So if you’ve had trouble outlining in the past, you may be dealing with a classic case of square peg meets round hole. Think of it as a way of organizing your room - everyone tidies up differently. Like we mentioned, there’s no one-size-fit-all for a novel outline. In this section, we’ll look at all the things you need to do to find the right outlining system for yourself. So let's see what equipment you need to get you going.Ĭlick to tweet! Before you start outliningįirst, throw out your old high school outlines. Rowling, Joseph Heller, and more created to plan their books later in this post.) Your novel outline isn't a chain or a set of shackles: it’s a map that will guide you to the end of your writing journey, and help you go faster along the way. (And we’ll give you examples of the outlines that J.K. This would enable you to climb faster, more fluidly, and with greater confidence in the near future.īut aren’t story outlines creativity killers? Many bestselling authors would beg to differ. Or: you could stay on the ground a little longer to read the route. You might reach the top this way - but there’s a bigger chance that you’ll fall face-first or hit a dead-end along the way. You could just leap onto the rock and see what happens. Imagine you’re a rock climber looking up at a tall cliff, for instance. Time invested in a story outline is foresight gained for your novel. The argument for outliningĭon’t let the naysayers fool you: a story outline is the closest thing to a “get out of jail free” card in the long game of novel-writing.
#PROCESS BOOK TEMPLATE DOWNLOAD#
If you’re looking for some additional inspiration, skip to the appropriate section below to download a book outline template.
#PROCESS BOOK TEMPLATE HOW TO#
In this post, we pull back the curtain and show you (step-by-step) how to create a story outline. Are your eyes tired of staring at a blank Word document? Are you sick of crashing and burning every time you try and start a novel? Well, we have the not-so-secret key to success right here: it involves learning how to outline a novel.īook outlines have saved the neck of many a bestselling writer - but the process behind them is mysterious at best.