Many new writers wonder where to begin with writing their book. I wrote my first two novels, Love Don't Live Here, and No Love Lost before attending Gothams Writers Workshop in NYC for screenplaywriting. It was in this class where I learned, writing a synopsis provides a writer with a guideline as to how they would like their project to begin and end. For my nonfiction books I write outlines, which have chapters, and subchapters. All of this makes it easy to write the project in sections, and piece it together.
On Writing : Write a Synopsis, or Outline first before writing your book by Therone Shellman
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It's called structured writing. I write that way too. You describe, initially, each chapter with a single line, then after you've got that done, you can move the lines about more easily than whole chapters/sections. Then, you add a paragraph describing what happens in each chapter to each line. Move them around as you see fit. Then you just put the meat on the bones by writing each chapter. Works for me particularly as I then don't duplicate or mess up timelines when writing in this fashion.
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I've published over 100 novels and novellas, most traditionally published through NY publishers, and for the vast majority of them, I wrote a synopsis, the format of which is much like a treatment (primarily because I would sell the on synopsis and/or (if I sold the book blind) then the synopsis would be a marker for payment of one portion of the advance. The nice thing about a synopsis is that it gives you a chance to work through story issues. Once you have it, you can leave it aside and just write, or refer back. I tended to leave it aside and only refer back if I hit a snag. I'm often surprised how frequently I'd anticipated the snag, but had just forgotten that bit!
Now that I write primarily indie and am not dealing with a NY publisher, I still prefer to write a synopsis. When I don't, the process is inevitably more rocky.
But, of course, YMMV.
Thank you for your post J. Kenner. Very insightful. I sent you an invite.
Write the ending first so you know where you're going...
Thanks, James Drago - accepted! And James Walsh, I agree you need to know the ending. Disagree that you need to actually write it. But a map is definitely key. Know where you're starting. Know where you're going. And then if you detour, you know how to get back on track :)
I have spent more times spent on the outline than the script.
I start with a 90-120 bullet point outline.
I make sure each bullet point leads to the next and vice-versa.
Then I add sluglines.
At that point the script almost writes itself.
BUT... I usually find by the "page 80 crash" my ending sucks... So by page 90 I end up on my own.
I'm considering (no kidding) trying to write my outlines BACKWARDS (sort of like what J Walsh) is saying, but IDK.