Outlining ~ Finding the Method Which Works for You

There is a bunch of conjecture out in the writer world about how to plan out a story whether it's nonfiction or fiction. Whether to do a standard outline like you learned in grade school, spread sheeting, cataloging, mind mapping, piece work, or pantstering (just write without any plan) and a lot of others. I've actually done all of these for one book or another or combined variations.

I like the combination method best and I'll tell you why.

The first one like we all did in basic writing class to me is the least creative process of them all, but it's one we learned first. It's basic numbers and letters, and indents. I may write linear but this it too basic and doesn't allow much wiggle room. It's point A to the end. It can be set up with your kernel idea, laid out by chapters to the end, or any way you want to lay it out. This helps you stay on task and know what to write next.

For me, I'll update it this constantly. Why you may wonder. I hear you "that's double the work!"
"Yep!" I don't know about you, but my characters are alive in my head telling what they will or will not do or say. It drives almost insane when they wake me up in the middle of the night!  My novels evolve as I write them. That's okay if they don't do that to you. I'm the queen of Abby Normal, all hail the queen!

It also helps me write the dreaded synopsis when I'm searching for an agent or publisher later. Why multiple agents and/ or publishers? They have specialized markets. At one time I had four different publishers and two agents. It will also help me write the blurb for the back of the book if I self publish.

Some people use spreadsheets to write a story. It's a basic question-answer type thing. I'll use this method for character studies. That's a psychology test for my characters: race, hair color, fears, wants, favorites song, etc for more on this click the tab on the left "Lesson-Know your character."


By this little jewel of a method, I can keep consistency in my writing. Greg's eyes don't change from blue in chapter 1 to brown in chapter 26. If the character is known to have an Irish lilt in his voice in chapter 16 and switch to a Scottish brogue by chapter 30.

 Cataloging comes in pictures, quotes and sources of: people I base my characters' looks are concerned, tattoos, the houses they live in, a floor plan of the house, the cars they drive, maps, etc. It's full of all the little details like going up stairs and turning right to the bathroom or left. I will find a picture of the outside of a house that's appropriate and a floor plan, and even build them with Sims2 & Sims 3. Okay so building a house in Sims is a bit extreme but is also playtime for me. It's like scrapbooking details visually. Some authors can use several pictures to write a whole story. Visuals are helpful for detail work and writing is detailed work. You are painting a picture in the reader's mind.

I've done TONS of mind maps for stories before I write. Some fall by the wayside never fully thought out, or bumped by newer stories, or used as a rough draft of stories in the future. They get filed away in a file folder on my thumb drive. Although the picture depicts how to write a story, I got smart and eventually used Word to mind map.  It's the plot, arcs, and a few sequencing things similar to a flowchart.

The first story I drew several large printer paper sheets for the whole story. While I love to brainstorm story ideas with mind mapping, I'll never do a full book that way again. I could use it for a dining room tablecloth. I might insert here that my dining table seats 12.

Piece work is writing scenes and the and sewing them all together at the end. I admit to not having done a whole whole like this although I know authors that do. Some writers even use large card Roll-a-dexes. Now I love to do quilting and turning all those scraps into a beautiful quilt like I said, I'm a linear writer. That being said, I'm writing my new nonfiction this way. I'll eventually go back to an outline. It seems to be a jumbled mess.

Pantstering is writing without an outline. Flying by the seat of your pants writing style. This word drives my spelling checker crazy. I couldn't keep all the characters straight unless it was a children's book. The only panstering I've done was short stories because rarely do they have much details. Over in Compuserve's writer's forum there are writing shorts monthly. Usually there is a theme given that lends itself to pantstering. I'm not brave enough to try a 50K word book this way, but I do know many successful authors that write this way.

What works best for you is the way you should write. What's your method?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

You May Have Noticed...

Since I'm trying to get my life into an Abby Normal schedule again, I've started posting twice a week again and hopefully back to three times a week by the end of the year. The proposed schedule will be Wednesday for writer's writing and Sunday on challenges in writing after a stroke with some more excerpts. Eventually I will do a Friday blog (promotion & marketing) with interviews with other authors and reviews of movies and books I have read and/or watched. I will not do a star system but tell a brief summary, what I liked and didn't like about said book or movie. It will only be my opinion. It won't be a single category type thing because I am eclectic in all things.

