How I write my novels a 10 step beginners guide. Step 6: Outlining

Writing a novel can be a daunting task. I know because it has taken me 7 years to complete my first one. However, writing is easier for me now, than when I started. I realize that there are many of you who want to write that first novel, so let me lend my acquired experience to make your journey easier.

I have 10 steps that I realized I have used to complete my book. During the next 10 weeks I’m going to provide you with the actual and specific tools that have used. I’m going to put them up on this blog for you to see, and I’m going to give them away to you for free! Yes, free because I want you to be successful! I know that they will work for you some of you are more computer literate than others, so my tools are going to help you no matter what level of proficiency you have in software or hardware. All you need is a desire to learn, and a willingness to implement the steps.

Ok here is step six: Outline your story.

This step is key. It’s been said that writers block is merely you not knowing where to go next in the story. Regardless of if you agree with this not, outlining the structure of your story will go a long ways to helping you understand what you want to tell your reader.

There’s a simple way to do this and more complicated ways.

Three Act Structure

Here are a few pics that visually explain 3-act structure. Also reference the main pic in the heading of the blog.

Figure 1

Essentially, there is a beginning, a middle and end. With you escalating tension, or conflict for your character (the put them through hell phases I call it.) from approximately near the ‘end’ of the beginning until you hit the climax at the end. Then you drop off quickly with the resolution of the story and fade to black. (Sorry the cinematographer in me is coming out.)

Easy, peezy, lemon squeezee huh?

Well as fine and dandy as that is. I just didn’t do it that way.

This is what I did to outline my story.

I imagined each ‘scene’ in my head. Every fight scene, the ending, sometimes I could connect each scene to another and sometimes I could not. However, in the end I had some scenes in my head. If your not clear about what I’m saying. If you have ever played a DVD when you go to the main menu of the movie it will ask you what chapter or what scene do you want to directly skip too. Well when I write, I see in my head all these various scenes. EXCEPT they are not laid out in the order of which the story is to be told.

I use Microsoft excel to lay out my outline. Here’s some screen shots

Ok in this first screen shot, what I do is write out every scene I can think of, then I move them up or down on the spread sheet. Over time I get a get a scene by scene outline of my story (Ive changed the font as this is a prelim outline for my next novel)

Figure 2

Notice I created at the bottom tabs. There is a tab for each chapter. So each chapter has all the scenes associated with it.

I use the comments ability in Excel to add detail if I need to.

Notice that a green box is next to one of the scenes. (its green because its been written)

You can color code all the scenes for example that deal with a particular characters story arch. Thus keeping track of where he/she is in the novel if you have multiple characters.

On Fig 2 notice at the top that I have cells to show the chapter title. The scene, whose point of view is being shown and what happens, and how many pages the scene covers.

Figure 2

Excel (if you’re a lil savvy) is a great way to lay out and outline your book

I hope this tip help!

Donovan

Donovan M. Neal is the Amazon best-selling independently published author of the Third Heaven Series: a speculative Christian fantasy four book series that explores the captivating story about the fall of Lucifer. The book takes readers on an epic journey through the celestial realms, offering a unique perspective on the events surrounding Lucifer’s rebellion and his descent into darkness. In this imaginative tale, Donovan weaves together elements of Christian theology, angelic mythology, and fantastical world-building. The story delves into the cosmic conflict between good and evil, painting a vivid picture of the spiritual warfare that unfolded in the heavens. Donovan has published eleven books and is currently working on publishing five more in the year 2023 alone. His books have reached thirteen countries including India, Japan, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil and across Europe, Canada and the US. He has sold over thirty thousand units of his books and generated over a quarter million in gross sales part time and without an agent. Donovan has produced fiction; non-fiction and most recently published a graphic novel. His genre of preference is fantasy and he has been named among such notable authors as Frank Perretti, Brian Godawa, and the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser. When he’s not writing or working, Donovan can be found gaming or enjoying various forms of media. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and a graduate degree in Non-profit Management from Walden University. Prior to his current career, Donovan served in ordained ministry from 1993-2011 and has extensive experience teaching the Bible. You can learn more about him professionally if you would like by clicking here. His favorite movie is the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. He also enjoys gaming and can be found on the Playstation5 deep in Destiny 2, He’s owned most gaming systems all the way back from Atari and Pong! and has made several friends from his beloved days on World of Warcraft. A lover of such classics as chess and backgammon he loves most games and the strategy behind them. When he is not imagining comic conflicts between good and evil he is helping to secure employment for housing insecure women as the Executive Director of a non-profit in the city of Detroit and also serves in the prayer and discipleship ministry of his local church.