Quote:
Originally Posted by Eisengoth
I have similar problems with outlines - it always seems like I've already written the story once I'm done with the outline, so I no longer have any interest in writing it a second time.
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This brings up an interesting point. My writer friends tend to fall into two categories: 'outliners' and 'pantsers' (the latter referring to the 'seat-of-your-pants' type of writing where you set up a couple of cool characters, turn 'em loose, and write down the story as it unfolds.)
Some writers are able to use both methods, but some -- and I'm talking about professional, three-book-deals-with-TOR kind of authors here -- simply cannot write to an outline. It's just not in their
modus operandi.
Other authors published short stories as pantsers, then discovered that they couldn't write a novel that way because it was too hard to keep things on course.
So if for those who are having trouble writing to a longer length, I'd say mix it up a bit. If you usually outline, try pantsing it and see if that works for you. If you're a pantser, try working from an outline (with the understanding that the story will probably diverge from the outline along the way).