I started writing again this week. So far I've added another 1,000 words bringing the total to over 17K of 75K. I've still got a long way to go, but I keep remembering the tortoise and the hare story. Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad will be completed... I just have no idea as to when. But it's a slow and steady progress thing. There is so much difference in my writing now compared to before the stroke.

 In some ways, it's learning how to write again from scratch. It is definitely a work in progress. It will be my sole effort until my neurons steadily fire around the damaged areas in my brain. Once I can master writing in a way I'm used to I'll go back to my fiction writing. Although it probably won't ever be up to ten to twenty projects at a time as before. The genius, multitasking, master juggler is gone.

Maybe a ghost writer would be a better option, but I'm stubborn. I've ghosted manuscripts in the past for others and I still have other books and novels yet to be published. One of my daughters offered to help me reedit and reformat my novels for Kindle. Which would be great except she has no idea how to do it without me standing behind her as we go from line to line. I helped her pass her college level English courses. It would takes forever. Of course I could just go back to the original manuscript and make the changes, but I realize it is beyond me right now. 

Escape from Second Eden was originally saved to a 5 1/4 floppy, 3.5 floppy, CD and finally a thumb drive. The files corruption when I downloaded my novels from Kindle are unusable. I have to go back to square one and re-release the titles under a new cover and new edition. That's the only option I see.

My daughter mentioned that she can type faster than 100WPM if I recorded the story on a tape player she could type it. The major problem is that's not how I write or tell a story. There won't be that flash of inspiration that stems from writing it yourself. Some of my greatest scenes happened while typing the basics out on the keyboard. While I've ghosted by dictation before, it's the flair of creativity has to be added. It is an option though.

That's the beauty of being an indie author. You can do what you want when you want. It can't be any worse than getting poor reviews because of a screwed up format. It's the learning curve that's tripping me up right now. By my calculation I've lost five to ten years of memory and how-to with the stroke. Even things like languages I spoke for decades is a part of my forgotten history. So the relearning process continues on. But memory is flexible and evolving constantly.

I tested my typing speed. I do it with the Mavis Beacon Typing program. I do this every Saturday to see if I'm improving. I take big and small victories where I can.While I'm still using one hand instead of two and there is improvement. I still have to look at the keys though. My corrected speed is up to 18WPM. Yeah me!

I'm still doing my exercise workouts and e-stim twice a day. I have two therapists I married last year coming in once a week and measuring progress until the new year rolls around. I'm truly blessed because I didn't know they were therapists when I married them. Only one did I know worked with my daughter at Hospice. The other one showed pictures of her wedding to my daughter. That's when the connection was made. Both volunteered their services to me. An added blessing. It's funny when you think about it. A couple talking sessions about their weddings, me officiating and paid, and usually that's it. I rarely keep extended contact with people after the ceremony.It just goes to show how things come full circle in life. The little things that you do in this life which impact others.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Why I Didn't Give Up my Day Job to be a Writer

Some writers desire staying at home and just writing. I never did. I kept my "day job" for several reasons even though I was writing for cold, hard cash....

1) Even though my writing paid me well-getting royalty checks after the advance earned out was fluctuating. Even when you added in the money I made doing free-lance work. I had a marriage, bills and four children. There is nothing like financial security.

2) While I've lived in large cities to small towns, competition is steep. Small towns can't afford you and in cities writers are a dime a dozen. Unless you've made a name for yourself somewhere else. Who really has that as a writer just starting out? Now keep in mind I've been writing for over 30 years under a number of different pen names or no mention of my name at all because I ghosted.

3) Deadlines. While I have no real issues with deadlines, they can be a challenge on a weekly or daily basis. I did not need it with everything else I was juggling. Between a full time job, a part-time job, college and home life, even I have my limits on how much I can juggle. That included with my writing time. I just don't or didn't need another timeline in my head.

Once my husband became ill, plus the added care of elderly in laws it was a master juggling feat at best with my teaching position, ministry work, and writing. Even traditional publishing was a closed door with the hospitalizations, day-to-day care, and deaths.

4) Bias. I have my own thoughts on what I should write and when. I think I've mentioned  few times on this blog that I'm a Taurus and bull headed, or maybe I used the words stubborn and hard headed. While this works in some careers, it doesn't always translate well with publishers, editors, line editors, copy editors, etc. They want what they  want, and that's it. It also brought in more deadlines.

