I didn't outline at first, but I am a real writer. <ahem>
The excitement in finding out what happens can - and I'd argue, does - happen in the outlining as well. Outlining doesn't mean it won't shift or change. But as a saga writer with multiple plot lines going on, I must outline now to ensure I keep track of all the bits that need to be resolved.
So OUTLINE, and let the characters go "off script" and do their thing...the biggest deal is that you are organizing the route, the journey. It doesn't mean you can't take a detour. It just means that you know, ultimately, where you want to go and generally how you plan to get there.
<sigh>
And you're right. It cuts down the writing time, start to finish. It gives you the luxury of being playful.
Stephen King says, in On Writing, to let a finished first draft sit and simmer. I have found the benefit in that, though it's not for everyone. I need that time away from the story to begin to be objective with the story itself. So, when I come back fresh, I can maybe see something I missed (if I did).
As an aside, I find that your experience and Gordon's are somewhat similar as far as the trad publishing world. How odd that publishers are throwing out so many wonderful ideas. Rejecting an idea because it's from a dog's POV? Or like yours, with the death of Luke (well, the first one)? That's insane. And it tends to confirm my rather jaded perspective that trad publishers are mainly interested in two types of books: the formulaic story or the "news of the day, oh-my-gosh hurry and get *this* book out because of the day's new stories-type work. The Indie world is the world where real stories, varied stories, daring stories can go. If ONLY most of them were better-written. Not only would we not suffer a bad reputation, the trad publishers would have to change - or they'd die out.
Another aside - would love to pick Gordon's brain regarding police work. You know, for Bridgeman and Alvarez.
Gordon says how I fell, too. Maybe *I'm* biased in favor of my work. Maybe it's - and I'm - not as good as I've let myself believe. So I get that. And trust me, if I could stop, I'd have done it by now. But I can't.
Which comes back to AMMO. I'm still nervous, but I'm doing it anyway. Around 35 minutes in, when Gordon described his experience, I got a full-blown panic attack. Seriously. I'm almost in tears. Why the hell is this great process affecting me this way? I don't know. I'm still gonna do it (IF Steve agrees to take me on - which I didn't realize was a thing until this minute, and now my hands are going numb), but I'm like mortally scared. I don't get it. Man, I can't wait to be on the other side.
And...$300/day? I'm just cozying up to the concept of $30/day.
I am wholly against AI for writers, so I'm not sure if that's going to be a problem. I can't express it strongly enough. Not to create a book. No way. Never. It's cheating and it's not writing. Period. I work way too hard to compete against a computer.
I want to end my comment on a positive note. LOL I'm literally sitting here freaking out. Maybe that's comical. I don't know. My head's all foggy now.
You have such a similar experience to my own, Heather. I panic with the unknown, I overcomplicate, I charge before I aim, I get told regularly that "burnout" is a thing, and I should be careful. To all of that I say, step forward. When you're afraid, step forward. When you feel at rope's end, step forward. You know this. I'm not telling you anything new.
As far as traditional publishers go, if they understood what Steve was doing and used their mailing lists and their ad dollars, and their customer targeting behaviors, they'd be able to sell literally any book they wanted to sell and they'd become more open to great stories.
Even "bad" books can sell using Steve's methods, at least for a while. But publishers rely on mass-blast, spray-and-pray emails that appeal to no one and so they think the reading public is dwindling. Truth is, the reading public has left them for other sources, because the reading public want's varied stories targeted at their enjoyment. But the reading public will do nothing until we show it what it likes.
You'll get in the program, Heather. Your writing is great. So just step forward. You've got this.
Okay, so...when the panic attack is over and I'm not on the verge of tears, I'll click the button. I'm hoping, today. But yeah - loved the nitty gritty of the show. I like the deep dive stuff. But man. It really threw me into panic mode. Which is stupid and pathetic. I'm stronger than that. I resent feeling fragile. It's not me.
I love that you panic at this. Not like, "Haha! Heather's panicking and her agony is funny to me," but because on the other side of this, you're going to experience something that will be like Gordon said, "I wish I'd done this sooner."
I didn't outline at first, but I am a real writer. <ahem>
The excitement in finding out what happens can - and I'd argue, does - happen in the outlining as well. Outlining doesn't mean it won't shift or change. But as a saga writer with multiple plot lines going on, I must outline now to ensure I keep track of all the bits that need to be resolved.
