9 Best Book Writing Templates [+ Free Download]

Writing a book can be a daunting task, and there is no shame in getting some help. You should learn how to become a better writer.

Using the many resources that are available will make the process easier and more efficient. There is no telling how long it will take to write your book, so some book writing templates can help speed the process up.

A book writing template acts as a guide that writers can rely on. It helps you create the blueprint for your book. They are useful tools whether you are learning how to write a book or if you have experience in the craft.

Book writing templates are most useful for new writers who are still wrapping their heads around the whole idea of writing a book. A template will give them the structure so all they have to do is let the creativity flow.

For those learning how to write a novel with a word count of 50,000 or more, a book writing template will help you. It will allow you to stay organized and focused while you see your project through to completion.

• The Benefits of Book Writing Templates
• Characteristics of the Best Book Writing Templates
• The 9 Best Book Writing Templates
• Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Book Writing Template
• How to Use Book Writing Templates
• Using Book Writing Templates to Create Your Storyline
• Do Your Best Work With Book Writing Templates
• FAQs

The Benefits of Book Writing Templates

In addition to helping you do the writing itself, book writing software with templates has many advantages. They are there to help your book be the best it can be in all areas.

Some of these include built-in templates, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take them and do what you want with them.

Using these templates in conjunction with Squibler may be beneficial if you want to stay organized and efficient. It is a fantastic book-writing tool for writers.

You can write books within minutes with this tool. Just add the title and number of pages and you’ll get your book. It also allows you to use your first draft to generate a book with Squibler. In addition, its Smart Writer comes with various AI tools that allow you to improve your content, from expanding different sections to helping with your writing style.

Professional Design

While the content itself is the main purpose of your book, aesthetics still need to come into play. From the layout to the font, you want it to look good. Knowing how to write a book isn’t only about storytelling.

There are book writing templates that will help you with these things as well.

Book Writing Templates are Easy to Use

When trying to write a good book, you don’t want anything to overcomplicate the process. Book writing templates are there to make things easier.

A template will be easy to understand and implement.

Better Publishing Experience

When it comes time to publish your book, having the right book writing template will make for a better experience. You will already have your book laid out the way you want it to be.

And, if you have chosen a template with design elements as well, you won’t have to worry about the way it looks. This makes for a seamless and stress-free publishing process.

Book Writing Templates Save You Time

Writing a book from scratch is overwhelming and not always necessary. Book writing templates will give you a head start on the structure of your book. This will save you valuable time.

Even as you begin the writing itself, having the template there to guide you will save you from getting lost in your own story. Once finished you can move on to the next.

You will never have to sit there and wonder where you should go or what should happen.

Characteristics of the Best Book Writing Templates

While book writing templates will vary in what they have to offer, many of the core characteristics will remain the same. These attributes are ones you can look out for when selecting the best book writing template for yourself.

The Best Book Writing Templates are Comprehensive

Professionals create some of the best book writing templates. This means they know what they are doing. They understand the world of writing and know what will help you.

This means they need to include detailed and thorough elements. Ensure nothing is missing from the process you are trying to create. For example, a novel outlining template must have sections for all basic aspects of writing a novel:

1. Research
2. Outline
3. Brainstorming
4. Note taking
5. Character sketches
6. Setting sketches
7. Chapter sections
8. Scene sections
9. Worldbuilding

Different types of books will have different requirements, but the template can include all of them.

The Best Book Writing Templates are Customizable

A good-quality novel outlining a template created by a professional will have a structure that is effective. However, it is not set in stone. 

It template will allow you to customize it with ease while still maintaining its own basic structure.

For example, you might want to add more chapters than the recommended number. Or, perhaps you choose to rearrange some aspects of the given novel structure. Making changes is okay– as the templates are guides.

The Best Book Writing Templates are Not Complex

While some book writing templates are expansive and cover lots of ground, they shouldn’t complicate the process. A good template will be straightforward and easy to follow.

You can navigate your way through it and know what you’re looking at. For example, the layout needs to have a proper flow – it needs to be in order. In a novel writing template, notes, research, and brainstorming all sit next to each other. The same goes for chapters and scenes.

Learning how to write a book is complicated enough. Your book or novel outlining the template needs to be simple at its core.

The 9 Best Book Writing Templates

Many writers swear by using a template and won’t start a project without one. Because of this, there are several options available. It can be hard to find the right one.

Start by identifying what type of book you are writing, and go from there. First, find a template that is relevant, then look for one that matches your likes and preferences.

While there are hundreds of free templates available, these are some of the best and most popular ones. If you are new to templates, it may take going through a few to find your favorites and that will vary depending on your needs. There are templates that track your word count, and some tailored to your specific book. 

You can use most of the templates with Microsoft Word, Scrivener, Adobe InDesign, or Apple Pages.

For avid Scrivener users, we do have a more comprehensive list of Scrivener templates that you might find useful as well.

1. The Three-Act Story Plotting Template

This template focuses on the most basic level of story structure there: the beginning, the middle, and the end. This is the three-act story structure.

