Writing Tip - Pre-Writing

I've been reading a lot about outlining this week. First, in an email course I got, and then from a question I had from a student.

I've said it before, I'm not a "pantser", a seat-of-the-pants writer who is so stinking creative that everything just flows out in perfect order. I know some of them, am in awe of their abilities (and their memories), but I could never hope to be one.

Because I have a lousy memory and because the
planning stage is one of my favorite steps in the writing process. And I use a LOT of tools in my planning.

Heroine ideal for my WIP - work in progress

As far as outlining goes, the actual IA1b stuff, I use only for research papers and essays - and rarely for the latter. Non-fiction writing begs for that type of organization to make sure all points are covered.

But I write suspense - mysteries. Those, too, beg for the details to be thoroughly explained. Unfortunately, when I tried to set up an outline on Word, it was so convoluted, so difficult to create and maintain, that I gave in and did it on Excel instead. I didn't really use it though.

Hero ideal for my WIP

As a stepping stone, my basic outline helped me to build a notebook of my information. When doing research, my notebook allowed me to establish sections on the characters, the settings, and the day-by-day activities that made up the story. I LOVED that!

This was the story board for my last novel.

My favorite part is going through pages of models to pick out the look that I want for my characters. Sometimes I know exactly what or who I'm looking for. Sometimes I'm just left hunting for a look. Googling different hair styles works best for me, but I wouldn't recommend it for young people. (Can I just say that the creepy pictures that folks put innocent key words on make me pretty sick?)

Story board for my WIP - Cat's Eyes. You can tell I've just started because
I've only used a few sticky notes. Only a few chapters in, so far.

Anyway, once I finish my calendar set up, my plot in a daily episode guide, I transfer the data to note cards. Well, note slips, actually. This time, my plot line is in purple. I fill out a different slip for every POV change or setting change. I've never gotten an official definition of what entails a "scene" in fiction, but these seem the most logical scene changes to me.

Then, things get interesting. By now, I've been through my entire story sequentially at least twice. I mount my scene cards in vertical stripes according to the day on a story board, giving me a snapshot of the entire story. From that vantage point, it's easy to see where things aren't lining up. Where there are gaps or lapses in the suspense, the romance, or the story line in general.

I use sticky notes to identify problems with the plot or a character and also use them as reminders to focus my thinking as I begin to write.

The words don't always pour out, but they tend to flow pretty steadily once I have scene-by-scene goals. The whole point of the pre-writing or planning stage is to increase the word flow. Getting the thoughts and ideas easily and quickly out of the head of the writer and onto the paper is the goal so that the writer can then have something to work with and perfect.

Gosh, it sounds so easy ...

Are you a plotter or a pantser? What is your favorite part of the writing process?