BellaOnline Forums Career Nonfiction Writing Outlining

My new article is on how to outline a nonfiction book. How do you do your outlining--or do you not outline at all?

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I don't really outline. I come up with my main characters and fictional towns or whatever and write them down and by then I already have an idea what I am writing about and then the rest just sort of comes to me as I write.

I come with the main idea or plot of the story, then how to start it and how I want to end it and fill in the rest as I go. I will be writing and then "Oh yeah, this character can take this path and that will work out nicely."

My first books were nonfiction. I am playing with fiction now and I don't have a detailed outline, but I do have a skeleton framework, and some bits and pieces to add as they come along. Does anyone outline fiction in detail?

Since I type it as is it comes (in pictures and sounds like a movie) into my mind I neither outline nor know what is coming up ahead when writing. But when re-writing I find an outline imperative and is essentially what the first pass is all about.

editted to add: I'd love to know about any good outlining tools or software.

heyyou (love the name)

I have a friend who went back to school (Phd in English), and she started using a program called Inspirational Tools. I think if you google Inspirational Tools you can try it for free one month.

It is a program meant for younger school age children, not for higher learning, but my friend says it works for her and she is happy with it. At least you can try it for free if you want.

My outlining system is called file cards I love them. I put each idea on a card, spread them out, and start shuffling. But I'm old and like simple things.

Thanks for the suggestions. I do want a computer system. I'm too cluttered as it is without cards to be strewn about, getting lost or floating about in the breeze. Though I admit to loving them in my pre-computer days.
Will look for that Inspirational Tools one as I want simple and it is kids I'm writing for so it ought to be compatible, I hope. I have Power Writer but am not totally pleased with it.

stamping carol, can you get an URL from your friend? Googling gives tons of religious stuff and not the outlining tool. thanks heaps.

Hey You - Can you tell us a little more about Power Writer? Have you ever looked at Story Teller - I think that is what the other software is called. I've seen them, but never used them.
Chel

Power Writer is the only one I know. And I'm rusty due to months of non-writing. (Been busy regaining health but am now healthier than ever.)

Power Writer has a learning curve but once through it the program is easy enough to use, though a bit more cumbersome than I'd like. It's not sim;le enough that I can just jump back in after a long break like this - I'll have some re-learning to do.

My main gripe though is that it doesn't seamlessly transfer back and forth with Word.
While doing the outline in Power Write I transfer a chapter, do my thing with it including corrections, resuffling, etc in the process of making the outline. Then it doesn't go back into Word the way I want - though I forget the specifics.

One thing, as I recall, it retains some of their own headings that can be 'hidden' within the program but remain in gray when I transfer the chapter back into Word. Not exactly what I want for a submission copy. I can do a massive 'find all and delete' but who wants the extra steps chapter after chapter.
There are other things too but I forget what they are.

Also it only allows a certain number of levels. I grew up with the old fashioned outline something this.
1
.A
..A1
...a
....a1
.....(a)
......(a1)
..A2
.B
..B1
2
etc
But I think you can only go
Project/Book name
Chapter
Scene
Scene
Scene

Sometimes I want more flexibility/depth than that.

Also I'm not sure what the problem is right now - I can't even open it. I've had a computer crash and replacement since I've had it plus a couple of reloads on this one after more minor crashes and I put it onto my laptop. It seems more prone to glitches and more vulnerable to power outages (we have many) than the computer itself is. (I have one of those fancy back-up batteries that closes everything before turning off the computer when the power goes out so it should be fine but ...)
Now it says I've run out of how many times I can load it. I can't go beyond that box. There's a contact process listed but I'm awaiting a new computer now so plan to wait until that is up and running to hassle it out with them.
Unless I can locate something I like better in the meantime.
For a program one pays good $$ for one ought to be able to use it without hassle - I think.