Do you outline your fanfics?

[Omnicat]

-_-; Like I said... that would totally kill my story, and any motivation I have to write it.

The thing is, I have this weird way of saying as much as I can in as little sentences as possible, and when I write anything down, I want to get it all written down... so unless it's a cryptic summary, it has to be a full scene, or I'll lose the need to write it down properly later. Summarizing is easy, outlining isn't. Heck, I did it just the other day; we had to write down a work plan for Arts class back in december on how to go about sculpting a torso, and I only did it this week, when I'd finished my sculpture. >_>

Then again, I'm only a starting writer, my longest story up to date is some 8000 words. But I don't think I'll ever be able to - or need to - outline my story beyond "starting point [liable to change], problem, plottwist, plottwist 2, plottwist x, etc., climax, aftermath [optional]" Everything else is fillers, stuffing. It's worked so far. There's just no other way I feel comfortable with, it's not compatible with my nature. As Weaver Atropos phrased it, I'm a free-writer. As long as the world around my story takes place in is deep enough and I'm flexible enough, I don't worry, because I'll (probably, hopefully) be able to cover up my plotholes.

If not, I'm simply in deep shit.

[melrose_stormhaven]

XD

Don't worry so much about it. Just write them down. Some people use outlines, some use recorders, or some entirely different methods.

[TaniHissatsu]

Okay, this may sound crazy, but stick with me here.

I have these little things called "muses." No, they do not wear togas. I sincerely doubt they'd even know what the Parthenon was, unless it became relevant in a fic I was writing. Essentially, these guys are actually no more than mental audiences for me to bounce ideas off of.
When I?m writing a story, it?s more like there?s a committee debating all aspects of it, instead of just one frustrated person who's so TIRED of this bloody plot that she's willing to rush it just to move on to the next chapter. They also help with writers block ? when there?s a characterization I?m having trouble with, or I can?t quite get the story to flow the way I want it to, I use them to analyze possible solutions (much in the same way Plato has fabricated conversations with Socrates in The Republic, if you're familiar with that)

So basically, what I'm saying is, having a sort of test-group can help, even if it's only in your head. You toss out an idea, they (which is actually you, but don't think about that part too hard) pick it up and suggest different solutions or ways it could play out. I use it in virtually everything I write and honestly, I think I get better ideas than I could if I just sat through it on my own.

On that note, I'm not crazy. O_o

[melrose_stormhaven]

Ahahahaha. I get muses too. I have mini-story conferences in my mind all the time, ahahaha.

[Omnicat]

XD

Don't worry so much about it. Just write them down. Some people use outlines, some use recorders, or some entirely different methods.

Thanks. It's just that when I read books or really long fics, I can't help but think that I'll never be able to pull stuff like that off. It's like I have to climb a mountain in my mind, without any equipment.

Hm, muses? When it concerns writing, I feel a little bi-polar already, so I don't think splitting myself up in a whole council would be a good idea. I just go over every aspect as myself. It would definately be amusing, though.