Books Quote by Eric Van Lustbader
““I never used an outline until I started "The Bourne Legacy" project for which I was required to write an outline. To be honest, I thought I'd hate the idea, assuming that if I'd thought of all the ideas at the outset I'd have to incentive to actually write the book, because for me part of the joy of writing are the surprises you come upon as the book takes shape. But something curious and exciting happened. As I wrote the outline, some sections would be very detailed, others quite sketchy, so that whole portions of the book would be covered by one line, such as "Bourne is chased by Khan through Budapest," which when I wrote the novel turned out to be 40-50 pages! Now I'll never write a novel without first doing an outline. Looking back on it, I used to get bogged down in extraneous characters and situations, especially during the first 100 pages (which I find the most difficult to write) that I would later have to scrap, wasting time and energy, and frustrating me. Now that never happens.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Writing Process Discussion, Eric Van Lustbader, 2020
Outlining provides structure while allowing creative surprises, balancing detail and flexibility to improve writing efficiency.
In simple terms: Outlines help organize ideas and keep creativity alive.
Key Takeaway
Outline first, then write.
Themes
creativity
structure
productivity
Mood
analytical
practical
Type
instructional
motivational
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- screenwriting
- project planning
- academic research
Key Concepts
Narrative design
process optimization
Questions to Reflect On
- When does an outline become a constraint?
- How can you stay flexible within a plan?
A Different Perspective
Over‑planning may stifle spontaneity.
