tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post3892219451445843030..comments2023-10-21T05:22:29.815-04:00Comments on Ray Veen: word-slinger: The world's biggest outline nerd.Ray Veenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11956279552298172157noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-29096140370628908492009-11-22T09:24:44.548-05:002009-11-22T09:24:44.548-05:00Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium? ...Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium? <br />Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-90738496727825440502009-01-26T20:16:00.000-05:002009-01-26T20:16:00.000-05:00Ray, why is it that your wife dedicated a blog to ...Ray, why is it that your wife dedicated a blog to you, wishing you a happy birthday on the 12th if your birthday is on the 20th?<BR/><BR/>Are you trying to scam us?<BR/><BR/>Mmm?Sarah J Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05361749409608608472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-24412894676643427402009-01-19T00:17:00.000-05:002009-01-19T00:17:00.000-05:00Vee - Thanks Mom, liked your vid too. Robert Fros...Vee - Thanks Mom, liked your vid too. Robert Frost is still one of my faves.<BR/><BR/>Elizabeth - Copy my smartness? I don't think anybody's ever said that to me before. It makes me feel all tingly.<BR/><BR/>Tracey - Get to work, woman. You is a writer like us is.<BR/><BR/>Colby - Handy dandy notebooks rule.<BR/><BR/>Frank - Ouch. I should be revising instead of posting, shouldn't I?Ray Veenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11956279552298172157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-23143279137151687812009-01-18T22:49:00.000-05:002009-01-18T22:49:00.000-05:00Sheesh Ray! (And all you fellow fiction writers.) ...Sheesh Ray! (And all you fellow fiction writers.) That's too darn much like work. I'll stick to writing (mostly) truthy bits off the top of my head.<BR/><BR/>But then there's the revising....Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-62715706281970816572009-01-18T11:07:00.000-05:002009-01-18T11:07:00.000-05:00It's amazing you do so much! I thought I was comp...It's amazing you do so much! I thought I was compulsive about it until I read this :-) I do a pretty good outline and in depth character profiles in my handy-dandy notebook.colbymarshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14056535503422186623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-38753335969138946782009-01-17T16:15:00.000-05:002009-01-17T16:15:00.000-05:00Currently not writing a lot of anything.Currently not writing a lot of anything.Traceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16729536226775394377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-83375980577408244512009-01-17T16:08:00.000-05:002009-01-17T16:08:00.000-05:00I'm learning from you bud.I will probably outline ...I'm learning from you bud.<BR/>I will probably outline my next book as I already know what I want to happen. See? You're smart and I'm going to copy your smartness.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18223593384412438527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-39060403859933173392009-01-17T15:25:00.000-05:002009-01-17T15:25:00.000-05:00This comment refers to your last post. I love the ...This comment refers to your last post. I love the Beatles tune, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Somehow, this snow and ice and bitter cold just melts away when I hear that tune. Takes me back to fires in the backyard, and walking outside without wearing polar bear fur. It sort of inspired me to post something on my blog if I can get the video to publish.VeeFlowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08181530007440123152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-10286028941857289912009-01-17T14:34:00.000-05:002009-01-17T14:34:00.000-05:00Debra - I have nothing against people who trust in...Debra - I have nothing against people who trust in the muse. You go girl.<BR/><BR/>Mary - I'm starting to think that, for your more 'artistic' writers, outlines can be a liability.<BR/><BR/>Carrie - Totally anticlimactic. In fact, the best part of your comment was when you called me a nerd.<BR/><BR/>Madison - I used dial-up exclusively until a little over a year ago. Hated it.<BR/><BR/>Vivi - Finally, someone who appreciates meticulousness. Sounds like we're in the minority, my friend.<BR/><BR/>Keri - Glad you think so.<BR/><BR/>Anita - It's not the only way to write a book. I won't even say it's the best way. But it does work for certain people and maybe you're one.<BR/><BR/>Blackbird - Because you are one of those 'artistic' writers I mentioned above. I use writing as a way to show everybody the wild crap I come up with.<BR/><BR/>Shorty - You missed the birthday party, so, just send me a check or something.<BR/><BR/>Pink - Super good luck with that. I hope it works for you. Based on what you're starting with, I think it'll be magic for you -- if you're able to restrain yourself from the writing for an extra week.<BR/><BR/>Denise - From what I know of your story ideas, they usually rock. I hope my outlining method totally helps you walk it out.Ray Veenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11956279552298172157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-83484300957286051262009-01-17T12:16:00.000-05:002009-01-17T12:16:00.000-05:00Ray, perfect. That's exactly what I wanted to kno...Ray, perfect. That's exactly what I wanted to know! Not just, "Yeah, I use an outline, and background my characters", but "here's how many pages it takes up and how many spaces I have to leave for future stuff". <BR/><BR/>I have used an outline, but I have the impatient problem too, and I don't end up putting enough into it to make it particularly useful. <BR/><BR/>Your success has encouraged me to put in the effort this time. I decided to put the NaNoWriMo novel on hold because it ended up such a mess. Knowing the beginning and end didn't help much with the middle. It felt like holding a string at both ends; the middle can waggle all over the place.<BR/><BR/>But I've got this new idea...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-8618818396361835702009-01-17T10:27:00.000-05:002009-01-17T10:27:00.000-05:00Wow, this is great. After I read your post, I root...Wow, this is great. After I read your post, I rooted around my office supplies and found an empty notebook. I'm gonna give your method a try for my next book. I have a premise, some conflicts, the ending sketched out, but I need to flesh out the other stuff; I'm hoping this'll help.