trust, intentions and outlining...
I'm realizing as I come to the end of my second draft that I need to trust myself to outline more in the future.
I'm not much for formal outlines. Although there should be no doubt that I know where I want my story to go, I tend leave things open "just in case". I find that very frequently as I make major edits, I come back to what I originally wanted. So while I might end up using ideas in different places than I thought I would in my first draft, I can't help but think I would have gotten to where I am a lot faster and with much less meandering if I'd planned a little more. Not that the meandering or the slower pace is all bad or that I'll probably ever write in a completely linear, plotted way, I just think I need to trust that what I want to do will in fact work.
There's not really a question in this, and I know I've discussed outlining vs not in the past, but I'm wondering how much story you come back to or how much you change regardless out how much formal planning goes into early drafts. And how much of that planning shows up in the end.
I'm not much for formal outlines. Although there should be no doubt that I know where I want my story to go, I tend leave things open "just in case". I find that very frequently as I make major edits, I come back to what I originally wanted. So while I might end up using ideas in different places than I thought I would in my first draft, I can't help but think I would have gotten to where I am a lot faster and with much less meandering if I'd planned a little more. Not that the meandering or the slower pace is all bad or that I'll probably ever write in a completely linear, plotted way, I just think I need to trust that what I want to do will in fact work.
There's not really a question in this, and I know I've discussed outlining vs not in the past, but I'm wondering how much story you come back to or how much you change regardless out how much formal planning goes into early drafts. And how much of that planning shows up in the end.