ndice

How to write the first draft of a novel in 30 days.................................................................................4

Your commitment to the 30-day method.........................................................................................4
Understanding the 30-day method schedule....................................................................................4
Creativity and outlines.....................................................................................................................5
Days -!" creating your #reliminary outline with characters$ setting and #lot.....................................!
Day " character s%etches.....................................................................................................................&
'hysical descri#tions........................................................................................................................&
'ersonality traits..............................................................................................................................&
(ac%ground......................................................................................................................................&
)nternal conflicts..............................................................................................................................&
*+ternal conflicts.............................................................................................................................&
,ccu#ation and education................................................................................................................-
.iscellaneous notes.........................................................................................................................-
Day /" 0etting s%etches and research strategies...................................................................................1
0etting s%etches................................................................................................................................1
2ame of setting................................................................................................................................1
Characters living in region3time #eriod...........................................................................................1
Year or time #eriod..........................................................................................................................1
0eason..............................................................................................................................................1
City and county................................................................................................................................1
.iscellaneous notes.........................................................................................................................1
Character name..............................................................................................................................0
4eneral settings..............................................................................................................................0
Character5s home surroundings......................................................................................................0
Character5s wor%#lace....................................................................................................................0
.iscellaneous notes.......................................................................................................................0
Day 3" #lot s%etches............................................................................................................................
Understanding story threads..........................................................................................................
0tory goal.......................................................................................................................................
0u6#lot threads...............................................................................................................................
'lot tension..................................................................................................................................../
7elease.........................................................................................................................................../
Downtime......................................................................................................................................./
(lac% moment................................................................................................................................3
7esolution......................................................................................................................................3
8eaving threads into your #lot s%etch...........................................................................................3
Days 4 and 5" the summary outline....................................................................................................4
Day !" miscellaneous scene notes and closing scene notes................................................................5
Closing scene notes........................................................................................................................5
Days &93" researching your novel....................................................................................................!
8hen to research...........................................................................................................................!
8hy should ) research during the outline stage:...........................................................................!
;dditional outline aids...................................................................................................................&
Dialogue wor%sheets......................................................................................................................&
<act sheets......................................................................................................................................&
(ac%ground timelines....................................................................................................................&
.iscellaneous timelines.................................................................................................................-
Days 4-5" the evolution of your story.............................................................................................1

D;Y0 4-5...................................................................................................................................1
=he 6eginning................................................................................................................................1
Conflict..........................................................................................................................................1
=he middle...................................................................................................................................../0
=he end..........................................................................................................................................//
Days !-/4" )ntroducing the formatted outline................................................................................../4
Consolidating your information...................................................................................................../4
,utlining ti#s................................................................................................................................./4
Day !" How to 6egin organising your formatted outline................................................................../!
0tarting and organising your formatted outline............................................................................./!
<ormatted outline ca#sules............................................................................................................/!
Day................................................................................................................................................./!
Cha#ter and scene........................................................................................................................../&
'oint-of-view >',?@....................................................................................................................../&
;dditional characters...................................................................................................................../&
Aocation........................................................................................................................................./&
;##ro+imate time........................................................................................................................../&
<acts necessary............................................................................................................................../&
2otes............................................................................................................................................../&
Buestions......................................................................................................................................./&
Draft of scene................................................................................................................................./-
)ncor#orating your summary outline into your formatted outline................................................./-
)ncor#orating your miscellaneous scene notes............................................................................../-
)ncor#orating closing scene notes................................................................................................../-
=he 55#ic% u# the #ace55 #loy.........................................................................................................../1
Day &" incor#orating story evolution elements................................................................................30
)ncor#orating story evolution elements.........................................................................................30
Day -" incor#orating character and setting s%etches........................................................................3
)ncor#orating character and setting s%etches.................................................................................3
Day 1" incor#orating research..........................................................................................................33
)ncor#orating research...................................................................................................................33
Days /0-/3" 6rainstorming your formatted outline............................................................................34
(rainstorming................................................................................................................................34
7oad6loc%s.....................................................................................................................................34
,utlining and writing in tandem....................................................................................................34
Day /4" creating a day sheet...............................................................................................................3!
Creating a day sheet.......................................................................................................................3!
Days /5-/-" *valuating the strength of your formatted outline.........................................................3&
D;Y0 /5-/!...................................................................................................................................3&
=agging and tracing...................................................................................................................3&
=agging and tracing your story goal..........................................................................................3-
=agging and tracing su6#lot threads.........................................................................................3-
=agging and tracing tension......................................................................................................3-
D;Y /&..........................................................................................................................................31
)solating #lot threads.................................................................................................................31
D;Y /-..........................................................................................................................................40
0horing u# wea% elements in your formatted outline...............................................................40
Days /1-30" revising your first draft..................................................................................................4
D;Y /1..........................................................................................................................................4
<illing in the final holes............................................................................................................4
/
)ncor#orating last-minute research............................................................................................4
0tarting the revision #rocess.....................................................................................................4
7evising the outline instead of the manuscri#t.........................................................................4/
D;Y 30..........................................................................................................................................4/
'utting it on a shelf...................................................................................................................4/
3
How to write the first draft of a novel in 30 days
=he outline you5ll com#lete using the 30-day method will 6ecome a sna#shot of your novel.
;fter finishing a full outline$ you should feel you5ve got the ma%ings of an entire 6oo% >your story
should feel com#lete$ solid$ e+citing and satisfying@ and you should 6e des#erate to start writing the
6oo% itself.
=his first draft outline is the eCuivalent to the first draft of a manuscri#t. (ecause you5ve
revised it so thoroughly$ it will read with all the com#leteness and e+citement of a finished novel.
Using this outline to write the first draft of your 6oo% >which$ in almost all cases$ will 6e the final
draft$ needing only minor editing and #olishing@ should 6e so easy you might even feel a little guilty
a6out it. ;ll the hard wor% will already have 6een done creating the outline.
=hroughout this guide we5ll wor% on the assum#tion that the first draft of your 6oo% isn5t a
fully com#leted draft in the traditional sense$ 6ut is instead a com#rehensive outline 9 your first$
whole glim#se of the 6oo% and a sna#shot of what it will 6e once finished. =he outline you create
over the ne+t 30 days will 6ecome the foundation u#on which your entire novel will come to rest.
=his method is a way to lay out the full course of the story as it flows from 6eginning to end.
Your commitment to the 30-day method
Des#ite its fle+i6ility$ the 30-day method reCuires a great deal of commitment from you as a
writer. =he first thing you need to 6ecome a #roductive writer is self-disci#line. =his method will
give you that in s#ades 9 if you5re willing to dedicate yourself to it. 2ot everyone will 6e a6le to
com#lete a first draft outline in e+actly 30 days on their first try$ 6ut that doesn5t mean you5ll never
6e a6le to do it. =his method$ li%e all methods$ reCuires a sufficient amount of #ractice. =he more
you use it$ the more time and effort you5ll eventually shave off your outlining schedule. )n the
future$ you may even notice it ta%es you considera6ly less time to write the first full draft of your
6oo%.
Does it mean you5ve failed if it ta%es you 10 days instead of 30: ,f course not. )f you need
more >or less@ time to #erform certain ste#s in the #rocess$ you can adDust your schedule easily. (ut
this method will #ro6a6ly ma%e you wor% harder than you5ve ever wor%ed 6efore.
0ome will enDoy the challengeE others will use the method while setting their own deadlines
for each ste#. ;nd others still won5t 6e willing to allow their muse to 6e harnessed in this way. <ind
what wor%s for you over the long term$ not sim#ly for the moment. *ven if you find the ne+t 30
days difficult$ #ersevere 9 it will get easier with e+#erience.
Understanding the 30-day method schedule
Fee# in mind that each of the si+ stages identified in this method has its own day-to-day
schedule. =hese individual schedules are discussed at length at the start of each corres#onding
cha#ter. Don5t worry if you need to allow yourself an e+tra day or two for some tas%s. ;s you
6ecome more familiar with the method$ you5ll find it easier to stay on schedule.
=he first ste#s to creating a com#rehensive outline are very rough G each 6uilding on the
#revious one. =he #reliminary outline you create in stage one won5t contain everything. You5ll Dust
6e getting your 6asics down at this #oint. 8ith each ste#$ you5ll 6e develo#ing more details a6out
every as#ect of the 6oo%$ and your outline will grow to reflect that.
;s you5re writing the first full draft of your 6oo%$ you5ll also 6e re-evaluating your outline
#eriodically$ as your story ta%es on a life of its own and moves in directions you might not have
#lanned. You won5t sto# evaluating the strength of your outline until the 6oo% is com#lete.
4
Creativity and outlines
8riters who haven5t tried an outlining system have many Cuestions a6out the #rocess. )s it
#ossi6le for an outline to 6e fle+i6le: Can it ta%e into account my individuality as a writer: Can )
continue to 6e creative using an outline: Can ) use an outline for writing any fiction genre: 8ill
using an outline reduce the num6er of rewrites ) have to do: 8ill using an outline mean it will ta%e
me less time to com#lete a #roDect from start to finish: 8on5t setting goals cli# my wings$ rather
than allow me to s#read them:
;uthors tend to 6e sus#icious$ at 6est$ of outlines. Des#ite this$ many are loo%ing for a method
that can give them direction 9 a method that em6races an individual5s way of wor%ing 6ut ta%es
away none of the Doy of creating. =hey want something that will streamline the #rocess and ma%e
them more #roductive$ so they5re not surrounding themselves with half-finished #roDects and
manuscri#ts in need of maDor revisions.
;n outline can 6e fle+i6le$ can 6e so com#lete it actually Cualifies as the first draft of the
novel. )t can ma%e it #ossi6le for writers li%e you to achieve more with less wor%$ reducing the
num6er of drafts reCuired for each #roDect 9 even to the #oint of creating Dust one draft.
)nstead of viewing an outline as an infle+i6le$ unchangea6le hindrance$ thin% of it as a
sna#shot of a novel 9 one that ca#tures everything the novel will eventually contain$ 6ut on a much
smaller scale. =his sna#shot can 6e adDusted and rearranged until it5s smooth and strong. (y revising
a com#rehensive outline of your novel$ rather than the novel itself$ you can revise 50 to 00 #ages$
instead of four times that.
8ithout ro66ing you of the Doy of your craft$ this guide will teach you how to 6ecome a
systematic$ self-disci#lined$ #roductive author 9 no matter your genre or level of e+#erience. =he
30-day method ta%es into account that you5re an individual and may have your own methods of
getting from ; to ($ while hel#ing you to clarify your vision of the story 6efore you 6egin writing
your first >and #ossi6ly final@ full draft. 2o more wasted time or endless overhauls and revisions.
=he clearer your vision of the story 6efore you start actually writing it$ the more fleshed out your
story will 6e once it ma%es it to #a#er.
5
Days 1-6: creating your reliminary outline with characters! setting
and lot
=his cha#ter will hel# you to create a #reliminary outline$ which will 6e the s#ring6oard for
your story and the 6asis for a formatted outline. ; #reliminary outline consists of character and
setting s%etches$ a research list$ a #lot s%etch$ a summary outline$ miscellaneous scene notes and
closing scene notes. 8hat you create during these si+ days will 6e incor#orated into your formatted
outline later$ as you5ll see in cha#ter five.
=o create a #reliminary outline$ it5s necessary to do some #re#aration. =he very first thing you
need to do$ of course$ is choose which story you5re going to wor% on. 0tart 6y as%ing yourself if the
idea feels as if it is ready to 6e transformed into a full outline. You can usually tell when a #roDect is
ready 6ecause you can5t seem to e+orcise it from your mind. ,nce you decide which idea is ready to
go$ get out your #roDect folder for that 6oo%.
