Outlining

I had almost forgotten how boring I find this part of the writing process.

I said boring, not forgotten. I'm unable to create a coherent story unless I create a map of sorts first. By map I mean a story-map rather than something used in an atlas.
Of course, if needed, the more traditional kind of map might be a part of the outline as well.

Now, that outline becomes more of a suggestion than a template I have to follow, and it becomes more and more evident the further into the story I've come. Even though the beginning is likely to follow the outline rather closely the end may have deviated far enough to make the outline unrecognizable.

Enter my next project. Primarily it's supposed to be the next book in a series, and as such I had some kind of vague idea of what the story would be when I embarked upon Frays in the Weave.
Now my characters are firmly entrenched on the wrong side of an inland sea and there are plot lines that, while best left alone in a stand alone work, needs handling in a part two unless I shall have my readers feel cheated. All in all half a books worth of plot before I can pursue the original arc.

This is where outlining comes in. How do I weave plots and subplots into the arc without disturbing it. It's what I prefer to call the layout of the story -- where the balance between events is decided.

I'll leave the topic for now and return back later with more coherent thoughts on the matter.