Have you ever had a great idea for a book but had no idea what should happen next?
Maybe you already know how your story begins. You may even have a few exciting scenes playing in your head. But when you sit down to write, everything suddenly feels confusing.
Who does what? What happens in the middle? How does the story end? What should happen in Chapter 5?
This is where a book outline can help.
An outline gives your book a basic roadmap before you start writing. It doesn’t mean you have to know every single detail in advance. Your outline can change as your story develops.
Whether you’re writing your first novel, a nonfiction book, a memoir, or simply trying to turn an idea into something bigger, learning how to create a book outline can make the writing process much easier.
If you’re completely new to writing, start with our guide on How to Start Writing a Book Even When You Don’t Know Where to Begin.
What Is a Book Outline?
A book outline is a plan that shows the major ideas, events, chapters, or sections of your book.
Think of it as a roadmap.
You don’t necessarily need to know every sentence you’re going to write. Instead, your outline helps you understand where you’re going.
For a novel, an outline might include:
- The main character
- The central conflict
- Important characters
- Major events
- Plot twists
- The climax
- The ending
- Chapter-by-chapter events
For nonfiction, an outline might include:
- The main topic
- Key arguments
- Chapters
- Supporting information
- Examples
- Case studies
- Conclusion
The important thing to remember is that there is no single correct way to outline a book.
Some writers create detailed chapter-by-chapter plans. Others write a few sentences describing the major events. Some writers barely outline at all.
The goal isn’t to create a perfect outline.
The goal is to give yourself enough direction to start writing.
Why Should You Outline Your Book?
You might be wondering, “Can’t I just start writing and see what happens?”
Yes, you can.
Some writers prefer discovering the story as they go. But having at least a basic outline can save you from getting stuck halfway through your book.
An outline can help you:
1. Organize your ideas
Instead of keeping everything in your head, you can see your story on paper.
2. Avoid getting stuck
When you finish one chapter, you’ll have an idea of what comes next.
3. Identify problems early
You may discover that your story has no clear conflict, the middle is too slow, or the ending doesn’t make sense.
4. Keep your story focused
An outline can help prevent unnecessary scenes and information from taking over your book.
5. Write with more confidence
You don’t have to wonder constantly, “What am I supposed to write next?”
A simple plan can make sitting down to write much easier.
How to Create a Book Outline Step by Step
Now let’s get practical.
You don’t need complicated software or an expensive writing course. A notebook, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or even a sheet of paper can be enough.
Here’s a simple process you can follow.
Step 1: Start With Your Main Idea
Before outlining chapters, make sure you understand what your book is actually about.
Try to describe your book in one or two sentences.
For example:
A young woman discovers that the family she trusted has been hiding a dangerous secret, forcing her to choose between protecting the people she loves and exposing the truth.
That’s enough to give you a direction.
Don’t worry about making it sound perfect.
Ask yourself:
- What is my book about?
- What is the central idea?
- What do I want readers to experience?
- What problem does the book explore?
- What makes this story interesting?
If you can’t explain your book yet, spend some time developing the idea before worrying about chapters.
Step 2: Decide What Type of Book You’re Writing
Your outlining process will depend partly on your genre.
A romance novel won’t necessarily follow the same structure as a thriller.
A fantasy novel may require extensive worldbuilding, while a nonfiction book may need research and evidence.
For fiction, ask:
- What genre am I writing?
- Who is my main character?
- What does the character want?
- What is standing in their way?
- What is at stake?
For nonfiction, ask:
- Who is this book for?
- What problem am I solving?
- What should readers learn?
- What major topics need to be covered?
- What transformation should the reader experience?
Knowing your book’s purpose makes outlining much easier.
If you’re writing nonfiction, Reedsy’s guide to outlining a nonfiction book is another useful resource because it focuses on defining the book’s purpose, structuring it around the reader’s problem, and mapping out chapters.
Step 3: Create Your Main Character
If you’re writing fiction, your main character should be at the heart of your outline.
You don’t need a 20-page character biography.
Start with the basics.
