diaper supply, lol!) Plus, they have the BEST signings there.
kyradavisFriday, August 6, 2010 at 4:55:00 PM PDT
Vroman's is wonderful. It's a little out of the way for me but whenever I go I just want to hang out forever. And the people who work there are so nice! They actually asked me about doing a signing in the future. Hopefully we'll be able to work together to set something up : )
Christina MakarFriday, August 6, 2010 at 5:13:00 PM PDT
I always have a hard time to actually write the book. I have great ideas but when i sit down to write it i over think things and never get anything down because of it.
UnknownTuesday, September 7, 2010 at 8:48:00 AM PDT
The process of writing fiction is so funny! Seems like everyone has their own way of doing it. Outlines are interesting for me, because when I start them, I usually don't know very much about the story or the characters. I start with a few lines and fill in the gaps until I've got something nearly the length of the finished product. The last outline I did was 50k words long ... which is excessive, no?