National Novel Writing Month

[Aphetoros]

Outlining doesn't work for me...

Maybe I don't do it right.

[Anski]

You don't really need that much of an outline. Just have a beginning, a middle and an end. A general, overarching plot, something you can summarize.

Like;

"My novel (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) is about two drug addicts who travel across the desert and land in vegas out of their minds, trying to report on a car race but end up challenging the law and running in the race themselves only to escape at the end with no drugs money or alcohol into the desert again."

Hell, it doesn't even have to be that detailed. Just, a summary shortly of what you want to plot about.

[Aerikan]

I don't know, I disagree. In all my years of writing, the biggest thing I learned (besides obvious stuff like practice, keep at it) was to outline. Level of detail and length can vary, but I think you need more than a beginning, middle, and end (though don't forget those. Seriously).

If you want the plot to make sense, running gags to work, clues to add up, character motivations to hold true, pacing to be good, etc. it really helps to have a roadmap first, however basic.

If need be, go back to the outline as you get some words on paper and get a better feel for your tone and style. But you should know where it's going before it's finished.

Granted, I write movies and plays, not novels, but generally any of those I have seen without good structure planning have meandering plots.

For something like NaNo, just go for it, however you do it. But if you want a tight plot, to go for that polished feel of every scene adding something, it helps to get good at structuring.

[Aphetoros]

I'll see what I can come up with, I don't know exactly what it could be, though.

[Anski]

As I believe I said earlier, each person is different. I need just the basic outline to run with it, others need to just copy down a story they've already almost planned out 100%. It's just whatever works for them.

[Aerikan]

The level of detail isn't important, no. But success in writing includes the pre-work (brainstorming, planning, structure) and post work (rewrite, rewrite, rewrite), as well as just the writing part. Writing is always good. it is never bad to just sit and write. But most of the successful writers I know say that the more they write, the more they find that the stuff before and after becomes important. That's certainly held true for me. Whatever the exact nature of it is, pre and post work is critical.