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Writing an outline....?

When writing an outline, should the characters be fully developed or can you write it without them being fully developed? I've been wanting to start my outline, but my characters aren't fully developed so I haven't written anything.

6 Answers

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  • 10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Your characters may affect your outline. Dumb example: Joe is a loner and suddenly he's thrust into a social situation. How would he react? If you need to outline that, you need to know about Joe.

    You could start to outline before your characters are developed, but be careful when you're writing not to violate your characters (i.e., have them do things they wouldn't). An outline is only a guide. You may veer from it at any time, or re-write it as you write the novel.

  • 10 years ago

    Your character doesn't have to be fully fleshed out, but you SHOULD have an idea of where they're going. Once you know your character arc, you can outline without knowing every nominal detail that will come out in the actual writing, while still putting events into place that will cause the development.

  • 10 years ago

    I would go ahead and start writing the outline. You can develop the characters more as you go along. That's usually how I do it.

  • ?
    Lv 5
    10 years ago

    Before writing my outline, I always take a few hours on each character to write a 1-2 page character analysis containing information on their age, date of birth, occupation, emotional state, life history, fears, pure pleasures, etc. This helps writing my outline DRAMATICALLY.

    Good luck!

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  • sushil
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    diverse writers have diverse methods for various initiatives. I generally write from the taking off to the tip of a tale, then remodel it. i comprehend quite a few writers who write in products then string all of it at the same time. different writers do create a depiction that provides their writing shape till now they commence. it truly is a robust thought, while engaged on a diverse-length fiction, to create a depiction to make particular the characters are balanced, the action upward push/fall is coordinated and that the plot lines run in this form of way as to make experience. greater than a number of writers use a storyboard form of format with dozens and dozens of placed up-its. you may desire to be careful. Dan Brown (DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons) had quite a few books early on that ought to introduce characters that ought to then disappear and not in any respect get pronounced back. No define, undesirable modifying, undesirable writing . . .

  • 10 years ago

    Since the whole story outcome hinges on the struggle between the protagonist and main antagonist I would at least list their strengths, weaknesses and what eachs overall story goal and plan of attack is. That way you can identify the conbflict in each scene, which should somehow deal with one of the main character's goals and trying to achieve them.

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