This is going to be a short post because I'm frying in the heat this week. I'm struggling through the third draft of my WIP. Some days I work on cleaning up early chapters to post on Critique Circle and other days I work on continuing chapter 23. I'm no closer to figuring out what parts of the story can be tossed so I'm going to research outlining.
I've got this outline that I did when I was most of the way through draft 1, but by draft 3, I realized I had more plot points in the outline than were really needed to tell the story. (Unless this becomes two books, and I know I said once that I was going to consider the project as two books, but now I'm not convinced that's a smart move.)
One book or two, the story still has to make sense and not confuse readers with too much plot. "not every idea needs to be included, not even every good one" (Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen)
If anybody's found a great website or book that explains what to include and what to leave out of outlines, do share! I know I should hit the major plot points but I also know if I stop there, that's a synopsis rather than an outline.
Too bad I wasn't born a plotter; I'd already have this part down! Those of you who've mastered the outline, how do you do it? My rebellious muse says she creates not destroys, so she's no help with this ;)
Oh, I wish that I could help, Marcia. But, I'm even worse than a plotter without a clue. I'm a pantser. :-) I hope someone comes along and comments with something akin to a magic wand. I know...I know...I write fantasy at times. ;-)
ReplyDelete*laff* Teresa, you make me giggle! I asked about this at Critique Circle and did get some helpful ideas. I suppose I need to take that quote from Robert Kernen I'm always tossing out, and put it into practice.
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