Author Topic: Policy on Outlines?  (Read 1736 times)

globalbergonzi

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Policy on Outlines?
« on: July 26, 2011, 12:27:52 AM »
Can we submit outlines for books?

I generally don't work with outlines by the midpoint of the book, because I discovery write most of the book. The outlines just help me as a starting point.

The reason I ask is because I would like to submit a chapter/part and an outline for another story (as two different submissions, obviously) and was wondering if you guys allowed outlines? I generally plan big, but end up with a short story/novella length story.

I mean I can make a first chapter out of the outline rather quickly, but the idea for the other story I have basically combines the movies Memento and Inception. basically I'm combining the concept of memory with a multi-layered plot, so to speak.

It'll all be in the outline, should it be alright to submit it?

Thank You,

–Global
Books lie, but I swear they're truthful.

hubay

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Re: Policy on Outlines?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2011, 07:06:30 AM »
I don't see a problem with it, if you want to.

It will be strange to critique, I think, since it will lack most of the important parts we normally give feedback on, like character and prose. But it's worth a shot and I think we can all try to help you out.

akoebel

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Re: Policy on Outlines?
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2011, 12:54:15 PM »
I'd say submit away.

It might be interesting to look at an outline, to see if there are holes in the story arc, which is something quite difficult to do with one chapter a week submissions.
Of course, depending on the length of the outline, it can give us very little information or a great deal.

On the same topic, I thought about submitting a synopsis myself. This is submission material, after all, so it too could use a critique. The only difference with the outline would be that people are already familiar with the book for the synopsis, whereas the outline should be a little more difficult to read.

Silk

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Re: Policy on Outlines?
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2011, 09:37:10 PM »
Yeah, if you think it'll be useful for you, then go for it.