Writing Tips

The Essay OUTLINE -- Explained

I have added this entry on Outlining because it has the potential to become as useful as (maybe even more than) almost any other tool in your creative tinkerer's toolbox.  It is a method used by many, many professional writers, and it can be created multiple ways and for multiple purposes.

How is this particular style of essay outline helpful?

For one, if you fill in the lines with single phrases or sentences, then you can simply convert them directly into paragraph form in your synopsis. That synopsis is often a pain in the buttocks to write--whether before or after having written your story.  That synopsis may not be quite so important to an Indie at first glance, but trust me, when you're trying to look for plot holes or clear character growth, this is a hell of a good tool to use to spot them.  For those wanting to go the traditional publishing route, a synopsis is almost always required.  Either way, it's good to know how to do one, and to know why.

The outline form I use (or "beat sheet" or "cheat sheet"--whatever you want to call it) doesn't have to be filled out completely.  So you don't have to be a true plotter.  You can be a pantser who just happens to fill in some plot stuff as you go, just after each scene.  Saves time in the long run anyway.

So, yeah.  It's versatile because you can fill it out as you are writing, just to keep mental notes on where the story came from, what it is focusing on, and where it is going.  Also, you can condense it even further into the blurb (quite handy).  Creating the blurb from this thing will mean much less effort than if you try to do so without any kind of existing outline at all.

I am including an example with the blank form I use, as well as a key, which explains what each item is used for on the form.  For a much more thorough understanding of the elements of a story, you can look into the Three Act Structure, or the Hero's Journey.

Now, I am going to let you know beforehand that the way I use the essay outline for writing novels requires using four "Acts" (since I use a Four Section structure).  One outline per part (or section) of the book.  This ensures mood, theme, growth, and even major plot points (such as inciting incident, turning point, black moment, etc) are all covered accurately.  It even ensures a form of world-mirroring between the opening and the ending of the book, and helps with foreshadowing and symbols.  Things are more consistent and structured with this technique.  It's also easier to remember minute details about the plot I've already written.

The four sections for the four parts of the book are as follows:

1. Beginning to Inciting Incident

2. Inciting Incident to Midpoint

3. Midpoint to Black Moment

4. Black Moment to Ending 

Here is a look at the forms, but let me explain that the number of "Main Points" or "Supporting Events" is up to you.  Just keep the number as low as possible.  I often go in threes.  Rarely ever do I reach a fourth or fifth of anything.  The plot is bogged down if there are too many, and it becomes too complicated and difficult to keep track of, keep in a single book, or even (for Indie authors) to format into a reasonable number of pages so you can actually make money instead of lose it.

 THE PLOT CHEAT SHEAT:

PART 1: BEGINNING TO INCITING INCIDENT

Thesis statement: _______________________

I. Main Idea Sentence: ___________________

A. 1st Main Point: ______________________

B. 2nd Main Point: _____________________

C. 3rd Main Point: ______________________

(Only try to do a few main points in the first part of the book. Why? Because writing up to the Inciting Incident means you will only take up the first 10% of the book.  Likewise, you'll have to tie up the story in the last 10% of the book.  That's a limited number of pages, my friend.)

II. 1st Main Point: __(Rewritten from Part 1 above)__

A. Supporting Event: _____________________

B. (Same)

C. (Same)

III. 2nd Main Point: __(Rewritten from Part 1 above)__

A. Supporting Event: _____________________

B. (Same)

C. (Same)

IV. 3rd Main Point: __(Rewritten from Part 1 above)__

A. Supporting Event: _____________________

B. (Same)

C. (Same)

V. Conclusion / Transition: __________________

A. Reach Inciting Incident: _________________

B. Transition into next portion: ______________

Then you begin another outline for Inciting Incident to Mid Point of the book. The aforepromised key for the outline is as follows:

Thesis = The phrase stating what is going on emotionally and physically, reminding you what to write, where this part is going.  I make mine theme-heavy to remind me to keep it in mind at all times. One of mine is: "Dimitri is uneasy. A curse approaches on the footsteps of shadows."

Main Idea Sentence = Something that will draw the entire first scenes together, like: "Fear of water."

1st - 3rd Main Points = three parts of the chapter which will pertain to the fear of the water, but also will tie in with Thesis. Each Main Point will have its own supporting event phrases.

Supporting Events = These are the actual scenes in the story. One of mine is: "Being trailed by a mysterious agent." I can write this however I want, as long as it reflects upon the larger group.

Conclusion = The inciting incident itself. This is where the scene will leave off. It is the most dramatic ending possible for the first part of the book, and it reminds you to write in a way that will draw readers to NEED to turn those pages. On the outline, you can write it as a single sentence or phrase, which reflects the whole scene or idea.

Transition = This is to help you discern where the scene will be going next. On mine, I have noted that diseased creatures are in their lands. This means I will have to write about how that is resolved. It isn't the main point of the next scene, it is just one of the important events within it, one of the reasons the party moves on from the inciting incident and the ordinary world, and toward more action. It begins a serious action sequence. Here, I already have my next Thesis picked out for the next outline: "Dimitri is disgraced. Everything changes."

The beauty about outlining like this? You can convert it into paragraphs directly from this outline. Each sentence written in the blanks can be transferred. Just take note: EACH ROMAN NUMERAL MARKS A NEW PARAGRAPH.

I like putting check mark boxes next to mine so that I have a neat visual guide that always shows me my progress.  It's a motivational thing.  Feels nice to see the accomplishment when I check it as complete. 

Also, it helps if you think of dramatic or universal questions as you write each of your points.

See the next post for the example on how to fill this Four Section outline out.