The Benefits of a
Book Outline Template
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
If you’re a novel or memoir writer and you haven’t tried using a book outline template, you are missing out. No matter what, writing a book-length work is daunting. But without a novel outline or book outline template? It can be so easy to get lost in the weeds and go off on tangents that don’t serve your story. That’s why having a plan before you start writing is essential. Here, I’m happy to share a book outline template to make this part of the book creation process as easy and helpful as possible.
The Benefits of Having A Book Outline Template
When it comes to writing novels or memoirs, having an outline will help you remain focused and organized throughout the process. But where do you even start? There are so many methodologies out there, from Save the Cat Writes a Novel to the Campbell Hero’s Journey to The Story Grid. Well, as with every other writing teacher and publishing expert out there, I’ve thrown my hat into the ring with my own book outline template.
But before we get to the document itself, know that an effective book outline template should touch upon all of the key story elements that you need to flesh out to craft your story in an organized, logical, and intentional way. Ticking all of the boxes and brainstorming the major character and plot points ahead of time will help with common drafting issues like lack of focus, logic holes, and inconsistencies throughout your manuscript.
Picking a Book Outline Template
There are several steps involved in creating a book outline, but don’t let this intimidate you—it doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming! (Though many writers think outlines are so overwhelming that they won’t even try them. Don’t let yourself be intimidated away from a truly helpful tool.)
You have your pick of the litter in terms of book outline template providers, so make sure whichever you choose has the following major components covered:
the setting, time period, and worldbuilding
the main character and their backstory,
their objective and motivation
secondary and tertiary characters,
plot points including a strong beginning, middle, and end,
Problems for your character to overcome (internal and external),
subplots,
relevant tropes of your genre,
your universal theme.
Once the bigger moving pieces are in place, you can flesh out your book outline template by crafting summaries for each chapter, each scene, or even each beat. Don’t forget to include scenes that illustrate what characters are learning (without moralizing), while also building up tension and suspense so readers will stay engaged.
Working With a Book Outline Template
Once you have chosen your book outline template, it’s time to begin turning your idea into reality (or at least a manuscript) by actually writing out the project, from beat to beat, scene to scene, and chapter to chapter. The best part of this drafting process? All of the hard thinking and decision-making has already been done, so all you have to do is get your ideas on the page and play around.
So if this sounds good to you, check out my very own book outline template: Template Here
A book outline template can save the day for a new manuscript project, or seriously inject some life into a flagging revision. It can provide structure to every step of a book project, from concept to completion. By using an outline beforehand, you'll gain clarity without sacrificing creativity. So what are you waiting for? Try out a book outline template, like this one, today.
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