You can use online wor%sheets to create your #reliminary outline. You5ll start with character$
setting and #lot s%etches$ filling out your research list as you go. ,nce the 6asic s%etches are fleshed
out$ you5ll create a summary outline with the 6eginning scenes of the 6oo%$ followed 6y
miscellaneous and closing scene notes.
;s you wor% on the ste#s for the #reliminary outline$ %ee# in mind that this is a layering
#rocess. Your initial character s%etches may 6e 6rief$ 6ut it5s not the last you5ll see of them. You5ll 6e
e+#anding on every ste# throughout every stage. 4et down as much as you can during each ste#$
trusting that the #ieces will fall into #lace of their own accord eventually.
=o %ee# the story firmly fi+ed in your mind$ revisit what you write during these si+ days as
often as you can. =his will encourage su6seCuent strengthening of the story. ;lso remem6er that
these ste#s are for your own use. 2o one else will see this early wor%$ so don5t worry a6out the
Cuality of your writing. =he rich imagery$ te+tured sentences and clever turns of #hrase all come
later. =he goal right now is to get started. *ven if you5re not sure whether you want to use an idea
you have for the 6oo%$ write it down.
!
Day 1: character s"etches
Character s%etches$ li%e most as#ects of outlining$ are a #rocess of 6rainstorming. 8hen you
flesh out character s%etches for your story$ write down everything that comes to you$ no matter how
trivial. 7emem6er to give all your main characters internal and e+ternal conflicts. =his will 6ring
your characters to life.
8hen you first start using this outline system$ you may find that you #refer to write your
character s%etches free form$ rather than using a wor%sheet. <eel free to use 8or%sheet in the way
most useful to you" you can fill it out as it is$ follow it loosely$ or sim#ly use it as a guideline for
your own free-form character s%etch.
)f you can #icture your characters clearly 9 actually see them 9 the chances are that you5ll
write a6out them as if you %now them inside out. =hat5s e+actly what this wor%sheet is designed to
hel# you do. )t will encourage you to thin% dee#ly a6out characters5 a##earances$ 6ac%grounds and
motivations$ for e+am#le$ rather than merely naming them$ 6y ta%ing you ste# 6y ste# through a
range of character facets"
#hysical descritions
=his section includes any 9 or all 9 of the following" age$ race$ eye colour$ hair colour and
style$ 6uild >height3weight@$ s%in tone and style of dress >6ased on the time #eriod and season of the
year the 6oo% is set in@. )t can also include any other characteristics you deem im#ortant to the
character or the 6oo%. )f a character has any #hysical flaws$ a6normalities or disa6ilities$ descri6e
them and the affects they5ve had on his3her life and relationshi#s.
You may wish to attach certain mannerisms to some of your characters to ma%e them uniCue.
#ersonality traits
=his is the section where you detail what %ind of #erson your character is. 8hat are his3her
strengths and wea%nesses as a #erson: Does he3she have any vices or ho66ies: 8hat %ind of
entertainment and food does he3she li%e: 8hat are his3her least favourite forms of entertainment
and food: (e as detailed as you can 6ecause your outline and story will 6e stronger for it.
$ac"ground
(ac%ground is very im#ortant in defining a character and ma%ing him3her three-dimensional.
Creating a solid 6ac%ground for each main character will hel# you fill out your entire outline in
detail.
; main character5s 6ac%story might include information on the character5s #arents$ si6lings$
relatives$ friends$ #ets$ life-sha#ing events and their long-term effects. Did this character have a
ha##y childhood: 8hat %ind of schooling did he3she have: 8as he3she #o#ular: 8here did the
character grow u#: 8hat does he3she consider some of his3her worst mista%es and greatest
achievements: 8hat goals does this character have: )nclude all the information that comes to you.
%nternal conflicts
;ll characters must have de#th$ and this usually comes from internal and e+ternal conflict.
)nternal conflict$ or emotional turmoil$ is usually handled with a summary or narrative as a
character reflects on his actions$ Dudgments and #erceived mista%es.
; solid$ well-develo#ed internal conflict ma%es characters more realistic and com#le+.
&'ternal conflicts
*+ternal conflict is an outside or situational conflict that #revents your main character from
&
accom#lishing his3her goal. 0ome e+am#les include an accident or loss that has scarred a main
character #hysically or emotionally$ or a relationshi# that eludes him3her or dominates his3her
choices.
8hile )5m sure you can thin% of some genre stories that contain only e+ternal conflicts$ the
most effective #lot is one that reveals 6oth the inner and outer conflicts of your characters. 7eaders
usually only root for the characters they care a6out. 4ive them a good reason to sym#athise.
(ccuation and education
'rovide some insight into your character5s chosen occu#ation and how he3she got there. <or
e+am#le$ what educational reCuirements were necessary: 8hat is this character5s financial #icture:
How does this affect him3her: Don5t worry a6out researching occu#ations at this #oint 9 we5ll get
into researching s#ecific occu#ations later.
)iscellaneous notes
You may want to further e+#and on the character 6y 6rainstorming on anything else that
fleshes out the main characters in your mind.
You5ll 6e referring 6ac% to your character s%etches often 9 adding new details and changing
old ones whenever you feel the need 9 so 6e sure you %ee# them handy and leave yourself e+tra
room. Don5t worry a6out de#th or organisation right now.
-
Day *: +etting s"etches and research strategies
,nce you have a firm idea of who your main characters are$ it5s time to start thin%ing a6out
where they are. =his is also the time to start #lanning the research you5ll need to do in order to ma%e
your characters$ setting and entire story more realistic and s#ecific.
+etting s"etches
(efore you start the story$ you need to get to %now your settings as well as your characters.
0etting s%etches$ li%e character s%etches$ are very fle+i6le. )f all the characters live in the same area
and time #eriod$ for e+am#le$ you don5t need to fill out this information for each character.
8or%sheets /; and /( will hel# you focus on even the smallest details of a given setting.
8or%sheet /; #rovides you with a guideline for creating a setting s%etch for each general time
#eriod >year$ season@ and area >state$ town@. 8or%sheet /($ on the other hand$ gives you a guideline
for creating a setting s%etch for each character5s #ro#erty >street$ neigh6ourhood$ home$ interior$
etc@$ as well as for his3her wor%#lace.
=hese two wor%sheets may sound similar$ 6ut they5re actually Cuite different in sco#e.
8or%sheet /; focuses on the settings shared 6y several characters at the same time. You will need a
se#arate wor%sheet for each city or town in your 6oo%. )f the action ta%es #lace over several time
#eriods or seasons$ you may end u# with several s%etches for one region. 2ow$ let5s loo% in detail at
what this wor%sheet covers"
,ame of setting
)t can 6e hel#ful to name each general setting 6y town and time #eriod$ es#ecially if your
6oo% includes several settings or time #eriods.
Characters living in region-time eriod
Aist the characters who occu#y this setting. =his will hel# you %ee# trac% of who5s living in
your setting and when.
Year or time eriod
=he #hysical descri#tion of a setting de#ends very much on the time #eriod in which your
6oo% is set. Detail as many s#ecifics as you can in this area without doing significant research
>that comes later@.
+eason
)n addition to the #hysical setting$ the seasons in which your story ta%es #lace will determine
the ty#e of clothing your characters wear$ as well as the activities and trans#ortation availa6le to
them.
City and county
Aist any s#ecifics you already %now a6out the area in which your story ta%es #lace. ;t this
#oint you don5t need to do e+tensive research 9 again$ that comes later. Hust include 6rief notes for
each section.
)iscellaneous notes
=his section will include any notes or details that would ma%e the general setting clearer in
your mind >and$ therefore$ in the reader5s mind@. <or instance$ is this setting undergoing a heatwave$
a drought or unusually heavy snowfall:
=his is also a good #lace to note how the location and time #eriod affect the characters and the
1
#lot.
8or%sheet /( focuses on settings that are s#ecific to certain characters$ such as individual
homes and offices. You will need to com#lete this wor%sheet for each of your main characters. )f a
character5s home or wor%#lace changes over the course of the 6oo%$ ma%e a new wor%sheet for the
setting.
;gain$ don5t worry a6out in-de#th descri#tions or doing any research on any of the locations
you #lan to use. =hat comes later. 7ight now$ you Dust need to get ideas down on #a#er.
Character name
Aist the name of the character whose setting you5re descri6ing.
.eneral settings
8here does this character live or freCuent: Does he3she own a home or rent a flat: Does
he3she go to school or an office: Does he3she have a favourite #lace to return to:
Character/s home surroundings
You don5t need e+tensive notes on the character5s neigh6ourhood$ street$ neigh6ours etc$ at
this #oint. Hot down whatever thoughts you have$ going into as much detail as you5d li%e without
getting lost in research.
Character/s wor"lace
.a%e notes a6out the character5s wor%#lace$ Dust as you did with his3her home. )f your
character is in school$ ada#t the headings in this section accordingly.
)iscellaneous notes
=his is a good #lace to record additional thoughts or to indicate how your character feels
a6out the general home and wor%#lace settings.
2ow is a good time to start listing the research you thin% you will need for your novel.
8or%sheet 3 ena6les you to create a list of to#ics that you will need to loo% into. 'lease note that
this is not the #lace for actual research$ 6ut a list of what you thin% you5ll need to research later.
<or instance$ you may need to research your characters5 careers so you5ve got a clear idea of
what5s done and why 9 6oth overall and on a day-to-day 6asis. You may need to interview #eo#le in
a certain #rofession or area of e+#ertise$ or research the #laces your characters live in or travel to.
You may need to research clothing for the time #eriod your 6oo% is set in.
)f a character has a medical condition$ or develo#s one during the course of the 6oo%$ you5ll
need to research that. )f your 6oo% is a mystery or sus#ense novel$ you may need to research #olice
#rocedures. You may need to research s#ecific trees or animals indigenous to an area$ historical
events or laws.
)f you don5t feel you %now enough a6out a su6Dect to write a6out it easily$ it needs to go on
your list.
0
Day 3: lot s"etches
Ai%e a ta#estry$ every story is woven of threads that 6ecome invisi6le within the overall
design. (y familiarising yourself with story threads and 6eing aware of them as you read$ you can
learn to weave story threads s%ilfully into your own novel.
Understanding story threads
)dentifying story threads and mentally following them throughout the outline reduces the need
for multi#le revisions. <or outlining #ur#oses we5ll loo% at threads 6eyond the traditional sco#e of
individual #lot and su6#lot threads. 8e5ll also loo% at individual tension threads$ release threads etc.
;ll of these threads wor% together to form your #lot s%etch. 8ith this in mind$ your outline will
consist of the following threads"
I story goal >or theme@
I su6#lot threads
I #lot tension
I release
I downtime
I 6lac% moment >or clima+@
I resolution
Your #lot s%etch is your first real o##ortunity to start thin%ing a6out and develo#ing each one
of the threads listed a6ove. 8or%sheet 4 ta%es you through each thread individually and #rovides
you with #rom#ts to get the ideas rolling. You can revise this wor%sheet often. )t will 6e es#ecially
hel#ful to you when your formatted outline is com#lete.
8e5ll discuss most of the #lot threads in greater detail in cha#ter four$ when we cover stage
three" story evolution. 7emem6er$ at this stage you #ro6a6ly won5t 6e a6le to fill in all of these
sections$ 6ut it5s still im#ortant to start thin%ing a6out them.
+tory goal
; story goal is the central idea of a novel. You will relate it to your readers through the #lot$
maDor conflict and character interactions. )n all genres of fiction the story goal is the catalyst of the
6oo%" it5s the reason the characters are thereE the reason the story evolvesE and the reason the reader
o#ens the 6oo%$ starts and %ee#s reading. ;ll other threads and characters are instrumental in
achieving the story goal.
