How to create a strong outline that will make writing your novel easy

Outlining your novel could make or break your writing experience. Here are 3 tasks to help you write a strong outline for your next book and make writing easy.

Whether you are a Pantser (No outline) or a Plotter (Has outline), you should have some version of an outline. I know, I know. You want just to let the story do what she wants to do. Sure. Go ahead. But just a warning: editing is going to be a nightmare.

Please, for your sake. Just read this first.

Outline your Novel Task 1: Decide on these 3 elements:

Genre

What shelf would your book sit on in a bookstore or the library? Is it fiction or nonfiction? What kind of world does it take place in? During what time period is the story? And are there hot, rich vampires who only have eyes for plain Jane?

Age Range

What ages are your ideal readers? Writing for an adult will use words and situations that most would agree elementary-aged kids shouldn’t read. Try to stick with life phases: Preschool, Elementary, Middle Grade, High School/young adult.

Once you get to adult readers, be specific: women in their twenties without kids, Women in their forties redefining themselves as empty nesters, men in their thirties looking for their forever someone, or men finding peace after their other half passed on.

Length/Word Count

Kids’ books are short and normally include illustrations of some sort.

Outline your Novel Task 2: Know your Story and Plot

I have a post on the Difference Between Story and Plot HERE

Story: MC’s Goal, Misbelief, and/or Fear

What goal does your Main Character (MC) have at the story’s beginning?

• He wants to get a big promotion.

• She wants to save the family business.

• They want to survive an overreaching government.

Name their misbelief.

• Staying single makes them happy.

• They need the promotion to be fulfilled.

• They need to be a ________.

What do they fear?

• Commitment

• Spiders

• Never fitting in

Plot: Events that make your MC face the above

What events will force the MC to face the Big 3?

Let’s get uncomfortable!

Make them bump into their high school love. Make the treasure in a cave full of giant spiders. Force them to stand up to the overreaching government. Give them a chance to fit it.

But remember: What you wish isn’t always what you want.

Your MC can realize they don’t want the promotion, which means moving away. Or that fitting in doesn’t mean you’re happy. This leads to the next point.

What lesson do you want your MC/Reader to learn on this journey?

• What lesson can your MC and the reader learn?

• When the people work together, they are stronger than their government.

• Being single doesn’t make them happy anymore.

• The treasure was worth the cave full of spiders.

Outline your Novel Task 3: Know Other Factors

Know your secondary characters and their role in your MC’s arch.

The cast list must directly affect the MC’s journey in some way. The side character you wrote in just for humor has to contribute to the MC’s story somehow. They can be funny and helpful.

Worldbuilding can be tricky, especially if you give names, backstories, and the Big 3 to side characters.

Epic Fantasy has a lot of characters but one ‘main main’ character. Romance has two POVs but still one ‘main main’ character.

List out any subplots that you have in mind.

The more subplots you have, the longer and more “difficult” it becomes to follow your book. Think Cozy Mystery vs. Lord of the Rings.

If you are writing an Epic Fantasy, yes subplots are included, but keep in mind your main story/plot and don’t distract the reader from it.

Make a list of the subplots and which characters are involved in each. These secondary stories shouldn’t pull the reader out of the main story and should have something to do with the MC’s journey.

Write/Type out your scenes.

Basic Skeleton scene list, bullet points with key elements or full play-by-play outline. Your writing habits will determine this.

Remember: even Stephen King knows how the story will end.

TIP: Some people write their scenes on index cards to move them around as needed and some (Me.) type up their scenes for easy changes.

In the comments, let me know your outlining process.

Further Reading (contains affiliate links):

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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