Off on the Right Foot:
When to Outline and When to Write
T. Jefferson Parker
(Thrillerfest Lecture, July 10, 2013)
- Written 20 books
- Writes one a year and focuses on it – like a 365 day road trip with a destination and journey
Things to See
- He starts by writing himself a long letter (talks about things that interest him – he puts them all down and then prioritizes. It’s like planning a dream vacation at no cost)
- Collects interesting “stuff” all the time (i.e., articles clipped from newspapers or printed from the computer etc.) in plastic bins
- This initial stage is the time to “fill up the van” with ideas (be inclusive) and trust your instincts
People to Go With
- you need strong willed characters
- They will all be talking in your head for the next year – keep that in mind
Destination
- This is the heavy lifting
- Need a destination
- A 24 word story
- He’s been able to get it down to 10 (e.g., “A lawman wants to save a baby from the devil.”)
***
- writing is 90% improvisation – that’s the music and beauty of being a writer
- His process (3 months outlining, 6 months 1st draft, 3 months clean up)
- Gets a “sinking feeling” when it’s 99% right
- Be fast to get to the next plot point
- When you run out of points – that’s when things really get interesting
- The care and feeding of your voice comes from what you read
If any of this doesn’t make sense, it’s my fault. Parker delivered an exceptionally clear and fascinating talk.