)t5s im#ortant that you identify the maDor conflict or main theme of your 6oo% 6efore
continuing$ as this will affect your entire story. 8hy are these characters assem6led and what are
they striving for: 8rite as much as you can on this thread. You5ll 6e going 6ac% over it and
twea%ing it often to fit your changing conce#ts of the 6oo%$ so don5t worry if you can5t come u# with
much at this #oint.
+u0lot threads
0u6#lots function as secondary #lots. =hey ty#ically contrast or run #arallel to the main #lot.
=hey can also function outside the realm of the main #lot$ e+isting largely to #rovide a change of
scene$ emotion or tone. =hese threads should wor% in harmony to effectively develo# 6oth character
and #lot. *ach will de#end on the others as the novel comes to a close.
0u6#lots can range from health conditions and financial worries to #hysical or mental

conclusions a character must reach. =hey might 6e returning home after a family mem6er dies$ or
changing career$ for e+am#le. )n all cases it should 6e clear to readers how the su6#lots connect
with the main story goal.
How many of these su6#lot threads you include de#ends on the length and com#le+ity of your
novel. 7emem6er that you will have to give regular attention to all of your su6#lots. *ven with a
com#le+ #lot line$ you never want to leave any of your threads for too long. You want to generate
tension in the reader 9 not forgetfulness and frustration.
;t times$ events in your story will cause some of your su6#lot threads to merge. =his is
#erfectly acce#ta6le. )n fact$ in some ways it5s desira6le. You want your threads to mesh to the #oint
that you5ve created a net your characters won5t easily find their way out of. )f your characters can5t
see a way out$ neither will your reader.
=he su6#lot section on your #lot s%etch wor%sheet may #rove to 6e the hardest for you to fill
out sim#ly 6ecause most stories have several su6#lots wor%ing together with the story goal. <or
now$ write what comes to you$ even if it5s only a few words under each su6#lot num6er. Don5t worry
a6out #utting the threads in order of im#ortance.
#lot tension
'lot tension is essential$ whatever the genre. =his %ind of tension is anything that 6rings the
reader to a fever #itch of antici#ation. ; story without #lot tension leaves the reader uninvolved and
unemotional.
'lot tension is e+tremely tric%y to achieve and sustain. You need to 6ring readers to the
sna##ing #oint and only then give them what they wantGtem#orarily. You can tease the reader 6y
snatching a resolution away Dust as it seems the tension is a6out to 6rea%$ 6ut don5t do this too often.
)f you gra6 resolution out of the reader5s hands too many times$ you may lose them. ,n the other
hand$ if you give the reader what they want too soon$ you ta%e away their motivation to %ee#
reading.
1elease
; release is an easement of #lot tension. )n a mystery$ a release might ta%e the form of one
as#ect of the main #ro6lem 6eing resolved. )n a romantic su6#lot$ a release could 6e a declaration of
feelings. =he final words in a story should also #roduce a release that satisfies the reader and ma%es
them long to revisit the story again$ even if only in their minds.
Downtime
Downtime is a form of release$ 6ut it ha##ens during a time of incredi6le tension. )t should 6e
one of the most #oignant scenes in your novel. During downtime$ which comes at the end of the
middle section of the 6oo%$ the main character may ste# 6ac% from the action and reflect on what
ha##ily-ever-after could have 6een >if not for all the o6stacles you #ut in his3her way@. <or a time$
the main character may also 6elieve that the story goal is unachieva6le$ and he3she may seem to
give u# the fight.
=he reader is led to an even higher level of antici#ation 6ecause of downtime. )t functions as a
tem#orary res#ite from the e+treme tension the #lot is creating.
<ollowing downtime$ your character will again realise that he3she must act$ and will find a
new way to attem#t resolution. =his new #lan of action will 6e a final$ des#erate attem#t to reach
the story goal$ and the ground won5t feel at all solid as he3she moves forward.
)n some cases$ your character will decide to act 6ecause the sta%es of the conflict are again
raised 9 danger is near and he3she must move forward$ whether he3she wants to or not. =his e#isode
/
will #ro#el the story to the ne+t level.
)n nearly every situation$ downtime must 6e followed with a 6lac% moment. Downtime
releases the tension for a short #eriod$ and that tension must 6e 6uilt 6ac% u# Cuic%ly or you ris%
losing your reader.
$lac" moment
=he 6lac% moment in the story is commonly referred to as the clima+ of the 6oo%. =he worst
of all horrors is ha##ening$ or has ha##ened$ and the main characters >as well as the reader@ are now
thoroughly convinced the future will never 6e ha##y. =he 6lac% moment$ which occurs in the first
#art of the end section of the 6oo% >when tension is at its highest@$ leaves the reader and the
characters wondering whether evil will overcome good.
1esolution
=he resolution 9 or denouement 9 of a story comes after the clima+$ when the story5s main
#ro6lems have 6een resolved. =his is your chance to #rovide satisfying conclusions for your su6#lot
threads. =he resolutions for the long-term story threads should 6e relatively clean$ 6ut su6#lot
thread resolutions may 6e more aw%ward.
2evertheless$ these loose ends need to 6e tied u#. )f your reader is left wondering a6out
dangling #lot threads$ then your novel has not come to a satisfactory end. You$ as the writer$ must
fulfil the underlying #romise of a logical$ acce#ta6le conclusion$ even if it isn5t a ha##y one.
2eaving threads into your lot s"etch
;s you5re #uJJling out your outline$ %ee# all your #lot threads in mind 9 they5ll come u# again
and again. ,nce you5ve added detail and de#th to your outline and develo#ed your story$ the threads
should 6ecome almost invisi6le. =hey5ll 6ecome wonderfully cohesive and solid. 8ithout
foundation$ your story would either melt into a #uddle on the floor or fall flat on its face. 8ith a
cohesive structure$ your story can 6reathe$ wal%$ tal% and live all 6y itself.
4o into as much detail as #ossi6le on your #lot s%etch$ 6ut %ee# in mind that your first effort
will 6e light on details. Don5t worry. ,ver the ne+t /& days$ it will grow significantly.
3
Days 3 and 4: the summary outline
During days four and five of the 30-day method$ you5ll start writing your #reliminary outline
in the form of a summary essay$ descri6ing the images and s#ecific details you already have in
mind. 8or%sheet 5 should get you started.
0ummarising a story as you5re #re#aring a #reliminary outline will #ut the story5s central
elements firmly in your mind. =hings will 6egin to collate in a stronger way. =he story will 6e on
the #age now 6ecause of your outlining 6ut$ more im#ortantly$ it5s also firmly fi+ed in your head$
where you can arrange$ rearrange and wor% with it. >You can do the same within your outline.@ You
should use any of the information you5ve already come u# with in your character$ setting and #lot
s%etches as you wor%.
)n essence$ your summary outline details the o#ening scene of your 6oo% and moves forward
scene 6y scene through the story. <or now$ try to cover the 6eginning of the 6oo% in a linear
>chronological@ fashion without worrying a6out the middle or end scenes of the 6oo%. Day si+ will
cover miscellaneous >nonlinear@ scene notes and closing scene notes.
)n most cases you5ll 6e a6le to 6rainstorm enough to fill a few #ages of your summary. Don5t
feel that your summary outline has to 6e entirely cohesive. You may realise as you5re writing that
you5re not sure what the ne+t scene really needs to include. )t5s fine to write yourself a note within
your summary outline 9 Kscene here:K 9 and then move on with the story.
;t the end of day five you should have made a good start on your outline. 7emem6er to %ee#
adding to your research list as needed$ and go over what you5ve accom#lished often to %ee# the
story fi+ed in your mind and to encourage new 6rainstorming$ layering and strengthening of the
story.
4
Day 6: miscellaneous scene notes and closing scene notes
)nevita6ly$ as you5re wor%ing on a 6rand-new story$ you5re going to hit a snag in the summary
outline$ where you don5t %now what should ha##en for many scenes in a row. Yet you still have
additional ideas a6out what will ha##en later. =hat5s where miscellaneous scene notes and closing
scene notes come into #lay.
8or%sheet ! is for anything that doesn5t fit into the outline Dust yet$ 6ut still relates to the
6eginning or middle of your story. =hese miscellaneous scene notes could 6e a6out elements or
threads you5re unsure of$ or vague ideas you want to remem6er to e+#lore later. 8rite everything
free form.
;t this stage$ every story sounds a little strange or disDointed. 7eaders won5t have the 6enefit
of your vision$ so it5s 6est not to see% the o#inion of many >or any@ outside readers for a #reliminary
outline.
;s chaotic and unattached as miscellaneous scene notes seem on #a#er$ however$ writing
down this information is vital$ 6ecause it hel#s you to widen your #ers#ective. You want to have
these notes and ideas availa6le when the time comes to insert them #recisely where they need to 6e
in the formatted outline.
Closing scene notes
Closing scene notes relate s#ecifically to your 6oo%5s final scenes. 0ince$ at this early stage$
you may not %now e+actly how everything will come together at the end of your story$ notes in this
section will 6e fairly general and nonlinear.
=he odds are they won5t even fit into your outline in a chronological order Dust yet. (ut don5t
let that #ut you off writing them down in as much detail as you can. 8hen the time comes to dro#
them into the outline e+actly where they5re needed$ you5ll 6e glad you made the fullest notes you
could. 8rite them free form using 8or%sheet &. )nclude closing scene notes in the same document
as your summary outline and miscellaneous scene notes.
Closing scenes are very im#ortant to 6uilding the structure of your outline and$ eventually$
your novel. =he more #ieces you can create for your story now$ the easier it will 6e to #ut them
together in the right order when the time comes.
;t the end of day si+$ you5ll have miscellaneous scene notes and closing scene notes for your
6oo%. Fee# everything in a wor%ing #roDect folder and go 6ac% over everything you5ve
accom#lished often$ layering and strengthening where you can$ 6rainstorming continuously.
5
Days 5613: researching your novel
8e5re going to tal% in this section a6out when to research for your 6oo%s and how to a##roach
research while %ee#ing your outline in mind. 8e5ll also discuss some crucial outline aids designed
to hel# you #re#are for later stages of the outlining #rocess.
=he schedule #rovides seven days to com#lete any research and outline aid wor%sheets you
need for your novel. =here is no day-to-day 6rea%down of the schedule for this stage. 7esearch is
very involved 9 you5ll find your own efficient methods to accom#lish what you need. However$ it is
#ossi6le to ma+imise your #roductivity at this stage ...
Does com#leting all your research in seven days sound feasi6le: <or authors with e+tremely
com#le+ #lots$ who may 6e used to s#ending nine months out of every given year researching$ this
#ace may sound im#ossi6le. Don5t #anic 9 ta%e the time you need to research your story$ then come
6ac% to the schedule when you5re ready to move forward.
2hen to research
)deally$ you will learn to ma%e the most of your research time 6y #lanning it far in advance
and getting started on it long 6efore you 6egin a s#ecific #roDect. )f you5re not already haunting
secondhand 6oo%sho#s$ flea mar%ets and li6raries$ now is the time to start. =raditional 6oo%sho#s$
online 6oo%sho#s and 6oo% clu6s will also 6e invalua6le to you.
0tart gathering contacts$ too 9 e+#erts you might need to interview somewhere down the road.
'olice officers$ doctors$ lawyers etc$ can #rove very hel#ful when you need s#ecific information
only #rofessionals can #rovide.
8hy start gathering your research for a #roDect so far in advance: =o give yourself time to do
the 6ul% of your research 6etween #roDects. *ven when you5re not actively writing anything$ you can
still do research. )n fact$ doing your research when you5re not worried a6out deadlines is ideal$ as
you5ll 6e under less stress and have more time to focus on the tas% at hand.
