By Rich Ritter: The New
Voice of the American West
I know what you’re
thinking: “Why do I care about something as tedious as a story outline?” I
understand. I’ve spoken with several authors who began a novel with only a
minimal outline or (in one case) none at all. This approach may work for some,
but I feel compelled to prepare a detailed story outline—likely because I am
pathologically analytical. Recently, I heard a celebrity brag that it took over
three months to write his book. I find this statement quite amusing because
this is typically the length of time I require to write the outline. With this
in mind, here are my suggested components of a detailed story outline:
1) Book
Titles. The first title that pops into your mind is usually not the best.
Write it down anyway. And don’t stop there: record all potential titles,
especially when they come to you in the bathroom.
2) List
of Characters. You have probably already imagined a number of characters.
Write these down too, including when they were born, place of birth,
interesting life experiences, psychological traits (especially pathologies),
and anything else you can think of. Organize by primary and secondary.
3) Chapters
and Titles. I know this sounds painful, but you don’t have to come up
with the entire Table of Contents in one sitting. List as many as you can, then
give it a rest. If you keep thinking about it over the next few weeks, the
chapters will automatically present themselves as your subconscious works it
out while you’re asleep.
4) The
First Sentence of Every Chapter. At this point, you’re probably
saying, “You’ve got to be kidding!” Well, I’m not. Just write out the
sentences. Revise or replace them later.
5) Outline
of Each Chapter. This is why it takes months to prepare a detailed story
outline (unless you’re a celebrity). If you can’t outline the chapters now,
then you certainly can’t write them later.
6) Research
Notes. Mark Twain said, “The only difference between reality and fiction is
that fiction needs to be credible.” Since I write edgy historical fiction,
I always keep this in mind. Record any historical information
relevant to your story, including sources. Insert links to Internet websites,
articles, or news stories that will improve the authenticity of your writing.
If you collect printed materials, organize for easy retrieval.
7) Historical
Photographs. I’ve used a single photograph to inspire a protagonist, an
important event, or an entire chapter. Employ your favorite search engine to
find photographs pertinent to your genre and story. Save with descriptive file
names in a separate folder for each chapter. Make it a game and collect photos
by the hundreds.
I encourage you to
prepare the story outline in a series of increasingly improved drafts until you
are deeply satisfied with your effort. When you finally begin that masterpiece,
you will find that it nearly writes itself!
Rich Ritter is the son of a father who worked in the aerospace industry and a mother
who taught first grade. Born in the Midwest during the Korean War, his family
moved to California before he began the first grade. He attended second grade
through high school in Anaheim, and then California Polytechnic State
University in San Luis Obispo. He completed his thesis year in Denmark, and
while there met Kristine from Alaska—in the balcony of the Royal Danish Ballet
during a performance of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. He moved to Alaska and
married Kris a few years later. The author and his wife have two sons. Book
titles: Toil Under the Sun: A Novel, Heart of Abigail: A Lyric Novella of
Juneau, Douglas and Treadwell, Nor Things To Come: A Trilogy of the American
West, Book One: The Perilous Journey Begins, Book Two: Gathering
of the Clans, Book Three should be available in 6 months (or thereabouts).
His social Media links: http://richritterbooks.com/
-- http://rphillipritter.blogspot.com/ --https://authormasterminds.com/rich-ritter -- https://www.facebook.com/Rich-Ritter-The-New-Voice-of-the-American-West-162253087166472/?ref=bookmarks
-- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-ritter-281582124/
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