Writing things out of order

When I wrote my first book I did what I’m sure a lot of writers do, I wrote it in a linear fashion. I started at chapter one and finished at chapter 31. I started my new book the same way, except I decided to try something new. Writing out of order.

This isn’t something new for me. I write my outline like this. I outline each chapter individually. After I’m done I read over it and shuffle the chapters around if I see they’ll fit better somewhere else in the book. I’m trying this with my book.

I wrote out the first eleven chapters normally. Now I write ‘CHAPTER A’ then ‘CHAPTER B’ and so forth. The main plot and subplot are a little more tangled in this book. I think by doing things this way I can make sure I’m not going to confuse the reader or get myself lost. The chapters can be moved forward or back to make for an easier read.

Once I get all the chapters where I want them I’ll lock them down and send it off to my editor. I don’t know if this is a technique I’ll keep in my toolbox or toss in the trash. That will be decided after I finish writing this book.

I’m interested in hearing the different ways writers put their books together. Let me know in the comments. And if you could leave a like and share it would go a long way in helping me reach a wider audience. Thanks for reading.