MARCH 2021
Intermittent Outlines
Writing outlines for "books in the works" has always been abhorrent for me. I find them particularly difficult and unnecessary for the most part. However, many years ago when I worked with Raphael Serebreny from Tyborne Hill Publishers, he convinced me that doing an outline prior to writing a book would help me to keep the storyline organized. At the time I was resistant, but as my writing style grew, I finally came around to the viability of outlines even though I don't create them for every book.
I've also developed other ways to keep storylines organized over time - such as character spreadsheets and family trees, for instance - but doing an outline prior to writing has proven to be beneficial in an overall sense, especially in the early stages of creating a new story.
This has become the case for Blood & Soul, my current project. As explained in a blog entry from January 2021 (Piecemeal Scribbles), Blood & Soul is being written in "piecemeal" fashion. In other words, it is being completely written out of order. Most of the ending is complete, but the beginning through the middle still needs to be developed. To that end, I finally decided to write an outline for Blood & Soul, even at this late stage in the game. And, to be honest, it has helped.
One of the most redeeming aspects of doing an outline is the ability to change various points as needed. An outline does not dictate that the story is set in stone, especially as its being written. The ebb and flow can change at inspirational whim.
I liken it to a light bulb flash in the segment of the brain which controls fluid creativity.
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Posted by Deidre Dalton on Sunday, 21st March 2021
Messily Organized
Blood & Soul looks like a mess at the moment, but I go through this stage with every book. Notes, scenes, dialogue, references, et al.
I'm not even halfway finished with Blood & Soul yet. I'm writing it in stages, some scenes fill the opening, while the ending is already imagined. Completing the final book in a trilogy requites tying-up a few loose ends and bringing the storyline to an instinctively-done conclusion.
I predict it will be a long summer, with a second notebook coming into play.
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Posted by Deidre Dalton on Saturday, 13th March 2021
Books & Things
I received my paperback copy of Bloodlust this afternoon. It's a long novel in print (531 pages), and I'm more than thrilled with the resulting front and back covers, as well as the spine. Thank you Terrie, Palvi and James at Club Lighthouse Publishing!
I also went ahead and assembled all of my books in print, which now total fourteen, and took a snapshot of them.
As I've said many times before, it never gets old to hold my own books in hand. I have yet to become jaded about it, and doubt I ever will.
And, hopefully, there will be many more books to come. :)
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Posted by Deidre Dalton on Thursday, 4th March 2021
