Yesterday I pulled out my synopsis and I started making notes. Finally!
I’m really glad I wrote the synopsis now. It makes it easier to figure out where to change things. My notes are in dark blue, littering the typed pages.
Today I think I’ll add green or purple, whichever I can find first. I like adding a different color to show different kinds of work, and today I’ll be making a new line for the plot. It might take two or three times to get where I need to go and changing colors in the notes helps me see which direction I’m going.
As opposed to all black and white- then I’ll forever be scratching things out that don’t work.
Makes me think I should’ve done all this work before I wrote the book, but I didn’t develop the synopsis first.
Why oh why didn’t I do the synopsis first?
Well, I suppose I haven’t yet outlined a book before I’ve written it. The Art of Science might have been the exception because I had a chapter guide before I wrote it – but that one changed away from the outline version completely, too.
Do any of those writing books out there mention the people who have to write the rough draft before being able to look at the plot structure and make it better? I wonder if I might be one of those people.
Ransom Noble 
Hi Ransom,
I thought I had included a chapter on outlining in one of my own books, but looking through them discovered I hadn’t. Must have been one of those things that hit the floor during editing. But, I’ve taught what I feel is a terrific way to outline that’s vastly different than the derivatives of the Comp I outlines and if you’re interested, I have a post on it on my blog. You can see it at: http://lesedgertononwriting.blogspot.com/2010/04/outlining.html
I got this myself from a writing book years ago and wish I could remember who wrote it, but can’t. You might want to take a look at it for a possible tool for your next book.
I really enjoy your blog! It rocks.
Thank you for the link, Les! I will definitely be looking at that to see how I can improve my process.