Writing is simple, but it's not easy. Sometimes you need a nudge to turn that blank page into something worth reading.

In today's article, Autumn Birt shares some tips on how to reboot your story.

Have you ever been writing and hit a wall to wonder, what happens next?

Or, worse, written until you realize you have no where else to go, the story just sort of dies right there under your cursor, and you’ve lost months of work writing something that isn’t publishable?

It doesn’t have to be that way. The good news is the only choice is not to plot every detail before you start writing in order to know that you have all the elements to create a solid story.

There is a lot of room between coming up with a story idea and hoping for the best as you dive into writing, and creating a twenty page outline.

Like, how about a technique that will take about half an hour, will help you organize the key points to your story, find holes or areas that need developed before you spend months writing to hit a dead end, and will, hopefully, get you more excited about writing instead of worn out from plotting?

The Framework of All Stories

Some really perceptive folks figured out that all great stories follow the same path. Of course, you can find exceptions, but those are outliers to the norm.

The characters, settings, and other details of stories create uniqueness, but underneath it all is a hidden framework that you can use to build an idea, or discover it is only half-baked.

I consider myself a hybrid pantser/plotter as far as outlining goes. I create ideas for chapters as I write but leave it up to the characters to fill in the blanks of how the idea evolves into events.

But before that, before I start writing or even worldbuilding, I create a 7 step framework to know if the idea is solid enough to spend time on. If not, I develop it or back burner it until something new arises.

I even use this method for short stories because it is that effective and helps propel my writing that much.

7 steps. Half an hour. You can use this too (and then get on with the writing with a LOT more confidence!).

Step 1: Intro

Sure, as authors, we know so much has to be packed into the beginning of a story. You should start with action. Hook the reader in the first page/paragraph. And don’t overwhelm the reader with details.

But this is before all of that. It is the underlying foundation that you will build the prose on.

I like to frame the intro as a snapshot into a small everyday emergency. It isn’t the big problem the plot will pivot around (unless you are on book 2 or 3 perhaps). This allows you to start with action without overwhelming the reader with a world-destroying plot they don’t understand or care about yet.

Instead, it is an ordinary moment like not-being-able-to-find-the-keys-and-the-main-character-is-in-a-panic-she-will-be-late-for-work level of problem. It is solvable.

The reader gets to witness the character in her element, problem-solving, reacting to a minor issue.

This allows you to introduce the world and provide basic information such as if the main character has a job, a partner, or is living with family.

Is the genre fantasy, dystopian, historical, modern? For the mini-outline, answer what is the mundane emergency your main character will be dealing with?

Plus, what is the genre of the story and the setting/location for the beginning?

Step 2: Inciting Incident

Remember that mundane emergency? It doesn’t turn out as expected or uncovers a bigger problem. Either way, the result alters the MCs world or worldview.

Those lost keys? The MC uses an app on her phone to discover they are in a room two apartments down. When she goes to retrieve them, she finds the door open and a dead body. She picks up her keys from a puddle of blood as the police burst in.

You’ve given the reader enough of a window into the MC’s life and world that they have connected with her, but not so long as to bore them.

Now, you grab their curiosity; what the heck is going on? How will the MC deal with this?

For your quick outline, you simply need to answer the question: What happens to shatter the main character's world?

Step 3: Reaction Phase

No one goes through a paradigm shift that changes their entire understanding of their world or catapults them into a setting they are unprepared for and lands on their feet. If they do, well, it doesn’t resonate all that well.

The character needs to get her feet back under her and to do that, she often needs help or at least time.

The Reaction Phase is the time when the main character is the newbie, not thinking clearly, and is possibly overemotional. This isn’t the organized person the reader met on page one, who might have been having a bad day, but it was an ordinary bad day.

Life just became extraordinary and she misses the normal crap. In fact, she might want to simply return to the normal crap and might not believe what is going on, or take it as seriously as she should. The details can compound, pulling the character into deep danger.

Our poor heroine is interrogated but doesn’t think she could possibly be the suspect. She doesn’t even know who the dead guy is! So she doesn’t ask for a lawyer. The detective twists her words. Finally, in a panic she asks for a lawyer.

Things don’t look good. She was found at the scene, her hand covered in blood that had been on her keys. Friends are shocked. Out on bail, she returns to her apartment to find her job gone and that she is shunned by everyone she knew. No one believes her. The lawyer tells her to accept a plea deal.

For this step, answer how your main character reacts to step 2. Where does he go? Who helps him?

Step 4: New Idea / Dark Night of the Soul

The main character cannot stay naive or she won’t survive. Or a bad decision will lead to the death of a close friend.

A second pivotal event occurs in the story that awakens the urge to fight back and to strategize how to succeed. She needs to do more and better to defeat what is against her.