Ask:
Who are they?
Name, age, occupation, background, personality.
What do they want?
What goal are they pursuing?
Why do they want it?
What motivates them?
What’s stopping them?
This is where conflict begins.
What are they afraid of?
Fear can reveal vulnerability and create emotional depth.
How will they change?
Think about who they are at the beginning of the story and who they become by the end.
For example:
At the beginning, Amara avoids confrontation because she is afraid of losing the people she loves. By the end, she learns that protecting herself and standing up for the truth are not acts of selfishness.
Now you have the beginning of a character arc.
Step 4: Define the Main Conflict
A story needs a problem.
Without conflict, there may not be enough reason for readers to keep turning pages.
Your protagonist should want something, but something should make achieving that goal difficult.
For example:
Goal:
A young journalist wants to expose corruption.
Obstacle:
The person behind the corruption is a powerful politician.
Stakes:
If she fails, innocent people may continue suffering. If she succeeds, her career and safety could be threatened.
Conflict doesn’t always mean physical danger.
It can also involve:
- Love
- Family
- Money
- Secrets
- Betrayal
- Fear
- Identity
- Ambition
- Society
- Personal beliefs
Ask yourself:
What is the biggest problem my main character must face?
That answer should influence your outline.
Step 5: Decide How Your Story Begins
Your opening should give readers a reason to continue.
You don’t necessarily need explosions, murder, or a dramatic revelation on the first page.
You need something that creates curiosity.
You could begin with:
- A problem
- An unusual event
- A mystery
- An emotional moment
- A difficult decision
- A surprising discovery
- A character facing a challenge
For example:
Amara receives a letter from someone who supposedly died ten years ago.
Immediately, questions arise.
Who sent the letter?
How is this possible?
What does the letter contain?
Those questions can pull the reader into the story.
Step 6: Plan the Major Events
Now we’re getting into the actual structure.
Instead of trying to outline every chapter immediately, identify the major events first.
Think about:
Beginning
What introduces the character and their normal life?
Inciting Incident
What happens that changes everything?
Rising Action
What problems become increasingly difficult?
Midpoint
What major discovery, victory, failure, or turning point changes the direction of the story?
Crisis
What is the biggest challenge the character faces?
Climax
What is the most important confrontation or decisive moment?
Resolution
What happens after the main conflict is resolved?
There are many ways to structure a novel. Reedsy’s detailed guide to outlining a novel is useful if you want to explore a more structured approach involving the protagonist, central problem, catalyst, obstacles, ordeal, resolution, and character arc.
Step 7: Create the Middle of Your Story
This is where many new writers struggle.
They know how the story begins.
They know how they want it to end.
But the middle feels empty.
The solution is to keep increasing the pressure.
Ask:
What can go wrong next?
Then ask:
How can I make the situation even more difficult?
For example:
Your character discovers that her fiancé is hiding a secret.
Then she confronts him.
He denies everything.
She finds evidence.
Someone steals the evidence.
She discovers her best friend was involved.
Then she realizes the secret affects her own family.
Each event creates another problem.
That’s how you keep the story moving.
Step 8: Plan the Climax
The climax is one of the most important moments in your story.
It’s where the central conflict reaches its highest point.
Your protagonist should face a significant choice, confrontation, discovery, or challenge.
Ask:
- What is the biggest moment in my story?
- What does my protagonist have to lose?
- What decision must they make?
- What happens if they fail?
- How does this moment resolve the central conflict?
The climax should feel connected to everything that came before it.
A great ending shouldn’t feel like something the writer suddenly invented because the book needed to finish.
Step 9: Plan the Ending
Once the climax is clear, think about what happens afterward.
You don’t necessarily need to explain every detail.
But readers should understand what has changed.
Ask:
- What happens to the main character?
- What happens to the important relationships?
- What questions need answers?
- What emotional feeling should readers leave with?
- What has the character learned?
For some stories, the ending may be happy.
For others, it may be bittersweet, tragic, mysterious, or open-ended.
The right ending depends on the story you’re telling.
