Why I Outline Last
Every writer builds the foundation for their novel differently, and most of us do it a little differently every time we attempt to write a novel. Some writers start with an almost fully formed plot and write their outline while still trying to figure out the characters' histories and the setting's climate. Others start with characters who won't leave them alone. A select few start with an interesting world. Every one of my novels starts differently, but I almost always outline last. Some years I've barely outlined at all before Nanowrimo got started. Why do I outline last? The first reason is because I consider outlines to be loose guides rather than something I'm going to follow to the letter. I expect my novels to grow and change as I write them,…