Writing A Book Outline Template – A free fiction writer template to help you plan and structure your novel (24 chapter layouts for Word, Scrivener, G-Docs, Plot)
) – my simple 8-point novel writing template, with a surprising key twist that most stories need to hit. I always wanted a more in-depth book outline and cheat sheet plot, but there are so many conflicting story structures that it was hard to sort out the details. Last year though, I managed to put together a 24 chapter sample for business literature.
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Writing A Book Outline Template
It depends on a lot of other things, but I’ve looked at other beats or story planning guides and I haven’t found one that tells you what to do at every point in your story… so I hope you like it. I’ve created an hour long video that walks you through the steps, I’ll share it below.
Free Printable Story Outline Templates [pdf, Word, Excel] Examples
You can also download a Word template; I managed to get it down to 2 pages (so you can print front and back if you want, and so I can call it a “one page” plot summary).
I’m going to copy the whole thing below. You can paste it into your word processor of choice. P.S. This is just a basic definition; The downloadable templates are more refined and include some bonus writing tips.
Start the first chapter in the middle of the action; A big important day that the main character is waiting for. These are not characters sitting around thinking about lore or history. Give them small, simple tasks to complete that show their world and the people in it. Don’t share information, don’t share action and be descriptive. Has a good main character
But then, those little activities or activities or preparations for this big event that they were waiting for, go horribly wrong. Whatever they were planning, or counting on, the better future they had been dreaming of for years, all falls apart. You have to do them
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Taking risks at the expense of what they care about – because the protagonist/hero is always unhappy at first.
In these first three chapters, they take increasingly dangerous steps to try to stay on their main path, despite the obstacles. They haven’t given up yet, but they are anxious and anxious to right their wrongs and get what they want, despite being denied.
There will also be something new, something different, that will change things, but they are currently trying to ignore that. Show the strange, show the mystery. Make them wonder about it, but only a little, because they have other more important things to do.
People don’t sit around and think about weird things until later, when things settle down, and you shouldn’t let things settle down! The main character focuses on the biggest problem, the one most related to their goals, wants, and needs.
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There is still no room for detailed background information or infodumps. Take the simple present: They will ask questions or check
. Right now, they already know everything about this world, and so do others around them. No one should accidentally share world building content (unless it is connected to a world event).
In the next three chapters, something big happens that they can’t ignore. It changes how they think about things, how the world works. It is new and unexpected; It indicates
The trick is that they don’t want to. They avoid, and deny, and try to fix things, or appreciate what they have lost. They look for other, easier solutions (the core fan always takes the path of least resistance). But then you take them, kicking and screaming if you have to, in a new direction they don’t really want.
Book Writing Templates
In a romance, this can force your main character into a tight spot (closer to danger) with their hot opponent; As is his new boss to find a cute donkey.
In these three chapters, the main character must learn the ropes. It could be a new job, a supernatural world, an exciting new case. They will get some new, mysterious characters that have appeared before. They will have to learn things, and will have new friends, enemies, allies and mentors – but also challenges, tasks and tests to keep things interesting.
This is where you can do more world building (but no backstory yet! More on that later). They feel like they don’t belong. They don’t want to live here. They hate everyone. But… somehow they find something they’re good at, that they enjoy, and the people around them start to show signs of warming up to them, causing them to start caring about the world/environment/team new people. is
But then you hit the first pin point, which is the conflict with the main character’s forces. Maybe not the main character directly, just something that represents challenge, fear, threat, danger. something bad. There is conflict out there. It doesn’t have to be a fight or a fight; Maybe a fight or an argument.
Best Story Outline Templates (novel, Book & Plot) ᐅ Templatelab
Now that the main character is starting to feel at home, the first pin point reveals the conflict. Now they can start asking real questions, and get real answers about background, history, world building, and more. But don’t simplify the answers. Each year your answer should begin as a mystery and question; And it must be fought for, sought, or hard to find. You must do it
Giving information or simple answers. Questions should be ignored, denied, denied, and they should force answers
But when they finally get the answers they’re looking for, it’s a surprise: it’s more than they expected. the truth about their history, antagonists, personal roles, family secrets or their parents or main identities; Something they did not expect is very personal.
Then we get to the level of the mirror, where they take a step back to reflect on everything. They have to figure out if they really want to be here, if there’s a way, if they can put themselves back together. Don’t give them all the answers, though: every big answer or revelation should be
Free Story Outline Examples (novel, Book & Plot)
It happens at the end of the scene, and then the curtain closes, before they have time to react. Don’t just put a bunch of exposition on the page and let the characters participate in it. A shocking revelation should be like a slap – sharp and sudden, followed by silence.
After the mirror stage, the main character basically decides, they are pushed around, ignored, not appreciated. They care about this new world or the players. They determine them
Was of They want to succeed or be successful in a new, unexpected and unexpected opportunity. Instead of being reactive, they decide to stay and try harder. Even if it is hard and difficult. Because they have found something they want, something valuable.
They reunite and make a plan with their friends. threat, plan to get rid of competition; Plan to win and succeed. Wise leaders do not rush into war, and the odds should be heavily against them (this is the real threat, which brings them all together). So they don’t plan for violence. They plan something else, something clever, a way to do good, save someone else, stop an opponent, but they don’t really plan a full battle.
Free Book Outline Template: Story Plotting & Structure
But… somehow the plan goes awry and they are stopped or surprised by the forces of the adversaries, who are bigger, more powerful and more vulnerable than they realize. This time (this is important!)
The main character was here willingly, and because he was given an important job, this feels like a personal failure or setback. The people they cared about are counting on them, and they have let everyone down. Maybe someone got hurt (or even killed!).
Character deaths do not seem surprising at first; It’s going to happen when we interact with these characters and get to know them. The main character took a big risk and failed; Now they have to deal with crime like they never have before.
The “first war” is a skirmish, and it is personal and distant. “The Second War” is immediate and personal. Both antagonist and protagonist are more aware of each other.
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At the end of this series, we get a big reveal. It’s also important to point out, my version is very different from the usual hero’s journey or other writing templates or outlines, as there are more battles and sequences in between.
Probably due to lack of information. So not only is something wrong, and not only are they guilty or ashamed, but they are overwhelmed with promises, and feel inadequate – because there is information they don’t yet know.
*New information* is a shocking revelation, which comes with difficulty. Something they did not know, something mysterious, which they would discover only after their failure. Perhaps with a teasing rival, perhaps a peer or a mentor who kept secrets.
They are angry, confused, guilty, all emotions at once. This fight or battle is much bigger and much more personal than they expected. Before that, they thought they could win.
How To Outline A Novel In 6 Simple Steps
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