“Here’s a good way to think about an outline. You know when Tinkerbell at Disneyland comes sliding down the wire, waving her wand? (Ooh, I want to go to Disneyland right now.) The wire is the outline. The writing is the wand-waving. If the wire isn’t straight and stable and attached at both ends, Tink can’t make free and confident swirls. If you’re not sure what scenes are coming up, or which decision your main character is going to make at the end, it’s hard to confidently write all the little quirks and voice-choices and funny bits that make a scene sing.”
–Jane Espenson. “Tinkering With an Outline.” Huffpost TV December 22, 2011. Web.