There are some writers who avoid plot outlines and prefer to let their ideas flow as they write. However, outlining your storyline before writing can help you better understand the story. This outline can be used as a roadmap for you as you write about settings, characters, and describe key events in the story. A plot outline is also useful if you're stuck in a story when you're writing a story and want to know where to write next.
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Method 1 of 3: Using Flowcharts
Step 1. Identify the parts of the story in the flow chart
One of the more traditional ways to structure a story is to use a triangular flowchart, also known as the Freytag Pyramid. The Freytag Pyramid is divided into six sections: introduction, triggering event, climb, climax, descent, and resolution. This chart looks like a triangle or pyramid, with the introduction at the base of the triangle, followed by a progression of triggering events and an incline. The end of the triangle is the climax of the story, which is then followed by a descent and flattening out of the triangle, or resolution of the story.
- This type of flowchart is often used in novels to help organize the events of the story. These charts are useful for making sure you have all the story elements needed in a novel and many readers will respond positively to text that is structured based on up and down flowcharts.
- You can create your own flowchart and write each section or flow point directly on it. Having a visual reference as a guide for writing a story is sometimes very useful.
Step 2. Make a strong introduction
Although many novels begin by revealing the triggering event, it may be helpful to write an introduction during the story planning stage. Recognizing the introduction to the story can also help identify the protagonist and the main theme or idea in the story.
- The introduction should include the setting of the story, information about the protagonist, and an introduction to the protagonist's conflict. This section may be a few lines discussing these elements or an actual scene where your protagonist is talking to other characters and moving around in the setting of the story.
- For example, the introduction to the first book in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling's wildly popular Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone focuses on introducing readers to the series' protagonist, Harry Potter. The introduction also introduces the reader to the world of Muggles and the wizarding world at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Step 3. Identify the triggering event
Trigger events in the story are events that change the course of the main character's life. These events should be surprising and feel risky for the protagonist. Often times, the triggering event occurs right after the introduction is introduced in a novel.
For example, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the triggering event is when Harry is visited by Hagrid the Giant and is told that he is a wizard and has been accepted into Hogwarts. This information changes the course of Harry's life as a character in the story. He leaves his unhappy life among the Dursleys in the Muggle world and travels to Hogwarts with Hagrid. This event then triggers another series of events in Harry's life
Step 4. Create an incline
The climb from the triggering event to the climax is often the longest part of a novel or story. In the uphill part, you'll develop your character, explore their relationship with each other, and scroll through all the important events that will allow you to reach your climax. The closer to the climax, the more tense the climb should be.
- The incline part often consists of a series of events. Therefore, you can outline each event in a flowchart. Make sure the events are getting more and more tense and continue to escalate the closer you get to the climax.
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For example, the sequence of events in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone storyline can be described as follows:
- Harry goes shopping with Hagrid to buy magic supplies in Diagon Alley, including his wand.
- Harry left the Dursleys and took the train to Hogwarts on platform 9¾. He then meets the three main characters in the series: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry's nemesis, Draco Malfoy.
- Harry was given the Disappearing Cloak.
- Harry finds out about the Philosopher's Stone and passes this information on to Ron and Hermione.
Step 5. Write down the climax of the story
The climax of the story is the breaking point and should feel like the most important moment for the protagonist. It can be a major setback, a challenge to be faced, or a major decision to be made by the protagonist. Often times, the climax is an external event that the protagonist must experience in order to arrive at the derivation and resolution of the story.
For example, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the story climaxes when Harry realizes there is a conspiracy to steal the Philosopher's Stone. He then teamed up with Ron and Hermione to try to protect the stone
Step 6. Identify the offspring
Descendants are usually the most action-packed part of the story, where your story rolls faster and faster to reach a resolution. The reader must be in suspense throughout the descent and know how the protagonist deals with the story's climax.
- Derivations may occur in several chapters, especially if the protagonist is dealing with a major climax. A descent can feel like a journey, albeit a fast one, that brings the characters to the resolution of the story.
- For example, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry must undergo a series of life-or-death decisions to save the Philosopher's Stone from falling into the wrong hands. The quest is spread over several chapters and is sped up so Harry must overcome several obstacles to reach his goal.
Step 7. Make a story resolution
The resolution of the story is sometimes referred to as the conclusion because it occurs at the end of the novel. The resolution should tell the reader whether your protagonist succeeded in getting what he wanted, or whether he failed. Oftentimes, resolutions also reveal how the protagonist changes throughout the book. This can be gradual changes that are physical, mental, psychological, or all of the above. Your protagonist must see their world differently at the end of the novel than at the beginning.
For example, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, resolution occurs when Harry confronts Professor Quirrell in the last room containing the Philosopher's Stone. Quirrell turns out to be possessed by Lord Voldemort and Harry fights Voldemort over the stone. Harry faints during the fight and wakes up in the school hospital, surrounded by his friends. Dumbledore tells Harry that he survived because of the power of his mother's love. The stone is then destroyed, Voldemort returns to the underworld, and Harry returns to the Dursleys' home for summer vacation
Step 8. Play around with switching between sections in your flowchart
While starting with a standard flowchart can be useful in the drafting stage, you should also consider adapting it section by section and moving it into the next draft of the story. Consider starting with an instant triggering event and then moving on to the beginning, or moving the climax to appear at the end of the story rather than the last half of the story. Playing around with flowcharts can make your story feel more unique and dynamic.
