How to Outline a Novel using Sticky Notes

Here's a unique way of outlining a novel using post-its (also called sticky notes) which I use when I'm plotting a novel, and that I continue to use when I'm writing my novel and even when I'm editing! I've tried to use scrivener and many different novel outline tutorials and this is what works the best for me. So, if you're wondering how to easily outline your novel in a way you can also use to edit your novel, this is my method of doing just that.
Who am I and why Writing?
I’m Thilde Kold Holdt. I’m an author by profession, and my debut trilogy is Epic Historical Fantasy closely based on Viking history and beliefs, called the Hanged God Trilogy. I dug deep into my research on the Viking era, even joined the brilliant crew of a Viking longship! I've studied Creative Writing and keep learning more about the craft, which is what I'm here to share.
You can check out my epic fantasy novel, Northern Wrath, here:
Amazon US: amzn.to/3jBSOrp
Amazon UK: amzn.to/3iA6BO1
Add it on Goodreads: / northern-wrath
Other links: www.thildekoldholdt.com/north...
You can also read more about my books and me in general on:
My website: www.thildekoldholdt.com/
Twitter: / koldholdt
Instagram: / koldholdt
I am a Scandinavian (Danish to be exact) so I do speak a Viking language (I know, very cool), which means I’ve had access to a crazy amount of research and have become a bit of a Viking saga history buff. I go really in-depth with my research (we’re talking moon calendars and vegetation charts), amassing more knowledge than I could ever put into a book. That is a big part of why I started this channel-to be able to share what I have learned on my research journeys, both about writing and about the specific history of the Vikings.
Once a month we will explore a part of Viking history and once a month we will ALSO explore a writing technique. We will talk about things that surprised me while becoming a published author, explore writing techniques in english and in general some novel writing tips, like how to outline a novel, or even the basic of how to plan a novel outline and things later in the process like how to edit a first draft of a novel. I want these videos to be accessible for beginners and also authors further along in their journey and hope that they can be a point off discussion so we can all grow together as writers.
If you want a particular writing technique simplified or explored in detail, then let me know in the comments what kind of writing technique you’re most interested in getting a little creative writing lesson about!
Captions on for subtitles!
00:00-01:05 These are not laws
01:05-01:29 Tools
01:29-02:49 The factors
02:49-04:45 How, though?
04:45-06:27 In the Edit
06:27-07:44 The small ones
07:44-08:29 Why, though?

[@jordanhutson6962]

Absolutely this. Started doing this on Monday for my NaNo project and it really helped me break through a creative block. (Did the same thing last year with notecards and washi tape. Helped a ton!) There's just something about slapping it up on the wall..

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

It's very satisfying and can really help to get new ideas and look at the novel in fresh ways! Best of luck with this year's NaNoWriMo!

[@chrissasandlin8344]

This looked really interesting: a good way to see the story without having to keep one's notebooks neat. I could see tying the post-it colors to highlighter colors during editing as well.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Oh I didn't think of that! Brilliant addition. Highlighters do tend to come in the same colours, so good thinking!

[@quantquill]

I'm trying this same idea in Plottr, which lets you color code and tag and drag chapters and characters around. Wow, what a fantastic video!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Oh brilliant! I hadn't heard of Plottr before, so that's for that. it does seem to take a similar approach. Very neat!

[@MurphyFreelance]

I’m only a one minute in and shouting, brilliant! This is exactly what I need and how my mind works.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I hope it helps you plot in the future!

[@ReadingRia]

I’m literally never gonna write a novel but this is so interesting

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Haha I’m glad you still thought it was interesting. Thanks for watching!

[@bloop6111]

I got the post its and I’m so ready to get started! I was a little overwhelmed at first so seeing how you do it made it feel more achievable. I just have to trust the process :)

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Yay! Good luck with it! :) It can be a bit overwhelming at the start, even more so since it's a new process for you. Give yourself a bit of time to get familiar with it and adapt it to your own use. I hope it becomes a useful tool for you for plotting and editing!

[@nikkireigns]

This looks like a fun way to get back into writing after a very long break. Thanks so much!!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Best of luck getting back into writing! You can do it!

[@Shahowhunter]

This method is also doable in creative block builder. (Heads up, it needs an account) I need to do this to track my subplots, I have 3+? books with over-aching subplots in the works it's kinda getting difficult and remembering it all off the top of me head. Despite I plan chapters by dot points ticking them off once done if 1-3 scenes. Not to mention my ideas in a notebook and cross it off once done. If it's a climax, I keep what I know needs to happen and keep it as one large one. (The more to work with the harder it is to tell whether it's a necessary piece of the puzzle to keep, discontinue or call it the end.) Anyone interested, start small and try what style of writing or genre works for you, I know I did. And did everything wrong wrong size and font, countless cliches and repetitions. Too choppy "that means clusters of small sentences 11 and less." Sentences are 11-18 words max. Use size 11 times new roman is your font. :-) Research to your hearts content, there is never too much to learn.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Interesting and I didn't know about block builder. Thanks for watching and for the comment too!

