Outline or No Outline?

In writing, there is a bit of controversy regarding the importance of an outline when writing a story. Famous writers can attest to success using either method. It really is a personal decision, but it is important to know the pros and cons of each method.

An outline can contribute to the cohesiveness of your story. It can establish character development, plot sequence, and flow. Pre-planning your story from beginning to end will prevent you from veering off of the chosen track. It gives you an end goal to aspire to, and a certain path to get to that goal. It can also help you if you get stuck at some point along the way because you can go back and look over plotlines and sequence to more easily find where the problem lies.

Proponents of no out line will tell you that outlines are too restrictive. Having no outline will allow you to think outside of the box and tap into your creativity along the way. When an idea comes into your mind during the writing process, rather than squelching it because it is not a part of your outline, you can experiment with it. This leads to a free-flow of ideas that can take your story to places you had not before imagined. The problem, however, is that you may eventually get to a place where the story has nowhere to go and you find yourself stuck. This occurs because there was no plan and no logical ending to aspire to.

Deciding on whether to outline or not is a personal decision, and much of it may come from your own particular style of writing, as well as what you are writing. Some people may even choose to incorporate a little of both methods into their process, which tends to work for some people. Whatever you decide to do, it is important to explore both methods to see which one works the best for you.

An Authors Biggest Decision

One of the biggest decisions an author will make is whether to publish one’s book as an indie author or to publish traditionally, using a publishing house.  There are pros and cons to both, and it is a personal decision based on what will suit the author’s needs the best.  As traditional publishing has become more demanding and difficult, more and more authors are choosing to publish independently.  

If you choose to publish independently, here are some important tips to remember:

-Don’t let your enthusiasm to be a published author cause you to rush through the process.  This is a common mistake that new authors make.  As a result, they end up with a published book that  lacks a polished, professional look.

-Don’t equate the amount of money you spend with the end product you get.  Many independent authors are under the mistaken idea that they must spend a lot of money to get the editing, typesetting, and covers they desire.  This is simply not true.  Authors have paid hundreds of dollars for a cover that comes from a template, and authors who have paid much less have gotten original, one of a kind covers.  Taking the time to do a little research before hiring someone is essential to having a quality product.

-Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can edit and proofread your book yourself.  It is an absolute must to have someone else edit your book.  After that person edits it, have someone else have a look at it as well.  Many authors have done all of the editing themselves only to publish a book that is filled with spelling and grammatical errors.  This happens because your brain has memorized the words that are supposed to be in your book.  Your brain will actually overlook obvious errors because it sees the version that is supposed to be there.

-Don’t assume a published book equals sales.  Sales only come through effective marketing.  If your sales are lacking, it does not mean your book is not a good one.  It means you need to find better ways to market your book.

Cheryl A. Williams

Author of Alone in the Crowd, Flash: A Short Story Collection, and Heavenly Hugs:  Inspirational Poetry