Sometimes though, this moment of change comes from something less severe than near death or the loss of a friend. A new piece of information can unlock a window to a path forward, one that the main character will leap to take.

Either a tormented night of soul searching or new information launches the deeper novel plot at last. The main character will move from wanting to return to where they were at the beginning to taking on something larger, which will result in the climax. Or at least things will start to move that way.

Our heroine can’t just let the system steamroll her. She starts to delve into the dead man’s life. She finds a clue he is from a different country, dodges her bail, and heads there to find out who he was and why he had her keys.

What event occurs to change the main character from reacting to being ready to take control? Does someone die? Is it new information? If so what and from who did they learn it?

Step 5: Planning Phase

The main character has enough information gained on who are friends, who is against her, and what the reality of this world is to navigate well enough to avoid capture.

Where the reaction phase had few wins that came mostly through luck or help, in the planning phase the main character starts to succeed on her own.

She gathers new allies. Her enemy starts to grow worried and becomes more active in stopping her from succeeding. The MC realizes the small problems and injustices she encountered during the reaction phase are related to something bigger.

Things are getting intense in the story!

For our heroine, some of the strange details the MC discovers in the deadman’s home country convinces a local policewoman to help her. As the policewoman realizes the MC is wanted by Interpol, a hitman tries to kill the MC.

The policewoman ends up protecting the MC as they evade Interpol and assassins while uncovering clues to the agency the dead man worked for. She finds papers on child adoptions and clippings of missing infants and children as well as medical data of experiments. It all leads to one international company.

For this phase, write how the main character progresses from what happens in step 4 to taking control of his life.

• Are there new allies?
• Who are they?
• How do they help?
• What is the big problem the character needs to solve that step 4 should have revealed and/or will lead them to discovering?
• Who is the enemy that is trying to stop them?

Step 6: Climax

Everything leads to this moment. All the angst, loss, change, and growth of the story results in the climax. And it has to be worth it!

There can be no neat little wrap-up from a technicality or unforeseen help that solves everything for the MC. She has to be the one to solve her problems, with our without help, she leads the charge.

A local headline of a missing boy thought lost hiking makes the MC and the policewoman realize the kidnappings and experiments are still going on. Knowing they will be caught, they rush to find the missing boy.

The policewoman calls the Interpol agent who has been on their tail as they break into a secret medical facility just as the boy is about to be experimented on. They are arrested with a suitcase of evidence and the life of the unconscious boy saved.

For the climax, how does the main character solve the big problem of the plot, uncovered in step 4 or 5? How does he confront the antagonist? Is it a big enough problem to make all the issues that came before it worthwhile?

Step 7: Wrap Up

The wrap up leaves the reader with a final emotional impression for the story. And it is where you tie up loose ends or unveil a new problem, effectively beginning the intro to the next book.

Our heroine is cleared of all charges and cast as an international hero. The final scene in the book shows her walking to a rural house where an old woman on the porch rises to her feet as if she’s been waiting for her.

If I wanted to lead into a sequel, I could hint at a medical issue arising from the testing done on the main character as a little girl. The story could end with a text to come back immediately to discuss test results and leave the reader wondering what is wrong.

That is it, right? This book is ready to be written.

Not quite.

This exercise helps the writer look for things that don’t line up or see if an entire step is missing. The example has all the steps, but I never really explained why the dead man stole the main character’s keys? It doesn’t fit with the rest of the plot. And once I answer that missing piece, this story idea should be ready for writing.

And that is the key thing. The sequence of events should make sense and build off each other to carry the plot thread forward. This is why you should stick to the main character because he or she should move the plot forward.

Once you have all the steps and the answers make sense without unanswered threads, then you know the story is ready to be written – and you should have enough in place to write or plot with confidence!

Do you outline your novel before you begin writing? Please leave your thoughts below and join the conversation.

Autumn Birt is an award winning fantasy writer. You can check out her books at AutumnWriting.com. She co-runs the AmWritingFantasy.com website, which has information, videos, workbooks, and courses on writing, worldbuilding, and marketing, including free writer’s resources. You can also pick up a free video course on writing here. Happy Writing!

There is no ‘right' way to write. There is no ‘right' way to outline. You will find your own way to a process that works for you, but it's always good to know the options!

In today's article, writing coach Megan Barnhard explains the different types of outlining styles and gives tips for improving your process. 

Outlining is hands-down the best way to finish writing a better book, faster.

An outline ensures your book has all the right elements for its genre and keeps you motivated on those tough writing days.

Despite its benefits, outlining can feel restrictive and rigid. Maybe you’ve seen the way other authors outline and thought it’s just not for you.

That’s OK.

Outlining is a very personal process. That’s why it’s vital to find your own strategy for doing it.

Something that honors your creativity rather than squelching it. A process that helps you through writer’s block while also leaving you free to change your mind or give yourself over to the magic of your muse.