2hy should % research during the outline stage7
7esearch often unearths im#ortant details and facts that can affect your entire story$ so it #ays
to invest the time early on in the #rocess. )t5s also very hard to write a story with huge holes in your
own %nowledgeE it5s li%e doing the wor% 6ac%wards.
,f course$ situations will arise when you realise$ after com#leting the outline or while you5re
writing the 6oo%$ that you need to do additional research. )f it5s minor 9 and in some cases$ even if
it5s maDor 9 you can do the research while you5re writing or after you finish the 6oo%. 0im#ly
incor#orate the research into the 6oo% as you edit and #olish the first draft.
;s a rule$ do your research 6efore or during outlining. However$ certain ty#es of research
should 6e done only when your formatted outline is almost finished. <or instance$ if you need to
interview a #olice officer for your novel$ you may not %now e+actly what to as% until the outline is
nearly com#lete.
)n a situation li%e this$ it hel#s to %ee# a running list of all the Cuestions you need to as%
during the interview. You can use 8or%sheet - for this #ur#ose. (egin this list as soon as you start
to research your story$ and %ee# it in your #roDect folder so you can twea% it whenever you need to.
Do as much #reliminary research as you can a6out the su6Dects you intend to 6ring u# during
the interview. )t5s 6est if you only as% him3her to fill in the few holes left after you5ve done your own
research.
)f you5ve got a fairly good idea how long the outlining #rocess will ta%e$ ma%e an a##ointment
!
with the e+#ert you5ve chosen to interview for around the time of the outline5s com#letion. =his
should ensure your list of Cuestions is com#lete.
4o over the list of interview Cuestions often as you wor% on your outline$ eliminating those
you answer for yourself through research and adding those that cro# u# during outlining.
7evise the Cuestions for clarity if necessary. )nclude the cha#ter and3or scene num6ers ne+t to
each Cuestion on your list. =hat way$ when you5re done with the interview$ you can Dust dro# the
answers into the outline. 8hen you interview an e+#ert$ use recording eCui#ment. ,nce the
interview is com#lete$ transcri6e your notes and file them in your research folder.
Ultimately$ it5s u# to you to decide how much research you do. You5ll %now you5ve done your
research well when you can write a6out everything in your 6oo% intelligently$ without Cuestioning
anything you5re saying.
8dditional outline aids
2ow that you5ve com#leted your #reliminary outline and research$ it5s time to dig a little
dee#er. (efore you 6egin wor% on your formatted outline$ go through wor%sheets 1-4.
=hese wor%sheets address %ey issues$ such as dialogue$ character and #lot facts$ and timelines.
=hey will #rovide a crucial foundation for a more detailed outline$ and they will hel# you stay
organised as your outline 6ecomes more com#le+.
=ry to %ee# all the wor%sheets with your outline in your wor%ing #roDect folder. )f you find
that you5re not ready to fill out all the information on these wor%sheets$ Dust read over the 6lan%
wor%sheets and allow the Cuestions to #ercolate.
Dialogue wor"sheets
)t5s never too soon to start thin%ing a6out what your characters will say and how they5ll say it.
4iving each of your characters a distinct voice is %ey to writing great fiction.
=he goal of 8or%sheet 1 is to encourage you to thin% a6out your characters5 individual s#eech
#atterns and s#ecific word choices. Your characters will #ro6a6ly reveal these distinctions as your
story #rogresses$ 6ut thin%ing a6out it early will ma%e you more rece#tive to such revelations.
<or each of your maDor characters$ record information a6out individual s#eech #atterns and
any catch#hrases they may use.
8ith this information in #lace on a dialogue sheet$ you5ll %now e+actly what a given character
will say and how he3she will say it. You can also use this wor%sheet during the final edit and #olish
of the manuscri#t to dou6le-chec% s#eech #atterns.
9act sheets
;s your outline develo#s$ it can 6ecome harder to %ee# trac% of everything 9 es#ecially once
you5ve added in all the facts from your research. 8or%sheet 0 can hel# you chart all crucial 6its of
information to ensure the heart of your story remains consistent from outline to outline and draft to
draft.
$ac"ground timelines
(ac%ground timelines can 6e written for any character in your story. )t5s usually 6est to start
with a defining moment in the character5s life 9 an event that has #roved to 6e #ivotal in some way.
8hile the information in a timeline may never a##ear in your finished novel$ it can still
influence how you tell your story. ,n the other hand$ timeline information may turn out to #lay a
crucial role in your story.
&
=his ty#e of timeline is generally written free form$ 6ut 8or%sheet should get you started.
)f you find that the formatted wor%sheet hinders your creative #rocess$ or ta%es your story in
directions you don5t want it to go$ then write the information down free form.
)iscellaneous timelines
8or%sheet / is used to %ee# trac% of miscellaneous events that occur 6efore or during the
actual story and that are im#ortant to the story$ rather than a s#ecific character.
7ecord the #age num6ers for each fact so you can use the wor%sheet as a handy reference
while you outline$ write or #erform editor revisions.
-
Days 13-14: the evolution of your story
*ach story has a 6eginning$ a middle and an end. )n this section we5re going to discuss how
every memora6le$ well-constructed story evolves through each of the three sections of a 6oo%. =his
steady$ logical evolution is the 6asic framewor% of any strong novel and will form the structure of
the formatted outline you5ll 6egin in the ne+t section. =his framewor% is what will ma%e u# the
invisi6le$ unsha%a6le foundation of your story. )f you learn to see this structure in other novels$ it
will 6e easier to construct in your own.
D8Y+ 13-14
=he #reliminary outline you com#leted on #age - stated your novel5s 6asic #remise$ conflicts
and issues that need to 6e resolved. =he #lot s%etch further detailed these #oints. 2ow it5s time to
com#lete your story evolution with the hel# of 8or%sheet 3. =his wor%sheet is 6ro%en down into
three #arts >6eginning$ middle and end@$ so you can ta%e a logical and detailed a##roach to weaving
your #lot threads through your 6oo% from start to finish.
Fee# your #lot s%etch in mind as you fill out the story evolution wor%sheet. (y the time you
com#lete this wor%sheet$ your #lot threads should 6e firmly enmeshed with the story evolution
framewor%.
0tory evolution is a #rocess of 6rainstorming and therefore it tends to 6e anything 6ut linear.
8or% through the story evolution wor%sheet in whatever way you choose.
:he 0eginning
'lots$ su6#lots$ characters$ goals and conflicts are introduced at the 6eginning of a story. Your
goal is to #ull the reader in with an e+citing o#ening$ then 6egin setting u# the 6asis for the rest of
the 6oo%. De#ending on the length and com#le+ity of your story$ the 6eginning generally amounts
to a6out the first 50 #ages.
=he start of your story is where you introduce your main characters5 attri6utes and
motivations. =he Cualities you give your characters are what ma%es the reader care a6out them.
Your characters5 6ehaviour$ reactions and intros#ection$ as well as their ever-evolving goals$ draw
sym#athy and interest from the reader. =he main characters in your story don5t have to 6e the moral
eCuivalent of 0now 8hite$ either. *ven character flaws and sins can draw the reader5s sym#athy.
Don5t 6e afraid to get inside your characters 9 revealing their most heinous thoughts and
secrets along with their most no6le ones 9 in order to create com#assion in your readers. )t5s
im#ortant to thin% a6out your characters5 conflicts$ motivations$ intentions and wea%nesses right
from the start. ;s the outlining #rocess grows more intense$ your insights into your characters will
dee#en$ and your finished manuscri#t will 6e much the 6etter for it.
Conflict
Your reader needs to 6e assured from your very first sentence that something sus#enseful and
e+citing is ha##ening or a6out to ha##en. Conflict is the root of everything e+citing and sus#enseful
in your story.
Conflict can 6e internal or e+ternal. *ach of your main characters should have internal
conflicts 9 o##osing desires$ 6eliefs or motivations. *+ternal conflict can >and should@ occur
6etween characters$ 6ut characters can conflict with other things as well >such as fate@. ; solid #lot
gives all main characters >including the villain@ internal and e+ternal conflicts.
(e sure to lay the groundwor% for conflict in the 6eginning section of your outline.
Fee# the following ti#s in mind when 6uilding o##ortunities for action and sus#ense into the
1
6eginning of your story"
Fee# the reader on edge with 6affling contrasts in characters$ setting and dialogue. )f you
#ut two seemingly o##osed characters in #lay together$ you5ll intrigue your readers and they will
stic% around to figure out why.
/ =a%e advantage of #acing$ es#ecially as you move toward and through the middle of your
story. Don5t rush in to #ic% u# the story threads. Fee# the reader guessing.
Draw out scenes involving rescues and e+#lanations. ,ffer the reader unsatisfactory
alternatives to #ro6lems. ;lternate sus#ense and action within your outline$ even if Dust 6y giving
yourself stage directions for accom#lishing this.
3 Carefully construct mood 6y using descri#tion$ dialogue$ intros#ection and action.
4 Use foreshadowing. <oreshadowing shouldn5t answer the crucial Cuestions of a story 6ut$
instead$ create #ossi6ilities or uncertainties that will evo%e mild or e+treme tension in the reader.
Conflict$ sus#ense and motivation will 6e the driving forces 6ehind your story. Aay the
groundwor% for them in your outline$ and they will reach their full #otential in your story.
2ow that we5ve reviewed the fundamentals of writing a good 6eginning$ let5s discuss the first
section of the story evolution wor%sheet"
Conflict is introduced
.ost writers have 6een advised to 6egin each story with a 6ang. =here5s a good reason for
that. You want to hoo% your reader as early as #ossi6le. Detail here what will ha##en in your first
scene$ and 6riefly descri6e how the conflict you introduce at this #oint will dominate your story
through each section. ;lso$ hint at looming conflicts. ;s your 6eginning #rogresses$ you5ll want to
fully introduce the villain.
/ +tory goal is introduced
=he story goal is your dominant #lot thread. You will introduce it at the 6eginning of the
6oo%. 7eview your #lot s%etch wor%sheet from your #reliminary outline >8or%sheet 4@$ then
descri6e the story goal and how it will #ush your story forward through each section.
3 Characters are outfitted for their tas"s
=he character s%etches you have created as #art of your #reliminary outline will hel# you
continue to thin% a6out who your main characters are and how they5re involved in achieving the
story5s goal.
Your characters should 6e designed with the resolution of the story goal in mind. =hey should
have strengths they themselves aren5t aware of at the 6eginning of the story 9 strengths that evolve
steadily throughout the course of the 6oo% as the characters face adversity.
=hey also should have internal and3or e+ternal wea%nesses that hinder their #rogress. Detail
these things in this section.
;s you thin% a6out the first 50 or so #ages that set u# the #remise of your 6oo%$ continue to
e+#and on the three #oints we5ve Dust covered. =hese #oints will hel# you come u# with everything
you need to %ee# your audience reading voraciously.
:he middle
)f you haven5t already$ review the #lot s%etch wor%sheet >8or%sheet 4@ you 6egan while
creating your #reliminary outline. =he middle is usually the largest #ortion of any 6oo%. )n this
section$ #lots$ su6#lots and conflicts wor% together to create a tug-of-war 6etween the story goal
/0
and the o##osition. *ssentially$ the action in the middle section of a 6oo% revolves around the main
characters confronting the o##osition$ though most of the time this o##osition is hidden from or
unseen 6y the lead characters.
Your main characters must grow throughout this section of the 6oo%. =herefore$ each of the
events that ta%e #lace within this section will reCuire multi#le scenes to wor% in and wor% out. )n
other words$ you will 6e #lanning multi#le scenes for each #ull in the tug-of-war 6etween your
main characters and their o##osition. =he longer your 6oo%$ the more com#le+ this tug-of-war will
6e.