[@venessatalbert9232]

I always wanted to do this, but thought it was silly and not professional as a writer. I write what I feel. My life is my book! Thank you for this genius idea. Great minds think alike!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I'm glad it inspired you to go for it! All the silly ideas are allowed. It's one of the wonderful things about being in a creative field, so put on all the colours and stickers you feel motivate you!

[@erikakensuke]

I do a similar thing but in Google Doc form. I have a main doc for writing the main story, then a side story doc for scenes I don't have a place for. Loving this method though!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Oh I didn't know that was possible in Google Doc! Personally seeing the post-its is what motivates me, but that's very cool that it's also possible to do on Google Doc!

[@rhyegabrielse4688]

This whole freakin video is AMAZING!! It really satisfies my writer brain to see and hear about sticky note outlines lol🤣

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thank you for the kind comment, I'm glad you enjoyed the watch!

[@CountryBwoy]

Awesome! I've had a similar idea but wasn't sure how to start the process. This video is great! I've always envisioned my note on a wall conspiracy theory style. LOL

[@katesstarkautorin]

I watched this video years ago when it first came out but I only started using post-its for my outlines recently - and it changed my writing dramatically and of course for the better. The main issues I had with this the first time I watched this video and wanted to try it were (1) my post-its wouldn't stick (because I used the cheap kind) and (2) I wanted them to be perfect from the start so that I wouldn't have to waste any. After all we are struggeling artists, are we not? Now that I have amassed a decent amount of post-its over the years and not used them much, I thought I should give this another try. And I used washi-tape to stick them to the wall so they wouldn't fall off. That's better than scotch tape as it doesn't rip the paper or damages the wall/door when you try to pull it off. Besides I also have a ton of washi tape that I never use, so why not? I have been using this method for a couple of projects over the past months and it has worked wonders. (1) It is a great way to view the story at a glance (I tried digital tools for that as well, but like you said ... having the physical post-its to move around is way better; and often times you can't really see all your cards or whatever on the screen because there are so many of them). I have a lot of POV-Characters, too, in most of my projects and loads of complicated plots. Visualizing them with the post-its has really helped not to lose track of all that. (2) For me it is also a visual reminder to work on my books as I often have to walk past the walls or doors covered in post-its. Quite often I get a new idea just by looking at it randomly. (3) This is kind of how my brain works when I am plotting/writing. Very scattered, very chaotic and disorganized. And loads of new ideas all the time. But by writing all these thoughts on post-its and just sticking them on the wall really helps not to forget anything. And I can rearrange them later and make it make sense. I hardly ever use different colors, only started doing that with my most recent (and most complicated) book. I don't color coordinated according to POVs but instead used different colors to signify if the chapter/scene has already been written, has been plotted or is a detail from previous books that I have to include again. I am not sure if I'll keep doing this but for now I am going to test it. I also like to add headings in bold describing what is happening in the scene and add a couple of bullet points underneath to describe the scene further. That way I can see at a glance what's happening and if I want a little more detail I can read the bullet points. Thank you for sharing this unique method with us. Though it took me a while to test it, I really enjoy it now. Greetings from Germany! PS: I'd really love to see an updated version of your method. Do you still use it? Has it changed over time?

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

What an amazing comment! I love that you were able to get inspired for this to adapt it to your needs! That’s a good tip about how to make them stick to the wall too. I’ve also found that it depends on the wall. Walls that get cold tend to not keep them. And some kinds of paint and wallpaper works better than others. But Washi tape is a great way to go about it for any kind of surface! For a while I also used the refrigerator surface. Any place big enough to fit your big and small ideas will do. I find that having that physical manifestation helps me get in the mood to write much easier and it means the book is always working a little at the back of my mind. All of that to say: thank you for the wonderful comment. I hope it helps others who want to test the method!

[@zoot9393]

Your system is absolutely brilliant. Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

My pleasure, hope you can use it!

[@patriciadanna7433]

I love the idea of post-it notes! Thanks for sharing.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!

[@shantanubhatt6576]

Its a neat way of keeping track of the ideas and the plots. Kudos to you!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@illabesa]

Working on outlining for NaNoWriMo. I’ve wanted to do post-it outlining but couldn’t figure out the best way to do it. This is so awesome, thanks for the tutorial! Off to staples to get a bunch of post it’s and stickers!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I’m glad it was useful for you and gave some inspiration! Best of luck with NaNoWriMo and I hope you have fun with the post-it’s!