The template will walk you through all the elements of each act.

The Beginning:

• The opening scene
• The setup
• The inciting incident
• Call to action

The Middle:

• The choice
• Rising action
• Reversal
• Disaster
• Turning point

The End:

• Resolve
• Climax
• Denouncement, or resolution

The template clearly lays out all of these stages for you. Once you finish brainstorming your story, your next step is to write through every element. This will form an excellent baseline to create an engaging and effective novel.

For more details and some questions to prompt each section, check out Evernote’s version of the three-act story plotting template here.

2. The Story Beats Template

This template originates from the world of scriptwriting. It breaks the story down into “beats.” These continue to move the story along as you complete each “beat” or milestone.

This template is also available in more detail from Evernote.

3. The Spark Template

This book writing template works well for both novels and nonfiction books alike. You can use these templates with Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, and Adobe InDesign.

The Spark template helps you format your book for publishing, with less of a focus on the content itself.

This template offers support for both book printing and e-book publishing. You can find it available for purchase by clicking here.

4. The Pulp Template

This is another template that helps you format your book for publishing. It offers a sleek and stylish design that is perfect for fiction as well as literary nonfiction.

You can buy it by clicking here.

5. The Britannia Template

This template is specifically for nonfiction writing. It assists you in formatting your finished copy, it is easy to both understand and use.

It is compatible with Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, and Adobe InDesign. To preview and purchase the template, click here.

6. The No-Nonsense Novel Template

This is another book writing template that is useful for beginners and first-timers. It is an extension of the basic novel writing template that comes in Scrivener by default.

This interior template isn’t complex however it does offer some guidance in terms of structure and outlining. It contains sections for things like characters, settings, research, chapters, and scenes. In addition to these, it gives you a folder with a nine-point outline.

This basic but helpful template is for Scrivner. Click the link to access the free download here.

The template sets up all the chapters with their corresponding prompts. This is helpful for first-time novelists who may struggle with structure. It can also help in brainstorming for your outline if you choose to create one.

7. The World-Building Leviathan Template

This book writing template focuses specifically on fantasy. Writing a fantasy novel requires extensive world-building. A fantasy often takes place in a realm or domain created by the author.

This means that you will need to figure out things like physical laws, governments, and social classes. You also need to decide if you are writing a story about humans or other species. This is world-building.

Building a world from scratch can be a terrifying and overwhelming thing to grasp. This is where the Leviathan method comes in.

The Leviathan method is a step-by-step look at your world. It asks you questions that create each piece of your new universe.

It is a comprehensive creation process, with a total of 52 steps. You can see the steps and what they look like below:

As you can see, there are also sections for a “story bible,” characters, research, and more information on the world itself. A more complete world-building template does not exist. This is where you want to be creating your fantasy.

Learning how to write a novel in the fantasy genre can be an arduous task with all the different elements. This detailed and comprehensive template will take some of the pressure off.

It requires much time and effort, but it’s a template that will give you a whole new world by the end of it. If you think you have what it takes to go through the entire Leviathan method, you can check out the 10-step guide here.

8. The Personal Template

You may decide that none of the existing templates are going to work for you. It can happen – everyone is different. If this is the case, you may consider creating your own template.

Studying the professional templates already available will give you an idea of what to include for it to be successful. You can consider things like outlines, acts, parts, and varying structures.

You can create a personal combination of all the elements and suit it to your project.

It won’t always be an easy task, but it may prove to be worth it in the end. You will be able to follow the guide curated for your book.When well executed, this can help you create truly fantastic work.

Learning how to write a novel is a continuous process. But, as you gain experience, you may be able to create successful templates of your own for others to use.

This is an outline for a novel with no specific genre or style. It has some basic prompts for writing general fiction. You can add to it and make it your own based on your book.

9. Squibler Templates

Squibler offers a comprehensive fiction writing template which assists authors in structuring and developing their novels. The template provides a clear framework that guides writers through the important components of storytelling, including plot development, character creation, and scene organization. 

Writers can maintain consistency and coherence throughout their narrative. Squibler’s fiction template is user-friendly and customizable, allowing authors to adapt it to their specific needs and writing style. 

Additionally, Squibler’s platform integrates a drag-and-drop interface for organizing chapters and scenes, as well as tools for tracking progress and setting writing goals. 

This makes it a valuable resource for both novice and experienced writers aiming to streamline their writing process and enhance their storytelling. 

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Book Writing Template

Each template is different and you will need to decide which is right for you and your book. These are some factors to consider when making the decision.

Easy Navigation

Even in a large and extensive template, navigation must be easy and fast. There can’t be any delay or confusion when it comes to flipping from one chapter or section to another.

User-Friendly

A good template will be responsive and versatile.

It must be compatible with multiple devices and fit on multiple screen types and sizes. This ensures the maximum amount of accessibility among users.

It Should Have a Theme

The template you use ought to fit the theme of your book.

