Writing Question: How do you outline?

This came up in a discussion the other day with a couple of writers, so I thought I’d take the pulse of the GITS community. If you’re the kind of writer who works up some sort of outline before you type FADE IN — and if you’re a screenwriter, you probably should be that kind of writer — how do you go about doing it? I mean literally what is your process? What tools do you use (e.g., computer programs, notebooks, pens)? Do you have a fixed process you have developed over time or do you just go at it per your instincts at the time?

How long are your typical outlines? What type of information do you include? How specific do you get? Do you do a scene-by-scene outline or just major plot points?

Curious to see what your responses will be.

And if you have any recommendations for software programs, books, references and so on, please feel free to post that information.

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