Introduction
In the writing world, there are two camps that argue over whose approach is best suited for a novel: the pantsers and the plotters. Pantsers notably “fly by the seat of their pants” when it comes to planning their stories, meaning they let the story come to them as they write, often finding it out much in the same way that a reader would. Plotters, on the other hand, take the time to craft an outline for their work, not wanting details to be left as a surprise to themselves and wanting to get the story setup from the very beginning.
There are benefits and drawbacks to writing an outline. Among the positives are helping to visualize the big picture, keeping the story on track, and helping to ease writer’s block when you get stuck. However, there are also negatives: the possibility of creating an awkward narrative, feeling formulaic, and a less organic creation in the actual writing.
Perhaps we can help you find out which camp you belong to and get you to take a chance on trying an outline.
“Every book is like starting over again. I've written books every way possible - from using tight outlines to writing from the seat of my pants. Both ways work.” — Bruce Coville
Prerequisite – What is a Novel Outline?
A novel outline is the document that houses all of the information gathered about the narrative’s characters, setting, and structure. It creates a skeleton for the story to follow.
There is no singular, tried-and-true way to create an outline. Some can be a single page with one-sentence notations while others can be thousands of words long. There’s even an option to create a diagram of sorts, like using index cards to connect ideas with lines leading back to different plot points and characters, very simply called “index card outlining.” Wrong answers don’t really exist when it comes to listing the plot information in a way that, in the end, helps you, the author.
“I make extensive outlines before I write a book. I usually know what will happen. I know the characters, and I know what they are about.” — Amor Towles
Warm-Up – Practice Outlining Your Novel + Outline Types
There is a plethora of outline types to choose from as an author. It can be hard to know where to begin. I briefly described index card outlining earlier, but here are a few more examples of outlines that you can choose from to start your novel off right:
· The Synopsis Outline – This is typically one to two pages long and looks a little bit like an essay; each of the story beats are explained so that the intent remains clear as you write.
· The In-Depth Outline – With this outline, you’ll go into great detail about your chapters and parts for your novel, depending on how you want to structure it. This can be thousands of words long, so should be no fear of overdoing it!
· The Snowflake Method – This outlining process was created by Randy Ingermanson, and it is all about starting small and building stuff up until it looks like a story. You can read more about his method here.
· Mind Mapping – This outline is nonlinear and looks a lot more like a brainstorming session than anything else. It allows you to plot the key elements of your story in a visual way. This is the best way to get a quick outline done because you’re essentially dumping your ideas into space as fast as you can.
There are even more outline types than the ones listed, so if none of these sound like your cup of tea, don’t fret! There are more options out there to explore if you want to go looking.
Even though the stories being outlined may be different, there are some questions that any good outline should be able to answer. The outline should give a sense of direction to the story as well as lay out what plot points and tensions will hold the readers’ attention.
That’s where today’s warm-up comes in: use the following questions to help dissect what information you would need to create an effective outline.
1. What is promised by the novel that must be resolved by the end? What is the driving force behind the narrative?
2. What does the timeline look like for the narrative? Does it span a month? A year? A decade?
3. What does the protagonist stand to gain? To lose? What is at stake for them, and what sorts of pressures arise or grow as the story continues?
“I'm a great believer in outlines.” — Tom Wolfe
Steps to Create a Novel Outline
If you’re a little bit stuck with where to start, perhaps the following steps can help orient you. Keep in mind that these are just suggestions to include in your outline (but they are pretty helpful ones)!
Create your main character. For every story that’s crafted, no matter the genre, the main character likely to go on a journey, whether it’s physical, spiritual, emotional, whatever it may be. Taking the time to plan out some key traits (are they stubborn? Naïve? Brash and bold?) may help you develop the type of story you want to tell. Let’s use Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games as an example.
Katniss: Hunter extraordinaire, bristly, and stubborn
Peeta: Kind son of a baker, charismatic, and clever
Craft a problem for your main character to face. This will be one of the driving forces behind your narrative, the big problem that your main character needs to face in order to reach their overarching goal.
