Why the Synopsis Doesn't Have to be THAT Evil

I'm bouncing around between a few different projects right now, kind of depending on my mood. I've been spending the most time with a new middle grade project, which is explosively fun for me. I've only written adult (okay, that novel is about ten pages long and eternally unfinished) or young adult (a few manuscripts), so I'm excited to try a new genre.

I've noticed that a main problem that I have with my stories is that I let the middle sag. I suffer from that boring middle syndrome, so I thought I would try sort-of outlining. I've started working on a synopsis for the middle grade book, and I'm kind of loving it because it forces me to push the story forward, to make it exciting, and hopefully when I get to really working on it (about 4,000 words in right now), I won't wander away from the focus and let things get boring. It's also the first super-action-packed book I've written, which could be why I'm having such a blast with it. I tend to write softer, more psychological stories, I guess? But this one certainly isn't staying in one place.

So maybe using the synopsis as an outline will help. It sure has gotten me excited about the story. I keeping thinking, "I can't wait to write that scene!" I'm definately not a detailed outline person, but writing a few pages that describes the story event-by-event will remind me where I'm going, and why. Otherwise, my characters may end up sitting around and simply talking about stuff. Boring!

We've got some great, dreary writing weather here now. I love grabbing a Pumpkin Spice Latte, slipping on my sweater boots, and letting words fly from my fingertips.

What's cooking in everyone's writing oven this fall?