Recently, on one of the yahoo writing groups which I am of member of, there was a discussion about whether it was necessary to outline or not before beginning a story. The questioner then wanted to know, if the writer did outline, what method was used. How detailed it needed to be. What was the difference between an outline and a synopsis? Etc...etc...etc.

Asking questions are great. I’m not trying to discourage that in any way—that’s how we learn and grow. But can I just say if there is one thing I have learned over the years, every writer has their own technique. What works for one person, does not mean it will work for the next. You, as an artist, need to find what works best for you. Be it a lunar calendar, diorama, software program, a storyboard, or maybe no outline at all, and that's okay. And if you’re one of those people who can’t write without a map, then all right, play around with a few ideas until you find your perfect method.

So for today, I won’t reveal my writing technique. Try to figure out for yourself what works best for you. Imitating someone else's system will not benefit you in any way.