Don’t try to use a nonfiction template for your novel. Using a world-building fantasy template won’t work when trying to write a romance either.

General templates can be good if you don’t know where your story is going just yet.

Assess the Features and Abilities

Depending on the template’s intended usage, the built-in features will differ. Make sure you understand the available features of your chosen template. Not every feature will work for every book.

A Template That Supports the Right Tone

You want the template you choose to use the correct language. You want to tell your story in the proper voice. Find a template that works with the style of your book.

Writers approach fiction and nonfiction differently. Find a template that agrees with what you are doing.

How to Use Book Writing Templates

Many templates are versatile and serve many purposes. Writers generally use them for either planning and outlining, or writing the book. Below are some tips for planning and writing your book with a template.

For the Planning of the Book

As a writer, planning is always of the utmost importance. You want to achieve a good result, and those don’t come from thin air.

In addition to book writing templates, there are some other things you can do to collect and organize your thoughts. These methods are useful and effective when used in conjunction with your chosen template.

The Snowflake Method

The snowflake method is a specific process used to tell a story. There are steps to take and certain things you need to do to make it work.

This method suits writers who like to work in chronological order. If you like to start at the beginning and write straight through to the end, this method is for you. Feel free to check out the detailed guide for writing with the snowflake method here.

Track Your Story With Time

It is, of course, important to be aware of the plot of the story you are writing.

In addition to this, however, it is helpful to also consider the passage of time throughout your story. When planning the events of your book, note the time frame, whether it is days, months, or years.

Did this event happen in the morning or evening? This is a simple method that can help you keep track of where your characters are at all times. It will also help ensure you don’t get timelines mixed up and overlapped.

Chapter Outline

This is a method of writing that goes well with the 30-chapter novel template mentioned above.

The idea here is to outline each chapter before you start writing.

To do this, go through the plot structure and break it down into individual chapters. Once you have done that, create an outline for each chapter. This can include potential scenes, events, important revelations, character developments, etc. This can be useful to your writing process.

Of course, you can make changes along the way. This is just one way of getting an overview of your story as a whole.

Using Book Writing Templates to Create Your Storyline

While many debate the use of an outline, there is no denying the need for a good-quality storyline. Outline or no outline, this requires extensive knowledge of your characters and the world around them.

Well-written and relatable characters will give meaning to your story and make it memorable for the readers. There are a few things you can do to ensure you keep track of your characters as well as develop them well.

Create a Master List

This may or may not be necessary depending on your cast of characters. Some books contain a small handful of characters, in which case a master list might be moot.

However, any story with a large number of characters – whether big or small – is at risk of getting them confused.

This is why it might be a good idea to create a master list and keep it somewhere accessible.

All you need to do is create a list of your characters and note a few identifiable features. Their name, brief backstory, and role in the story will suffice. Keep this on hand in case you need to remember who someone is. 

Biographies

In addition to a master list, it may be worth creating short biographies for each main player in your story. Details of their past and their current life situation. This will help you keep everything straight in your mind, which will translate to consistency on the page.

Readers will pick up on holes and inconsistencies in your character’s stories in no time if you allow them to be there.

Character Development Sheet

You can create a character development sheet for your protagonist as well as all the other main characters.

All this entails is a list of every attribute or characteristic the character possesses. Even small things that may never appear in the story can be important in knowing who the character is at the core.

This knowledge, even if not mentioned in the book, can be helpful in figuring out how a character would react or what they would do in a situation. This will help you create the most believable and authentic story possible.

Your readers will love a character that resembles a real person.

Do Your Best Work With Book Writing Templates

If you are struggling to write your book or just want to finish faster, a book writing template can help. They are there as a guide and are by no means set in stone. In addition to helping you create your book, they want to help you learn how to become a better writer.

The template you find might be a perfect fit for your book. You may find yourself making zero changes.

Or, there might be a template that you love, but it needs tweaking to fit your project. This is fine too.

While these templates are some of the best, the options are endless. So, open up your favorite book writing software, grab your template, and get to work!

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about the best book-writing templates:

What is the best template for writing a book?

The best template for writing a book includes structured sections for an outline, chapters, and character development. It often incorporates writing paper templates for consistency, writing prompts to spark creativity, and resources from a writing center. Tailor the template to various grade levels to suit different age groups and educational needs.

Where can I find a book template?

You can find a book template on educational websites, writing resource platforms, and online writing centers. Look for templates that include a writing paper template to guide your format and structure. While some of these websites do not offer free book templates, there are a few available. Squibler is one of the best places to find a book template. 

Is there a template in Word for writing a book?

Yes, Microsoft Word has several options, both paid and free templates. You can find them by searching “book” or “novel” templates in the gallery. The Word book template is customizable, so it’s easy to work from. Feel free to open templates in different Word documents to see which works best. 

What is the best program to lay out a book?

The best program to lay out a book is Adobe InDesign, known for its professional design tools and flexibility.

Josh Fechter

Josh is the founder and CEO of Squibler. He's authored several best-selling books and created one of the largest communities of writers online.