HOW TO OUTLINE A NOVEL | Five outlining methods (including two for pantsers!) | Natalia Leigh

Today I'm sharing my top five outlining methods, including two outlining methods for pantsers. Please give this video a thumbs-up if you enjoyed it. For more writing, editing, and publishing content, make sure to subscribe and hit the bell so you're notified when new videos go live. 🔔
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[@TNPhan]

1:26 Save the cate method 3:51 blurb outline 7:01 reverse outline 10:05 three act structure 11:32 inspiration outline

[@sarakeefebooks]

I adore Save the Cat, I use it with every book I write now. But I really love the method in a book called 10-Day Outline by Lewis Jorstad, which takes you from brainstorming story ideas to a completely fleshed-out outline complete with scene descriptions. It usually takes me three weeks instead of 10 days to get through it all, but it has made a huge difference for me. It's helped me become a faster, more efficient writer.

[@kamillamikkelsen4698]

I love that you are going through methods for a pantsers I couldn't find anything when I started on my book I did 'inspiration outline' and made plot card But about in the middle of the book, I realised that I needed more structure otherwise the story would be really really long. I made basic plot card for the rest of the book and used them as inspiration (I didn't need to follow them, because I'm a pantser) My first draft had the size of a 700 pages book My editing goal is getting under 550

[@microdavid7098]

very helpful. Making a story for a game is difficult, and this helped a lot And yes, I'm a pantser

[@paolafinol4275]

Yay! I always love to know how other writers outline.

[@zoey6738]

Okay I really need the Save the Cat book lol ...

[@NA-gg7uy]

The reverse outlime sounds so good thanks a ton!!

[@MandiGraceAuthor]

Save the Cat is my favorite way to outline! But I keep it pretty simple because I am actually a discovery writer at heart. I'm a plantser through and through

[@shannongrogan605]

I’m a total pantser and I love Steff Green’s outlining method.. completely changed how I approach writing

[@NataliaLeigh]

I'll definitely have to check out that method. Thanks for mentioning it!

[@ivad.1341]

This was great video, thank you! 🙂 I did reverse outline when I was working on looong book (or book series) and after some time I needed a timeline :) I also tried 3act story structure, but I think it is better to let characters decide what will happen and when - not some predetermined structure. So I use method from Lisa Cron "Story Genious" book, which is mostly about character decisions. But after hearing about your 5th method - inspiration outlining - I cannot wait to try it, it will be so fun and that is exactly what I was looking for 😊 Thank you!

[@natalieanna6083]

Love your videos! They're awesome!

[@melodid5023]

I personaly am in love with the story cycle or plot embryo method. It's the perfect amount of outlining for me. :) not too much and not too little. And for people who like a lot of outlining Abbie Emmons has very detailed videos on the 3 arc story structure which is sooo much more than the 3 steps that you imagine in beginning middle and end. Would really recommend it for severe outlines :) Great video as usual. Thank you :)

[@larkgreta8847]

I enjoy saves the cat and it helps a lot with brainstorming, as well as KM Weiland’s books on outlining. However, I think I’m really a discovery writer at heart and absolutely love Steven James’ book on how to “pants” a novel and build suspense. It’s called Story Trumps Structure, I think. I have also used katytastic’s 27 chapter method before and it was a really great way to outline quickly!

[@kasiagola9138]

I love the idea of inspiration outlining! I used it instantly in my current wip outline 😊 thank you!

[@NataliaLeigh]

Yay! I'm glad you like that one! That's often how I start outlining each new project I get inspired for :)

[@KristyBryson]

Love this!!

[@veronicamahara7318]

Great advice, Natalia! Thanks! :)

[@Jen-sz7fn]

Thank you for making this! I'm planning on writing my first novel in 2022, and I'm terrible at outlining for anything. I'll definitely be coming back to this video often and checking out the materials you suggested!!

[@dariakey5318]

The 3rd is really good. I use it all the time after finishing a book. It really does make weaker parts obvious. Also, you're going to reread your book anyway, so it doesn't even seem to be a waste of time or a process taking extra time although you know you're going to change the outline completely in the process.

[@NataliaLeigh]

Ooh, you're working on a game? I'd love to know more about this!

[@zoey6738]

Okay I love this video these tips are so amazing and it's exactly what I need at the moment!