[@TheHammy1987]

Ha, same here, preparing for NaNoWriMo and was at a total loss as to how to approach that huuuuuge task. This is really helpful! :)

[@QuantumAscension1]

Super Cool method! I have the perfect giant, empty wall I can try this out on!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Best of luck! I hope it works out for you and gives you a starting point to make your own method!

[@sincerelyvee]

your editing is SPECTACULAR! very interesting video!!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Oh wow thank you! I admit, I spend much too long on editing! haha

[@kbanks5754]

Thank you for sharing, this seems like a useful method!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

My pleasure. Thank you for watching!

[@simoncrann9430]

Great advice and love the energy! very motivating

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad to hear it!

[@bellarose7383]

This sounds amazing - I'm going to go to the shops right now! Seeing those post-its up is so satisfying. Seems like the perfect solution for me because I constantly get writers block after confusing my plot. THANK YOU!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Ah I hope it works out for you and becomes a new method to adapt into your work! Let me know how it goes!

[@odinohuaman4320]

Awesome! Thanks!

[@rikilikemagic]

Claaaasss Thilde! So interesting 🤗👌🏼👏🏼

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thanks! I’m glad you found it interesting! 🥰

[@lilymcculloch9581]

Trying to write a story during Nano, thank you so much for this! I have what I affectionately call a 'popcorn brain,' ideas super random and all over the place, which makes it difficult to do a list-like outline. This is very helpful!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Did Nano go well for you? Were you able to map it all out?

[@tejaswinisureshkrishnan4228]

This is the best to the point plotting video I've ever seen!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thank you. I hope it's useful for you!

[@ChroniclesOfGui]

Best video on plot strategies I've ever watched

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Oh thank you! Glad you enjoyed!

[@hazeltoffel243]

I am a bit more of a chaotic someone with a more bullshit fun side project story idea. I want to work on this for a while so I did not want to start without any planning. This feel like this is a perfect method for me. I always have so many little story snippets ready in my head not knowing where to put them or in what order they would appear best.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I hope it ends up helping to keep track of your snippets!

[@Jed_Herne]

This is awesome!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thank you! And fancy seeing you here. Hugely enjoy your videos!

[@brettmayfield9672]

love your editing style very fun

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thank you! It does take me a bit longer than I’d like to make new videos because of the editing haha but all worth it in the end I think. Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@AhimsaKerp]

😂😂😂 I always think about that talking fox in Fellowship as well. Great video overall. Cool to see the process so visualized.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thank you! And there are so many odd moments in that trilogy but the talking fox has got to be one of the strangest encounters!

[@jonathanmartinezloredo8607]

Really think that the this method helps to clear ideas and know where to go even before starting.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I'm glad you think so. I hope it helps you in your own writing projects!

[@nightlady2001]

This was very helpful. Thank you. I have been trying to find a system to organize novels. I have seen a whiteboard post it note method that lets you draw lines to then put your post its in the proper section of the novel, act 1, act 2, ect. Will give this a shot perhaps with the whiteboard for structuring. Although could just space out the stickies on the wall too.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

That sounds like a good combo! If you have a whiteboard then I think that's perfect, if you don't this might be a cheap and easy way to see if it'll be worth the investment for you. Best of luck!

[@EarthenDemon126]

Do you outline your entire novel before writing? Have you ever started your first draft with an unfinished outline?

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

This depends on the book. For my first few I did outline everything. What I wrote next i outlined five chapters ahead and then I had some vague outline of bits towards the end (so I knew where I was headed). What I'm writing right now I outline maybe one to three chapters ahead and I have some notes for things I want to happen at the end but everything else is of yet without an outline. I use the outline a lot in editing though, so once I've written everything and an outline is self explanatory. hope that helps. Best of luck on your writing journey!

[@JayleePlanz]

I know you made this video a year ago, but this is amazing and really helped me. I would love to put mine on the wall or the door, but the way my little ones are setup lol....thats not going to happen lol. But I will get a poster board or two and try this out. Thank you for making this video!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I'm really glad to hear that it helped you. A poster board is a great way to do it! Hope it works for you!

[@hfranke07]

Great video. Thanks. I use the same methode, but I do it in Scrivener. Not exactly the some BIG overview, as you have,- but close. Cheers. Mojn.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad it works for you!

[@bernadinerangi9052]

Thank you so much this has been very helphul

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad it was helpful. Best of luck in your writing!

[@leob6203]

(Just so you know, english is not my native language) I already use a similar method to yours and yes! It totally works. One thing I'm thinking about getting is a blank board to hang on my wall to write temporary and deepper information for the chapter I'm working on that week/day.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad that it works for you. A blank board seems like a good idea!

[@e.1484]

omg this is so intelligent. thank you soooo much!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I hope it gives you some inspiration!

[@vic1torious]

Great video. Very informative. Fun edits.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed!

