The plotters among us have no problem outlining their novels. It’s the pantsters (like me) who balk at chapter outlines. But, as I’ve been discovering, they really do help me write faster.
Writing Tip for Today: Creating an outline for a novel sounds like those horrid Roman Numeral things we had to do in school. But it doesn’t have to be. A friend who regularly outlines takes her structure from her days as a screenwriter. She gave me these tips:

• Think in scenes. You may know how your story begins and how it ends. I usually do. It’s the in-between stuff I’m not so sure about when I’m starting a new novel. By outlining in scenes (a one-line summary of the scene will suffice) you must focus on the action, the cause and effect of a character’s actions and the end goal for the story.
• Weave Strands Together. As you create these one liner scene descriptions, you can use different colors for subplots, character arcs or other aspects to let you see at a glance where and how often these elements appear.
• Pull the Weight. In screenwriting, every scene must contribute substantially to the overall goal. If you outline in scenes, you’ll be less likely to fall prey to long passages of back story, reflection or other non moving parts of story.
• Get Characters Moving. It’s also helpful to spot places where there’s too much “sittin and thinkin” (one character on stage thinking about something) or “sittin and sippin” (two characters at a table drinking tea, Jack Daniels or what-have-you). By outlining the scene you’ll want to put more than just the POV character in the scene, and you’ll spot inaction.
• Not in Stone. Finally, an outline is only an outline. My friend scratches things out, moves scenes around or improves scenes after the initial outline is complete. You can always change the outline. But if you don’t have one you may find yourself staring at that cursor, musing, “Now what shall I have these characters do?” Make an outline, do it with scenes, and don’t be afraid to improve on those ideas. Your writing will likely pick up speed.