[@candacediana]

Thanks so much for this video Natalia! I seem to be forever stuck in the outlining phase, hopefully these methods will help!

[@john_writing_]

I've had the Save the Cat Writes a Novel book on my shelf for around 2 years now and I never used it for outlining. But you convinced to give it a chance :) For my current book, I wen't pretty hard into outlining. I started from the last scene and worked all the way back to the beginning, including the character arc and 3 act structure in my outlining. But I still end up pantsing some scenes just because I get inspired!

[@karmenrichardson7289]

Now I know what an outline is. I like the reversed outline. And the blurb. I never written a book and know I have 3 simultaneously🤔 wel in 3 years😅 I read that someone writes 10 books a year. Whow Thank you for sharing: I like listening to you👍❤️

[@thebloodstorm916]

Ya know, I think I'm gonna have to try out that reverse outline method. I've been stuck on the outlining phase for a bit and that honestly sounds like the best way to pull myself out of the muck

[@BonnieDragonKat]

I love StC. I Just watched a video a b out the 3 Act Structure 8 Sequence.

[@cadenst.claire6211]

Syd Field in his 1979 book "Screenplay" came up with the three-act structure?

[@AlexVeeGee]

I tried Save the Cat. I couldn't make it work for the story I was trying to plot. Unless I was doing it wrong, lol. I intend to try it again at somepoint. One of my fave outline's is a take of the Three Act Structure method explained by Sarra Cannon at Heart Breathings. I love the way she explains it and brakes it down into 4 parts. You can find it on her channel in her How to Plot a Novel series. I use this method most now. I also love Abbie Emmons take on the Three Act Structure, and love her break down of it. She has a whole series on her channel, as well.

[@authorashleynicole]

Another really good one is Sarra Cannon's How to Plot A Novel series here on KZbin

[@megankirrmann6624]

Outlining... but I am an avid pantser!!!

[@CosmicPen]

Check out “On Writing” by Stephen King. He doesn’t seem to like outlining for fiction. Knowing the ending is not necessary. He thinks writers should discover the story by the seat of their pants as you said. But outlining for editing the first draft makes sense to me. That’s why I switched from Word to Scrivener.

[@nocturnus009]

I love Save The Cat Writes a Novel, I think the 10 STC genres are underdiscussed & has become a blind spot in the writing community: once we get our 27 chapter beats and or 15 SCT beats (in profound ways they can be different bullet points that converge upon the same meandering path), looking at the 10 different genres of your story can illuminate what your story is & is not. For example we might see Captain Marvel (2019) as a Superhero story with: A Power; A Nemesis & A Curse. A case can be made that there is a stronger Out of the Bottle story… A Hero Deserving of the Magic (Carol) A Spell or Touch of Magic (the powers the tesseract gives in the crash) A Lesson (strength from within is more powerful that strength from without, the tesseract (space stone) recognized Carol as the appropriate avatar to manage the changing forces in the universe) There are many overlapping fake out uses of the 10 genres in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The best jumping off point for a deeper analysis would probably be Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) [Institutionalized, but one could argue buddy love]. I’ll need to go into detail elsewhere, but I also think the AuthorTube/Writing Community would have fun exploring And But Therefore (agreement, contradiction Consequence) which can serve as the heavy stone breaking tools ⚒️ (sledge hammer, chisel, pick axe) to go from 3 acts to 9 segments & then Kat’s 27 chapters (the fine detail tools, brush, blower, file & water pick).

[@mollysung4696]

Really useful! (Save the Cat is awesome.) Hope it's okay to ask you this here, but would grades apply to the "all numbers between 1-10 are written"? For example, if the character was in grade '6', would you write grade six instead?

[@joecrieda7555]

Hi, interested in your "Reverse Oultine method". Does it work for Scriptwriting? I have drafts that I went ahead and did "Panster Style" and although far from perfect, I have been feeling guilty as the common idea is "Outline first". I have tried going back over the drats and setting out just an outline of the script but feel this is wrong, thanks mainly to all the "Expert advice" I have read.

[@CosmicPen]

The cat’s name is muse?

[@jerroldhewson3600]

What is save the cat method? You mention it but not explain it.

[@scottjackson163]

The “blurb” technique description is unhelpful without examples. 😞

[@juliaagnes7]

7 yeras ago since college is a long time ? Hahahahahaha