Megan Wald gave us a great overview of outlining at the beginning of the month. The main takeaway being that there's an option for everyone (yes, even Pantsers)! I think there are probably even methods of outlining that don't have a technical name.
An outline is simply a way to organize thoughts into a book roadmap. Outlines become quite integral for authors who work on strict deadlines or for Planners like me.
But is there a "best" way to outline a novel?
Let's take a look.
Every writer starts their story in a different way, so the method that works best for you might be different. It may even change from book to book.
Some of the more common methods include:
- Act Structure
- Beat Sheets
- Index cards
- Mind mapping
- Full sentence/Synopsis
- Bookend
And the list goes on!
Act Structure
This method of outlining is one of the more traditional, but even it has variations. Some people like the Three Act Structure, I tend to use the Five Act Structure, but both are often formatted in multi-bulleted lists.
In the Three Act version, there are three main points to the story that get subdivided into other, smaller points. The main acts are often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution (beginning, middle, and end). Sometimes they have slightly different names, but that's the idea!
The Setup is as it sounds. It's used to introduce the setting, the world, and the characters. Toward the end of the first act, the inciting incident occurs leading to the first major plot point which signals the end of Act I. This leads to a dramatic change for the protagonist and forces the story along to the second act.
The Confrontation focuses on the aftermath of the inciting incident. It often circles around the protagonist attempting to solve the problem only to end up in increasingly detrimental circumstances. In this act, they have to confront themselves, learn new skills, and ultimately grow enough to be able to confront the main problem.
The Resolution is the end of the story, and it features the climax. After, we look at the wrap-up for all the storylines, and where the characters end up as a result of the main confrontation.
Outlines for this structure build off of the Acts, and they can be detailed or vague in nature. Some people only touch on the basics of each act, others will break into sub-points and map out each scene in the act. It's up to you to add your flavour!
For myself, I lean toward the Five Act Structure as a starting point. It's very similar to the Three Act, except that it breaks down each section a bit more. It also helps me to focus more on character arcs and less on the plot.
The five acts are traditionally as follows:
1) Exposition
2) Rising Action
3) Climax
4) Falling Action
5) Resolution
I typically don't title my five acts this way as it gets in my head a bit. But you can see the similarities to the Three Act Structure.
For myself, I just label each act as "Parts." In Part 1, we are introduced to all the important details about the world, the setting, and the characters. In the version I use, the first act has three points: the Introduction, the Call to Action, and the Point of No Return.
First, we learn about the world, then we experience the MC forced to a position where they must act. Sometimes this looks like a friend in trouble, sometimes it's the inner struggle they thought was serving them, but now they have no choice but to confront it in order to move forward. Lastly, the Point of No Return is the scene in which the MC follows through on their Call to Action, and now the stakes are too high. If they choose to do nothing, they sacrifice something great.
Part 2 includes New Friends, New Reality, and Major Event. The New Friends section will introduce us to the people the MC is forced into after the Point of No Return. This is their new life, and ultimately it leads to their New Reality. Their world has changed, and now we get to see it. But through it all, tension continues to build toward the first Major Event. This is the choice they have to make to maintain their worldview. It is going to push them toward the third act.
In Part 3, we Build-Up to Peak Action, have a High Action Event, and then Simmer Down. By this point, we really start to see how each point is building off of the previous one. The last Major Event acted as a catalyst to continue the building tension. This leads to the High Action Event, which is often called the Climax. This is the crux of the story. And once it's over, we Simmer Down with the aftermath of such an event.
Part 4 is where the emotional pull really comes in. Here, we start with an Encouragement to Complete the Quest. This is the point where the MC has either had some wins or some losses, and they start contemplating the wisdom of continuing on. Something they encounter (whether it be a death, or simply a conversation with a friend) is going to spur them on toward their goal. This leads to a Major Loss. This is going to eat at your MC and pull out all the juicy inner struggles they've been avoiding. The act ends with a Major Twist. All those little nuggets of foreshadowing come to light here.
Finally, we draw to a close in Part 5. All the Storylines are Tied Together at the beginning of this act. Whatever sub-plots have been playing in the background become part of the foreground. This leads to the Resolution between the Protagonist and Antagonist--however that makes sense in your story. And we end with the Conclusion or What Comes Next for the characters.
And there you have it! I typically have 2-3 scenes under each sub-heading in the Five Act Structure. This usually leaves me with anywhere from 75k to 90k words by the end--although this method could be adapted for larger or smaller stories. It's the method that works for me! You can check out my skeleton template below.
It's also important to note that for any outline, high-action scenes should be followed by a reflection of some kind. This allows the reader to process what's happened. A sequence of high-action events with no time to process can feel like too much, and it might lead to readers putting the book down.
Beat Sheets
This method of outlining is a bit less intensive. Beat sheets are typically used for screenplays, but that's not all they're good for. The gist of it is a bullet-point list of the major points in the story. It's less structured, and it allows the writer to see how certain scenes might fit together in one organized space from beginning to end.
With a beat sheet, start with the main points, then fill in additional scenes and information as needed. By the end, the outline should be quite immersive (not necessarily extensive, though). It should help to solidify character arcs and motivations, as well as where the story starts and ends.
Often, there are recommended beats (e.g., Meeting the Characters, Hope is Lost, etc.). However, it's up to you to decide how best to format your beats. If you're looking for assistance getting started, I would recommend the book Save the Cat! Writes a Novel. Jessica Brody breaks down the beat sheet method and offers some suggestions on how it can be adapted for novel outlines.
