[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Well, with an outline I don't have to rewrite from the beginning every time I finish a chapter or two; so I'd have to say GODS, YES! it would save you work. But if planning in advance and writing linearly removes your creativity or impetus, by all means, do whatever turns you on.

heh, you cut my quote

Would an outline save me work? No, not even close because I just do not think in outlines. I think in pictures. Just not wired for outlining. I am in grad school, so when I have to submit an out line, I write the paper first, then go back and create the outline.

I forgot to mention that I use outlines for teaching and speaking. I even use, gasp... power point sometimes! They are useful in those cases to help make sure I cover all the facts/ideas I have intention to cover.

That process is also iterative...

Research - taking notes in outline format
Read over out line a few times to seat facts
Research - dif source materiel, and re work outline with new data
Read over outline a few times to seat facts
Repeat until done

Then I set aside the outline and write out a message as if I was speaking it. Using conversational language and tone fitting the audience. I iteratively right that paragraph by paragraph.

Then when it it time to speak, I bring my outline just in case I forget a fact, or quote but almost never look at it during my talk. By then I know what I want to say and I let the emotion of the audience help steer specifics. I do not always follow the outline in order, just depends how I feel things are going. Speaking live is more dynamic then writing. IMO

So would an outline save me work in a story? Nope, it is just not the way I think.

So in summary: The outline is useful for storing researched facts, not for making stuff up. At least not to me.