Outlines, Visuals, John Madden, and Me (with Some Cheesecake Thrown in)

I don't outline. I have a really lousy attention span, and outlines drive me nuts. They bore me. By the time I am done with my outline, I don't want to write the book. I lose something, some spark.

I don't tack up pictures of my characters either, though I have friends who do. I know Karmela Johnson, who drops by here often, will often post pictures of her new characters on her blog. I love that I can "see" her new vision. But I don't do that.

I don't make up index cards. I have writer pals who do that too, rearranging the cards to play with plot. Great idea. Useful tool. Not me.

I resent when I am called a "Pantster" (for a write-by-the-seat-of-your-pants novelist versus a plotter). That seems to imply sloppiness or something. Like I don't care. And that's not true. It's all in my head. Tons of details and snippets. It's there. Now, if I was suddenly struck by a bus, the book would die with me--no notes, nothing left behind. But trust me, I have a plan.

So I was thinking about it. Do I use ANY visuals? And I do!!!!

You see, I have a lot in common with John Madden. First of all, Madden refuses to fly. (For those of you who don't know who he is . . . FOOTBALL, folks!) Everyone who knows me very well knows I only fly in a tranquilized to near-catatonic-state. (Spanish Disco's drug scene? Autobiographical.) They also know if I won the lottery tomorrow, or sold a ZILLION books, I would buy this:

http://www.allstarcoaches.com/patriotlobas.htm

A rock star bus.

Madden has one of those.

He also has this really cool pen, this white pen that he draws arrows and things with all over the TV screen to show forward motion or where the various players are going to run when the football is snapped.

I do that.

You see . . . I will write out key plot points on a piece of sketch paper. Then I will take a pen and write arrows from this to this to this. Then, as the novel progresses, I will write notes to myself. YOU couldn't understand my notes. They are the notes of an insane, soon-to-be-coffee-less woman. But I understand them. And my arrows and circles and things look like John Madden's white-pen-on-screen scribblings.

So that's what I use for visuals when I write. How about you? Anything you tack up on your computer to help you "see" your work?

AND . . . side note to Mr. Perfect . . . .

This has to do with football, not writing. For those of you who don't read Dana Diamond's blog . . . you must. She is gracious and warm, and a great writer. She is also married, as those who read her blog know, to Mr. Perfect. A.k.a. "Mr. P." Now, he may be a great guy. He may be a lot of things. But he roots for the Falcons. And he is obnoxious about it. As anyone who knows ME can attest, I am so far from perfect it's ludicrous. I can't cook, would perish in dust bunnies were it not for my housekeeper, and my house is chaotic. I also cry at sad movies--and it's very messy. No, perfect I am not. HOWEVER, I root for the Giants, which makes me MORE perfect than Mr. P. So . . . a gauntlet was thrown down. The Falcons/Giants game was known as the "Cheesecake Bowl of 2006." To the winner . . . the spoils . . . a cheesecake. John Madden would be proud. The Giants won. And to Mr. P . . . I am waiting for that cheesecake.

Cheers, All!
E

P.S. Please . . . share your visuals!