I've been reading about authors who don't use outlines when writing novels. They prefer to discover the story as they go, allowing the characters, circumstances, and plot to develop organically. It's an interesting approach, and I can certainly appreciate the appeal. There's something exciting about sitting down with a blank page and not knowing exactly where the story will take you.
But it got me thinking about my own approach to writing and why I find outlines so helpful.
For me, an outline is a roadmap. It establishes the story's foundation, identifies the major plot points, introduces the characters and their motivations, and gives me a general idea of where I want the story to go. Most importantly, it helps me understand the story I'm trying to tell before I invest months writing it.
There are some obvious advantages to working this way.
First, direction. An outline gives me a sense of purpose when I sit down to write. I have a general understanding of what needs to happen in a chapter, what the characters want, and how the events move the story forward. I don't have to spend as much time wondering where I'm going because I've already considered the larger journey.
Second, structure. It's easier to identify potential plot holes, inconsistencies, pacing problems, and underdeveloped characters before I've written tens of thousands of words. I can examine the story as a whole and consider whether the beginning, middle, and end work together. With mysteries and thrillers especially, knowing how the pieces fit together is important. The clues, revelations, red herrings, and character decisions need to make sense.
Third, efficiency. Writing a novel is a considerable investment of time. An outline can help minimize unnecessary detours and reduce the amount of rewriting required when a story gets off track. It doesn't eliminate revisions, of course, but it gives me something to work from.
However, outlining has its disadvantages, too.
One potential drawback is becoming too attached to the plan. If I've spent considerable time developing a story, I might be reluctant to change something even when a better idea presents itself. There's also the possibility of overplanning. I could spend so much time developing the outline that I delay the actual writing. And perhaps there's a danger of making the writing feel like I'm simply checking off a list of predetermined events rather than discovering the story.
That's where I think flexibility becomes essential.
An outline shouldn't be a contract with the author. It should be a working document. Once I begin drafting, characters sometimes surprise me. A scene may develop differently than I anticipated. A conversation might reveal something about a character I hadn't considered. Occasionally, a seemingly minor detail becomes much more important than I originally intended. Those discoveries can change the direction of a story, and I need to be willing to follow them.
I don't want to sacrifice those moments simply because they weren't in the original plan.
Perhaps the distinction is between knowing where a story begins and knowing every step it must take to reach its conclusion. I want the former without necessarily demanding the latter.
An outline preserves the original vision of a story. It reminds me why I started writing it, what I wanted to explore, and what I hoped the reader would experience. But the actual novel may evolve into something different, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes the story that emerges during drafting is better than the one I originally imagined.
I suspect there's no universally correct approach. Some writers thrive on discovery, while others prefer a carefully constructed framework. Neither approach guarantees a successful novel, and neither prevents a writer from making mistakes.
For me, I'll continue outlining. I like having a foundation, a sense of direction, and a reference point when the writing gets complicated. But I'll also give myself permission to deviate from the plan when the story demands it.
The outline is there to serve the story, not the other way around.
Ultimately, I don't think the question is whether an author should outline. It's whether the author has found a process that allows them to tell the best possible version of their story. And for me, that process begins with an outline but certainly doesn't end there.