Writing an outline for a piece?

So, I was typing up an outline that was due tomorrow for an english paper. I got really bored with it (English is boring, i don't like it, and I'm bad at it) and then thought I would compose some. Thinking about it, I was was wondering if anybody actually writes an outline with words on what the piece wants to represent, and how they're going to do it.

Example:

shokativch (sp? well, I actually know its wrong) has admazing stories behind his music. In his 3rd quartet, it is a story of fashism (sp?) and its very....moving.

Does anyone actually write out what they are going to do / say in a piece? I know a lot of people just have in the back of their mind where they want to go, but does anyone write it down?

...I know a lot of people just have in the back of their mind where they want to go, but does anyone write it down?

No...

I do it visually though. General contour, density, form/time-span, melodic/rhythmic direction etc...

... General contour, density, form/time-span ...

I agree. I do it based on how thick the orchestra/ensemble is going to get. Or ... at least, I think I do, lol.

I wrote down a basic outline for my piece, Braden. It was an idea that hit me pretty quickly and I wanted to be sure I got it all down as quickly (which is done easiest for me through English writing)

I sometimes write out an outline too. I usually tend to not write out what I want to express in the music and more of the form. I do this more now since I got into my composition lessons in college.

Can't think I've ever done that though I've had to work to storyboard stuff to work out some of the basics like mood, tempo, coloration etc but that isn't really saying where the music is going.

I normally write out a relatively detailed outline, for the form and structure mainly, rarely for keys and such.

I'll often sketch out an idea of which thematic material I want to develop and in which context.

And one little "trick" I've been doing for over 20 years, and as long as it remains nothing more than a vague guideline works quite well, is to jot down approximate lengths of passages I intend on working on. So sometimes my outline will have "intro 1:45, main theme 1:30, second theme 2:00" etc...

that last info is generally VERY variable and changing as I work on the piece.

yea, I've begun to write outlines to my pieces since I've gotten nowhere in them.

I just wanted to see if anyone else had any other ideas, or other ways they write down their outlines.