On Outlining A Novel

Tingin ko nagsimula akong mag-outline noong fourth published book ko na. At hindi pa pormal. Parang notes lang sa ilang piraso ng papel. 

Madalas ginagamit ko yun kapag mag-e-edit na. Para mai-set yung flow ng story at makita ang loopholes (pero kulang pa rin kaya sa kasalukuyan ay ipinapabasa ko ang ms ko sa isang subok ko na ang pagiging kritiko pagdating sa PHR novels). 

Lagi ding sa kalagitnaan ng kuwento ko ginagawa ang outline kuno na ito. Pero ngayon, naglaan na ako ng isang notebook para sa outline ng manuscript na tinatrabaho ko. It can be a summary of a scene, or detailed dialogues itself. From beginning to end. And it can always change for what I think is better. 

Sa gitna ng notebook ko ito isinusulat (feel ko lang), tapos may arrow pababa indicating lang na next thought or scene na. It's really helpful.

Akala ko dati ay mai-spoiler ako kapag nag-outline at tatamaring magsulat pero hindi naman. You actually gain more control of the story that way. You have the power to choose or delete scenes.

Sa outlining, mas madali ring sundan ang kuwento sakaling naiwan mo nang matagal dahil may guide ka pa rin. Outlining saves you the time spent staring into space, thinking about what happens next.

There are different ways to outline. You can even invent yours. Try whatever works. Be open to whatever can make your writing better, or more tolerable, or what can make you keep writing. 

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Ang pagkakaiba lang ng isang writer na sa isang nangangarap na maging writer ay isang FINISHED STORY. Finishing a working draft is half the battle. I consider writing as a battle. May times na ayaw mo na, may times na gusto mo ng blood and gore. Pero isa lang ang goal mo: TAPUSIN ANG KUWENTO. Then you can edit and find your publisher.

If what we took with us when we started to write didn't work, it's time to find other strategies. We entered writing with certain egos, comfort zones, or expectations. We'll lose some, keep some, or learn some. Find what works for you. ;)

Btw, I'm the type who gets bored with one single habit or quirk so I shift gears from time to time, find another blackmail or threat that works to keep the word production on quota and to wrap up a manuscript. More than talent, writing is the effort to keep doing it because you just can't not do it. `Wag kang masyadong mag-isip kung destined ka bang maging writer o hindi. Kung may talent ka ba o wala. Bawat isa ay may unique na imahinasyon. Ilabas mo lang. Enjoy mo lang. 

What's Up with O?

I have 4 novels this year:

1) an approved one, not sure when it's going to be published

2) a manuscript for revision, to be overhauled this week

3) a finished manuscript for editing

4) a new manuscript currently on chapter two


Kung tutuusin, malayo na ito sa word production ko from past years. Heck, I just surpassed my record of finishing 1 novel a year! That's something to be grateful for, right?

Also, I learned to move on fast from revisions. Like 10 minutes fast. How?

Business as usual. Nothing personal.

I'm beginning to see writing as work. Before, that's a scary thing. Kapag kasi naging trabaho na sa `yo ang bagay na nae-enjoy mo, may posibilidad na mawala na ang mahika n'on sa `yo. But that's not true. It's just about avoiding BURN OUT.

True, na may mga tunay na ermitanyo at ermitanya na walang ginawa kung` di magsulat araw-araw, gabi-gabi. Saludo ako sa kanila. Pero nakita ko sa sarili ko na hindi uubra sa `kin `yon. And I think I'm a multipotentialite anyway. Baka kaya kahit anong pilit kong pumili lang ng isang trabaho at manatili roon hanggang mag-retire ay hindi ko magawa. So I'm trying to sort out my abilities and my passion to see if I can use them to be my bread and butter and pasta and cheesecake and iced coffee.

Financially speaking, I accepted the fact that writing won't be able to provide a stable income for me. I still want to do it, regardless, because I like it. It's also less stressful for my body. But I learned to take sidelines, drafting jobs and even doing errands for other people. So far, I'm surviving and acceptance that any kind of job that is honorable is worth doing lessens the stress I subject myself to. It's like I stepped outside the narrow, comfy, society-labeled box.

But the highlight still is my word production. I can say that I'm getting the hang of writing as fast as I can. Mabilisan, dahil iyon ang paraan para maka-survive sa PHR. Mas marami kang librong mailabas, mas makakayanan mong buhayin ang sarili sa pagsusulat. Iyon din ang advantage at security ng sistema nila versus the usual royalty system. 

And I'm starting to have goals again. Writing them up, using them to motivate me.

But actually, someONE else motivates me right now.

I know, I know. Sanay na akong nguyain ang mga dati kong salita. I said before that I won't be bothered with a love life unless I attain success and stability. Pero kapag nakakilala ka pala ng taong naiintindihan ang individuality mo, ang need mong makagawa ng bagay para sa sarili mo at maging successful, mas may purpose pala talaga ang bawat gawin mo, bawat pangrap mo sa buhay. Hihi. Puwera usog.

So, iyon lang muna ang update sa buhay ni Olivette. 

Abangan ang susunod na kabanata...