Thread by @thewritinghippo

How I outline my books: A Thread.

Hi folks! Instead of doing a video abt this, I decided that the topic wld be better served typed out, with screencaps to accompany it. Before we start, I want to be clear that this is far from being the only way to outline a novel, and that 1/?

you may find that you don’t even need an outline for your books. The only "wrong" way of writing is one that doesn't work for you, which is why I'm always urging writers who are having a difficult time to try as many different methods as possible. 2/?

I was a pantser, and while pantsing is a legit way of writing, it didn't work for me. It took me ages to write a book, and I often felt guilty and tired and burnt out despite not producing much. I would have weeks of non-writing followed by a day or two of productivity. 3/?

In the end, I started trying other methods--the snowflake method, the save the cat beat sheet, the bookends method, and so on. While they didn't quite work for me, they did something way more important: They showed me that there's more than one way to write a book. 4/?

With that out of the way, here's the method that did work for me and has ended up saving not only my time but also made writing a much gentler and healthier process for me.

Tools I use:
1. Gingko App
2. Word or Google Document
3. A chapter summary

5/?

1. Gingko App -- This is a free site you can find at gingkoapp.com. I use the screenplay option, which looks like this:

As you can see, it's basically a Save the Cat beat sheet broken down into multiple cards. I tried writing out an outline using StC alone, but it didn't work for me. The beauty of Gingko is that it allows you the freedom to move the cards around or add and delete cards,

so you're molding StC to fit what your story needs instead of the other way around. I use Gingko as a guide to nudge the plot along.

Here is an example of a Gingko tree of a YA novel I wrote a few years ago:

As I work out the beats using Gingko, I'm also using tool #2: a simple Word or Google Document to write out my messy thoughts. I basically do a thought-vomit of everything that might or might not end up being part of the story:

As you can see, every single thought I have is immediately typed out, which results in a stream-of-consciousness style note-taking. It is messy as hell. This is totally fine! I want to be able to type out every bit of inspiration without judgment.

Only the good bits of ideas make it to the Gingko tree. Then, as the tree takes shape, I go to the next step, which is a beautiful, smooth synopsis. Here is what the synopsis looks like:

My synopses usually run about 3 pgs long, and are rarely complete. I often stop at around the end of Act II, at the ALL IS LOST section of Gingko. This is because even with the outline, I still discover new things as I write, which makes the writing process refreshing and fun.

By the time I reach the All Is Lost section, I usually have discovered enough twists and turns to come up with a climax scene that I would never have been able to figure out during the outlining phase.

With the synopsis and the Gingko tree in hand, I can now start writing. But wait! Here's a nifty writing hack. Tool #3: A chapter summary! As you finish each chapter, summarize it in a table with two columns: Chapter Summary and Things to Edit. Here is what mine looks like:

This may seem like extra work, but trust me when I say this is going to revolutionize your editing process. The other reason why I like to jot down chapter summaries as I write is because it's a super fast and easy way to refresh my memory before each writing session.

Before each writing session, I look at my chapter summary to remind myself what's happened in the previous scenes. This helps get the creative juices flowing without me having to read what I’ve written and then getting hung up on editing the previous chapters and so on.

When you're finished with your first draft and start reading it, you can then jot down things you need to revise in the right-hand column, which is going to make editing a breeze.

With this method, I have shaved down my writing time to about one hour a day (although nowadays with the kids home all the time, it's more like 1.5 hours because I am constantly interrupted by my little *~angels~*, lol).

Once I'm done with my 2,000 words, I don't do anything related to the WIP the rest of the day. I spend time with my kids, I do my day job, I exercise, and I do NOT stress or spend any time wondering how the plot is going to develop and so on and so forth.

This means that the rest of the day is a mental vacation from my WIP, which is why I no longer burn out like I used to. This also lets me take one or two months off to chill between books and play around with various plot bunnies before diving into the next project.

Again, I reiterate that the only wrong way to write is one that makes you miserable. So I hope this helps ease the process for you, and please share with me methods that you swear by!

End thread. 🥰