🚀 go-pugleaf

In a recent misc.writing article, Ojvind Bernander wrote:

>Chris Carstens writes:

>>5)  Trying to write non-fiction without a complete written outline is like
>>trying to drive from Los Angeles to Dubuque without a map.  It can be done,
>>but it's not sensible.
>
>As long as you know your destination, you can follow the road signs.
>It is highly individual how well you mesh with outlines.  But you
>should indeed know the ending -- or _an_ ending:  you may change your
>mind half-way through the story.

But he isn't talking about writing a story. He's talking about non-fiction.
Your comments about having "_an_ ending" in mind lead me to believe that
you are talking about fiction. 

What is sensible for writing fiction may not be sensible for writing
non-fiction (and vice versa).

I have never met a writer of non-fiction who doesn't work from some kind
of outline. I myself use a very sparse outline, whereas others use much
more detailed outlines, but we all use outlines. (I'm sure there are
people out there who write brilliant non-fiction without an outline
or even an idea of what the book will be about before they start. I
have never met one, though.)

On the other hand, I don't use an outline _per_se_ when writing fiction.

Marcy

-- 

Marcy Thompson		
  SoftQuad (West)			
    marcy@sqwest.wimsey.bc.ca (preferred) or marcy@sq.com