<BR/><BR/>I have tried outlining a million times, but I get so impatient to get writing I usually abandon it halfway. Sometimes it takes me a couple of drafts to figure out what is going on, and then based on that, I rewrite a new synopsis and last draft.<BR/><BR/>I usually stick to the synopsis until a subplot or minor character hijacks my plan. I then tear my hair out and eat lots of chocolate.Jewel Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09614039445924074306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-50810609821131572902009-01-17T09:22:00.000-05:002009-01-17T09:22:00.000-05:00I NEVER think about what I'm going to write...can ...I NEVER think about what I'm going to write...can you tell?<BR/><BR/>So BPV - what are the birthday plans? Jan 20 is right around the corner!shortensweethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00448869785919136047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-83098409932763037322009-01-17T08:25:00.000-05:002009-01-17T08:25:00.000-05:00I write very rarely. And only what comes to me, s...I write very rarely. And only what comes to me, so I start out with these fractured bits of story, never in sequence. When I figure out what the picture is, I glue them together. There's a sense of accomplishment in solving a story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-45483229606563432292009-01-17T00:03:00.000-05:002009-01-17T00:03:00.000-05:00My first draft, I started with zero outline. When ...My first draft, I started with zero outline. When I got to "The End," I thought, "Should've done an outline." Now I'm on about the fourth revision. The outline is beginning to look more like yours.<BR/><BR/>Next book, I'll start with an outline.Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333494452915600562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-87580864439646825582009-01-16T17:03:00.000-05:002009-01-16T17:03:00.000-05:00Impressive.. :)Impressive.. :)Keri Mikulskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10674081854220914215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-58699340037389063582009-01-16T13:37:00.000-05:002009-01-16T13:37:00.000-05:00I didn't do an outline for my first book, and it w...I didn't do an outline for my first book, and it was (and still is) a scattered mess! But, for my current WIP I did one looooooooong winded outline (I think it was about 50 pages), and it has been the best thing ever. If I get stuck, I go to the outline. It helps me get along better with myself, and that's always a good thing.Vikki https://www.blogger.com/profile/15654315874147137046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-40471448080534472522009-01-16T12:25:00.000-05:002009-01-16T12:25:00.000-05:00I HATE outlines! Detest them! In order to start wr...I HATE outlines! Detest them! In order to start writing a story, all I need is a beginning and knowing how the story's gonna end. I'm actually going to put a post on my blog soon about how I write my stories, but I can't till Blogger lets me post my pictures for the post. You know how much I say I detest outlines? Well, I loathe my stupid dial-up even more!Madisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05216166392239865356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-32167803238574301402009-01-16T12:07:00.001-05:002009-01-16T12:07:00.001-05:00Wow. You ARE a nerd, but the kind of prepared nerd...Wow. You ARE a nerd, but the kind of prepared nerd that makes me envious. :) I figure out the gist of the story and the first scene, then I background the bleep out of my characters. I have some idea of the ending, and then I just start writing. A little anticlimactic, huh?Carrie Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14893023777471521703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-37536629046023048462009-01-16T12:07:00.000-05:002009-01-16T12:07:00.000-05:00I like the reference to the white spaces. :) Logic...I like the reference to the white spaces. :) <BR/><BR/>Logically speaking, outlines make lots of sense to me and I applaud anyone who knows how to use one effectively. Christopher Moore uses a time line in a spreadsheet format. <BR/><BR/>I've done it both ways. The first book was all about seeing if I could just finish what I started. I did, but had no idea how it was going to end until it did. <BR/><BR/>With the second book I used notes, and a time line (trying Chris's idea). I did this largely because the story took place in a small town and I needed to keep who was married to who and who was related to who straight. In that respect, it did help. I wound up unhappy with the entire 150,000 word project, though I finished it. <BR/><BR/>Troubled_Waters was born a complete idea sparked by a gift from a friend I met online. It didn't need an outline, but I did keep a few notes. It pretty well wrote itself. <BR/><BR/>Willow's Blood was pretty much the same, though I think I flew by the seat of my pants quite a bit more than I did with TW. I did write out an outline, but I didn't ever look at it. And I did write out some notes. At some point I did separate out the two POVs into two files for continuity's sake (since their stories were taking place separately). I think I'll edit them the same way. <BR/><BR/>For me the key seems to be knowing how the story is going to end. If I can "see" that, then the rest of it kind of falls into place.Mary O. Paddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04097124493453341534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507032778164380887.post-92007875871900427862009-01-16T11:58:00.000-05:002009-01-16T11:58:00.000-05:00Ray, I've written two books: Little Pearls and Spa...Ray, I've written two books: Little Pearls and Sparks Fly Sometimes. Little Pearls took nearly 13 years of on-again, off-again writing to complete. SFS took less than two months. I had no notes or anything before I started either project. I write stories like I write songs - I trust in the process and try to "clear" the way for magic to happen. (A friend of mine put it this way, "What works for me is to get my brilliant a** out of the way.") Pretty similar to the way you do it. (Not!) I have to say, I'm wildly impressed by your prep work. You really are the man.Debra Lynn Sheltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.com