Here5s how the story evolution wor%sheet can hel# you to #lan out the middle of your 6oo%"
Characters design short-term goals to reach the story goal
<or each main character$ introduce short-term goals that will assist that character in reaching
the story goal. 4ive a 6rief descri#tion of each goal and how each character is attem#ting to reach it.
Use your #lot s%etch >8or%sheet 4@ as a s#ring6oard for this section.
/ ;uest to reach the story goal 0egins
)n this section the characters #ut their first short-term goals into action. 0%etch out what they
go through during this time.
3 9irst short-term goals are thwarted
=he first short-term goal #roves im#ossi6le. 8hat events ta%e #lace to ma%e this failure come
a6out:
4 Characters react with disaointment
Characters react differently to disa##ointment$ and these reactions show the %ind of #eo#le
they are. 'rovide insight into each maDor character5s reactions.
5 +ta"es of the conflict are raised
4iving u# the Cuest to reach the story goal is never really an o#tion$ though the characters
may wish they could. )n every e+citing story with worthy heroes$ something always ha##ens to
ma%e it im#ossi6le to concede defeat. )nevita6ly$ the sta%es are raised and a new danger is
introduced. Detail the new danger and its effect on all su6#lots.
! Characters react to the conflict
)n this section descri6e each main character5s initial reaction to the new danger or #ro6lem.
& Characters revise old or design new short-term goals
=hough the initial reaction to the danger is usually one that5s far from calm and logical$ this
must 6e a tem#orary reaction. *ventually$ each main character will need to devise a new short-term
goal to lead him3her closer to reaching the story goal. (riefly descri6e each character5s #lan of
action.
- ;uest to reach the story goal is continued
=he characters #ut their new short-term goals in action. )n this section$ s%etch out what they
go through during this time.
1 +hort-term goals are again thwarted
=he new short-term goals #rove as im#ossi6le as the first. 8hat events too% #lace to ma%e
this failure come a6out:
0 Characters react with disaointment
/
Character reactions will run the gamut here$ 6ut each character will 6e tiring of the 6attle a
little more each time he3she fails.
+ta"es of the conflict are raised
7emem6er that each time something ha##ens$ it must create ever more dire conseCuences if
the characters don5t act Cuic%ly.
/ Characters react to the conflict
0how mar%ed growth in the characters. .a%e the readers em#athise with them. ;t this stage
you can re#eat ste#s &-0 as many times as necessary to accommodate your story5s length and
com#le+ity. 0te#s and / aren5t re#eated here 6ecause the cycle 6ecomes more dramatic with
each re#etition$ thus allowing the last half of the middle #ortion of your 6oo% to 6e even tenser and
your characters more des#erate.
3 Downtime 0egins
=he last section of the middle #ortion of the story 6egins with the downtime$ which #recedes
the 6lac% moment. Your characters are coming to feel they have nothing left to hold on to. Detail
these feelings.
4 Characters revise old or design new short-term goals
Your characters are going to ma%e their ne+t decisions out of sheer des#eration. <rom this
#oint on$ they seem to lose much of their confidence 9 or$ worse$ they5re feeling a rec%less sense of
6ravado that may have tragic conseCuences. 8hat are their new goals and how do they #lan to reach
them:
5 :he <uest to reach the story goal continues! 0ut insta0ility a0ounds
=hough your characters are #loughing ahead 6ravely$ each ste# is ta%en with dee# uncertainty.
How does this action unfold:
! :he 0lac" moment 0egins
=he worst #ossi6le failure has now come to #ass. =he short-term goals made in des#eration
are thwarted$ and the sta%es are raised to fever #itch as the worst of all #ossi6le conflicts is
unveiled. Descri6e it in detail.
& :he characters react to the 0lac" moment
Characters react to this maDor conflict with a sense of finality. 2ever will there 6e a moment
when the outcome is more in Cuestion than in this concluding section of the middle of the 6oo%.
:he end
;t the end of a 6oo%$ all #lots$ su6#lots and conflicts are resolved. )n the last few cha#ters$ the
characters are finally given a well-deserved 6rea% from their recent crisis. Here5s how it ta%es sha#e
through the story evolution wor%sheet"
8 ivotal! life-changing event occurs 0omething crucial must ha##en in the first #art of
the end section 9 something that will change the lives of the characters irrevoca6ly.
/ Characters modify short-term goals one last time
8hatever the life-altering e+#erience the characters face$ the des#eration that drove them only
a few cha#ters earlier is com#letely gone. =hey5ve never had such clarity of #ur#ose as they do at
this moment$ and they revise their goals with the %ind of determination that convinces the reader
they can5t #ossi6ly fail.
//
3 :he showdown 0egins
=he main characters and o##osition come face to face. )t5s in these moments of confrontation
that the main characters move to accom#lish the story goal.
4 :he oosition is van<uished and the conflict ends
You %now the showdown that follows the moment of clarity very well.
5 :he story goal is achieved
=hat which all the characters have 6een striving for has come to #ass and this will affect
everything. Detail the conseCuences of victory.
! Characters react to the resolution of the lot and su0lots
)n this section$ release is given to the characters who have wor%ed so hard to achieve the story
goal. Descri6e their reactions.
& Characters revise their life goals
;t this #oint the main characters have learned what they5re ca#a6le of. 2ow their life goals
are revised.
- #ossi0le re-emergence of the conflict or oosition
;t the end of a 6oo% it5s #ossi6le for the conflict or o##osition to re-emerge 9 Dust when you
and the characters thought it was safe.
Using a story evolution wor%sheet to #lot the course of your story hel#s you to"
>@ see a sna#shot of the highlights of your storyE >/@ #in#oint with accuracy #recisely where
#otential #ro6lems are within the storyE >3@ ma%e the wea% areas of your story more solidE >4@ avoid
sagging$ uninteresting middlesE and >5@ avoid re#etition in your stories.
,nce you5ve learned to see the framewor% of a story$ you5ll never loo% at a 6oo% the same way
again. 8hat was invisi6le has 6ecome visi6le$ even star%. ;s an author yourself$ you now hold the
%ey to creating the strongest framewor% for your novels.
/3
Days 16-*3: %ntroducing the formatted outline
;s you now %now$ #utting together an outline is much li%e #utting together a #uJJle$ e+ce#t in
this case you5re not only assem6ling the #ieces$ you5re creating them. You5ve already created several
of your #uJJle #ieces 6y 6rainstorming$ com#leting a #reliminary outline$ doing your necessary
research$ and filling out the three-#art story evolution wor%sheet. )n this section you5re going to
create a formatted outline and learn how to navigate it. 8e5ll also discuss what to do if you get stuc%
anywhere in the #rocess.
=he formatted outline will 6e the first draft of your novel. ,nce you finish the formatted
outline$ you5ll 6e ready to 6egin your second >and #erha#s even final@ draft$ which involves #utting
your com#leted outline into 6oo% form.
Consolidating your information
=he #rimary goal of stage four in the 30-day method is to consolidate all of the information
you5ve wor%ed so hard to develo# thus far.
Com6ining all your outline information from several different wor%sheets into a single
document has a num6er of 6enefits"
I (ecause you5re still wor%ing on your outline$ the #rocess of consolidating all your research$
character and setting s%etches etc$ into one main document will hel# you flesh out your outline even
further. During this consolidation #rocess you5ll 6e a6le to see the holes in your #lot. You5ll %now at
a glance what still needs wor%$ where the #acing is slow$ where you need to dro# in a clue or
increase the tension. You can list all your Cuestions and issues that need further attention in the
KCuestionsK section of the formatted outline for easy reference as you wor% your way through.
I 4oing over the outline scene-for-scene as the story #rogresses will hel# encourage your
mind to 6rainstorm and your creativity to snow6all.
I You5ll #rovide yourself with a sna#shot of the entire 6oo% 9 a sna#shot you can revise and
fine-tune as much as you need to 6efore you start writing.
.any writers tend to get sidetrac%ed 6y small details. Having everything you need in one
#lace will hel# you stay focused when the time comes to actually start writing the 6oo%. You won5t
have to interru#t the flow of your writing to find the little #ieces of information you need as you
wor% on a #articular scene.
(utlining tis
,utlining can and will 6e messy at times$ regardless of how well organised you are
throughout the #rocess. Here are some ti#s to hel# you stay on trac%"
I Cha#ter num6ers will change often. <or now$ in the earliest stage of creating a formatted
outline$ it5s 6est Dust to divide your 6oo% into scenes. ,nce the outline is com#lete$ or nearly
com#lete$ and isn5t li%ely to change much$ you can add the s#ecific cha#ter num6ers.
I )t5s fine to switch 6etween #ast and #resent tenses at this early stage. You5re the only #erson
who will see your outline.
I 0entences can 6e incom#lete or even written in shorthand.
I ,utlines do not need good transitions 6etween #aragra#hs. Your outline will s%i# from
su6Dect to su6Dect$ sometimes randomly 6y all a##earances$ and that5s fine. You5ll smooth out rough
edges during the actual writing of the novel.
I Do loo% for roughness in the logical #rogression of events in the outline. )f the #rogress
/4
slows or halts in one or more scenes$ it may 6e a signal that a scene should 6e #laced elsewhere or
ta%en out altogether. ;s long as everything is clear to you and #rogress is steady in your outline$ go
with it.
I Use descri#tion$ dialogue$ intros#ection and action within your outline. <lesh out the outline
in as much detail as #ossi6le$ 6ecause it5ll ma%e the writing of the 6oo% go that much more
smoothly.
I =he outline must include the information you want to im#art in each scene 9 6ut it doesn5t
have to include it eloCuently.
I 2ever sto# viewing your outline and your story as fle+i6le.
/5
Day 16: How to 0egin organising your formatted outline
Day !"
+tarting and organising your formatted outline
(y now$ your #roDect folder includes the following"
I in-de#th character s%etches
I setting s%etches
I a #lot s%etch
I a summary outline
I miscellaneous scene notes
I closing scene notes
I all or most of the com#leted research from your research list
I an interview Cuestion list
I the a##ro#riate outline aid wor%sheets
I a story evolution wor%sheet
9ormatted outline casules
=he first ste# in com6ining all your information is to com#lete a formatted outline ca#sule
8or%sheet 4 for each scene. =hese 6rief scene summaries hel# you organise your information
scene 6y scene and allow you to start thin%ing a6out all your information in an organised$ linear
manner. ; formatted outline ca#sule includes the following information"
I the day the scene ta%es #lace in the story
I the cha#ter and scene num6er
I the #oint-of-view >',?@ character
I additional characters in the scene
I the location where the scene ta%es #lace >the setting@
I the a##ro+imate time of day
I the facts necessary for writing the scene
I notes
I Cuestions
I a draft of the scene
Aet5s go over these categories so that you have a clear understanding of what to include in
each s#ace.
Day
=he day or date will affect many as#ects of the scene$ so it5s im#ortant to 6e certain of this
fact$ even if it5s only for your own use. Consistency is very im#ortant in every novel.
Fee#ing trac% of the day each scene ta%es #lace 6ecomes e+tremely im#ortant when your
6oo% may eventually reach !0$000 or 00$000-#lus words. Hot down either a s#ecific date or Dust the
/!
day on which the scene ta%es #lace.
Chater and scene
,ne cha#ter may contain many scenes$ although some authors write very 6rief cha#ters
containing only one scene each. =he end of a scene within a cha#ter is usually indicated 6y several
6lan% lines or a series of asteris%s. =hese visual indicators tell the reader that one scene has ended
and a new one is 6eginning.
)n this section of the formatted outline ca#sule you would include the cha#ter num6er and the
scene num6er" Kcha#ter 4$ scene 3K$ for instance. )nitially$ you should s%i# the cha#ter num6er and
sim#ly num6er the scenes in order 9 Kscene K for the first scene$ Kscene /K for the second$ and so
forth.
#oint-of-view =#(>?
