Don't throw the trunk novel away - use it as an outline

I've been reviewing my list of goals for 2014, and one of them is to publish a lot more books.

Trunk novels are stories that authors write and they either don't feel are any good or need a lot of work.  So, they sit and wait--in the proverbial trunk, so to speak.

I have at least four completed novels that are my trunk novels.  Lately, I've been brainstorming how I can go about getting them ready for publication.  The earlier ones need a LOT of work . . . almost to the point where they just need to be rewritten.

Then it came to me: why don't I do that.  Rewrite them.  From scratch.

Using the already written novel as an outline.

So don't throw those trunk novels away.  If you feel they can be salvaged, use what you've written as an outline and rewrite it.

If you do try this, please comment below on your progress.  I'd love to see if this works out for others too.