So OUTLINE, and let the characters go "off script" and do their thing...the biggest deal is that you are organizing the route, the journey. It doesn't mean you can't take a detour. It just means that you know, ultimately, where you want to go and generally how you plan to get there.
<sigh>
And you're right. It cuts down the writing time, start to finish. It gives you the luxury of being playful.
Stephen King says, in On Writing, to let a finished first draft sit and simmer. I have found the benefit in that, though it's not for everyone. I need that time away from the story to begin to be objective with the story itself. So, when I come back fresh, I can maybe see something I missed (if I did).
As an aside, I find that your experience and Gordon's are somewhat similar as far as the trad publishing world. How odd that publishers are throwing out so many wonderful ideas. Rejecting an idea because it's from a dog's POV? Or like yours, with the death of Luke (well, the first one)? That's insane. And it tends to confirm my rather jaded perspective that trad publishers are mainly interested in two types of books: the formulaic story or the "news of the day, oh-my-gosh hurry and get *this* book out because of the day's new stories-type work. The Indie world is the world where real stories, varied stories, daring stories can go. If ONLY most of them were better-written. Not only would we not suffer a bad reputation, the trad publishers would have to change - or they'd die out.
Another aside - would love to pick Gordon's brain regarding police work. You know, for Bridgeman and Alvarez.
Gordon says how I fell, too. Maybe *I'm* biased in favor of my work. Maybe it's - and I'm - not as good as I've let myself believe. So I get that. And trust me, if I could stop, I'd have done it by now. But I can't.
Which comes back to AMMO. I'm still nervous, but I'm doing it anyway. Around 35 minutes in, when Gordon described his experience, I got a full-blown panic attack. Seriously. I'm almost in tears. Why the hell is this great process affecting me this way? I don't know. I'm still gonna do it (IF Steve agrees to take me on - which I didn't realize was a thing until this minute, and now my hands are going numb), but I'm like mortally scared. I don't get it. Man, I can't wait to be on the other side.
And...$300/day? I'm just cozying up to the concept of $30/day.
I am wholly against AI for writers, so I'm not sure if that's going to be a problem. I can't express it strongly enough. Not to create a book. No way. Never. It's cheating and it's not writing. Period. I work way too hard to compete against a computer.
I want to end my comment on a positive note. LOL I'm literally sitting here freaking out. Maybe that's comical. I don't know. My head's all foggy now.
You have such a similar experience to my own, Heather. I panic with the unknown, I overcomplicate, I charge before I aim, I get told regularly that "burnout" is a thing, and I should be careful. To all of that I say, step forward. When you're afraid, step forward. When you feel at rope's end, step forward. You know this. I'm not telling you anything new.
As far as traditional publishers go, if they understood what Steve was doing and used their mailing lists and their ad dollars, and their customer targeting behaviors, they'd be able to sell literally any book they wanted to sell and they'd become more open to great stories.
Even "bad" books can sell using Steve's methods, at least for a while. But publishers rely on mass-blast, spray-and-pray emails that appeal to no one and so they think the reading public is dwindling. Truth is, the reading public has left them for other sources, because the reading public want's varied stories targeted at their enjoyment. But the reading public will do nothing until we show it what it likes.
You'll get in the program, Heather. Your writing is great. So just step forward. You've got this.
Okay, so...when the panic attack is over and I'm not on the verge of tears, I'll click the button. I'm hoping, today. But yeah - loved the nitty gritty of the show. I like the deep dive stuff. But man. It really threw me into panic mode. Which is stupid and pathetic. I'm stronger than that. I resent feeling fragile. It's not me.
I love that you panic at this. Not like, "Haha! Heather's panicking and her agony is funny to me," but because on the other side of this, you're going to experience something that will be like Gordon said, "I wish I'd done this sooner."
Listening to the initial video right now. Wondering if I'm smart enough for this. Seriously.
You're brilliant.
I'm not, though. I'm serious. Appreciate it, though.
I'm still convinced--like it seems Gordon was, too--that I need to have that back catalog, at least 3 in the series of books done before I start this.
But man, your salesman's soul comes out in these podcast. In a good way. It gets me excited and banging out chapters every time I listen.
I met a guy at a book fair who was an ex-cop and had written an interesting book on the procedural side of policework called The Homicide Manifesto. Might be worth a look. https://www.amazon.com/Homicide-Manifesto-Jose-pepi-Granado/dp/164378742X
That author's name is a perfect mafia name!