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A simple way to outlineHere is an easy system you can use to outline your novel if you find it helpful. Remember: there's no right way to make a novel outline -- this is just one option!

1) Before you start your actual novel outline, spend some time brainstorming freely, letting your imagination run, generating ideas, and writing them down. Carry a notebook around with you. The writer Linda Leopold Strauss likes to take walks during this brainstorming phase and uses a voice recorder on her cell phoneto save her ideas.

2) When you feel that you're getting ready to move beyond the brainstorming phase, then write down answers to these questions:

Who will be your main character? Write some information about him or her. (It's possible to have more than one main character, but this will make your novel more complicated to write. If you plan to have several main characters, write information about each of them.)

Normally, your novel will be about an important problem that your main character

has to solve, or an important goal that he or she wants to achieve. What is this problem or goal? Write it down. Why is it the most important thing in the world to your character right now? (If it isn't that important to your character, look for another problem or goal to be of your story. If your character doesn't care a lot that he or she resolves the problem, your readers won't either.)

What terrible difficulties are there between the character and his/her goal or the solution to his/her problem? (If it's too easy for your character to get out of trouble or get what he/she wants, then there will be less of a story). Make alist.

Where and when (in general) will your story take place? In Miami in the early 1980's? On the planet Fiz in the year 2044?

In general, what type of novel are you writing? Is it mainly comedy? Drama? A thriller? Read more about types of novels here.

What are the main events that will move your character toward (or away from) solving the novel's central problem or achieving the central goal? Make a list.

3) For each of the main events in the list you've just made, imagine a scene or scenes. For each scene, briefly write the answers to these questions.

What characters are in the scene?

Who is the viewpoint character/s (the character through whose eyes the readers wi

ll see the scene)?Where does the scene happen?

What happens?

What does the scene accomplish in the novel? Does it move the character forward toward his/her objective or further away from it?

Every scene should have a purpose. It should either move the character forwardor backward toward or away from his/her goal or solving the novel's central problem (novels are more exciting if you play with the reader s emotions by moving the character back and forth a bit), or else it should deepen the reader's understanding of the characters or situation in the novel. If the scene doesn't fulfil one of these two purposes, consider getting rid of it.

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4) Write a summary in 1-2 sentences of your novel's main idea. You can imaginethat you're writing the blurb for the book jacket. This summary should include a character or characters and an important problem or goal. If you find that youcan't pin your novel down to just 1-2 sentences, then your idea probably isn't focused enough yet, and you should keep working on it.

Examples:Boy learns he is actually a wizard and is sent to a wizarding school, where he ha

s to battle the most evil dark wizard of all time.

Detective has to solve a series of brutal murders in a convent.

Woman discovers that her husband has a second family and has to choose whether to leave him.

5) Look at the scenes you've planned so far. Are they in the right order? Whatother scenes are needed to tell the story of your character's battle with the problem or his/her work toward the goal? Fill in the missing pieces. Take out anyscenes that don't belong. Put everything into the best order for telling the sto

ry. This is your novel outline! Use it to help you, but don't hesitate to keep changing and improving it as you write. The story might take you in unexpected directions, so stay open to surprises!