How to plan and outline your novel

Whether you are writing your first book or your tenth book, planning and outlining a novel can be tricky. While creating an outline may seem like an unnecessary extra step, it can help you write your novel much more easily. Explore how to create an outline that will serve as the blueprint for your novel.

The first step to writing your novel isn’t writing the first draft. It should actually start with planning and outlining the novel. Creating a solid outline will make your story consistent, powerful, and enjoyable to read. It can also help relieve writer’s block.
Follow these steps to outline a book and write a novel.

1. Define the premise

The first step to planning a novel should be to write the premise. A story’s premise is a short statement that explains its plot in simple terms. Creating a strong premise is crucial – the premise will guide you on exactly what you are writing about. Many writers help use the 5 Ws to help them create their outlines. It can help with your premise as well. The 5 Ws are who, what, when, where, and why. You should be answering the 5 Ws as you create the premise and outline of your novel. For example, you should ask yourself:

Who is the main character?
What motivates the main character?
What is the main character’s situation?
What is the main theme of the novel?
What is the main conflict in the novel?
When does the story take place?
Does the city take place in the United States? Is the main character in the city or suburbs?
Why is the main character motivated to act in a certain way?

2. Do your research

While most writers are advised to write about what they know, this isn’t always the best advice. J.K. Rowling certainly never went to a school for witchcraft and wizardry! If you’re writing about a topic that you’re not an expert on, do your research. For example, if you are writing a novel that takes place in the 1920s, you might want to research the social norms of that time period, how people spoke, and what they wore. It’s important to do your research to create an interesting, realistic novel. Save the articles you discover and take notes on them so that you can reference them as you write your book.

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Research doesn’t just have to involve the internet. It can also be helpful to interview people you know for insights into their lives or careers. For example, maybe one of the characters in your novel is a bartender, but you’ve never been a bartender before. You could ask your friend who is a bartender what they like and dislike the most about their job. How long are their shifts? Have they had any crazy customers? By asking specific questions, you may be able to get key insights from them that can help you bring your character to life.

3. Create character profiles

As a part of your novel outline, list all your characters and flesh out their personalities and backstories. Taking note of each character in your story is a crucial part of the writing process, and it will help you stay organized as you write, especially if your story involves a lot of characters.

Interesting and well-rounded characters are crucial if you want to keep your readers engaged. If a reader can’t connect with any of the characters, it makes for a less interesting reading experience. The more you write about each character, the better. You might want to answer the same 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, and why) that were discussed earlier to outline your novel’s characters. Include their physical and emotional attributes.

4. Determine your narrative structure

The narrative structure determines how the story is told. The narrative you choose can enhance or detract from the story. Here are some common types of narrative structures that you’ll see in novels:

Linear/Chronological: In this narrative structure, the story is told chronologically. Flashbacks can still be used in this narrative structure. This is the most popular type of narrative structure. An example of a novel with a linear narrative is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Fractured/Nonlinear: In this narrative structure, events don’t occur in chronological order. For example, a storyline that flashes back and forth between the past and future uses a fractured narrative. Fractured/nonlinear narratives are popular in mystery novels. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is a novel that uses this narrative structure.
Circular: In this narrative style, the story ends where it begins. An example of a novel that uses a circular structure is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
Parallel: In this narrative structure, multiple storylines occur that are tied together by a character, event, or theme. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald uses a parallel narrative.

5. Create your plot

It’s important to create a timeline of events before you begin writing your story. This will help keep you focused while writing your novel and can help you determine if your story is interesting enough to write in the first place. Write down your novel’s timeline from start to end. Be sure to flesh out the beginning, middle, and end of the plot.

6. Start writing your novel

Now that you’ve created a comprehensive outline, you can finally get to the fun part and begin writing your book!

Writing a novel takes a lot of planning, but it’s important to keep you on track and write a strong and interesting story. Once your novel is complete and in your hands, you’ll be grateful you took the time to thoroughly plan it out.