Whether you’re a die-hard pantser or a dedicated plotter, this post will help you embrace your
personal outlining style and write more effectively.

Outlining vs. Brainstorming

First, let’s define our terms. Usually when authors talk about “outlining” they mean the whole planning process, minus any world-building or character development. That means not only putting events in order, but coming up with them in the first place.

I’m going to break things down into two distinct steps: brainstorming and outlining.

In this terminology, outlining refers to the process of putting your ideas in order and storing them in “writing recipes” so you know what to draft next.

Brainstorming, on the other hand, refers to the more free-form act of coming up with ideas.

Imagine taking a defibrillator to your brain and giving it a jolt of electricity to get your creativity
flowing.

Now, because you’re an author, you probably naturally think in story. You might plan emotional beats and escalating drama without even trying to. Woohoo! That’s fantastic.

But when you brainstorm, make sure to give yourself space to come up with ideas even if you’re not sure where they’ll go or how you’ll use them. The key to effective brainstorming is to scoop up all the ideas in your writer’s net, without throwing any back because they’re too small or too weird or have seven eyes and lots of tentacles.

Eventually, you’ll dump the ideas you don’t need. But don’t skip the step of brainstorming. Often it’s when your mind is free to come up with any crazy idea that you come up with your best idea. It’s just a productive mental space to be in.

Now, with our terms cleared up, let’s get into how to do these two activities.

6 Different Planning Styles

There are tons of different ways to brainstorm and outline. Some of us start with the details and move to the big ideas. Some of us need to go in order or we get lost. And some of us aren’t quite sure where we’re going until we start moving, but moving gives us lots of momentum.

I’m going to walk you through the six planning styles that I’ve seen work the most consistently in my 12 years as a writing coach. I’ll share the tools I’ve used again and again to help writers beat procrastination, writer’s block, and overwhelm.

I’ll also share a few strategies that have been especially helpful for authors who thought they could never outline successfully.

Think of this list as a starting point on your journey to finding your own unique planning process.

The more you explore and refine your process, the faster you’ll write and the more you’ll enjoy it. Experiment with these methods and keep track of what inspires your best writing.

1. Bottom-up Thinkers

You collect interesting moments and then tie them together into scenes or stories. You can imagine exactly how your protagonist looks as he stares forlornly into his cup of Earl Grey at the funky-smelling café with the broken air conditioner and the surly barista. But you’re not sure why he’s there or where this scene is going.

Brainstorm Strategies

• Carry pen and paper with you at all times. Jot down ideas for scenes on notecards,
  sticky notes, or in a notebook whenever they come up.
• Freewrite about your characters and get clear on who they are and what they want.
• Make a mind-map of the scenes or events you already have in mind. See what thoughts
  arise. Can you connect these scenes? Do they give you ideas for more scenes?

Outline Strategies

• Arrange your index cards or sticky notes in the order that you want the scenes to appear
  in the story.
• Type up the scenes from your mind map as bullet points.

2. Top-down Thinkers

The why is more important than the what for you. You know the purpose and the reason for your characters and your scenes. You might write with placeholders, knowing that in Chapter 5 Ted has to meet someone who will push him to take a risk, but you don’t know who that person is or what that risk will be. You’ll figure out the details when you get there.

Brainstorm Strategies

• Brainstorm what to put in a scene focusing on “behind-the-scenes” details, e.g., Jim has
  to wind up at the abandoned theme park to start the climactic scene.
• Brainstorm what to put in a scene focusing on emotional beats and how your characters’
  motivations would lead them to act, e.g., Rhonda wants to prove herself, so she
  sabotages the big meeting in some way.
• Make a mind-map of all your characters and the conflicts and allegiances that connect
  them. See what ideas for scenes arise from these relationships.

Outline Strategies

• Create descriptive chapter titles in the style of an old-timey book, e.g., Chapter 4: In
  Which Percy Realizes He Is Not a Normal Kid. You don’t have to keep these chapter
  titles; they’re just placeholders for you as you write.
• Paste your emotional beat brainstorms into a planning doc below their corresponding
  chapter headers or scene titles.
• Paste your “behind-the-scenes” brainstorms into a planning doc below their
  corresponding chapter headers or scene titles.

3. Associative Thinkers

One idea leads you to the next. You love the feeling of “flow” when characters seem to act of their own accord and tell you what they should do next. You can get lost in writing for hours and completely surprise yourself with the ideas that arise.

Brainstorm Strategies

• Freewrite for at least 10 minutes whenever you sit down to write. See what ideas come up and where you might use them.
• Talk your story through with your writing buddies or a writing coach and bounce ideas off them. (Try a Book Clarity Session)
• Write out a summary of your story. Don’t plan ahead; just let it flow and see what happens.
• Make a mind-map of scenes or events and see what related ideas come up.

