Camp NaNoWriMo is approaching, I have my cabin mates and I’ve written a nice synopsis. After sitting down to prepare a decent outline, I’ve decided I need a better plan.

I’m a planner, a fact I mentioned in this Daily Prompt. I may have won NaNoWriMo in November but I wasn’t satisfied with “The Sixth Deadly Sin”. I didn’t outline, I didn’t take my time, and I was behind from the start. The plot was poorly developed and it was like I was writing words to meet the word count criteria. I want to write good stories, not just fill pages with words.

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I’d rather slow down and take a different approach this time. I’m going to adjust my current story idea, write a nice outline, and change my synopsis. Once I’m ready to start, I can keep going and not look back.

I create outlines for all my writing projects. Short stories, novel-length works, and even school assignments. Writing is a process but I think it’s important not to restrict the creative flow.

I’ll write an outline for the first five or six chapters, include a longer synopsis for personal use, and then focus on my characters and setting. Of course, writing mystery fiction calls for a degree of reality, so I research a bit too. Later, I may outline for the rest of the story.

Pretty strange process, huh?

But other than that, I let the story unfold on its own. I stick to the plan, but not so rigidly I say, “Wait, I can’t do that because my outline says it won’t work.” If I’ve developed a loose plan with a good idea, I can make it work. You believe me, right?