Keep in mind that not all stories have happy endings. In fact, some of the best stories have very unhappy endings. Consider resolution as a way to explore changes in your protagonist, even if small, rather than giving the protagonist exactly what he wants. Sometimes, resolutions that end in failure can be more attractive than those that end in success
Method 2 of 3: Using the Snowflake Method
Step 1. Write a one-sentence summary
The Snowflake Method is often used to compose novels, but it can also be used to compose short stories. This method allows you to work through the storyline step by step and arrange the necessary scene by scene for your story in a table. To get started with this method, you'll need to create a one-sentence summary of your story. These sentences should captivate and highlight the big picture of the story.
- Keep your summary short and sweet, using anonymous descriptions and non-specific terms. Try using 15 words or less and focus on tying the larger theme to the character's actions.
- For example, your one-sentence summary might be: "A seemingly perfect marriage all fell apart when the wife disappeared."
Step 2. Create a one-paragraph summary
Once you have a one-sentence summary, you should develop it into a full paragraph describing the introduction, main events, climax, and ending. You can use a "three disasters plus an ending" structure where three bad things happen in the story and build up to the story's climax. The idea is that things only get worse for the protagonist until they reach the climax and then the ending or resolution of the story.
- Your paragraph will consist of five sentences. One sentence should describe the beginning of the story. There should be one sentence for each of the three disasters. Then, one last sentence that describes the end of the story.
- Your paragraph might say: “Nick and Amy have a seemingly perfect marriage and seem happy to those who know them. But one night, Amy mysteriously disappears and an attack is suspected. Nick is soon accused of murder and must defend himself in court. Nick discovers that Amy faked her own murder and is still alive, but is determined to put her in jail. Nick confronts Amy and they fight, but in the end, Amy blackmails Nick into keeping the marriage together."
Step 3. Make a character synopsis
Once you have a summary, you should focus on perfecting your character. Create a storyline for each main character, noting important characteristics such as the character's name, motivation, goals, conflicts, and epiphanies. Each character's storyline should be about one paragraph long.
- Your character synopsis doesn't have to be perfect. You may come back and change it again later or deviate from it as you begin to write scene after scene in the novel. However, at least the synopsis will help you better understand the characters and whether they fit into what's in the story.
- An example of a character synopsis could be: “Nick is a thirty-five year old reporter who was laid off from his job after ten years. He has been married to Amy for ten years and views her as his golden bride, wife and ideal partner. She struggles with her unemployment, especially since Amy comes from a wealthy family and recently inherited a large sum of money. He believes he should be the breadwinner in his household and is threatened by Amy's financial independence and career success. When Amy disappears, he comes into conflict with her need to find her and the unhappiness in his marriage to her. He finally realized that Amy had set him up and tried to blame him for her disappearance.”
Step 4. Create a scene table
After you've written a character synopsis for each of the main characters and prepared a one-paragraph summary, you should try to expand the summary into the scene using the characters. A list of scenes will help you better understand the overall storyline.
- Use a table program to organize scenes as this will make it easier to write each scene in sequence. Depending on how long the story is, you may have 50 scenes or more than 100. Create two columns in the table, one for the point of view of the characters in the scene and the other column to briefly describe what is happening in the scene. Then, list the scenes one by one, using your summary as a guide.
- For example, one of the entries might be: “Nick found Amy missing. Character point of view: Nick. What happened: Nick came home after working all night at the bar and found the front door had been smashed open. He also found pools of blood in the hallway and signs of a fight in the living room, with overturned chairs and scratches on the walls. He looked for Amy all over the house but found no sign of her."
- Continually make scenes that fit your plot summary. Later you will have a plot outline and a list of scenes that fit into your plot. This step will make it easier for you to then put the scenes together and form a complete story.
Method 3 of 3: Creating a Flow Outline for Specified Text
Step 1. Divide the outline into three acts
To create a flow outline for class assigned text instead of the original text, divide the outline into three acts. Most novels and books can be parsed using a three-act structure.
- Use a word processing document or piece of paper to create three different sections, titled Act 1, Act 2, Act 3.
- The plot outline is usually one to two pages long, depending on the length of the book. Try to be concise and focus on the key points of the plot.
Step 2. Summarize the opening scene and triggering event
Begin Act 1 by explaining the opening scene of the book. Opening scenes often feature characters and settings. The protagonist of the book is usually also in the opening scene. Make a short summary, about 100-150 words. Pay attention to the important details of the opening scene, including the names of the characters, any physical details or personality traits mentioned, and the setting.
- The start of the plot outline for Act 1 should also include trigger events, which define your character in quests or missions. Trigger events can also cause the main conflict in the novel.
- For example, in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the trigger event in the book occurs when Atticus agrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman.
Step 3. Describe the main problem or conflict
The last part of Act 1 focuses on the main problem or conflict in the novel. The main problem or conflict is the biggest obstacle that the protagonist has to overcome or face. These problems will develop the story and force the protagonist to make decisions or act in certain ways. Trigger events usually cause major problems or conflicts.
For example, in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the main conflict occurs as a result of a triggering event, as Atticus' decision to defend Tom Robinson leads to the bullying of Jem and Scout by other children and members of the public
Step 4. Summarize the major disaster or climax
Act 2 will usually lead to a major disaster or a novel climax. Disasters or climaxes often occur about of the book or 75% of the storyline. You can note a few small events that occur as an incline that leads to a climax.
For example, in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the climb occurs as Tom Robinson's trial begins and then rolls over in chapters. Even though Tom Robinson was acquitted of the charges, the white woman's father, Bob Ewell, still sought revenge on Atticus. The climax of the novel occurs when Ewell attacks Jem and Scout. Fortunately, Jem and Scout are rescued by Boo Radley
Step 5. Describe the resolution or resolution
The final chapter of the novel, Act 3, will contain the resolution of the novel. Resolution or completion will indicate the end of the protagonist's journey. The protagonist usually reaches a new understanding or awareness that he did not experience at the beginning of the novel.
