To Outline or Not, part 3

Outlining is the key to an organized manuscript.

Logical sequence is a must in a story. An outline helps me visualize the character’s motivation, followed by the continuity of the action, all before I start writing. I figure out the obstacles confronting the protagonist and how s/he reacts. My mind roams free as I outline with the goal of developing more ideas than will be needed so I have a choice or if one idea fails to work, I can select another. Life experiences or bits and pieces of stories I’ve read or heard inspire me to craft a story that is a reflection of my literary style.

As I researched and outlined the manuscript for BARRELING OVER NIAGARA FALLS, I needed to show the motivation for Annie Edson Taylor, a sixty-three-year-old woman who was not into sports or fitness, to ride a barrel over Niagara Falls. No one had ever performed this stunt, which offered strong potential for a violent and/or deadly outcome. Annie seemed to be an extremely unlikely candidate. As I learned more about her meager savings, lack of potential for long-term employment, and knack for detailed planning, I included this into the outline, clearly defining WHY she performed the stunt.

Next came the HOW of the story. How did Annie prepare for the stunt? Pacing is vital to a picture book. Each page must provide action, something in which the character does or is done to the character. Illustrators rely on specific action. Pacing refers to how quickly, or slowly, the action happens. An outline allows me to see where the action is taking place. As Annie prepared, through a trial-and-error approach, the pacing slowed. When she rode the barrel over the Falls, the pacing picked up speed. Even though the pacing increased with the barrel ride, I didn’t want the scene to play out too quickly in order to keep the tension high and keep the reader wondering if she would live or die. Pacing in a story is much like the ever changing ebb and flow of Niagara River and the Falls—it slows down and speeds up according to the elements involved and is different with every story.

Next week, I’ll list more reasons why a simple, easy outline helps me be more productive.

Call for submissions for Young Writers:

Hello Giggles is a lifestyle website founded in 2011 by writer Molly McAleer, producer Sophia Rossi and actress Zooey Deschanel. The site is currently seeking young contributors for its newly launched teen section. The editors are looking for personal essays, cultural criticism, articles with original reporting, short fiction, and illustrations. Contributors must be at least 14 years of age. Hello Giggles attracts over 12 million readers per month

Submission guidelines at http://hellogiggles.com/contact/ 

Call for submissions for Adult Writers:

Parents & Kids Magazine. In addition to the topics below, we also accept seasonal submissions. So we are always interested in a Valentine's story for our February issue. Submit seasonal things well in advance.  I really don’t mind looking at your Christmas ideas in May.  Really.

JANUARY

Know & Go Guide 

FEBRUARY

Heart Health & Women’s Fitness 

MARCH

Ultimate Summer Fun Guide

Summer Camp Guide 

APRIL

Summer Travel

Pets

Grandparents 

MAY

Metro School Guide 

JUNE

Birthday Parties 

JULY

Maternity and Pediatric Health Guide 

AUGUST

Back-to-School 

After-School Activities 

SEPTEMBER

Sports & Play

Family Fitness 

OCTOBER 

Halloween & Fall Fun Guide 

NOVEMBER

Holidays 

DECEMBER

Education

Submission guidelines at http://www.parents-kids.com/index.php/about-us/writers-guidelines-v15-133

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.

To Outline or Not

The thought of outlining a manuscript is so daunting to some writers they avoid it entirely. To others, this prewriting phase is a necessity. I fall into the second category for a number of reasons.  

The main reason, since I’m not a workaholic, is the simple fact that outlining makes writing easier. Working smarter, not harder gets my vote. Before I write the first word of a story, I need to have at least a vague idea of the ending. Now, all is need is the middle. The outline works like a roadmap to get me from the beginning to the ending in the straightest path.  

My outlining is simple and basic. If I’m writing a picture book, I write the general idea for the beginning; then add the plot points and on to the ending. By spending time thinking about the story as I outline, I become more familiar with the characters, their actions and reactions, and the order in which events should happen. Does this mean that I will strictly adhere to this order? Probably not, but it does provide direction.

An outline forces me to consider various ways the information can be revealed, which is the structure or skeleton of the story. In my Whose series, I used a question and answer structure, which worked well. With On the Banks of the Amazon, I used a fiction-nonfiction parallel structure. The first paragraphs on each page were nonfiction. A fiction paragraph followed.

When I decide on the structure, I outline the fiction or nonfiction story basics. In the Whose series, I outlined the animals I would use and in what order. Once I have the structure established, I can research and add meat to the form with specific details. Figuring out the structure prior to writing helps to organize the plot logically, so there is less time spent revising.

Next week, I’ll discuss more reasons why I outline.

Call for submissions for Young Writers:

Rookie. Call for submissions! Here’s what we’d love to see from you, Rookies! (And continue to check back, as we’ll keep adding to this list.) All of these must be sent to submission@rookiemag.com. Please include your name and age, and use the subject line specified for each post.

1. Poetry Roundup. Each month, we publish a roundup of poetry written by you. If you’d like us to consider your work for January’s roundup, please email it to us by Friday, January 14, with the subject line: Poetry Roundup.

2. Advice questions. These can be sent in any time. Life ’n’ love go to youaskedit@rookiemag.com, and beauty ’n’ style go to beautyandstyle@rookiemag.com.

3. Instagram. We want to see your artwork and photography! Post it on Instagram with the hashtag #lookrookie and we will take a peek and may regram it or spotlight it in our weekly newsletter!

Submission guidelines at http://www.rookiemag.com/submit/ 

Call for submissions for Adult Writers:

Chicken Soup for the Soul. Dreams, Premonitions and the Unexplainable. (Formerly titled Dreams & Synchronicities) Sometimes magic happens in your life. You have a dream that reveals a truth or a course of action to you. You have a premonition that changes your behavior and saves you or a loved one from disaster. You meet someone at just the right time and you can’t believe the coincidence. We’re collecting stories for a second book on this topic, following our bestseller Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dreams and Premonitions. Share your stories about the amazing things that have happened in your own life.

The deadline date for story and poem submissions was May 31, 2016 but it has been extended to JANUARY 31, 2017.

Submission guidelines at http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.