I finally finished an outline

I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but I’m doing this for an audience of zero, so let’s go. This morning, I finally finished the outline for my Nanowrimo novel and it’s the first time I’ve ever completed a novel before writing the first draft.

I’ve backward-outlined as an editing tool on the ONE first draft I actually finished a few years ago. But writing a full draft with a completed outline - with knowledge of the beginning, middle, and end - this is foreign to me.

Is this why I’ve struggled to complete drafts for so long?

As I ask this, I’m forced to think of my personality and training: I went to school for engineering and, though I don’t work an engineering-specific role today, much of my current job is very organized people and project management. In the corporate world, I work most efficiently when I have a plan.

So why wouldn’t the same be true for novel writing?

I’m tempted to go smack my head against something, but I won’t. I’ll have grace with myself. I’ll learn the lesson this time and not have to learn it again (hopefully).

Note to future self: Take the time you need to finish the outline. All the way. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be present.

Celebration time! I FINISHED AN OUTLINE! I’ll spend the next few days on some last minute worldbuilding before the marathon of the month of November begins; then I’ll be 100% focused on drafting. Here’s to lessons learned even after many, many, many years of writing words on paper.