K. M. Weiland

3.5-4 stars
It is what it says it is: A breakdown of the structure of a novel and a writer's suggestion on how and where certain things should occur. Part 1 is geared towards a novel's overall structure, and then Parts 2 and 3 break it down into "scene" and "sentence," which was overkill. Part 1 was solid information. Personally, I don’t think I will reference anything outside of part 1 in future writing. Specific scene structure and sentence structure are more of a creative process for me, so while I appreciate the writer’s insight, it is not for me.

Also, this book will be more helpful if you are familiar with Pride & Prejudice, It’s a Wonderful Life, Ender’s Game, and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

Weiland utilizes those creative works to pull examples out of to support her advice.… (meer)

“Our emotional and physical responses to our ideas are often the most accurate indication of their value.”

In Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success, K.M. Weiland provides insight into the outlining process for a novel, as well as, the two types of writers: Outliner and Pantser. In addition to sharing her own tips and opinions on novel outlines, she also shares the perspective of nine other authors. Weiland ask all the authors the same five questions:

- Can you describe your outlining processes?
- What is the greatest benefit of outlining?
- What is the biggest pitfall of outlining?
- Do you recommend pantsing for certain situations and outlining for others?
- What’s the most important contributing factor to a successful outlining experience?

“Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s the life’s blood of a writer.”

Weiland provides good information and checklists to keep you on track in each section of her outlining process. I am currently in the middle of a project, but I am interested in trying out some of her processes in my future work.

“As an author, your most powerful gift is your unique and integral view of the world.”

One area I don’t plan on utilizing as in-depth as Weiland is the section on getting to know your characters and their development. While it is important to understand your characters, what makes them tick, where their drama lies, and where they are going. I do not think it is necessary to ask them 100+ questions. That seems like a lot of wasted time for information that might not be beneficial to the story. For example, I don’t think knowing my character's favorite color is essential unless I intentionally make it a plot point—which is hard to do unless maybe your character goes crazy and murders someone for their adorable pink sweater … that’s a lot of love for a color. While I wouldn’t start this process off the bat, asking your characters questions could help if you find yourself in a rut or an impossible situation.

“It’s not enough to create a character who does interesting things. He must also do them for interesting reasons.”

A section of this book that was new to me was the use of the Enneagram chart. I hadn’t heard of it before, but I think it could be a valuable source to ensure you have a cohesive character and that their motivations and fears correlate with their personality. Overall, I found this book helpful. I will read more of Weiland’s books on writing and add them to my home library.… (meer)