Puzzling

Since I was a kid, I've always enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. I have a standard method for putting them together: I start with the edge pieces, then I pick out pieces by color and work on assembling small sections, eventually joining the sections together.

Outlining my novel is kind of like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Except I don't have a picture on a cardboard box to follow, and I don't know exactly where the edges will be. Sometimes I change my mind about which pieces go together. But it's very satisfying when the pieces fit.

Intimidation

Yesterday I had some new ideas for improving my outline. I haven’t reread it yet, but I’m already thinking about how to make it better.

The problem is that my ideas are a little intimidating. I worry that when it comes time to write these scenes, I will have a hard time getting them to work. But I don’t want to play it safe. I have to push myself—challenge myself as a writer.

So maybe it’s not a problem. Writing is an ambitious undertaking, and I shouldn't allow myself to be intimidated.

Status

I started working on my book about two months ago. So far, I have written the following:

• Pages and pages and pages of notes and ideas
• Descriptions of the main characters
• Several openings
• Rough dialogue for key scenes
• An outline of the plot from beginning to end

I'm using an outline instead of writing a rough first draft without planning ahead. My past feeble attempts at starting novels didn't include outlines and didn't work out very well. I’m a planner by nature—very organized and logical—so I feel more comfortable with an outline.

I started writing this blog shortly after finishing my outline. Actually, it still needs a lot of filling in, but all of the important stuff is there. I wanted to take a break from it, and then attack it again with a fresh perspective. This blog helps me to keep writing every day even when taking a break from my project. My writing style is obviously different when writing my blog vs. writing my novel, but all writing can be good practice.