Outline, Outline, Outline

When I first started out on this writing journey, I'd read everywhere I needed to make an outline.  Uhhgg.  Really?  Was I back in 9th grade english?  I hated outlining then and with age my dislike never changed.  So, I thought, heck, I'll just wing it.  And sure I wrote a 75K word YA Paranormal but I never got anyone to look at it.  I started again on my second YA Para and 65K words later I had another finished product.  Still no agent but I did make a "rough" outline and the writing did go easier. 

But I still wasn't a believer.  Until I started working on a novella for submission to TMP.  There were parameters to the story that needed to be met and maybe, just maybe, that drove me to the insane act of...wait for it...making an outline.

AAAAHHHHHH!

I know.  It took me a few minutes to come to grips.  So, I made an outline.  Again, it was still rough but more complete than the previous.  And ya know what?  I am now the proud owner of a YA novella that will be published next April by TMP!  *toots horn*

I know what you might be thinking.  So what, total luck.  And sure, maybe but let me prove my point some more. 

You've recently read how I'm having a rather tough summer with family illness and now her recent death and during this time, I've tried pouring my pain into my writing by working and completing another novella for the same publisher but my juices just weren't flowing and I didn't find myself thinking about the characters.  My reasoning?  I honestly believe if I had an outline created for this new story, my juices would have a place to flow to.  Structure, form, purpose.  So, now I back track, read what I've written and create a much needed outline to follow and create another novella I hope to get picked up as well.

If you're new to writing, I know it can be overwhelming.  You have stars in your eyes and fire in your belly to see your name in print, or like me, on an e-book.  But first, you have to do the leg work.  We can't all be top selling authors over night.  Heck, I read an article about how JK Rowling outlines.  Really, she does.  Do the leg work, take your time becuase with hard work and passion, it can happen to you as well.  And remember, ask for help.  There are tons of places to find writing budies.  Good luck!