Re-Outline

I reject the idea that an outline makes one bored with a story, unable to change the plot or is the equivalent of a finished book.

I’ve heard all the excuses. Frankly, an outline isn’t set in stone. The outline is as much of a living document as any novel in progress. These are the bones of a story we’re talking about, the crunchy bits that move the story along.

And sometimes the bones grow.

Twice now, I’ve had to rework the remaining outline of Fallen Kingdom. First, when I decided that adding viewpoints would add to the story as a whole, and now, as I head into the last part of the book, the story has changed in a way I didn’t expect. That means it’s time to take a breath and see where I go from here.

As I’ve said before, I have a scene by scene outline. When I rework an outline, I don’t go through the whole process again. I read through outline, take out the bits I’ve already hit, and add the new lines of plot that make sense. Then back to writing.