What Is A Novel Outline? 5 Strong Reasons To Outline Your Novel Before You Start Writing

What is a novel outline? Discover what it is and explore five strong reasons to outline your story before writing your first draft.

A novel outline is a roadmap for your story. It helps you organise your ideas, develop your plot, and stay on track as you write. Outlining isn’t essential, but it offers so many benefits that even dedicated ‘pantsters‘ should consider giving it a try. Over the years, I’ve taught many people to write, and most of the authors who successfully finished their novels worked from some kind of outline or plot plan. Many of the published authors I’ve interviewed also rely on outlines.

In our creative writing course, we teach that outlining doesn’t mean planning every detail before you start. While some writers, such as Jeffery Deaver and Jeffrey Archer, create highly detailed outlines, most simply use one as a guide. Think of it as a map that helps you navigate your story and reach the end of your first draft.

What Is A Novel Outline? Types Of Outlines

Outlines can be:

1. 50-page detailed plans.
2. A reworking of The Hero’s Journey.
3. A simple series of index cards with a list of characters, major scenes, and sequels.
4. Structured timelines.
5. A series of character questionnaires showing development, motivations, flaws and strengths.
6. Story maps.
7. One-page chapter-by-chapter outlines.
8. One-page synopses.
9. 60-80 scenes and sequels using templates.

Some authors have plotted their stories for decades in their heads, making notes in journals. As George RR Martin, creator of A Song of Ice and Fire says: ‘All the major things have been planned since the beginning, since the early ’90s, the major deaths and the general direction of things. Obviously, the details and the minor things have been things that I’ve discovered along the way, part of the fun of writing the books is making these discoveries along the journey. But the general structure of the books has been in my head all along.’

What are the advantages to outlining your novel before you start writing?

5 Strong Reasons To Outline Your Novel Before You Start Writing

1. There Is Less Chance Of Writer’s block. Getting stuck or losing your way are two of the main reasons people join our creative writing course. Many have tried the ‘pantser’ approach without success because they started writing before developing a strong plot. Once they create an outline, they have a clear plan to follow. If they get stuck, they simply return to the outline and keep writing.
2. You Reduce Rewrites And Write Faster. An outline is like a rough draft of your story. By planning your novel first, you’ve already solved many of the structural problems before writing the manuscript. This means you’ll write faster, spend less time rewriting, and have more freedom to focus on crafting great scenes instead of constantly thinking about what should happen next.
3. You Spot Problems Before You Begin. An outline helps you identify plot holes and weak storylines before you’ve written thousands of words. It’s easy to write yourself—or your characters—into impossible situations. Planning ahead allows you to solve these problems early instead of rewriting large sections of your novel later.
4. It Boosts Your Creativity. By thinking everything through and planning your story you’re stimulating the creative process. Even if you write the first draft without referring to your outline, you will have a head start with your story. It also allows you to weave themes, plant clues, and foreshadow events naturally because you already know where the story is going. You can’t foreshadow if you don’t know what is going to happen next.
5. You Develop Stronger Characters With Clear Story Goals. Outlining helps you give your characters clear goals, believable motivations, and satisfying story arcs. Because you know where the story begins and ends, you can develop your characters consistently throughout the novel. Their growth feels natural, and every scene moves them closer to, or further from, their goal.

The Last Word

Whether you create a detailed chapter-by-chapter plan or a simple list of key plot points, an outline can make writing your novel easier. It gives you direction, helps you solve problems before they grow, and keeps you moving towards the end of your story. Find the outlining method that works for you, and let it guide you to a stronger first draft.

by Amanda Patterson
Text © Amanda Patterson

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