There are two ways of writing a story. Well, okay, there may be more than two, but today I only want to look at two ways to do it.
The two ways I'd like to examin are outlining and pantsing. Which is better? I've done both to some extent. I have always know where I'm going when I pants it. The ending is in my head before I start writing. This may not be true pantsing, but it is the closest I have come to true pantsing. I have also outlined and it works for me too.
Is there a difference in the creative value between the two? This debate will rage forever. The way I see it is there is no difference in the creativity between the two. I think it comes down to how you want to handle the material and how much you want to handle at one time.
Example: When I cut the grass on a regular basis it gets mulched and I kind of zoom along. If I let the grass grow, say to the point a weedeater is looking more like the tool that should be used and this happens more than I'd like to admit. I have to use a shoot and jettison the clippings out the side of the lawn mower. Both methods get the grass cut. Both methods are effective. Which is better? With one, I have to mow every week, when it rains even more. With the other, I only have to cut, oh, say, once a month or so. The time it takes is the same for both since I have to go much slower with the longer grass. In the end, the grass is cut. Those of you who love your yards, please forgive the abuse I heap on mine.
There is no "fast" way to write a book. The work of writing has to get done. It is a matter of how much material would you like to work with? I can not give a hard and fast rule here and I don't thing one should be given. If a writer can't see the story through an outline, then dump the story onto the page and fix the problems. If using an outline, there are still problems, they are just handled in different ways.
My bottom line is this: know your ending, put your butt in a chair and make your fingers dance across the keys. No matter which method you use, the impotant (why does impotant keep replacing important?) part is to get words on the page.
Till next time.