Title: Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success
Author: K.M. Weiland
Publisher: PenForASword; 6.1.2011 edition (July 1, 2011)
Pages: 192
My writing journey has been a slow one. My life is full, and
I’m in a busy season of my life. Still, the desire to write is constantly
present.
Once I made the outrageous decision to write a novel, I
picked up a copy of Stephen King’s, On Writing. Though it inspired me to dive
in, it failed to give me concrete structure; hence, I became a
seat-of-the-pants writer. I’ve gain knowledge along the way, perfecting my
craft as I go from published and unpublished authors, the internet, classes,
workshops, books on writing, and from reading others work. If there is one
thing that can be said about writers it is that many have a strong opinion of
whether one should be a pantser (Seat-of-the-pants-writer) or a plotter (An
outliner).
I plunged full force into writing, though a bit unsure,
content in my approach. Over time, the words of outliners began to sink in.
Then I hit a brick wall. I realized my writing was missing something, and if I
were not mistaking, it meant I needed to change my approach to staring a novel.
I began to add different methods such as characterization and goal, motivation,
and conflict charts. Still my stories lacked.
Convinced that I needed to make some serious changes, I gave
in to the idea that I needed to do some major legwork before beginning a story.
When I spotted OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL: MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS by K.M. WEILAND, I
read the reviews and pondered the thought of purchasing it. Did I really want
to become an outliner? Could I even do it?
Something I have learned over time is the variations of the
words pantsers and plotters. It is not an all or nothing approach, or
one-size-fits-all. One of the things that drew me to MS WEILAND’S book on
outlining is her attitude of the two approaches. She neither overly praised one
or badmouthed the other. It was all about finding the unique formula fit for
you.
My copy of OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL: MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS is
packed with handwritten notes, highlights and dog-eared pages. It is truly a
wealth of information and an eye-opening experience. You know a book is worth
every penny when you have a light bulb moment.
With too many examples to list, I will note the simplicity
and examples MS WEILAND chose in OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL: MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS
was instrumental in creating a book on the craft that will influence my writing
forever. The book is written in a way that will have you looking forward to
reading it each day, completing it from cover to cover.
To be honest, I was on the fence whether to purchase this
book, having several books I’ve read on the craft of writing, as well as
waiting to be read on my shelf. I am certainly glad I listened to the five star
and not one star, reviews. I would not label this book for “new writers”, but
for struggling writers, which can be at any point of one’s journey.
So impressed was I with MS WEILAND’S knowledge on writing and
her style in OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL: MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS , I purchased a
couple of her novels.
Information on OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL: MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS:
• Help you
choose the right type of outline for you
• Guide you in
brainstorming plot ideas
• Aid you in
discovering your characters
• Show you how
to structure your scenes
• Explain how
to format your finished outline
• Instruct you
in how to use your outline
Reveal the benefits:
• Ensures
cohesion and balance
• Prevents
dead-end ideas
• Provides
foreshadowing
• Offers
assurance and motivation
Dispel misconceptions:
• Requires
formal formatting
• Limits
creativity
• Robs the joy
of discovery
• Takes too much time