Step 10: Turn Your Major Events Into Chapters
Now you can start breaking your story into chapters.
You don’t need to decide the exact number of chapters immediately.
Start by taking your major events and dividing them into manageable sections.
For example:
Chapter 1
Introduce Amara and show her ordinary life.
Chapter 2
Amara receives the mysterious letter.
Chapter 3
She investigates the person who supposedly sent it.
Chapter 4
She discovers an old family secret.
Chapter 5
Someone warns her to stop investigating.
Chapter 6
She discovers evidence that makes the mystery even more complicated.
And so on.
Notice that each chapter has a purpose.
That’s important.
A chapter shouldn’t exist simply because you need another chapter.
Something should happen, change, be discovered, or become more complicated.
A Simple Book Outline Template
If you’re outlining your first book, don’t make it complicated.
You can copy this simple template into a notebook or document and fill it in.
Book Title
Working title: ______________________
Main Idea
What is the book about?
Main Character
Name: ____________________
Age: _____________________
Personality: _______________
Goal: _____________________
Biggest fear: ______________
Main weakness: _____________
How they change: ___________
Main Conflict
What is the biggest problem?
Beginning
What happens at the beginning?
Inciting Incident
What event changes everything?
Major Events
Midpoint
What major turning point happens?
Crisis
What is the biggest challenge?
Climax
What is the most important confrontation or decision?
Ending
How does the story resolve?
That’s it.
You don’t need a complicated spreadsheet with hundreds of boxes.
Start simple.
What If You’re Writing a Nonfiction Book?
Book outlining isn’t only for novelists.
If you’re writing nonfiction, your outline can be even more straightforward.
Start with the main problem your book is solving.
For example:
Book idea:
How to Start a Small Online Business
Then break it into major sections:
Chapter 1: Finding a Business Idea
- Understanding your skills
- Finding a problem to solve
- Researching demand
Chapter 2: Choosing Your Business Model
- Products
- Services
- Digital products
- Freelancing
Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Business
- Branding
- Website
- Payment methods
- Customer communication
Chapter 4: Finding Customers
- Social media
- Content marketing
- Referrals
- Advertising
Chapter 5: Growing the Business
- Improving your products
- Customer retention
- Increasing revenue
Your outline has now become a roadmap for the entire book.
Don’t Try to Make Your Outline Perfect
This is one of the biggest mistakes beginners make.
They spend weeks planning the book and never actually write it.
Remember:
An outline is a tool, not a contract.
Your story may change.
A character might behave differently than you expected.
You may discover a better ending.
A chapter may become unnecessary.
You might realize that two characters should be combined into one.
That’s okay.
Change the outline.
Experienced writers often discover things about their stories during drafting that they couldn’t have known beforehand. Reedsy’s outlining guidance makes the same point: an outline is there to give you structure, but the story can evolve significantly as you draft and revise.
What If You Don’t Like Outlining?
That’s okay too.
Not every writer enjoys detailed planning.
If a 30-page outline makes you want to close your laptop and never write again, don’t do it.
Try a one-page outline instead.
Write down:
- Beginning
- Main problem
- Major turning point
- Biggest challenge
- Climax
- Ending
Then start writing.
You can develop the details as you go.
The best outlining method is the one that helps you keep moving.
How Detailed Should a Book Outline Be?
There’s no fixed answer.
Some writers prefer:
Basic outline
Chapter 1 — Introduce the protagonist.
Others prefer:
Detailed outline
Chapter 1 — Amara wakes up after another restless night. She receives a phone call from her mother asking her to return home. During the conversation, her mother refuses to explain why.
Both can work.
If you’re a beginner, I’d recommend starting with a simple outline.
You can always add more detail later.
What If Your Story Changes While You’re Writing?
Here’s something every new writer should understand:
Changing your outline does not mean you’ve failed.
Maybe you planned for your character to marry one person but later realized another character is a better match.
Maybe you planned for the villain to be one person but discovered someone else makes more sense.
Maybe your original ending feels weak.
Change it.
