Comments on: Outlining Debate Revisited: Are we asking the wrong question? http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/09/outlining-debate-revisited-are-we-asking-the-wrong-question/ All Things Literature & Writing Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:37:17 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Larry http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/09/outlining-debate-revisited-are-we-asking-the-wrong-question/comment-page-1/#comment-467 Larry Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:55:15 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=1248#comment-467 Brad... huge thanks for GETTING IT. Man, I don't think I could have stated it clearer in my WTD post -- but obviously I could have, given some of the responses, and obviously again because I think you've actually made it clearer than I did. This debate is like health care these days, like Republicans even getting the slightest whiff of a Democrat in the room... they just go off, without looking at the issue or "thinking" about it before they launch. I don't think we'll ever calm these waters and quiet the useless debate. To those who swear outlining stifles creativity, I say that's not true... speak for yourself. Just as it's not true that organic writing always results in chaos... maybe for me, but maybe not for you. The same folks who throw these truisms out there are the same writers who decry the hint of any hint of "rules," even stating, "the only rule of writing I follow is that there are no rules." Well, good luck with that, if that's what you (not you, Brad, obviously, you get it) believe. But trust me, agents and editors DO believe in the foundational principles you call rules... so good luck writing your story for your friends and family. Because if that's what you believe, truly, if you ignore the principles of solid storytelling, that's as far as you'll go. Wake up and smell the advance checks, everybody. Storytelling is a discipline, not fingerpainting. Putting you on my blogroll, Brad. Great site here. Larry .-= Larry´s last blog ..<a href="http://storyfix.com/story-structure-vs-story-architecture-%E2%80%9Cdude%E2%80%A6-what%E2%80%99s-the-diff%E2%80%9D" rel="nofollow">Story Structure vs. Story Architecture: “Dude… what’s the diff?”</a> =-. Brad… huge thanks for GETTING IT. Man, I don’t think I could have stated it clearer in my WTD post — but obviously I could have, given some of the responses, and obviously again because I think you’ve actually made it clearer than I did.

This debate is like health care these days, like Republicans even getting the slightest whiff of a Democrat in the room… they just go off, without looking at the issue or “thinking” about it before they launch.

I don’t think we’ll ever calm these waters and quiet the useless debate. To those who swear outlining stifles creativity, I say that’s not true… speak for yourself. Just as it’s not true that organic writing always results in chaos… maybe for me, but maybe not for you. The same folks who throw these truisms out there are the same writers who decry the hint of any hint of “rules,” even stating, “the only rule of writing I follow is that there are no rules.”

Well, good luck with that, if that’s what you (not you, Brad, obviously, you get it) believe. But trust me, agents and editors DO believe in the foundational principles you call rules… so good luck writing your story for your friends and family. Because if that’s what you believe, truly, if you ignore the principles of solid storytelling, that’s as far as you’ll go.

Wake up and smell the advance checks, everybody. Storytelling is a discipline, not fingerpainting.

Putting you on my blogroll, Brad. Great site here. Larry
Larry´s last blog ..Story Structure vs. Story Architecture: “Dude… what’s the diff?” My ComLuv Profile

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