Before Quote by Ken Follett

I make extensive outlines before I write a book. I usually know what will happen. I know the characters, and I know what they…

— Amor Towles

Normally, I spend a week on the outline and take two weeks to write the book.

— R. L. Stine

I know what I want to achieve in each book and the major points, but I don't plan right down to the chapters. I…

— Samantha Shannon

I always work from an outline, so I know all the of the broad events and some of the finer details before I begin…

— Mercedes Lackey

I try to outline. I'm a lazy outliner. I will put the points down of each chapter or series of chapters, but it always…

— Steve Toltz

I'm one of the narrative-push people. I don't outline, I don't plan ahead. So I'm my first reader, telling myself the story as I'm…

— Donald E. Westlake

I don't see how anybody starts a novel without knowing how it's going to end. I usually make detailed outlines: how many chapters it…

— John Barth

I'm not much of an outliner in general. I tend to wing my way through all my drafts, which means writing a series is…

— Marie Lu

My [story] outlines are usually about 5-6 pages long. I'm essentially telling myself the story in short form. I try to make it clear…

— Chevy Stevens

I don't start a novel until I have lived with the story for awhile to the point of actually writing an outline and after…

— John Grisham

I plot as I go. Many novelists write an outline that has almost as many pages as their ultimate book. Others knock out a…

— Clive Cussler

I outline in some detail, but even after the outline is done I often get a new idea that is an improvement, so the…

— Jeff Abbott