Outlining Short Stories

Hello Lovelies!

Been a while since I've written a blog post, so let's make the most of it! I decided today to talk about how I plot my short stories. I always make myself an outline, or I find I never finish the story. I'm definitely not a pantser (someone who writes their first draft by the seat of their pants)! But what does it mean to make an outline? It's certainly not the old roman numeral, followed by uppercase letters, followed by numbers, followed by lowercase letters that many of us learned in school (though it can be if you like). No, an outline can be as structured or messy as you want it to be. Basically, if you write down a road map to your story of any kind, you've created an outline.

I start, of course, with a basic idea of what I want to write. After I have that, I freewrite. What does that mean? Basically, I start writing any idea that pops into my brain about what I want the overall story to be about, how I want it to start, how I want it to end, what should be in the middle, and everything else! There is no structure to this, and often thoughts stop midway through if I don't like the direction it's going. In fact, I rarely even look back at this freewrite exercise. I only do it to get my mind focused on the story. And, of course, if I do want to check back later, it's right there, either in my notebook or my Scrivener file. 

Once I'm happy with the direction and ideas for the story, I open a clean file (or turn to a fresh piece of paper if I'm writing old school) and summarize my story from start to finish. I try to do it all in one sitting, and since it's a short story, it doesn't need to be too long. I try not to add too many descriptions, dialogue, or anything else in my outline except the bare-bones of the story. I do this because it gives me more freedom during the actual first-draft writing. (And, yes, later during the first draft, if a better idea comes along, I'm not afraid to deviate from the outline even if it is sometimes a major pain in the buns.)

After I've finished this outline, I read it over again to make sure the story flows, and then add or delete things to make it the best story it can be. Basically, I have a summary of my story, with each scene in its own paragraph. Since I use Scrivener, it's easy to put it in its own window/column/whatever it's called so I can have it right there in front of me as I type. Of course, you'll have an easy way to do this with whatever program you use, including pen and paper. That simple process has done the job of both getting my mind focused on the story and building a structure that allows me to add plenty to as I write the actual story. Even though I've added a few steps to my story before I've even began, I find the writing goes so much faster and smoother. I know what I'm up against before I start, rather than trying to figure it out as I go.

It also makes the editing process easier, in my opinion. Since I have the story structured how I want it, I simply need to make sure the story reads smoothly for the reader. (Even so, I do have a whole routine when it comes to editing, but that can be the focus of a future post!) I've basically handled the editing of the structure before I wrote word-one on the first draft. Easy-peasy!  

So that's how I do it for my short stories. Feel free to copy my process if it helps you - it's why I posted it! Or take a bit of it. Or scoff and say your way is better. Whatever helps! Thank you for reading, and I'll see you soon!

20-Minute Writing Sprints

Hi Lovelies!

I thought today might be a good day for a writing tip instead of my normal self-promotion. I use this technique quite often, and it honestly does help in getting things done. It's as simple as setting a timer for 20 minutes and writing (or editing, plotting, or any other writing task) until the timer goes off. I use the timer on Google, but the one on your phone, your iPad, your watch, or whatever works just as well. Heck, an old kitchen timer would do the trick, too! 

I find that if I know I can check my phone, Twitter, other Internet sites, or anything that normally distracts me from writing a short 20 minutes later, I can get plenty done. Once the timer goes off, I sooth myself with those fun and addicting things for a few minutes, set the timer again, and do another 20 minutes. (And if you have trouble limiting your time on those fun activities, set the timer again for 5 minutes and get back to writing when it goes off.)

Of course, 20 minutes is an arbitrary time. It's usually the amount I can give my undivided attention to something before my mind starts to wander a bit. If you find 10 or 15 minute sprints are more your speed, go for it! You might find that 30 minutes are more your sweet spot. Great! (I'm actually hoping to up mine to 30 minutes, but for now when I go past 20, I usually find myself itching at about the 22 or 23 minute mark.😄) All that matters is you're giving yourself plenty of uninterrupted time to write. 

There are also ways to block the Internet for a small block of time on your devices if you really need help avoiding distractions. I can't personally recommend any, as I've never tried them, but if you need that extra little help, know that they exist and are a Google (or whatever your search engine of choice is) search away. Whatever helps you get words on the page (or said words edited) is the way to go! 

I hope this helps some of you, or at least gives you something to think about. Feel free to leave your own tips in the comments! If I get enough, I'll make a new blog post with those tips! Have a great week!