Problem and Goal: Katniss must enter—and ultimately survive—the Hunger Games in order to keep her family and friends back home safe.
Devise what triggers the problem to action. This first action should not solve the big problem right then and there. If that’s the case, there’s no story left to tell! Instead, this should be something that sets off the story’s events. Consider The Hunger Games again.
First Action: In the beginning of the story, during the reaping, Prim’s name gets called as she’s selected to go into the arena. In a bid to save her sister, Katniss volunteers herself and begins her ordeal through the games that lasts throughout the novel.
Place obstacles in your main character’s path. These are trials and tribulations that your character must face in order to both advance the plot and create a character arc. Think of them as obstacles on as obstacle course that keep growing in size; each one should be a bigger problem than the next that the main character has to conquer.
Decide what the biggest obstacle for your main character to overcome is. This is going to be the moment where things seem impossible to overcome; the characters are at their lowest and all hope feels lost.
Biggest Obstacle: Defeating the gamemakers and getting herself and Peeta out of the contest unscathed.
Figure out a resolution to the problem. How is the character going to get themselves out of the situation that you’ve created for them?
Resolution: In order to save herself and Peeta, Katniss decides to call the Capital’s bluff and kill herself with Peeta, cheating the nation out of a victory and inciting an act of defiance. This ultimately ends up saving the both of them, allowing them both to win.
Pinpoint your main character’s plot arc. This is regarding the changes that take place in your character from the beginning to the end of the story. How have your characters evolved? What have they learned? Are they fulfilled now, or are they left wanting more? What made the difference to create either a happy or sad ending for them? Was it a new love? A new job? You get to decide!
Connect the beginning and the ending of the story. It’s nice to feel a full-circle moment in a novel. Maybe the characters end up back in the same place they started the story, or an object that was specified at the beginning comes back into play in the end, or a phrase is repeated at the end that was said at the beginning.
After figuring out the bones of your plot and characters, all that’s left to do is choose which outline type is best for you and outline your story!
“I've often wished when I started a book, I knew what was going to happen. I talked to writers who write 80-page outlines, and I'm just in awe of that.” — Charlaine Harris
Conclusion
Keep in mind that as you write, things will evolve. Your plot will change, you’ll add characters, things will go in a whole different direction than you imagined when you first started your novel. It’s the same way for a novel outline. Rearranging and reworking and rewriting are all the name of the game. It’s not a bad thing if your narrative looks different than you thought it would when all is said and done.
It’s important not to sweat the small stuff as you create your outline—it is just an outline, not the end-all be-all of your story. No idea will be perfect outright, and revising will help you hone your story. Don’t let you tell yourself that the idea you’ve come up with isn’t “good enough” to write about either; any plot can work with the right planning and strategizing. It just takes a willing author to step up to the plate!
Resources
How to Outline Your Novel in 5 Steps: Master Novel Template – MasterClass identifies some tried-and-true ways to plot a novel outline.
How to outline a novel: Get a novel framework – Katja Kaine discusses types of outlines and what techniques can be used when creating them.
How to Outline a Novel in 7 Steps [+Free Template] – Josh Fechter divulges the secrets to writing an outline for a novel.
How to Outline a Novel in 9 Easy Steps – Kirsten Bakis discusses the different ways to outline a novel and what those steps might look like.
How to Outline a Novel in 6 Steps: Your Complete Guide – Self-proclaimed pantser Jerry Jenkins goes through why outlining can be important for your novel and and the best strategy to complete it.
Finding the Novel Outlining Process that Works for You – Kristen Kieffer breaks down different outlining methods and offers tips for outlining.
Madison Eigel is a junior editor for A.E. Williams Editorial who is working on breaking into the writing and editing industry. As a former visual effects artist and writing hobbyist, she can offer various creative perspectives to the blogs that she writes. You can connect with her on the company Facebook, LinkedIn, or through email
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