5) The outside world is more enjoyable than writing strictly from one's head. I enjoy sitting in waiting rooms or parks. I'm a people watcher and a people person. Sitting in your of office all day long writing, you become detached from life. I'd jot down mannerisms, accents, reactions of those around me so every character has their own ticks.

6) I sat on the fence and watched and studied the indie movement in fiction before I jumped on the band wagon in fiction and some nonfiction. I decided I wanted to try POD (print on demand) and the e-marketplace rather than a vanity press. It has been a year and a half, and I make enough to provide some comfort, but not a  stable dependable income like some other authors. Especially with me not doing my clergy work for almost five months because of my stroke...but still the money trickles in because I haven't been active no the social media front. BUT honestly what other full time or even part time job would allow me that much time off and still pay me?

7) In the different phases in my life, writing has been something I enjoyed. My youngest used to bring friends home from school and I'd be writing on a day off. "Don't mind her she's lost in (Russia, Ceylon, Belize, Germany...)," she'd explain and then they'd be off talking about some boy or homework. Even now, with the struggles I go through doing it, I still enjoy it. It's my escape. It's a vacation away from my real life. Of course that's not exactly true with my new book, because it's about my life.

That's my two cents and with inflation a quarter.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

To Write or Not Right Now

I've spent the last two weeks not writing a single word except for this blog. What's behind this stoppage of work? Exhaustion? Family? Uninspired? Laziness? Mental issues? Depression? How about all of the above!

Whichever one I want to blame that's the cause. This month is more than halfway over and I haven't written a single new word to my book, Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad. In fact, I haven't even opened my rough draft this month.<shaking my head> I'm ashamed to call myself an writer, because I'm not writing.

This month I'm exhausted. I stay that way no matter how much sleep I get. I'll drag in from my PT/OT sessions and crawl into bed. In a two-hour session, I'll peddle mountains for three miles on a bike, 1,000+ steps, biofeedback/e-stem exercises for 20 minutes, range of motion exercises for my arm, computerized reactions, and stretches for an hour. After a two-hour nap, I'll do more of the at home exercises and another round of electrical stimulation (e-stim). I'll lay down for another half hour, not really sleeping just doing some light bed exercises and stretches while watching the idiot box. Then I'll nuke something for supper eating it with no appetite but because I have to eat before night meds and 8 & 10 PM.

On the family front, so far this month there has been one grandchild's birthday, a day at the beach,  my anniversary, my nephew's birthday, my niece's wedding, homecoming at my home church, two baby showers, and my husband's birthday. Never a dull moment which the reason this blog is titled The Murphey Saga instead of some clever writerly name. It's the never ending story of the Jo Murphey, the writer. It's comparable to a bad soap opera.  Kind of like that night time soap opera a dozen and a half years ago with Billy Crystal "Soap."

Uninspired and laziness (see above) It seems there are more things taking away my energy spoons faster than I can replace them. So just what am I doing with my time? I find myself on POGO in between times trying to increase my speed of various games, rebuilding my vocabulary with Scrabble  and QWERTY, matching skills with Mahjong, Sequencing abilities with card games, Bingo, and Boggle. I used to find these things relaxing but now they task my brain and can get frustrating...it's work. But I'm also building my clicking speed with my mouse. If only I could draw left handed, but that's a superfine motor skills...like writing. On the hand writing front, I can write where others can actually read what I wrote. I've progressed from that large kindergarten paper to wide ruled although I still have trouble staying on the line. Maybe I'll try coloring.

The mental stress is caused from the stroke and I realize this. Having to backspace over misspelled words, seeing all the green and red squiggly lines is down right depressing. My depression stems from my not being able to write/type the way I'm used to and a whole lot of other things since the stroke. I long for the days of just 4 1/2 months ago when I could  plug away at my keyboard and finish a rough draft of 50K words in a matter of weeks. I started this book two months ago and typed 16K words and it's a mess worthy of a grade-schooler and I'm having doubts big time. You think I'm joking? You know that grade reading level thingie in the spell checker? Up until last week it tallied 5.2. But the last addition brought it up to 8.0 which is about standard although my usual for nonfiction is about 10th grade level. I keep reminding myself that I had a stroke less than five months ago, but that is getting old even to me. If you are following my other blogspot blog PastorJoSays, it goes into more detail about my rationale for my stroke. 

