During a writer’s conference, I was talking to Isaac Stewart, an assistant of Brandon Sanderson (blatant name drop), about Discovery Writing versus Outlining.
Discovery Writing
Discovery writing is starting to write your novel with often nothing more than a single idea.
This is like being in a completely dark area, and you are going to start walking and feel your way to your story.
Some great stories are created this way. Many of the most unique stories happen this way.
One of its main flaws is that it is easy to write off on a tangent and get lost going the wrong direction. It can lead to a lot of wasted writing.
Outlining
Outlining is where you figure out the characters, plot, and chapter headings, or scenes. Often, outlining involves a detailed outline of what happens in each chapter.
This is like being in a completely dark area, and before you move, you somehow turn on a bright light, maybe even the sun, that illuminates the area so thoroughly, you know exactly where you are and where you are going before starting to walk.
Some great stories are built this way. Also, it has a huge benefit for writers, in that they always know what to write.
One of its flaws is that it can lead to formulaic novels that aren’t unique. Or the novel feels forced. Or the direction of the novel should be obvious, but the novel doesn’t go in the correct direction because it instead follows the outline.
Flashlight Writing
I didn’t conform to either of these. I used both. I started with an idea. I wrote a short story using discovering writing. That short story was like turning on a flashlight. I could now see one area where I am pointing my flashlight. Then as I move, I illuminate a short distance by outlining my next chapter. Sometimes I outline as far as two chapters ahead, but often I discover the next chapter as I go.
Don’t feel trapped
So don’t feel trapped into outlining or discovery writing. Find what works for you. Try flashlight writing. Don’t write in the dark and don’t fall off a cliff, but still allow yourself to discover.
Note: Technically Magic was the first novel I finished from a full outline. It strayed somewhat from the outline, which I never considered rigid.
Does this work for any genre? So you write a rough draft first?
This is how I wrote books Trinity of Mind books 1, 2, 3, and currently how I am writing book 4. Most my stories are written this way. I thought I was pantsing when I was really outlining the next few steps, moving forward, and just maintaing about a 3 to 5 step from where I am outline.
Flashlight writing is more like discovery writing with about 3 to 5 notes below where you are writing that provide a direction and a hint of outlining. I simply see a direction while pantsing and add those 3 to 5 lines of direction at the bottom (just below where I am writing). I may write the scenes for those 3 to 5 lines, or they may get updated with better flashlight ideas.
Will this work for you? I don’t know. I’ve talked to discovery writers who do this and call it discovery writing while other say they never have notes intentionally so the next day they get to discover again.
However, I just finished my WIP where I did a full outline first. I found I only stayed about 70% true to my outline. I had to keep updating my outline and had to throw things out. So now I can say that outlining sort of worked for me too.
As long as you bring a book to the finish line and it is written well enough others want to read it, then this will work for you.