Quilt Writing

Me vs. the Outline: 

I keep hearing all these authors recommend outlining.  Organize, outline, write, then outline some more.  I can see how that would be really helpful in a lot of genres and with a lot of writers' styles.  But I've heard again and again that the most important thing for an author to do, aside from reading the genre they want to write, is simply to write.  I find when I am staring at the prospect at something so organized as an outline, I get nowhere.  I don't obey rule number one, which is to write.

How I write:

The book I'm polishing now is not the product of an outline.  I had the rough shape of a story in my head, extensive notes about characterizations--more at a later date on that topic--and an inkling of where I wanted it to end.  Then I just wrote. I'm what I heard at a conference referred to as a "pantser," one who goes by the seat of her pants.  I like to refer to myself, at least with this novel, as a quilt writer.  I kept my imagination net out and thought, "Well, that would make for an interesting scene with this character" and then sat and wrote it.  Scene after scene, I searched the characterization, my story concept, and the world around me for bits that would mesh well and make for an interesting scene.

Then when the shape of my story became more clear, I organized the scenes, the quilt squares, into a sort of order that made sense.  As time has gone on, I've tightened it, added or cut a scene, and farmed it out to readers in part or in whole.  As I've gotten feedback, the quilt has gotten tighter.  It is now in a more or less final form.  I'm now going scene by scene, enhancing and crafting the language.

I found the process very enjoyable, and I don't doubt I'll use it again.  One might argue that one step here could be called outlining.  But if I think of it that way, writers' block will set in.  I know this method won't work for everyone, but I like it.  And when it comes to first drafting, at least, that's all that matters.  As it says in the movie "Finding Forester," write the first draft with your heart and second with your head.  And my heart likes quilting.