Outline Strategies

• Color-code or number your mind-map to put scenes in order.
• Copy and paste key scenes from the summary of your story into a planning doc as chapter headings or bullet points.

4. Big Picture Thinkers

You need to be able to zoom out and see the big picture. Too many details slow you down and make you feel overwhelmed or impatient.

You like graphic organizers, and arranging ideas from top to bottom or left to right on the page helps you orient yourself. You love knowing where it’s all going. You can see the finish line even from the start.

You have a clear vision, but you can sometimes get bogged down in the details or run into writer’s block for individual chapters.

Brainstorm Strategies

• Write down key moments or anchor scenes (inciting incident, climax, final appearance of protagonist, etc.) on separate pieces of paper and brainstorm possible events for each
  one.
• Create a mind-map with the central conflict in the middle and possible scenes clustered around it.

Outline Strategies

• Create a circle outline with the central conflict in the center and each key scene as a “slice” of the circle going in order clockwise or numbered.
• Color-code or number your mind-map to show the order of scenes.
• Create any kind of one-page graphic organizer that lets you see the entire story at a glance. Think mini-storyboard that includes the major plot developments rather than every single scene, or even a flow-chart of events showing causes and effects.

5. Know-It-When-I-See-It Thinkers

You tend to feel limited by outlines. You don’t want to commit to a particular plan because you know some brilliant idea is just around the corner. You’re inspired by details, able to fill an entire page describing the look of an object or a character’s expression.

Brainstorm Strategies

• Freewrite about a character, setting, event, scene, or possible plot point, seeing where your writing takes you.
• Interview yourself about your story and your characters. Just say whatever comes to mind without judgment. Record yourself.

Outline Strategies

• Transcribe key points from the recording of your self-interview.
• Highlight key ideas from your freewrites. Use these to create scene titles or chapter headings on a whiteboard or a piece of big poster paper. Jot down the various possibilities you’re considering for each section on the whiteboard, or on sticky notes.
• Once you pick “winners” move the other ideas down to a storage area so that you can use them in other places if you like.

6. Linear Thinkers

Skipping around drives you nuts. You like moving from Point A to Point B, and only then figuring out Point C. You are very logical, using what you see in your plan or your draft to help you move naturally to the next scene or chapter.

Brainstorm Strategies

• Tell your story out loud off the top of your head while looking at a plot hill or a story
  template for your genre. Record it.
• Write out a summary of your story. Don’t plan it first, just write.
• Use stepping stones: Think through “which leads to…” and “which would have happened
  because…” to generate both causes and effects.

Outline Strategies

• Turn your story summary into a list of bullet points and add those to a planning doc or white board with space to add more scenes as needed.
• Create a storyboard.
• Write all your scenes or chapter headings on index cards or sticky notes and put them in order up on a wall or in a box.

Take Action

It’s not necessary to pin yourself down in one of these categories. The point is to experiment and learn what works for you.

Here’s an easy way to get started: Determine whether you tend towards top-down or bottom-up planning.

If you’re more of a top-down thinker, start by determining which category you’re most drawn to.

Where do you see yourself most? (Hey, maybe in the top-down category!) Once you’ve decided on a category, pick one strategy to try.

If you’re more of a bottom-up thinker in general, it means you should start with details (different brainstorming and outlining techniques) and work your way up to categories (what kind of planner you are).

Skim back through the brainstorming techniques until you find one that sounds fun or interesting. Give it a go!

However you start, the key is to take action. Pay attention to your process. Keep what works in your Author Toolbox and leave behind what doesn’t.

Again, outlining is a personal process. It takes some trial and error to find your jam. But once you find it, you’ll be able to repeat the process.

You’ll write better stories faster and with less frustration. What’s not to love about that?

Do you outline your books? Please leave your thoughts below and join the conversation.

Megan Barnhard is a writing coach for inspired entrepreneurs and conscious creatives who want to make an impact with their words. In her 12-year career as a coach, she’s helped hundreds of writers tame the writing process and share their stories in books, blogs, websites, and essays.

If you’re interested in more ideas for making outlining easier and more effective, check out Megan’s latest book, Recipe for Outlining: A Fun & Flexible Guide for Planning Your Novel. You can follow Megan and get her weekly (live!) writing tips on Facebook: @MeganBarnhardWriting. She also blogs about the writing process for authors and bloggers at MeghanBarnhard.com/blog.

 

[Wall with colourful notes and images photo courtesy Jo Szczepanska and Unsplash. Arrow and feet photo courtesy Jon Tyson and Unsplash. Convertible photo courtesy Clem Onojeghuo and Unsplash. Mountain sunset photo courtesy Eberhard Grossgasteiger and Unsplash. Road line photo courtesy Gautier Salles and Unsplash.]