Your first outline is simply your best understanding of the story at that moment.
As you write, your understanding will grow.
Let the story evolve.
Outline First or Write First?
This is one of the biggest debates among writers.
Some writers prefer detailed outlines.
Others prefer discovering the story as they write.
Neither approach is automatically better.
If you constantly get stuck because you don’t know what happens next, try outlining.
If detailed planning kills your excitement and makes writing feel like homework, try a lighter outline.
You can even combine both methods.
Create a basic roadmap, then allow yourself to discover the details while drafting.
Penguin’s writing advice similarly emphasizes finding a writing process that works for you rather than assuming every writer needs to work in exactly the same way.
The important thing is to find a process that helps you finish the book.
A Simple 7-Day Book Outlining Challenge
If you’ve been saying, “I want to write a book someday,” let’s turn that into something practical.
Day 1: Write Your Idea
Describe your book in one or two sentences.
Day 2: Create Your Main Character
Write down their goal, fear, personality, and biggest problem.
Day 3: Define the Conflict
What stands between your character and what they want?
Day 4: Plan the Beginning
Decide how the story starts and what event changes everything.
Day 5: Plan the Middle
Write down at least five major events that make the situation increasingly difficult.
Day 6: Plan the Climax and Ending
Decide how the central conflict reaches its peak and how the story concludes.
Day 7: Turn It Into Chapters
Take everything you’ve written and organize it into a simple chapter-by-chapter roadmap.
At the end of seven days, you may not have a finished book.
But you’ll have something incredibly valuable:
a plan.
And a plan makes it much easier to begin.
What Comes After Your Outline?
Creating the outline is only the beginning.
Once you have your roadmap, it’s time to start drafting.
Don’t wait until you feel completely ready.
Don’t keep rewriting the outline because you’re afraid to write Chapter 1.
At some point, you have to move from planning to writing.
And when you eventually finish your first draft, remember that the manuscript isn’t necessarily finished. Revision is an important part of turning a rough draft into a stronger book. Reedsy‘s revision guide recommends approaching revision in stages, including looking at the overall timeline, pacing, character development, scenes, dialogue, and copy editing.
Final Thoughts
Writing a book can feel overwhelming when you’re looking at the entire project at once.
Hundreds of pages.
Characters.
Chapters.
Conflict.
Dialogue.
Research.
Editing.
Publishing.
It’s a lot.
But you don’t have to write the entire book today.
Start with the idea.
Then create the character.
Define the problem.
Plan the major events.
Work out the ending.
Then break everything into chapters.
Before you know it, that huge idea in your head starts becoming something you can actually write.
And remember:
Your outline doesn’t have to be perfect before you begin.
It only needs to give you enough direction to take the next step.
If you’re still struggling with where to begin, go back to How to Start Writing a Book Even When You Don’t Know Where to Begin and work through the process one step at a time.
And if you’d like to see the kinds of stories I’ve written, you can explore my Books page.
Your first book doesn’t have to be perfect.
It just has to be started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an outline to write a book?
No. Some writers prefer to discover their story as they write. However, an outline can help you organize ideas, avoid getting stuck, and maintain direction.
How long should a book outline be?
There is no fixed length. A simple outline can be one page, while a detailed outline can be many pages. For beginners, starting with a basic outline is often easier.
Should I outline every chapter before writing?
Not necessarily. You can outline the major events first and develop individual chapters as you write.
Can I change my outline after I start writing?
Absolutely. Your outline is a guide, not a permanent rule. Changing it as your story develops is completely normal.
Is outlining better for fiction or nonfiction?
Both fiction and nonfiction writers can benefit from outlining. Fiction outlines often focus on characters, conflict, plot, and story structure, while nonfiction outlines usually focus on topics, chapters, arguments, and information.
What is the easiest way to outline a book?
Start with five things: your main idea, main character or subject, central problem, major events, and ending. Once those are clear, divide them into chapters or sections.
Can I write a book without knowing the ending?
Yes, but having at least a general idea of where you’re going can make the writing process easier. You can always change the ending later.