Index Cards
This method is great for writers who work in a non-linear fashion. The index card outline is fluid because each card (or even Post-It) only requires a short scene description--what information is on the card is totally up to you--and then the cards can be moved around until the scenes all flow together nicely.
Personally, I like to include what characters show up in the scene--with specific notes on characters we're meeting for the first time, a few sentences or bullet points on the action, the setting/location, and any notes on character or romance beats.
I love this method as a secondary outline. Once I have a first draft written, I'll make up these cards and line them up. As a visual person, it makes it easy for me to see the pace of my story. Sometimes I'll note that a character doesn't show up for five scenes, or I'm missing a romance beat between chapters five and twelve. Then I can make a solid developmental revision plan.
Mind Mapping
You may have encountered this method as simply "brainstorming". All it takes is starting with a singular idea. That idea goes in the center of a board or paper, or whatever medium you like to use, and from that central idea spans other ideas. They often look something like this:
The example above is a Canva template, and I highly recommend Canva if you're looking for a free graphic design source. It has many uses beyond that, and this could be a great option!
Using the mind mapping method can help to flesh out details. It's often helpful to start with the first idea for the story and branch out from there. It can also be used for character arcs, backstory, worldbuilding. The possibilities truly are endless!
I default to this when I get stuck on a scene, and I just don't know where the story should go next. The center bubble becomes the last thing that happened. Then I'll tell myself, "Literally anything can happen." I'll write down any idea that comes to my head as a secondary bubble, no matter how ridiculous. This helps me to get out of the rut that everything needs to fit inside a certain box. Once I can free myself from that trap, I find better ideas.
Full Sentence/Synopsis
This one is pretty straightforward, start with a synopsis and use it as an outline. One of my Pantser friends recently adopted this method because they were on contract and needed a more streamlined way to get into a story. They mentioned how beginning with a synopsis allowed them to see whether a story idea was viable as a book before they spent hours writing only to discover it wasn't a book-worthy idea.
Now, this method doesn't need to be the synopsis going in submission packages. It's just a paragraph format for listing everything that happens in the story. This could be one page or twenty pages long. As long as it provides a map, it's an outline.
If you need help on where to start, you can check out this blog post by Susan Dennard on writing a 1-page synopsis.
Bookend
Bookend outlines might be the simplest outlines there are. It really only requires two paragraphs: one for the start of the story and one for the end. This method helps to keep track of where the story is going, where all the characters end up.
Although simple, it works best if some key information about the story is already known. Things like themes and premise. Then the details can be fleshed out as they're written.
The Bonus Method
I'm adding a little section here about the Story Genius method. I've talked a bit about this book in other posts because I do feel like it has great information for character-driven stories. The method described in the book is a version of the Index Card method, but more focused on points that build off each other and why it matters to your characters.
The card is divided into five sections (see to the right). The top section is for the main scene information. It lists the scene number (for ordering scenes), the Alpha Point (the main plot point), and the sub-plot points (any beats for sub-plots that happen concurrently in the scene).
Below that, we have two squares for the plot. First, "What Happens" where the more detailed scene description goes. To the right of that square, we have "The Consequences". This is the result of whatever action happens in the scene.
For example, the "What Happens" square might read:
Suzie goes to the market to pick up her favourite flowers. She runs into her ex-best friend with whom she had a falling out a few years back. Suzie hides behind a stall until Marion passes, recalling the rocky end to their friendship.
Next, we do the consequence square:
Suzie manages to avoid Marion at the market, then goes home to find Sam--her newest partner--lounging on the couch. She begins to grow suspicious of all Sam's actions. Has he been lying to her as well?
Thirdly, "Why it Matters."
Suzie has major trust issues because of Marion and a past boyfriend, but she thinks she's got those issues under control. Seeing Marion again reminds Suzie of the past, and she begins to question her burgeoning relationship with Sam. She's been looking for an out for weeks even though she really likes him. Things have been getting too serious for her, and they're beginning to touch on her vulnerabilities.
Lastly--and this one must be done last--is the Realization square.
Through Sam's little actions, like leaving out an extra glass and always placing his phone face-down, Suzie realizes he's cheating on her too, and she will probably never meet an honest person in her life. She's better off on her own.
In the final portion of this square, we lead into the next scene with an "And So?" For this answer, it might look like this:
And so Suzie kicks Sam out immediately. She locks the door behind him--along with her heart--and vows that she'll die a spinster. Then she grabs a pint of ice cream from the freezer and throws on her favourite show.
This is a very rough, on-the-spot example, but it gives an idea of how to fill out the cards. Some notes to consider, though:
Your character's realization doesn't have to be a logical one. I look at Suzie's reaction and it seems extreme to me, but given her story, it makes a lot of sense. The reaction only needs to be true and accurate to the character.
The top two squares are about the plot and the bottom two are about how these scenes impact the misbelief your character is carrying throughout the story. Ultimately, each scene should lead your characters closer to confronting their misbelief.
These cards are easiest to use when building in order from beginning to end. Because each card ends with the "And So?" there's a natural progression of events. That being said, you may only try this out for a scene or two.
The bottom line is: the only "best way" to outline is the method that works for you at the time. I've tried multiple different methods, and as I mention here, I use a lot of them in various circumstances. It's not a one-size-fits-all kind of life.
This list is definitely not all-encompassing, but I hope this post gave an idea of some more popular outlining methods and how to use them. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions!
What's your favourite outlining method?
Happy writing,
Erin
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