The beginning process

When I wrote the first draft of The Road of Fathers, so many years ago, I spent about 6 months outlining. This might seem excessive, but it proved invaluable when getting the first draft on paper. I used a combination of the Three Act Arc, tracking Acts I, II and III with Plot Point markings. Then, I ran it through the Hero's Journey formula, following closely the 17 stages. By the time I sat down to write the rough draft it was like recalling a dream. It literally only took me about 3-4 weeks. Granted, the rewrites, took me years, but that initial story was already complete.

Now, as I start the second book, I get easily overwhelmed at the work ahead. But I have to remember, outlining was the key. It's almost like playing chess with yourself - you move a certain character or event, and it changes everything. They always say, you need to know the ending before you start, but I find that so with each and every scene and chapter.