8ho5s the main character in this scene: 8hile some writers ho# from one head to the ne+t in
any given scene$ very few authors can do this effectively without annoying their readers. ,ne
character ',? #er scene is the 6est o#tion in nearly every case. You Dust need the first name$ or you
can use first and last name if you #refer.
8dditional characters
Aist any other im#ortant characters who are in this #articular scene.
@ocation
8here e+actly does the scene ta%e #lace: You can #ut a location without s#ecifics$ or you can
#ut the location and details a6out that location here.
8ro'imate time
8hat is the a##ro+imate time of day when the scene ta%es #lace: =he time$ li%e the day or
date$ will affect many as#ects of the sceneE it5s im#ortant to 6e certain of this fact$ even if it5s only
for your own use.
9acts necessary
8hat information is im#ortant for you to %now while you draft this scene: 4enerally$ this
section will include facts that you need to 6e aware of as the author$ 6ut that the reader doesn5t need
to %now. ;ny of the information from the additional outline aid wor%sheets you filled out in
stage three >including dialogue$ fact$ timeline and ali6i wor%sheets@ would fit here.
,otes
=his is the #lace to include research notes and any additional notes that #ertain to another
#lace or event within the outline. )f you5ve done an in-de#th 6ac%ground timeline >discussed on #--
3@$ you might reference it here.
)f you have way too much information to fit into the formatted outline document$ you might
want to record in this section a reference to the e+act location of the information in your research
notes or other document.
;uestions
)f you need to figure something out 6efore you can write a scene 9 for instance$ you need to
do more research on s#ecific details or #lot #oints 9 you can leave yourself a Cuestion or reminder
in this area.
/&
Draft of scene
=his section will include a s%etch of what ha##ens in this scene. You may not 6e a6le to #ut
much in this section on your first #ass$ 6ut ultimately you will flesh it out fully with descri#tion$
dialogue$ intros#ection and action 9 as well as your #lot s%etch threads and story evolution
elements.
%ncororating your summary outline into your formatted outline
,nce you5ve finished filling out as much information for the ca#sules as #ossi6le$ it5s time to
start incor#orating information from other wor%sheets.
)t5s a good idea to have a co#y of your summary outline created on days four and five to hand
as you wor% to incor#orate it within the formatted outline. =hat way you can chec% off the areas
you5ve used as you go along$ and you5ll %now when the scenes are all in #lace.
8hen you #ut the events from your summary outline into the formatted outline document$
wor% chronologically and go as far as you can. )f you5re not sure a6out a scene$ how many you
should have$ or what should go into a scene or scenes$ insert a 6lan% ca#sule$ start a new ca#sule on
the #age after that$ and %ee# going.
%ncororating your miscellaneous scene notes
,nce your summary outline is com#letely incor#orated into the formatted outline$ find the
miscellaneous scene notes that you created on day si+.
)ncor#orating scenes 6ased on your miscellaneous scene notes will 6e a 6it harder 6ecause
many times you won5t 6e sure where they should go$ or even if they should go.
.a%e a guess where you thin% certain events might sit 6est 9 toward the 6eginning$ middle or
end: 2ear other events already in your formatted outline: You5ll 6e a6le to switch the order of the
scenes easily later$ so don5t worry too much a6out #utting scenes from your miscellaneous notes in
e+actly the right #lace.
)f you5re not sure the scene 6elongs in the 6oo% at all$ you can either leave it out >highlighting
it on your hard co#y so you can come 6ac% and evaluate its worthiness later@$ or you can #ut it in
wherever it seems to 6elong for now. (ecause you won5t necessarily 6e incor#orating scenes in
order during this ste#$ it may 6e easiest to #ut a Cuestion mar% ne+t to the scene num6er field in the
outline ca#sule.
%ncororating closing scene notes
,nce you have all or most of your miscellaneous scene notes chec%ed off$ get out a co#y of
your closing scene notes$ also created on day si+.
)ncor#orating closing scenes won5t 6e as hard as including miscellaneous scenes$ 6ecause
most of them will fall in the last section of the 6oo%$ so you can Dust #ut them at the end of your
document in the a##ro#riate order. )f you5re not sure a6out the #recise order of these scenes$ don5t
worry 9 you5ll 6e a6le to switch them around later.
;t the end of day ! your outline should 6e sha#ing u# very nicely. You will have
incor#orated your summary outline notes$ miscellaneous scene notes and closing scene notes within
the formatted outline document. 2ow ta%e a loo% at the outline from to# to 6ottom. You5ll see a lot
of holes$ 6ut you5ll also see a solid #rogression.
*ach scene you write has to advance the story. )t must add to the #revious scene and wor% to
move the #lot forward. Your formatted outline acts as a road ma#" you can see the #ath you must
ta%e$ and you can #lace your scenes accordingly.
/-
)t5s much easier to #ace your novel when it5s in outline form than it would 6e if you Dust
started writing the story. 8ith an outline s%etching out each scene in detail$ you can tell at a glance
whether each scene #ushes the #lot to a tight conclusion.
,nce you com#lete the formatted outline$ any scene that seems to slow or halt #rogress 9 or
that sim#ly doesn5t 6elong 9 can 6e moved or cut 6efore the actual writing of the 6oo% 6egins.
:he //ic" u the ace// loy
)f you want to #ic% u# the #ace of your 6oo% in a sim#le way your readers #ro6a6ly won5t
even notice on a conscious level$ try writing one scene #er cha#ter. =his accom#lishes several
things"
I <airly short cha#ters allow the 6oo% to move along swiftly from one cha#ter or scene to the
ne+t.
I Your reader is li%ely to read more in one sitting$ since many readers glance ahead to the ne+t
cha#ter when considering whether or not to sto# reading.
I )f the ne+t cha#ter is short$ your readers will 6e much more inclined to %ee# going for KDust
one moreK cha#ter. <reCuently$ they won5t #ut the 6oo% down for several more short cha#ters.
/1
Day 15: incororating story evolution elements
Day &"
%ncororating story evolution elements
,n day & you5ll 6e incor#orating the elements from your story evolution wor%sheet into your
formatted outline$ which was created on days 4 and 5.
Your story evolution wor%sheet lists events in chronological order$ so figuring out where they
fit into your outline shouldn5t 6e too difficult.
)ncor#orate as much of your story evolution elements into your formatted outline as you can.
)f you5re not sure a6out something$ highlight that area on the hard co#y of your story evolution
wor%sheet so you can come 6ac% to it at a later date.
;t the end of day & ta%e another loo% at your outline from to# to 6ottom. <lesh out the
outline wherever you can. ,nce you5ve gone as far as you can for the day$ #rint it.
0#end the rest of the day loo%ing at it$ trying to fill in the holes.
30
Day 1A: incororating character and setting s"etches
Day -"
%ncororating character and setting s"etches
=oday you5ll 6e incor#orating your character s%etches directly into the formatted outline.
U# to this #oint you5ve 6een #utting scenes in chronological order. )ncor#orating a character
s%etch isn5t as easy as dro##ing a scene into its chronological #lace$ so today5s tas%s will 6e a 6it
tric%ier for you. However$ 6ecause much of your outline is now in a #rogressive >or linear@ format$
you should 6e a6le to determine the 6est #laces to inters#erse your character s%etch information.
7emem6er as you wor% that$ in general$ most character s%etch information will a##ear in the
6eginning of the 6oo%$ when the character is first introduced. ;s you introduce your characters and
they 6egin to interact with one another$ dro# in short #hysical descri#tions.
)nclude some information a6out your characters5 #ersonalities and motivations in every scene
they a##ear in. 8riting sensory descri#tions of your characters and their 6ehaviour gives your
readers the a6ility to use their senses. 'ut these descri#tions directly in your outline.
(loc%s of descri#tion are fine in the outline. Don5t worry a6out 6eing eloCuent in delivering
the descri#tion. 8hen you5re writing the 6oo%$ you can scatter the information throughout several
scenes in creative ways that tie together naturally.
;s% yourself some or all of the Cuestions 6elow as you5re incor#orating character s%etch
information into your formatted outline"
I 8hat are the characters seeing$ touching$ smelling$ hearing$ tasting:
I 8hat are they wearing:
I 8here are they within the scene: )s there anything near6y that holds meaning for them 9 if
so$ what and why:
I 8hat are their e+#ressions: Do they seem nervous$ emotional$ guarded:
I 8hat is ha##ening around them: 8hat is the ',? character5s reaction to the event>s@:
I 8hat are they thin%ing:
I )f there are other characters in the scene$ does the ',? character %now them: )f he or she
does$ how does this relationshi# affect him3her:
;t this #oint start adding dialogue to your formatted outline as well. Dialogue advances and
enriches a scene$ and$ in your finished story$ #rovides the reader with a sense of K6eing thereK. Use
6oth e+ternal dialogue >what characters say out loud@ and internal monologue >what the main ',?
character in the scene thin%s to him3herself@. Dialogue can also 6e used to reveal im#ortant details
a6out a character5s #ersonality. )t can 6e used to start a scene with a 6ang$ and it will #aint a clearer
#icture in your mind of the #ur#ose of the scene.
2ow it5s time to incor#orate your setting s%etches and any setting-s#ecific research directly
into the formatted outline. .uch of the discussion #ertaining to incor#orating character s%etch
information into your formatted outline also a##lies to the incor#oration of setting s%etches.
.ost of the im#ortant setting s%etches will come at the 6eginning of the 6oo%$ when the
setting is first introduced$ 6ut you5ll also esta6lish setting for the reader with every new scene.
)nclude all necessary information in each scene in the outline. <or instance$ if you introduce your
hero5s home in the first scene$ that would 6e a good #lace to dro# in a short descri#tion of his or her
3
a6ode. ;s with the character s%etches$ #ut your setting information wherever you might need it
within the formatted outline$ so you won5t have to hunt for it when it comes time to write that scene.
;s% yourself the following Cuestions as you incor#orate setting s%etch information into your
outline"
I 8hat a6out the setting is im#ortant: Characters will notice things that are im#ortant to them
or that hold s#ecial meaning for them. =heir current state of mind will also affect what they notice.
I 8hat season is it: 8hat %ind of day within that season: 7ainy: Hot: How does your
character react to the weather:
I 8here are the characters within the scene:
I Does your setting descri#tion match the mood of the scene:
;t the end of day - review your outline. =y#e out any handwritten notes and re#rint your
formatted outline. 0#end the rest of the day loo%ing at it$ 6rainstorming to fill in the holes.
3/
Day 1B: incororating research
Day 1"
%ncororating research
,n day 1 you5ll 6e incor#orating your 6oo% research directly into the formatted outline. )f
there5s a fact in your research that5s #ertinent to a s#ecific scene in the outline$ you would
incor#orate it into the Kfacts necessaryK section of the scene ca#sule. )nclude the fact in all the
scenes where you might need it.
)f you have large amounts of research that can5t 6e incor#orated into the outline without
causing your #age count to tri#le$ #lace a reference to the research in the KnotesK section of your
scene ca#sule so you5ll %now e+actly where to find the information when you need it.
'utting all of this information directly into your outline will shave considera6le time off your
schedule when it5s time to write the 6oo%. *verything you need is Dust where you need it$ when you
need it.
;t the end of day 1 review your formatted outline$ ty#e in any handwritten notes$ and re#rint
it.
33
Days *0-*3: 0rainstorming your formatted outline
Days /0-/3"
$rainstorming
,n days /09/3 you5ll 6e 6rainstorming to fill out the remaining holes in your outline. You
want to layer and strengthen your story. Ho#efully$ your wor% thus far has ins#ired you to
6rainstorm constantly.
;s you wor%$ you can ty#e your notes directly into your formatted outline document or write
6y hand on your #rinted co#y. 7e#rint the formatted outline as often as you need to during this time.
