Outlining is not a must, but from what I read, it’s considered the best way to do things.
First let’s do:
Last Clichés:
Nose out of Joint — To be jealous or irritated, especially when one is supplanted or displaced by someone else. This term appeared in 1581 and has continued ever since. A strange image, since it implies that the nose can be dislocated, which it can’t because it has no joint, but that fact has not deterred the use of this phrase. Shaw used it in at least two plays, Major Barbara and Heartbreak House.
In this Day and Age — Now, not the past or future. This expression is often preceded by not. It’s a verbal redundancy that grates on the ear. This term has been used since the early 20th century. Time (1941): “She knew that in this day and age a nun could be a scientist.”
Beside Myself — To be distraught with strong emotions, including grief, anger, worry, happiness, or something else. Appears in King James version of the Bible (Acts 26:24): “Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning makes thee mad.” The adverb beside is an older sense, meaning “outside of,” so literally this phrase means “outside of oneself,” referring to mental faculties.
So, how many did you find?
When you write, do you create a detailed outline, a brief outline, or do you just write? I guess the proof of the pudding will be your completed writing. I’ve written three novels and I have an idea where I’m going but I do not outline. I just start writing.
I create my heroine and have several people who could be the villain. I let the characters tell the story. At first blush, you might think this is putting the cart before the horse, but this works for me. Other writers go with the flow and make detailed outlines and follow them, while others a brief outline. I believe it’s up to the individual and what works best for the writer.
And maybe I do have an “outline,” not just written down. Maybe it’s in my head and I don’t know it.
All I understand is that I love to write, and when I do, I feel better. Writing completes my soul.
So, whether you outline or not, just write, write, and write some more. Enjoy your process, not THE process, because there’s always more than one way to skin a cat.
Let me know how you write.
Keep Writing,
Julie
