Quilting Your Narrative: Why Stitching an Outline Beats Flying by the Seam!

Ah, the age-old writing dilemma: to outline or to wing it? For many, the very idea of outlining a story seems as fun as threading a needle with no light. But what if we think of it as quilting our narrative, stitch by stitch, until we’ve woven a tale as cozy and intricate as grandma’s heirloom quilt? Let’s dive into the crafty world of non-linear outlining, where your story finds its pattern in the most delightful ways.

The Creative Conundrum: Not All Threads Are Straight

Let’s bust a myth: writing isn’t about following a straight thread from start to finish. Ideas are wild, untamed things—like that oddball yarn stash, you’re saving for a particular project. Sometimes, you have a clear image of the final quilt but no clue about the individual patches. That’s where non-linear outlining, an approach championed by insights from Adam Skelter’s “Story By Numbers,” comes to the rescue. Think of it as quilting your story out of sequence until all the pieces snugly fit.

Fun Tip: Feeling stuck? Pluck a scene from the middle of your story and start there. Who said you can’t sew the center of a quilt before the edges?

Structured Stitching: The Pattern Behind The Madness

Just as every quilt has a pattern, every story has a structure. It’s what ensures the pieces fit together in harmony.

• Plot Patches: With a clear structure, your story’s rhythm and pace find their balance. Know where the peaks and valleys lie, and you’ve got yourself a plot quilt that’s comfy and compelling.

• Character Quilting: Characters are the patches that give your quilt its personality. Their arcs, their transformations, and their interactions determine how colorful and captivating your story quilt becomes.

Fun Tip: Try plotting your main character’s journey on a piece of patterned fabric. As their journey evolves, so does the design!

Quilt As You Go: The Non-Linear Approach

Ready to piece together that story quilt? Here’s how:

• Patchwork Plotting: Got a clear climax? Stitch it first. Often, by outlining the dramatic pinnacle, the surrounding patches become easier to place.

• Scenic Stitching: Think in scenes or chapters. Just like quilt blocks, assemble each one separately. Over time, they’ll find their place in the larger design.

• Character-centric Quilting: Dive into the depths of your characters. Understand their colors, patterns, and textures. When you know them inside out, the story naturally stitches itself around them.

Fun Tip: Use quilt blocks as a visual aid! Each block represents a scene or chapter. Rearrange them, play with them, and watch your story come alive!

Outline: Your Stitch Guide, Not Your Stitch Dictator

Remember, while a pattern is a guide, no rule says you can't toss in a surprise patchwork square or an unexpected color. Knowing the structure lets you play, twist, and occasionally snip and resew to create your unique masterpiece. Letting your outline be a fluid part of your process isn't just a tactic—it's an expert-level strategy. Here's why:

• Unleashing Creativity: A rigid outline can sometimes feel like a straightjacket, constricting the free flow of ideas. But a flexible outline is akin to a yoga routine for your story—it allows for stretching, bending, and contorting to discover new angles and depths you hadn't previously considered.

• Efficiency Meets Innovation: With a fluid outline, you're not walking into your writing time blind. You have a roadmap, but it’s one drawn in pencil, not ink. It points you in a direction, ensuring you're not staring blankly at the page. Yet, it provides the freedom to take a detour if a brilliant idea strikes. It's like having a GPS that recalculates your route on the fly, ensuring you always reach your destination even if you decide to take the scenic route.

• Balance Between Vision and Discovery: A fluid outline respects your initial vision—those first sparks of inspiration that birthed your story. However, it also acknowledges that writing is as much about discovery as it is about expression. As you write, characters grow, plots twist, and themes mature. A flexible outline celebrates this organic growth, ensuring your story feels alive and authentic.

By weaving fluidity into your outlining process, you strike a perfect balance between guidance and spontaneity. This expert balance ensures you never stifle the creative sprites while always having a guiding star when you sit down for your dedicated writing time.

Understanding the dynamism of a fluid outline is akin to mastering the rhythm of a dance. There's a foundational step pattern, but the magic happens when you let the music guide your movements, allowing for improvisation within a structure.

Embarking on the storytelling journey is much like sitting down with a bundle of fabrics, threads, and needles. Your outline, in this artful analogy, is the quilt's pattern—a blueprint ensuring each patch finds its spot in the grand design. And here’s a cozy little secret: the most accomplished storytellers often credit their trusty outline as the remedy for those chilly spells of writer's block. On days when inspiration seems frosty and distant, that quilted outline envelops them, its warmth sparking the kindling to reignite their words. So, if you ever find yourself questioning the value of an outline, visualize it as quilting your narrative. Let it serve as a snug blanket, always ready to provide warmth and direction during the colder moments of your writing journey.

copyright ownership: Cassie Newell