This post is all about how to outline your novel.
There are so many parts to the creative process, and it’s different for everyone… so knowing how to outline your novel sounds easier than it actually is.
If this is your first novel, you may need to go through some trial and error when it comes to outlining your novel… but I’m going to walk you through some simple steps I recommend as a writing coach and editor to get your novel outline to a point that you can write without questioning where your story is going next.
HOW TO OUTLINE YOUR NOVEL:
1. Figure out your writer type
It’s important to start by understanding that every writer has a different writing process.
Some writers love to outline every little detail before they dive into their first draft. Others prefer to explore their story as they write.
Ultimately, for the sake of making your story cohesive and well-crafted, I do think it’s important to have some kind of outline. But an outline can range from some general brainstorming to a full chapter-by-chapter plan.
The point is, do what works best for you. Feel free to skip any of the steps on this list if they don’t work well for you.
THE BARE MINIMUM I RECOMMEND: Making sure you brainstorm your general plot, characters, and setting. I created three novel planning workbooks to help you with this that pair well with any genre and writing process. Grab the novel planning workbooks here!
2. Decide what makes a good outline
There are so many ways to create a novel outline.
You might just make a bullet-point list of your ideas in a word document. Or, you may prefer to sketch things out, make a mind map, or follow a particular method like Save The Cat or the Snowflake Method.
I think the best way is to have some guiding questions that help you dig deeper into your ideas, because this blends brainstorming and outlining into one process and ensures you don’t forget any important details or overlook plot holes.
I walk you through the entire outlining process in my novel planning workbook bundle. But the most important thing is that you’re open to trying whatever it takes to land on a good idea for each point in your story until you have a complete outline, in whatever format works best for you.
3. Put your main plot ideas on paper
If you already have a story idea, then you most likely have an idea of the major plot points already. The first thing you can do is get those onto paper.
My free plotting workbook, Plotting Prodigy, walks you through putting those major plot points on paper and helping you think through them thoroughly to start building a great story.
When you start to get your major plot points on paper, you’ll be able to see what gaps need to be filled and what you have yet to brainstorm.
4. Do some character work
A story isn’t a story without its characters.
Brainstorm the characters you have in mind so far. Write down their names, what you know about them at this point, and a rough idea of the character arcs you want to take them through.
My workbook Real Characters walks you through everything you need to know to build compelling characters!
5. Identify turning points and key moments
Every story has key turning points and moments. There are tons of different methods of brainstorming these key moments, but to start, you can just make a list in bullet points of the different turning points in your story.
Some of these will be obvious already based on the key plot points you’ve already identified, but you’ll slowly uncover more key moments as you do your plot outline.
6. Decide on a plot structure
Here’s the thing about story structure…
It’s super helpful for some people, and makes others feel super limited.
My advice on this is to take a look at different plot structures (I outline them for you in my free workbook Plotting Prodigy), but if they just confuse you or make you feel limited, don’t be afraid to ignore them altogether.
Your story will most likely naturally fall into a particular story structure anyways, so in my opinion, story structure is not worth stressing over.
BUT, if you do find plot structures to be helpful, identify which plot structure your story most naturally fits into (don’t try to force it into a structure that doesn’t work). Then, write down each point or section of that particular plot structure along with what happens in your novel that correlates to each section of the structure.
7. Consider subplots
A story outline isn’t a detailed outline without considering subplots.
You might get a better idea of subplots as you start to write, but before you even start writing, think through each of your side characters and how they relate to the main plot.
Then, think through the relationships these side characters have with each other. Here are some guiding questions to help you come up with subplots:
- What are some things happening behind the scenes that your main character doesn’t know about?
- What secondary character has unresolved issues or an unachieved goal that might intersect with the main plot?
- Think of some themes that are central to your novel. How could a subplot showcase the opposite of the message you’re communicating through that theme?
8. Brainstorm some settings and locations
Setting and location are critical to any compelling story because they ground the reader in your story.
If your reader doesn’t feel grounded in the setting, they’ll simply feel a little lost and unsure of what they’re reading. So, it’s really important to include setting and location in a solid outline to paint a detailed picture of the actual places where your story unfolds.
9. Deep dive into your main character
Your main character obviously plays a HUGE role in your story. So what better way to make sure you have a solid outline than to unpack your main character?
What you’ll want to know:
- Your main character’s backstory and upbringing
- Their desires, goals, and fears
- How they react to stress
- What annoys them
- What they’re interested in
- Their strengths and flaws in friendships and relationships
There’s so much more you can dive into when it comes to your characters. I walk you through it all in my workbook Real Characters!
10. Deep dive into your antagonist
Your antagonist FUELS your story, so this character is as important to dive into as your main character.
You need to understand what drives your antagonist, what they’re trying to achieve, and what scares them. You also need to know what’s at stake for them. What will happen if they don’t achieve what they hope to achieve?
The villain of any story is the key character to making your entire story feel truly cohesive and compelling.
I answer a bunch of common questions about antagonists in The Antagonist Playbook, and I help you identify how to make your antagonist better!
11. Map out each character’s development
Character development is such an important aspect of every story. Now that you understand your characters a little better, it’s important to figure out not only who they are but who they become throughout your story.
Ask yourself:
- Who is this character at the beginning of the story?
- Who will the character become by the end of the story?
- What moments shape them along the way?
- Describe the mistakes they make and how those mistakes shape them as a person.
12. Make a timeline of your story
Now that you have a better idea of your major plot points, main characters, character development, and setting, the next step is to make a timeline of your story.
There are a few ways you can do this. You can draw a visual timeline with all the main events in your story to give you a bird’s eye view of everything that happens in your story.
Or, you can get into so much detail. Make a scene list and then put the scenes in the order that you want to tell the story. If you’re telling your story in chronological order, this will be super easy! If you’re planning to jump timelines throughout the story, it might take some more effort.
13. Bonus: do chapter and scene outlines
Chapter and scene outlines are a little too much for some writers, and the perfect outline for others. If you want to plan out each scene and all your plot events in detail, make detailed scene outlines!
My free workbook Plotting Prodigy has scene planner pages that you can use to plan out as many scenes as you want. Or, you can use a simple word document and note down the major things that take place in the scene, the characters involved, internal and external conflicts, and any key or pivotal moments.
14. Write your first draft
If you’ve gone through ALL these steps, you’ve done about all you can do in terms of planning your novel, and the next step is just to jump in!
Remember that you don’t have to complete all these steps to have a good novel outline and a successful novel writing experience. This is a step-by-step guide that goes through high level advice on lots of the possibilities, but as I always tell my clients… your process is YOUR process and you know your novel best!
Happy writing 🙂
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