Write Witchcraft: Outlines

How to craft a simple outline

I'm a fan of lists and notes. In fact, I have sticky notes with lists on them and lists with notes in the margins as well as sticky notes on top of those lists. You might say it's my Mars in Virgo. (Speaking of which, Mars just entered Virgo the other day. It's fabulous for productivity and editing.)

Lists help me stay organized. As an author, an outline functions as a to-do list for any book I may be writing. A good outline allows me to get my work done in a logical, focused way (SO Virgo!). This also means I can get it done faster because I'm not "winging it."

An outline creates a structure for your book. It also helps the book take shape. What I mean by that: as you start crafting your strategy, you can imagine how things should unfold and what should go into your book. In a way, it's like mind mapping. Many times, what I originally thought would go into my writerly endeavors changed as I plotted the outline. 

So how do you create one? That's a question I get asked on occasion. Every writer has their own way of doing things. Some folks love using sticky notes, while others prefer index cards. I don't use either.