tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693401219959272564.post8753296129263768954..comments2024-03-25T05:49:46.932-04:00Comments on My Name Is Not Bob: The Power of Breaking Things DownRobert Lee Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03733003865003484352noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693401219959272564.post-72813042317834451302011-10-21T09:54:50.758-04:002011-10-21T09:54:50.758-04:00Gladelf, I agree that outlines can help improve wr...Gladelf, I agree that outlines can help improve writing, because it improves focus and make it to the finish line (a finished story often being better than an unfinished one). However, I know when I first started writing with outlines, I fell into the trap of just connecting the dots (or plot points) without making it super interesting.Robert Lee Brewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03733003865003484352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693401219959272564.post-80172610666854059342011-10-18T20:40:51.424-04:002011-10-18T20:40:51.424-04:00"Outlines won't help you write better, bu..."Outlines won't help you write better, but they will help you finish your project. "<br /><br />Great advice, except...I have to disagree with the first half of this statement. I think outlines do help you write better. The focus that they provide is invaluable. And outline allows a writer to see the big picture and focus less on what is going to happen and more on how it happens. On the writing and the journey of their characters. I know from experience that when I don't outline I am a lot more scattered. My research is incomplete and details get sketchy.<br />It boils down to exactly what you learned running cross-country. Breaking a story up into manageable bits allows to to focus more on your performance for each part.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693401219959272564.post-35866636392892771572011-10-15T23:03:14.027-04:002011-10-15T23:03:14.027-04:00I love outlines; I would outline everything if was...I love outlines; I would outline everything if wasn't eccentric. Oh well. Never the less everything can be broken down. Like they say, you eat an elephant one bite at a time.MChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14485627951969730089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693401219959272564.post-34654252959057047162011-10-15T12:39:39.761-04:002011-10-15T12:39:39.761-04:00Come on! You don't beat-box?
Seriously, tho...Come on! You don't beat-box? <br /><br />Seriously, though, that line made me laugh out loud...and not laugh out loud as in lol. No, I literally laughed out loud; I did not do the whole I-will-write-lol-because-i-can't-write-ssisw-which-means-slightly-smile-in-a-snarky-way-because-no-one-will understand-it thing. <br /><br />Oh, I should probably mention that I did, in fact, ssisw when you talked about your "super" power.Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05391492247348150015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4693401219959272564.post-70039522313445644872011-10-15T11:59:17.135-04:002011-10-15T11:59:17.135-04:00Great advice.
I'm a big advocate for outlines...Great advice.<br /><br />I'm a big advocate for outlines. Although one might need to revise as one goes (as the muses tend to ignore parts of any good outline and set the author on detours) a book without an outline is more likely to suffer structurally.<br /><br />Sometimes, I'll make secondary outlines for the next few chapters I plan on writing. It can help to have a step by step chapter "guide" to refer to when writing especially complex themes.Leigh M. Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04419221093398839195noreply@blogger.com