Tag: writer

Outlining the Importance of Outlines

The idea when writing anything is that there will be a flow of a beginning, a middle, and an end. Before a writer can even go that far, though, they much first write an outline for a story. I will list a few reasons why writing an outline is incredibly important to assist a writer in their work.

The outline of a work of writing is an organization of the most important events that will make up the story. This is especially helpful for writers to stay on the proper track to know the order in which to write the story, to keep the voice and message coherent throughout their work. This can apply to nearly every kind of writing, although it is much more commonly used when someone plans on writing a chapter story since there will be multiple plot points to keep track of.

While writing the outline is the first major step in writing a story, that doesn’t mean that writing an outline is easy. In fact, at times, it can seem more difficult than writing the story itself because not everyone always starts out knowing how their story will end. It is also difficult to keep following due to the fact many writers want to write plot points not in chronological order, which can become an issue on keeping a proper and well-flowing story.

The way to write an outline is to understand the major events you plan to include in the story. Then, you organize the story in the way you see the plot points unfolding. There are a few basics such as:
*Introduction
*Chapter 1/Plot Point 1
*Chapter 2/Plot Point 2
*Chapter 3/Plot Point 3
*Chapter 4/Plot Point 4
*Chapter 5/Plot Point 5
(and so on)
*Conclusion

This isn’t an uncommon formula for other writings, such as thesis papers or even short stories. (Obviously, those chapters in those case would rather be paragraphs than full-blown chapters.)

The truth is writers are incredibly creative people whose minds tend to wander a lot, constantly having their brain going a mile a minute. This is great for brainstorming, but not for staying focused. The best way to accomplish staying on task is to organize a proper outline before beginning their writing, giving a solidly set plan into how the writer will succeed in presenting their story to the rest of the world.

Silence Isn’t Golden

There seems to be an issue lately where writers are unable to take valid criticism, and would prefer fans to remain silent on any concerns and not offer any helpful tools to help people improve their work. This can be particularly annoying for editors, readers, and anyone with a general sense of respect for literature as a whole. There are a few social media presences, such as a few YouTube Influencers for example, who would write without any editing help about very personal experiences and then throw fits about how their work was fairly and accurately critiqued. Such issues brings up and important thought I’d explore today: Is it possible for someone’s writing to be too personal? If so, does that mean it shouldn’t and can’t be criticized?

Personally, I’d say no, there is no such thing as too personal. Within legal means and reason, people are allowed to share their personal experiences or ideas, but everyone must understand in advance that just because they can write about something doesn’t mean everyone will like it. If we refuse to be open to adjusting certain plot points, or be okay with negative feedback, then we will never be pushed outside our comfort zone into creating writing that is truly unique. If someone is offended at the idea of their personal stories or beliefs being called into question, then the writer may need to reexamine whether or not they want that story to be told or not.

I believe everyone, including myself, can improve on my writing and we all should. There is always a problem to be solved, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try at all! Accepting criticism is an important skill to have, no matter what area of life may be directly linked to it. Criticism isn’t meant to hurt or deter the receiver, but to honestly let them know where they may need improvement.

It is a reader and fellow writer’s responsibility to be honest and forthcoming when sought out for help or improvement, so while critiques should be offered in a positive and supportive manner, it should absolutely be brought up. In the case of supporting one another, silence will never be golden.