Ms. Ueland's Thoughts on Outlines

I'm finishing up a book by Brenda Ueland, If You Want to Write, and let me tell you: it isn't your average writing book. I don't even know what your average writing book is like, but I'm pretty sure this isn't it.

She's sassy, direct, and if you read brief bits of biography about her online, you connect the dots from her writing that this might have something to do with her multiple divorces. Sass to the max.

But it's also a good read. An easy read. Freeing, in a lot of ways. I believe I can be a writer. I believe I am a writer.

Here's what she has to say in response to the question of writing an outline for her book, having a plan:

"No, I wouldn't think of planning the book before I write it. You write, and 

plan it afterwards. You write it first because every word must come

out with freedom, and with meaning because you think it is so and want to tell it. 

If this is done the book will be alive.

I don't mean that it will be successful. It may be alive to only ten people.

But to those ten at least it will be alive. It will speak to them. It will help to free them.

(pg. 168, If You Want to Write)