Worksheets in Outlining
(I thought I would make a big post about this book, instead of only adding it to the Resources list.)
The book: First Draft in 30 Days: A Novel Writer's System for Building a Complete and Cohesive Manuscript by Karen S. Wiesner
Description: "Many aspiring and experienced novelists throw out hundreds of pages (and waste valuable time) before they have a workable first draft of a novel. With First Draft in 30 Days, those days are over. In this guide, readers will find: A systematic method for completing a detailed first draft in just 30 days; Sure-fire methods to reduce time-intensive rewrites and avoid writing detours; Comprehensive, detailed and interactive worksheets to make the process seem less like work and more like a game; Flexible and customizable, this revolutionary system can be modified to fit any writer's approach and style."
Publication Date: March 5, 2005 | ISBN-10: 1582972966 | ISBN-13: 978-1582972961
If you're like me and like filling in the blanks to help you in your brainstorming, this book is one you might want to check out. It has wonderful, organized worksheets to help you flesh out everything you need when writing a novel, regardless of what genre you're writing. She takes a scene-by-scene approach and puts the writer on a 30-day schedule.
Now, before you panic, this is to outline your novel; not the actual writing of the manuscript (that part is up to you after you've completed your outline). Her method gives you a complete capsulized outline of your story that you can rearrange as needed. Each scene draft will have its own page with setting, character, research, POV character, and subplot notes, etc. for you to use as you write your manuscript. When you get done, your plot is there.
I have used her method in my brainstorming process (I have to write everything out as I think of it - so worksheets come in handy), and I am currently using her "Re-Outlining a Stalled Project" method to redraft an old manuscript I'd forgotten about. So far, it has been immensely helpful (I had no idea where to even start fixing the thing).
This method isn't for everyone, so does anyone have any books you've found useful in your brainstorming or writing process?
The book: First Draft in 30 Days: A Novel Writer's System for Building a Complete and Cohesive Manuscript by Karen S. Wiesner
Description: "Many aspiring and experienced novelists throw out hundreds of pages (and waste valuable time) before they have a workable first draft of a novel. With First Draft in 30 Days, those days are over. In this guide, readers will find: A systematic method for completing a detailed first draft in just 30 days; Sure-fire methods to reduce time-intensive rewrites and avoid writing detours; Comprehensive, detailed and interactive worksheets to make the process seem less like work and more like a game; Flexible and customizable, this revolutionary system can be modified to fit any writer's approach and style."
Publication Date: March 5, 2005 | ISBN-10: 1582972966 | ISBN-13: 978-1582972961
If you're like me and like filling in the blanks to help you in your brainstorming, this book is one you might want to check out. It has wonderful, organized worksheets to help you flesh out everything you need when writing a novel, regardless of what genre you're writing. She takes a scene-by-scene approach and puts the writer on a 30-day schedule.
Now, before you panic, this is to outline your novel; not the actual writing of the manuscript (that part is up to you after you've completed your outline). Her method gives you a complete capsulized outline of your story that you can rearrange as needed. Each scene draft will have its own page with setting, character, research, POV character, and subplot notes, etc. for you to use as you write your manuscript. When you get done, your plot is there.
I have used her method in my brainstorming process (I have to write everything out as I think of it - so worksheets come in handy), and I am currently using her "Re-Outlining a Stalled Project" method to redraft an old manuscript I'd forgotten about. So far, it has been immensely helpful (I had no idea where to even start fixing the thing).
This method isn't for everyone, so does anyone have any books you've found useful in your brainstorming or writing process?