Organization? What's that you say?

A common question that seems to come up time and again is whether or not an outline is a good idea. I have a few thoughts on outlines. 

While earning my MFA from Spalding University, I learned to love a good outline. Prior to attending the program, I thought outlines were only for research papers. I loathed the idea of having to actually think out my entire narrative, to pre-determine arcs, tension, exposition, and gratification for my characters. Honestly, I thought it was something that would diminish from my abilities as a writer. I’ve always been a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of writer. If I have an idea, I go with it until I don’t know what to do with it.

Know what that got me?

A USB drive full of half finished stories that have no discernable plot, no clear ending, and really, very little good writing.

What I’ve learned over the years is that a good outline can really make or break a project. Of course, there are certain instiances in which an outline would totally ruin an idea. Take for example, a stream of consciousness collection. Outlining that would be nightmarish. On the flip side, my current work is a collection of interlocking shorts and it absolutely needs an outline. It needs a character tree, a map of experiences for my characters, key points I want to reinforce with each of them. In a word, it needs to be planned.

At first, I resisted this idea. Last summer, when I set down the framework for the novel, I was sure that I could just write it. I was simultaneously writing another novel that needed no outlining at all. The plot was simple enough that I could keep it all in my head. Once I finished that simply plotted manuscript, I turned my attention to this webbed story idea and found that I couldn’t write anything.

I let it rest for a few months (something I think is absolutely vital, and I’ll write more about it in a future post) and when I returned to the words, I realized the only way it was going to work would be if I spelled it all out. So out came graph paper, colored pens in all hues, a ruler and a character sheet. It took a while, but the result was very much worth it. Now, I’m able to have a really clear understanding of each of my character’s motivations, where they’ve been in the past, where they’re heading in the future.

How do you keep your ideas organized? Do you use an outline? Note cards? Spreadsheets? Join the conversation here, over on Facebook, or on Twitter. Happy writing!