1oad0loc"s
8ith the #ro#er 6rainstorming and disci#line on your #art$ the 30-day method should %ee#
you outlining from start to finish. However$ there may 6e times you5ll hit a road6loc% anyway. 0o
what do you do: Here5s a list of ideas you can try"
Use any of the 6rainstorming techniCues included on #ages !-&$ es#ecially ver6al
6rainstorming with a #artner. You might 6e a6le to wor% out the %in%s and return to outlining
in no time.
/ )f you haven5t started your research >or if you haven5t finished your research@$ do it now$ or
follow another logical research angle. You might discover some new threads you can e+#lore in
your outline.
3 7emem6er that you don5t have to 6rainstorm or #uJJle out your outline in a linear fashion. )f
you can5t figure out what should ha##en in scenes /-/0$ 6ut scenes at the end of the 6oo% are
coming to you$ s%i# ahead and wor% on those. )n the #rocess$ you might figure out what needs to
ha##en in scenes /-/0. ;ll that matters is that you %ee# 6rainstorming and allowing your muse to
hel# you wor%.
4 )f you5ve tried all of the suggestions a6ove and you5re still not a6le to move forward$ ta%e a
few days off to 6rainstorm in your head instead of on #a#er. )f that doesn5t wor%$ ta%e a longer
6rea%. 4ive yourself #ermission not to ta%e notes so you5ll feel freer to go in any direction while
you 6rainstorm.
Ultimately$ if you can5t get #ast the road6loc% with any of the #revious suggestions$ you may
need to set the #roDect aside. 'erha#s the story Dust isn5t finished 6rewing. =he wor% you5ve done so
far will #rove invalua6le when you5re ready to start again. <or now$ ta%e some time off$ do some
research for another story$ 6rainstorm on other 6oo%s$ or concentrate on one that5s ready to 6e
#oured out. 0etting a story aside is not a sign of failure.
(utlining and writing in tandem
)f you find yourself una6le to ma%e further #rogress$ the cure is almost always outlining and
writing in tandem. 0to# outlining$ sit down and write some scenes from the 6oo% 6ased on your
outline. =his will encourage the story to ta%e sha#e in your mind and will almost always ins#ire you
toward further 6rainstorming$ which will hel# you com#lete your formatted outline.
8hen outlining and writing in tandem$ start 6y outlining as many scenes as you can. 8hen
you can5t go any further$ sto# and use the com#leted #ortion of your formatted outline to write the
first scene of the 6oo%. ,nce that scene is com#lete$ try going 6ac% to the outline. )f you5re still
stuc%$ write the second scene. ;s you #ush forward$ eventually the story will reveal itself$ allowing
you to com#lete the outline well in advance of the 6oo%.
34
)f you5re outlining and writing in tandem$ #lease note that you #ro6a6ly won5t 6e a6le to
follow the 30-day schedule. =his method is designed around com#leting a full outline 6efore you
6egin the writing$ so follow your own schedule while you5re doing this.
)n general$ once you get all your summary outline ideas$ miscellaneous and closing scene
notes$ character and setting s%etches$ research$ #lot s%etches and story evolution wor%sheets
incor#orated into a formatted outline$ you can start writing.
Your goal should 6e to get to the #oint where you5re a6le to outline a 6oo% straight through
6efore starting to write the 6oo% itself. )t5s much easier to revise an outline than an entire 6oo%. You
can strengthen wea% areas and remove huge 6lunders 6efore these flaws have s#read over
300 #ages.
(ecause your outline is$ essentially$ the first draft of the 6oo%$ your first attem#t at actually
writing the 6oo% will #roduce your second >and #ossi6ly final@ draft$ which will reCuire only minor
editing when it5s com#lete.
;t the end of day /3 >if you5re not outlining and writing in tandem@ review your formatted
outline from to# to 6ottom. You should 6e #retty close to filling in all the ga#s in the outline at this
#oint. ,nce you5ve gone as far as you can for the day$ re#rint it.
35
Day *3: creating a day sheet
Day /4"
Creating a day sheet
)f you5re writing a 00$000-word 6oo%$ your com#lete formatted outline will 6e nearly 00
#ages long$ or longer. *ven a shorter 6oo%$ say !0$000 words$ will reCuire a6out !0 #ages of
outline. How do you navigate something this 6ig and com#licated:
=he first ste# is to se#arate scenes with #age 6rea%s so each scene can 6e viewed com#letely
on its own. Doing this will ma%e your document far more wor%a6le. 8hen you finish writing a
scene$ you5ll shuffle the scene ca#sule to the 6ac% of the stac% until you eventually end u# 6ac% at
the 6eginning of the outline. ;dding a #age 6rea% at the end of each scene will %ee# you focused on
writing at least one scene #er day$ which is im#ortant to com#leting a #roDect on schedule.
; day sheet 8or%sheet 5 is a valua6le tool when you5re evaluating the strength of your
outline. =he information in your scene ca#sules will hel# you fill out the first three columns. )n the
first column insert the day the scene ta%es #lace. *nter the cha#ter and scene num6er within that
cha#ter in column two. =hen list the scene5s #oint-of-view character in column three.
=his num6er in column four is a running ta6 counting how many times$ u# to that scene$ that a
#articular character has held ',?. Fee#ing trac% of this num6er is es#ecially hel#ful in 6oo%s with
more than a cou#le of #oints of view. )n one of the 6oo%s in the <alcon5s (end series$ my #artner
and ) discovered that one of the characters had only one or two ',? scenes in the entire 6oo%.
=hese scenes$ we realised$ were e+traneous or wor%ed 6etter from another ',?.
)f you find that one of your characters has only two or three ',? scenes$ you might want to
cut them. Your readers don5t want to get interested in a character who doesn5t have a strong #ur#ose
throughout the 6oo%. =he e+ce#tion to this rule is the #rologue$ which can 6e written from a #oint of
view not re#eated elsewhere in the 6oo%. =he techniCue of using a one-time ',? character in the
#rologue is es#ecially common in mystery novels.
Column five on the day sheet features a high-conce#t 6lur6$ which is a very succinct sentence
summing u# what ta%es #lace in that scene. You could also loo% at it as a summary of something a
#articular character must do or wants to do. 8hat is his3her short-term goal for this scene:
3!
Days *4-*A: &valuating the strength of your formatted outline
,nce you have a formatted outline of your 6oo%$ you should 6e a6le to loo% at it critically to
decide if the story has a solid #lot with #lenty of tension in all the right #laces. You can assess the
outline to ma%e sure everything is consistent. )s each #lot thread introduced and concluded
#ro#erly: Does each #lot thread follow a logical$ steady #ath to its resolution: )s your #lot infused
with tension: Do #lot and tension lag anywhere: )f you discover #ro6lems$ you can rewor% scenes
until they all flow forward smoothly.
(ut what if e+amining your 6oo% in this way doesn5t satisfy you that it has everything it
needs: You can evaluate the strength of your outline more systematically 6y deconstructing it using
a method called tagging and tracing. (asically$ tagging and tracing is identifying all the #lot threads
within the outline$ then following them to ma%e sure they5re strong enough throughout each section
of the 6oo%. 7emem6er that each #lot thread should stand on its own 9 when you isolate any thread$
you should see a clear #rogression from start to finish.
=here are no wor%sheets for the ste#s in this cha#ter sim#ly 6ecause every story is so
different. Hust follow the instructions contained in each section$ and you5ll 6e a6le to evaluate the
strength of your outline. )f you discover wea% areas in your outline$ you may find it useful to revisit
your story evolution wor%sheet >8or%sheet 3@. )f you have an editor$ agent or critiCue #artner you
trust$ as% that #erson to read your outline to hel# you evaluate its strengths.
D8Y+ *4-*6
:agging and tracing
0tart day /5 6y chec%ing for unanswered Cuestions on your interview Cuestions wor%sheet
>8or%sheet -@. )f you still need answers to some of the Cuestions$ set u# an interview with your
chosen e+#ert. =ry to schedule the a##ointment for day /1 of the outlining #rocess 9 at this #oint$
you5ll 6e #utting the finishing touches to your outline.
)n stage two$ you created the #lot threads for your story"
I story goal
I su6#lot threads
I #lot tension
I release
I downtime
I 6lac% moment
I resolution
I aftereffects of resolution >o#tional@
;ll of these threads should 6ecome invisi6le as you write the 6oo%.
'acing 9 the steady #rogression of your unfolding #lot 9 is$ in #art$ dictated 6y genre. ;
coming-of-age story or an angst-driven romance will have a much slower #ace than an action-
adventure or mystery novel$ for e+am#le.
2evertheless$ all stories need consistent develo#ment. )f your #acing is off$ if it comes and
goes$ if it isn5t infused with tension$ then editors and readers are li%ely to throw your story against
the nearest wall.
2ow that you5ve com#leted your formatted outline$ you can tag >identify@ each #lot thread$
3&
then trace >follow@ it from start to finish to ma%e sure it5s solid. )n order for each thread to 6e strong
within the written 6oo%$ it must 6e strong in the outline. *valuating the strength of your #lot threads
now can save you many rewrites in the future.
0o$ ta%e out the hard co#y of your #lot s%etch wor%sheet and o#en your formatted outline
document on your com#uter. You5ll also need the most current hard co#y of your formatted outline.
)f you5re wor%ing on your com#uter$ ) suggest you save a new$ se#arate co#y of your formatted
outline s#ecifically for use during the tagging and tracing #rocess. You5re a6out to ma%e your
outline very messy$ so 6e #re#ared.
:agging and tracing your story goal
;s you %now$ your story goal is your main #lot thread 9 the one that starts at the 6eginning of
the 6oo% and continues until the very end$ involving all the characters and su6#lot threads. You
identified your own story goal when you com#leted the #lot s%etch wor%sheetE you clarified your
story goal when you com#leted the story evolution wor%sheetE and you gave the goal conte+t when
you incor#orated all your #lot threads into a formatted outline. Using information from these
documents to tag and trace your story goal is sim#le.
0tart 6y reviewing your story goal. =hen read through your scene ca#sules$ identifying
elements that further the story goal. =ag each of these elements 6y mar%ing it L0tory 4oalM.
8hen you5re wor%ing on your 6oo%$ remem6er to Dudge each #lot thread 6oth individually and
within the conte+t of the entire story. 8hen does a certain thread need to 6e introduced: 8hen is
the 6est time to 6ring it u# again: How often does it need to 6e touched on in order to maintain
tension and reader interest:
(alancing #lot threads is tric%y$ 6ut it5s e+tremely im#ortant to the develo#ment and success
of any story. ;s you trace your story goal through your formatted outline$ as% yourself the following
Cuestions. Does my story goal develo# correctly: )s the #acing steady$ or does it lag: )s there any
#oint where the conflict fiJJles$ or Dust sto#s altogether: ;re there any rough transitions: )s the #ath
constant$ or are there holes in the course of its develo#ment: )s the develo#ment of the thread
logical:
7emem6er that none of your #lot threads should 6e considered minor$ 6ecause all threads
should wor% in harmony. (ut the #lot elements will have varying degrees of im#ortance.
=here will 6e times when some of your story threads merge$ and you5ll have difficulty
deciding which thread is which as you tag. =his is a good sign 9 it means that you5ve successfully
interwoven your threads into the fa6ric of your story.
; tangential or disDointed thread has no #lace in your story. You want your threads to mesh
together. )f you can5t decide how to tag a certain thread$ then you can use multi#le tags 9 as many as
you need to.
:agging and tracing su0lot threads
0u6#lot threads can 6e traced in much the same way as the story goal. )deally$ if you tag and
trace the entire 6oo%$ you5ll 6e a6le to #ull out each individual thread and evaluate its develo#ment
from start to finish. =hat5s what you5re striving to do with your own outline.
