Writers often disagree about the importance of having an outline before you begin writing. Some argue that an outline limits creativity throughout the writing process. Others, such as author Wayne Hoffman, believe outlining is an important and necessary...

Eric Penz, thriller author of titles such as Cryptid: The Lost Legacy of Lewis and Clark and Courage Between, makes the case that every author outlines, whether they know it or not. What is your best way to thoughtfully, intentionally outline? Is your...

Writers often disagree about the importance of having an outline before you begin writing. Some argue that an outline limits creativity throughout the writing process. Others, such as author Wayne Hoffman, believe outlining is an important and necessary...

John Wilkerson, sci-fi author, journalist, and ghostwriter, is a bit of a plotter and a bit of a pantser. However, he prefers the term “dungeon crawler.” Before starting a novel, he outlines the first three or four chapters, so that he knows where...

Author Christa Faust shares her different techniques and approaches to mapping her stories, whether or not she sticks to them rigidly, and how her outlining evolved from Hollywood business opportunities. Click here to play this audio clip

Author Jennifer Ziegler, who has written three books under her name and numerous others in the mass market industry, shares her views on the value of outlining and how the technique has helped her over the years.

Author Mike Johnson shares his thoughts on the benefits of outlining as a way to manage the storyline and prevent writer's block.

Before we explore outlining methods, let's get something out of the way: not all writers use outlines and that's perfectly fine. Winging it, or "pantsing," is a valid writing method, especially for fiction writers. However, many writers benefit from...