Comments on: Untraditional Outline Techniques

By: Episode 21: Outlining Demystified - DIY MFA : DIY MFA

Episode 21: Outlining Demystified - DIY MFA : DIY MFA — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 16:25:45 +0000

[…] resources in the DIY MFA archive. To learn more about mind-mapping, scene cards and story-sketches, check out this post with untraditional outline techniques. You can see the step-by-step process for creating The Hunger […]

By: Readying Yourself For #NaNoWriMo: Links, Resources & Articles

Readying Yourself For #NaNoWriMo: Links, Resources & Articles — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 17:07:54 +0000

[…] […]

By: How To Revise A Short Story | Story A Day

How To Revise A Short Story | Story A Day — Thu, 24 May 2012 05:31:42 +0000

[…] an outline can be extremely useful. If the typical list-format doesn’t work for you, there are many other outline options out there so you’re bound to find something that works for […]

By: Gabriela

Gabriela — Sat, 19 May 2012 13:46:00 +0000

In reply to Ross Lampert.

Wow Ross! That is an awesome approach. I picture doing something like that and hanging it on my office wall when I’m done with writing the book! Like a badge of honor.

And yes, it’s all about finding the method that’s right for you and your story. Thanks so much for sharing that!

By: Patti Mallett

Patti Mallett — Sat, 19 May 2012 13:30:02 +0000

Thanks, Gabriela!! (I couldn’t find your name. Thanks for the help there, Ross. And for sharing your very cool Excel method, too.)

Very helpful post and one I will certainly be trying. It looks right up my alley.

By: Great Stuff on the Writers Blogs, May 18, 2012 « cochisewriters

Great Stuff on the Writers Blogs, May 18, 2012 « cochisewriters — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:13:27 +0000

[…] Pereira (@DIYMFA) continues her week of outlining techniques with some untraditional ones. There’s no need to feel trapped in the rigid technique we were all taught in school […]

By: Ross Lampert

Ross Lampert — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:25:00 +0000

Good stuff, Gabriela. I’ve been using Excel for my WIP because it was the only way I could see the whole story at once (off the computer screen) more-or-less easily. I have a column for the chapter and scene number, color-coded columns for each of the major characters (plus “Others” as needed), and a column for the timeline. Each scene gets a row. For each scene, I write a brief description of what happens in the columns for the characters involved. If two or more characters happen to be in side-by-side columns, I’ll stretch the text across the columns. Printed out in landscape format, the outline is two sheets wide by 14 sheets high (or about 1.5 X 7.5 FEET!) but not only can I see it all, it’s easy to change and rearrange.

For me, and for this complex story, this works well. For someone else, it won’t. But that’s OK–these are all techniques, not rule, right?

By: Friday Link Love « Hunter's Writing

Friday Link Love « Hunter's Writing — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:26:19 +0000

[…] three posts this week on outlining techniques from standard, mindmaps, story maps and others at DIY MFA, and Janice Hardy gives another two important plot tips in the post – The Best Advice on […]