A bit about outlining

I read 25 ways to Plot, Plan, and Prep Your Story less for 'how to do it' ideas than for 'how to describe what I'm already doing' ideas (and maybe a few 'get off your ass and do it' ideas, too).

I'm getting a handle on what works for me (rough lists are good! Spreadsheets are DEATH! This is strange as an inveterate lover of spreadsheets). It was interesting to see which techniques I use with funny labels put on them. I frequently write scenes as a 'dialogue pass' first (dialogue only, without even 'said's). I mention this purely for the quote "Dialogue is like astroglide: it lubricates the tale." From the same list, it might amuse you to know that my main sketchbook falls very neatly under the heading "Crazy Person's Notebook." The only difference is that I use it to work on multiple projects at once, plus a dose of real life.