This is my pity pot thinking when it takes me 45 minutes to shower and wash my short hair, and another 5 to brush my teeth and hair, 20 minutes to put on clothes so they are not skewed or twisted. Forget about make-up! I've never been one of those fru-fru type of gals. Maybe some lipstick or blush on occasion, thank goodness. I've never been gorgeous and no amount of war paint will improve it. Normal was shower, dress, makeup and out the door in under fifteen minutes. Being able to cut my own finger and toe nails...maybe even polish them or buff them. Growing your own fresh vegetables. Being able to wash dishes in the sink. Fast chopping ingredients and preparing gourmet, home cooked meals. The little things in life that most people take for granted or at least I did until my stroke. Time's up! Off the pity pot.

On a lighter note, I'd forgotten I'd signed up for the annual Zombie Walk in Savannah next month until the email arrived last week. I'd planned to participate in full zombie regalia, do a book signing, and offer PDF CD versions of Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption and what should have been Zombie Apocalypse: Travelers. Travelers still sits on my hard drive, and since the stroke, it still needs a major rewrite. I e-mailed the sponsor back with my regrets, explaining my stroke, and although I would make an excellent zombie with a dragging arm, droop my face a bit, and twisted foot...I just couldn't sign books. Oh well, maybe by March in Jacksonville. Or next year in Savannah. It seems like I'm saying that a lot these days...maybe next year. It's not procrastination...it just is. My insurance is done for physical therapy. I'm still fighting with Social Security Disability with the help of a lawyer. But if it takes as long as with my husband's case...I won't need it. I plan to be fully recovered by then.

In the meantime, I plan to start writing again in on Monday...wish me luck.
Keep writing and loving the Lord

How do handle real life intrusions to your writing?

A Survialist or a Prepper After the Stroke

I recently wrote a nonfiction, Are You a Survivalist or a Prepper? Since my stroke in May not many things apply  that I once could do, obviously! Since I can barely walk, use only one arm, and am speech impaired.

But some things remain constant through adaption. I can peddle my bicycle powered washing machine. It's also therapy for my weakened leg. I'm using my electric dryer because carrying an armload of clothes outside to hang up to dry impossible. Well not impossible just awkward with a cane. My solar oven and homemade Rocket stove remain unused and I bought another electric stove. It's just easier than trying to lift a pot off the stove without having to walk outside to do the task. When walking is difficult, you tend to do what is quicker and easier to conserve my waning energy levels.

While I shot expert with my 9 mm with my right hand, I'm a lousy shot with my left. I'm practicing the slide action and target practice. The rifle is a bit trickier. I've found my .38 easier to handle. By the time I get my right hand back I'll be deadly with both hands which is a plus.

My garden died while I was in the hospital and I cannot operate my tiller with one hand. But I have figured out how to grow certain things in pots, is there any thing better than a fresh, garden grown tomato? I can eat them like an apple with the juices running down my chin. Although there is not the bountiful harvest to preserve for the long term.

I find myself growing attached to items such as my mechanical chopper and food processor, a gift from one of my children. While I'm still a prepper and avid couponer, my husband now clips them. Me and scissors is like molasses in winter. For my big haul items my daughter goes shopping with me because I can carry only two light weight bags at a time. I'm thankful for my foresight in stored items. They carried us through the time I was in the hospital and beyond. I still maintain a careful inventory of what's available at home, but life has changed. I am where I was ten years ago, dependent instead of self-sufficient for the time being.

My hope of building my home on the new site and further renovation efforts on my present home have been put on hold, but the planning goes on. You see,  I still believe in the principle of being a survivalist and a prepper. I'm watching the economy, gas prices rising, the mail system on the verge of bankruptcy, taxes going up, crop failures, and everything else. With political elections next month, it's anybody's guess what the next few years will bring. I'm not worried. I'm prepared although not as prepared as I thought I'd be a few short months ago. Still I keep at it. My family is important to me.

While I may not be as able as I once was, the knowledge gained and passed on is invaluable. I've provided a storage space for my children to be able to store their supplies while adding to my own. Where they had little space to store anything before, now they have space. They now help me with items gotten cheap and preserving them for further use. They lack for nothing in the way of food or paper goods. They are learning how to prepare delicious meals from dehydrated foods with their own personal touches. I've seen growth in their own personal knowledge base towards survival.

So what's in a book? Everything.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.