1. Three-Act Structure
The three-act structure divides your story into:
Setup (Act 1), the first 25%
Confrontation (Act 2), the middle 50%
Resolution (Act 3), the final 25%
Within each act, you identify specific beats: the inciting incident, the first plot point, the midpoint, the crisis, the climax.
This is the method I used for my science fiction novel. I mapped the major beats on a single page before writing a word of prose. The inciting incident happened on page 30. The midpoint reversal on page 150. The climax is on page 280. Having those anchors meant I always knew where the story was heading, even when individual scenes surprised me.
Best for: Writers who want a clear structure without micromanaging every scene.
2. The Snowflake Method
Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Method starts with a single sentence describing your novel, then expands step by step. One sentence becomes one paragraph. One paragraph becomes one page. Character summaries get written. Then a four-page synopsis. Then, individual scene cards.
The method takes about a week of dedicated work before you start drafting. That investment pays off because by the time you write chapter one, you've already solved most of the structural problems that would have stalled you at chapter twelve.
Best for: Writers who feel overwhelmed by the blank page and need a gradual entry point.
3. Save the Cat Beat Sheet
Blake Snyder's 15-beat framework, adapted for novels by Jessica Brody, maps specific emotional and narrative beats across your story:
Opening Image
Theme Stated
Catalyst
Debate
Break Into Two
B Story
Midpoint
Bad Guys Close In
All Is Lost
Dark Night of the Soul
Break Into Three
Finale
Final Image
What makes this method powerful is its specificity. It doesn't just tell you "something happens in the middle." It tells you the midpoint is either a false victory or a false defeat. That precision helps you diagnose why a draft feels off. If your second act drags, it's because your midpoint isn't doing its job.
Best for: Writers who want detailed structural guidance and are comfortable with a prescriptive framework.
4. The Hero's Journey
Joseph Campbell's monomyth, popularized by Christopher Vogler for screenwriters, follows a circular path:
Ordinary World
Call to Adventure
Refusal of the Call
Meeting the Mentor
Crossing the Threshold
Tests and Allies
Approach to the Inmost Cave
Ordeal
Reward
The Road Back
Resurrection
Return with the Elixir
Star Wars follows it. The Lord of the Rings follows it. The Hunger Games follows it. The structure works best for quest narratives where a character leaves their familiar world, faces transformative challenges, and returns changed.
Best for: Fantasy, adventure, and coming-of-age stories with a clear transformation arc.
5. Mind Mapping
Mind mapping places your central concept at the center of a page and branches outward. Characters, themes, settings, plot events, and subplots each get their own branch. Sub-branches add detail. The result is a visual web that shows how everything in your novel connects.
This is less of a structural method and more of a brainstorming tool. I use mind maps before choosing a formal outline structure. They help me see the full scope of a project and identify which elements are central and which are peripheral.
Best for: Visual thinkers and writers in the early conceptual stage.
6. Chapter-by-Chapter Outline
Exactly what it sounds like: you write a summary of each chapter before drafting. Each entry includes the chapter's purpose, the POV character (if multiple), key events, emotional beats, and how the chapter ends. A typical entry runs 100 to 300 words.
This is the most detailed outlining method. It takes the most time upfront but produces the smoothest drafting experience. When you sit down to write chapter eight, you know what happens and why. For writers who want to track chapter lengths, our guide on how many words are in a typical chapter gives benchmark ranges by genre.
Best for: Plotters who want to minimize surprises during drafting.
7. The Zero Draft
A zero draft is a fast, messy pass through your entire story. You write the whole book in rough form, skipping scenes you're not sure about, leaving placeholders, and ignoring prose quality. The goal is to discover your story by writing it, then use the zero draft as your outline for the real first draft.
This method works for discovery writers who can't outline in the traditional sense but still need structural awareness. The zero draft gives you a complete picture of your story before you commit to polishing any single part of it.
Best for: Pantsers who need structure but can't create it without writing first.
Which Method Should You Use?
If you've never outlined before, start with the three-act structure. It's the simplest framework that still covers the essential beats. If that feels too loose, try Save the Cat. If it feels too rigid, try mind mapping first and then impose structure afterward.
Many experienced novelists combine methods. They might use a mind map for brainstorming, a three-act structure for the overall shape, and a chapter-by-chapter outline for the detailed plan. The goal isn't to follow one method perfectly. It's to arrive at a document that tells you what happens in your book, in what order, and why.
Related Resources
FAQ
Here are answers to the most common questions about outlining a novel.
Do I have to outline my novel?
No. Some successful authors write without outlines. But most published novelists use some form of structural plan, even if it's informal. The completion rate for outlined novels is higher than for unoutlined ones.
Can I change my outline while writing?
Yes, and you should expect to. An outline is a starting point, not a contract. If your characters take the story in a better direction than you planned, follow them. Then update your outline to reflect the new path.
How long should a novel outline be?
It depends on the method. A three-act outline might be one page. A chapter-by-chapter outline for a 30-chapter novel could run 3,000 to 5,000 words. There's no correct length. The outline should be as detailed as you need it to be.
Is outlining the same as plotting?
Yes. Plotting is the act of deciding what happens in your story. Outlining is the process of documenting a plan in a structured format. The terms are used interchangeably in most writing communities.