Outlines and Summaries: How Important are They?
Many times I have heard writers say that they abandoned a project because they had no idea what to write. Here’s some advice.
The importance of summaries:
Summaries are very helpful, because it gives you the basic story. Usually only one to three pages, but I’ve written outlines up to ten pages long. This is where you can get out the basic ideas of your story. Summaries can give your story direction, so when you begin writing you have a basic premise of where you want to go, but remember nothing is chiseled in stone. If you feel like changing that direction, feel free. Summaries also help you gather your thoughts better, but it is different for everybody. Find out what works for you. Remember writing is an adventure, but even in an adventure certain preparations should be taken.
Say on Friday after the your work week is finished you decide to go on an impromptu vacation. Yes, it was not planned but certain preparations must be taken. If it is a car trip, checking the car to see if there is enough gas. Stopping by the store to pick up provisions like food, oil, water or road maps. It’s the same with writing a story. You are starting this grand adventure, and a summary will give you that basic direction.
Why should I write an outline?
So, you have begun to write your story. You’re typing away like a mad person. Everything is going great. Wow! You’ve finished you first chapter. Oh no, where do I go from here. End of the adventure and its not even started. Well, this is where an outline can be very helpful. If you already written a summery, then go back and re-read it. Try to give each chapter a theme. What will my character or characters accomplish in this chapter. Chapter length doesn’t matter. What does matter is that the idea of the chapter is accomplished. Subtitles also work. It can give the reader a little hint of what is to come. Also, a clever subtitle can serve as a hook to get readers to continue. I don’t know how many times I’ve read and book, and said to myself I’m only going to read one more chapter, but then I glance at the next chapter and notice an intriguing subtitle, so I read on.
In writing an outline you’re not saying that this is what is has to be. Many times I often wrote outlines where I would combine two chapters into one, or I would add a chapter. Outlines like summaries are just a guide, a point of reference.
I’ve also noticed that writing outlines can make the writing process itself go much quicker. If you have a basic direction the words flow more quickly, and feel free to change things if you feel it is not working.
In conclusion outlines and summaries are just a tool, like a treasure map on your grand adventure. This could be the first step to creating your own world. Good luck on your adventure.
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October 6th, 2008 at 8:14 am
I found this article to be very informative. I usually jot down my notes in my journal, before beginning to write a story. Great article.
Take Care,
Kiki Stamatiou (Joanna Maharis)
October 6th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Good ideas in this well constructed article. Thank you, friend.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Wonderful ideas and advice. Also great illustrations.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Good advice to the disorganized but creative minds out there! This way they can have a lot more fun with the writing process. ~ d
October 16th, 2008 at 7:23 am
i have to comment on this. it is a great idea. most writers use these method for guidance and they are in fact a great help. i had a creative writing professor who was ky poet laureate and he mentioned this and that most writers use it. then, he said that there are a few who do not. they simply take the idea from their mind and put it on paper. i thought i was doing something wrong, but he continued to say that is easiest for them. later on i had a teacher who expressed the idea of outlines and such intensely. she and i argued over it forever. i had to succumb to her ideas. yes, i got an A, but could have done it my way too (pretty sure). thanks for the tips.
October 16th, 2008 at 7:25 am
by the way, i often lose my ideas because i don’t do those things.
October 17th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Your article kind of revived what has been forgotten – going back to the basic! Often, I’m too eager to write something (especially fiction), but always got stuck after a chapter or two. Like you mentioned in your article, an outline / summary would have really help.
November 12th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Very useful.
May 8th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
A great read! Thanks
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May 9th, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Very well put to together, thank you!
June 1st, 2011 at 6:19 am
Very useful information.thanks for sharing.
June 3rd, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Excellent post and a very good blog. Thanks for the informative article. Thanks, Steve
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June 15th, 2011 at 7:11 am
very informative article, i used to outlined some stories, because i was so lazy to read it..lol just kidding:)
pacebook
June 29th, 2011 at 6:56 pm
I like your analogy that outlines and summaries are like a treasure map. This really help student to put outlines and summaries in perspective. It’s important to remember that a map is not the same thing as being there. In other words, there is always room for exploration and creativity; outlines and summaries just guide the process.
August 10th, 2011 at 6:23 am
Summaries are very helpful, because it gives you the basic story.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:50 am
I believe that summaries are very helpful, because it gives you the basic story, and it is quiet helpful to.
December 1st, 2011 at 3:57 am
Thanks for the advice!
January 21st, 2012 at 1:52 am
You have rightly said that summaries can give us story direction, so when we begin writing we have a basic premise of where we want to go.Reader also gets benefits by reading this as they all get the basic story in few lines.
April 13th, 2012 at 4:55 am
Yes, both are important in their own aspects. Summaries saves time also.