:agging and tracing tension
You can trace tension in your 6oo% Dust as you can trace #lot threads. =ension is essential in
any genre$ in every single 6oo%. ; Cuality story demands it. Your readers will demand it too 9
without it$ there5s no reason to turn the #ages. =ension can come from many different areas$ such as
descri#tion$ dialogue$ intros#ection and conflict.
3-
You can use #acing$ foreshadowing and 6ac%story to create tension. 7emem6er$ tension and
conflict go hand in hand. 8herever you have conflict$ you need to have tension. (ecause you have
tagged and traced your #lot threads throughout your story$ you %now e+actly where you need to
have tension.
(y following each #lot thread$ you can imagine e+actly where the tension needs to 6e. *ach
thread needs conflict$ and conflict must 6e infused with tension. (ut don5t worry if you can5t feel the
tension while you review the outline. Hust 6ecause the outline isn5t nail-6itingly tense$ it doesn5t
mean your 6oo% won5t 6e full of sus#ense.
)n the outline$ it5s enough Dust to give yourself directions for adding tension. =hese directions
don5t have to 6e eloCuent 9 they5re Dust there to serve as a reminder for you to include tension in the
a##ro#riate scenes in your outline.
D8Y *5
%solating lot threads
,nce you5ve com#letely tagged and traced the #lot threads and tension in your outline$ try
reading it through and seeing if you feel more confident in Dudging the strength of your outline.
Does each #lot thread stand on its own and follow a strong course from start to finish:
)f you5re still not as sure as you5d li%e to 6e$ there5s one more ste# you can ta%e 9 a #rocedure
called isolating #lot threads. 8hen you isolate a #articular #lot thread in your outline$ you should 6e
a6le to see any wea%ness in that thread and gauge what5s needed to im#rove it.
)solating threads is also an ideal way to identify and get rid of a sagging middle or wea%
tension. ; sagging middle$ in 6lunt terms$ is a lull in the middle of your 6oo% caused 6y a #lot
thread that isn5t well thought out and doesn5t unfold naturally. (y isolating each #lot thread$ you can
discover e+actly where the #ro6lems are and correct them.
You5ll eventually 6ecome an e+#ert at unfolding your #lot threads slowly 6ut steadily and
ma+imising the #otential for #lot tension. 8hat5s in your outline should carry over into the actual
6oo%. 0o if your #acing is solid in the outline$ it will 6e solid in your novel as well.
(egin day /& 6y saving a se#arate co#y of your tagged and traced outline. You5ll isolate your
#lot threads from this second document so you don5t mess u# your tagged outline. =hen create a
se#arate document for each thread you5ll 6e isolating. You5ll wind u# with files named K0tory 4oalK
and K0u6#lot 3K$ for e+am#le.
You can ta%e two a##roaches to isolating the #lot threads. )f you were isolating su6#lot 3$ you
could save your entire tagged outline as a new document called K0u6#lot 3K$ then delete everything
without a su6#lot 3 tag. >You would also %ee# te+t tagged as #lot tension resulting from su6#lot 3.@
Do the same thing for each thread within your #lot s%etch. *+#ect this #art to 6e even messier than
the initial tagging #hase$ 6ecause you5re really deconstructing your outline into little 6its now.
;nother a##roach would 6e to o#en your tagged outline and go through it scene 6y scene$
co#ying each #lot thread and #asting it into its own document. =his method ena6les you to isolate
all the #lot threads at the same time.
,nce you5ve removed a su6#lot thread com#letely from your formatted outline$ try rereading
the outline. 8ithout that thread$ something is missing$ isn5t it: 2ow$ try #utting an isolated su6#lot
thread into a different s#ot within the outline. Does it fit in any other #lace: )t might.
)f some #ortion of your thread fits in more than one area in your outline$ you5ll need to decide
where it fits 6est. *ach thread should unfold logically and steadily$ while maintaining tension within
the story. )f you5re uncertain a6out a su6#lot$ try moving it around until you5re sure you5ve got it in
31
the right #lace.
8hen you isolate a #articular #lot thread in your outline$ you should 6e a6le to see any holes
in the thread. )f it5s lac%ing motivation or tension$ you should 6e a6le to determine what5s missing
and where you should add something relating to this thread. )f you can5t identify what5s missing$
ma%e some educated guesses until you figure out what wor%s 6est.
;t the end of day /& your outline should 6e e+tremely solid. )f it5s not$ you may need to
revisit your story evolution wor%sheet in order to figure out where your story fiJJled.
)ncor#orate new ideas and scenes into your formatted outline$ then start the deconstruction
#rocess again to ma%e sure the threads are strong from start to finish.
)t could 6e that once you5ve com#leted your formatted outline$ tagged$ traced and isolated
your #lot threads and revised your story evolution wor%sheet$ you discover you don5t have enough
su6#lot threads in your 6oo%. Don5t 6e u#setN (e glad you discovered the #ro6lem 6efore you
committed it to 300-#lus manuscri#t #ages. )t5s never too late to 6olster your story with another
layer of te+ture.
D8Y *A
+horing u wea" elements in your formatted outline
,n day /- continue shoring u# wea% elements in your #lot. You may want to ver6ally
6rainstorm with your editor or a trusted critiCue #artner to hel# evaluate the strength of your outline.
=agging$ tracing and isolating #lot threads are all huge Do6s. =he good news is that you won5t
have to do this for every 6oo%. 8ith e+#erience you5ll 6e a6le to com#lete these ste#s in your head.
=he more times you go through it$ the 6etter you get. You5ll eventually come to a #oint when you
instinctively %now whether your outline is strong enough or not.
40
Days *B-30: revising your first draft
0o you5ve incor#orated everything into your formatted outline$ evaluated the strength of that
outline and found it to 6e com#lete. 8hat5s the ne+t ste# in the #rocess:
<rom day one we5ve considered the outline to 6e the first draft of your novel. 2ow that you5ve
com#leted that first draft$ it5s time to revise. =hat5s e+actly what you5ll 6e doing in this final stage of
the 30-day method.
D8Y *B
9illing in the final holes
)n the revision stage of com#leting your outline you5ll 6e #erforming a multitude of tas%s. You
may find yourself dragging from all the effort you5ve #ut into your outline so far$ 6ut the good news
is that you5re almost done O
;s you wor%$ 6e sure to %ee# your outline current 6y recording corrections$ revising cha#ter
and scene num6ers$ and #rinting out clean co#ies of your wor%. 0tay organised.
%ncororating last-minute research
=oday5s agenda should %ee# you 6usy. )f$ on day /5$ you discovered you still needed some
answers to the Cuestions on your interview Cuestions wor%sheet >8or%sheet -@$ you #ro6a6ly have
an a##ointment with your chosen e+#ert coming u#. =o #re#are yourself for this a##ointment$
review the interview Cuestion list. )f you5ve already answered some of the Cuestions on this list
through other research$ delete them.
=hen figure out where each #iece of new information you #lan to get will go in your outline.
0ince your outline is almost final$ you will 6e a6le to figure out where this information is needed
and include accurate cha#ter$ scene$ and3or #age num6ers directly on the interview Cuestion list.
,nce the interview is com#lete$ slot the information directly into your formatted outline in the
a##ro#riate #lace. 8hen all your interview answers are incor#orated$ you need to ta%e a fresh loo%
at the revised outline and see if any additional Cuestions remain. 7emem6er$ your formatted outline
ca#sule has a section for scene Cuestions. Buestions in this area should 6e highlighted to alert you to
any holes in the outline. )f you5ve highlighted the Cuestions and crossed them off when they were
answered throughout your outlining #rocess$ you should %now at a glance what still needs to 6e
done. 'erform any research$ interviews or 6rainstorming necessary to fill in those holes.
+tarting the revision rocess
,n day /1 you5ll also 6egin revising your outline. 2ow is not the time for editing and
#olishing. *diting and #olishing should 6e minor tas%s >in terms of amount of wor% rather than
im#ortance@ G clean-u# Do6s that could include any of the following"
I rearranging sentences or scenes
I tightening sentences and individual words >such as changing #assive voice to activeE dull
words to livelyE removing re#etitiveness@
I adding details or minor research
I adding a necessary scene or deleting an e+traneous one
I any minor correction
Don5t start the editing and #olishing #rocess until you5re sure you5ve finished revising.
4
1evising the outline instead of the manuscrit
(y creating a formatted outline$ you5ve made the revision #rocess much easier for yourself.
You can revise the outline as much as you need to in order to fine-tune your story$ and you5ve
virtually eliminated the need to fully revise the manuscri#t itself later.
Does that sound im#ossi6le: ,r$ at least$ unrealistic: ;re you wondering if it even ma%es
sense to revise the outline instead of the manuscri#t:
=hin% of it this way. *ach #age of a ty#ed manuscri#t has around /50 words. 0o a 50$000-
word 6oo% will run to a##ro+imately /00 #ages. )n your outline$ on the other hand$ each scene will
generally ta%e u# one or two #ages$ meaning the 50 or so scenes that ma%e u# your novel are
covered in 50-&5 #ages. 7evising 50 9 or even 00 9 #ages of outline is a whole lot easier than
revising /00-400 manuscri#t #ages.
,n to# of that$ revising a com#leted manuscri#t is a nightmare. ;ny writer can attest to that. )f
you haven5t 6een wor%ing with an outline$ everything that ha##ens from one scene to another affects
everything else in the 6oo%. (efore you %now it you5re 6etter off ditching the whole thing and
starting from scratch.
;t the end of day /1 you might want to mentally tag$ trace and isolate your #lot threads again$
to ma%e sure they5re strong enough. 4etting together to 6rainstorm with an editor$ agent or critiCue
#artner a6out any areas you feel may still 6e wea% is also a good idea.
D8Y 30
#utting it on a shelf
=he final day in your 30-day schedule is here. You may 6e sic% to death of the outline at this
#oint$ 6ut force yourself to go over it scene 6y scene one last time$ as%ing yourself the following
Cuestions"
I Do ) have enough conflict to sustain the length and com#le+ity of the 6oo%:
I ;re my characters #ro#erly develo#ed: Do they grow consistently throughout the 6oo%:
I )s the #acing correct:
I Does the middle sag anywhere:
I Does the story unfold naturally with consistency and tension:
I ;re my characters li%a6le$ with strong goals and sufficient motivation:
)f your answer to any of these Cuestions is no$ you %now what to do. 4o 6ac% to your story
evolution wor%sheet or deconstruct the threads to ma%e sure each one is solid.
,nce you5re sure your outline is as ro6ust as it5s going to get$ ma%e any final corrections.
2ow is the 6est time to #ut in the actual cha#ter num6ers$ since they5re unli%ely to change at
this stage. .a%e sure your ta6le of contents also reflects any changes. =hen #rint out a clean and
fully u#dated co#y of your formatted outline. 'ut everything associated with this #roDect 9
including the outline$ all the hard co#ies of your research$ the #reliminary outline etc 9 into your
#roDect folder. =hen #ut this 6oo% on a shelf and forget a6out it$ for as long as you #ossi6ly can.
;llowing your outlines to sit for a cou#le of wee%s 9 or even months 9 6efore 6eginning to
#ut everything into manuscri#t format is a6solutely essential. =he ne+t time you #ic% u# your
formatted outline$ you5re going to need a fresh #ers#ective 9 you5ll 6e reviewing the outline again to
6e sure it is as solid as you 6elieved it was when you finished it. =he only way you5ll 6e a6le to get a
fresh #ers#ective is to #ut your outline on a shelf$ out of sight and out of mind.
4/
4et to wor% on something else so you don5t thin% a6out this #roDect. 8hen you do return to it$
#lan on s#ending one or two wee%s Dust re-evaluating the strength of your outline.
,nly then$ finally$ is it time to start writing the 6oo% itself.
43