Once again, I'm befuddled in the morning. I really should start waking up earlier again. Summer means no kids to wake for school, though, and, since my husband has become unable to work, I don't need to wake him for anything. I sleep, and dream, and then wake to dream some more.

I did manage to get the POV thing worked out in my current wip. (That's Work In Progress, to anyone who might not know. POV is Point Of View.) Yesterday, I worked like a mad typist and managed a few scenes.

I don't know if I'm going to stay with my new idea, but I started in the middle of the story and began to work from an entirely new angle. That, at least, builds interest in me as I write. Outlining is wonderful for getting the plot details figured out. It isn't so wonderful for maintaining interest levels. It feels like you've already written it, which makes the actual writing seem redundant.

However, I still believe in outlining. Without it, there would be less cohesion to the story. There's a balance to it though. Each writer has to find his own. How much detail in the outline? How much detail in the characters?

Those who don't outline do have a point. There's nothing so fun as writing to discover where the story is going to go. It's just like reading something someone else wrote. Discovery, interest, all of that has to be there while one writes, or the reader will be just as bored as the writer.

Balance is all. Simplicity helps. Keep the outline as simple as possible. Too much of anything is bad for you. I like to keep major ideas in the outline. Things like character goals (where each subplot and the main plot is going to end up), and turning points of each plot. My problem is I get carried away when I plot and start telling each scene. I have to stop that, go to the text, and actually write the scene instead.

I tend to write a few scenes with whatever character I'm working on in it. That way, I discover who he is through the text rather than logically working him out. Then, I'll go back and figure out a reason for him to be that way, jot it down, and go on with another scene. It's discovery, but outlining, too. Combining the two seems to work for me. It might not work for someone else.

So, off to work. I have to clean my house, as well, but that, as always, can wait. It isn't like I have to do it before someone else does.

Just keep writing.