Reverse Outline

Reverse Outlines Revisited

Hey Folks, This first appeared as a topic over at my Daily Journal at http://hestanbrough.com. It also sprang from a comment (a question from another writer) on Dean Wesley Smith’s website. Awhile back I talked about writing a “reverse outline.” The idea is, as you write your novel off into the dark (no pre-plotting, outlining, etc.) sometimes keeping track of characters, what they’re wearing, major situations, etc. becomes cumbersome. Now when I write a novel, I … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, 2/4

Hey Folks, Ugh. Allergies on overdrive this morning. Topic: Fixing Things (with the Subconscious) The novel has ground to a temporary halt. But I know why, so it really is only a temporary halt. All books (stories) are different, and they can all write differently, even from the same writer. I suppose that’s part and parcel of writing into the dark too. The last few days, even as I typed, a nagging little voice was telling … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, 1/28

Hey Folks, Today, and Writing Rolled out at 2:30 again, but the kitten let me sleep uninterrupted. Apparently she didn’t feel the need to knead on my bicep to soften it up before she lay down. (grin) Normal early routine, then out to the Hovel by 3. I had Internet from the house (weird, but good). I remembered I hadn’t sent the new story to a new donor so I did that, then updated the Short … Read more

Creating a Reverse Outline

Hi Folks, In the interest of full disclosure, I first posted this as a blog entry on April 2 in my Daily Journal at HEStanbrough.com. To continue the discloure, this is a technique I learned from Dean Wesley Smith. I find his openness and instruction (inadvertent and otherwise) pretty much invaluable. But to the topic at hand. Anyone who knows me or has talked writing with me for more than five minutes knows I don’t outline. … Read more