[@jimmyboyle3543]

I've been playing too much zookeeper World to stare at these post its without playing the game in my head! Great video!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Haha I guess even post-its can look like that!

[@lukemotivationalideas4415]

Thank u ..God bless u .u r vvvvv brilliant

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@mmemonarch]

Thank you so much for this! Gonna try plotting mine tonight!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Best of luck! How did it go?

[@mmemonarch]

@@ThildeKoldHoldt I can definitely see my plot holes a lot better 😅

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Haha that’s a good thing. It means you can fill those plot holes! 😉

[@mmemonarch]

@@ThildeKoldHoldt exactly! Haha I've definitely got my work cut out for me but it's so much easier to know what needs to be done ☺️

[@OldManMoko]

Not gonna lie, I feel this in my soul. love the vid, thanks for the effort :) ..... also [SUBSCRIBED]

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@laurenjones7694]

Thank you

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

My pleasure, best of luck!

[@WendyMoule]

Sticky notes always fall of the wall by the end of the day for me!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Oh Sorry to hear that. It might be a brand issue? Some sticky notes certainly seem to be less sticky so I tend to pick ones that are a bit stronger. My sticky notes have been on the wall for four years now. About 10% have fallen off during those years and when one does I either make a new or put a bit of stick glue on the four corner and then it sticks nicely.

[@_sofie]

Really helpful breakdown. I’m curious of what language you write in. I assume you’re Danish or Norwegian but your book title Northern Wrath was in English.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Glad you enjoyed it! To answer your question, I do indeed write in English. I learned to write while living in England and am also published there. I've actually never written seriously in another language, although I do have a few different languages to pick between, if I ever change my mind on that front. ;)

[@nathanhornback8411]

Smart method! I have a question about your chapters. What constitutes a chapter for you? Is it like a scene?

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Great question! For me a chapter usually is more than a scene. A chapter has a certain theme that gets developed and expanded. Maybe the theme is a war general realising that they're losing the war. He may get this revelation through several scenes.The chapter would likely end with with his suspicions being confirmed. My chapter break would usually come at the end of a scene, but the chapter may contain several scenes. With a scene usually being anywhere between 1-10 pages long. A chapter containing anywhere between 1-5 scenes depending on where in the novel we are and how much happens.

[@jaycjay5392]

Holy .... I would love to ask you two questions: -1. What is the difference between a chapter and a scene ? -2. What is the difference between a Story and a Plot ? I really have a hard time with those two, would love your help .... Edit: Also which one of your 3 books would you recommand me if my plan was to study/breakdown stories ?

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Great questions that definitely deserve a long form answer each, but let me try in a comment. (1) A scene is set in one location with one set of characters. A chapter is often composed of several scenes as well as additional context. A chapter can be composed principally of just one scene but can also be composed of many of them. Let’s take an example. The first chapter of the fellowship of the ring. The chapter starts by giving us context before we even get into the first scene of which there are several in the chapter. Context: who are hobbits and who is bilbo baggins? Scene 1: bilbo announced his birthday party and everyone helps to prepare. This is technically many small scenes but we can refer to them together like a montage scene from a film. Scene 2: bilbo has his birthday party and holds a speech during which he disappears. Scene 3: bilbo gets home while he is invisible. Gandalf arrives and makes bilbo leave the ring behind. Scene 4: Frodo arrives and Gandalf tells him to keep the ring safe. Scene 5: montage scene of Frodo dealing with post birthday tasks the following day. Scene 6: Gandalf arrives again and tells Frodo that he needs to leave with the ring immediately. The chapter ends here, as the premise and the main characters of the story have been introduced, but this first chapter was composed of many scenes. Some tiny, finishing in one sentence, some spanning several pages. (2) story is the ensemble of plot, character, setting & themes, etc. Plot is one of the components of a story, but a story is only complete with all of these factors. Plot is what happens and what needs to happen in order for a story to take place. To put it in simple terms… Plot is the quest, from beginning to end, but the story also includes unique characters and moments that don’t necessarily move the plot (quest) forward but that enhance our attachment to characters and setting and make us feel a connection to them. Hope that helps. As for my books they’re a trilogy, so they’re one long story starting with northern wrath.

[@staciestreck2024]

So the block style makes sense to me but how do the other shapes work? I still don't really understand what exactly goes into a chapter and how I should be planning it out. ;-; I don't quite understand what each different color is supposed to mean in context of the whole.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

It’s an adaptable form to suit YOUR needs, so if the block one works for you, that’s fine. Lately I had a triangular form going, with the tip of the triangle at top, each time I went down a level in the triangle, I knew I wanted the intensity to rise. So that made sense to that Novel. Colours for me was POV characters but it can be anything you’d like to keep track of, like maybe if it’s a crime novel you want to keep track of every time you’ve introduced a red herring, or every time the real villain makes a cameo appearance. As for how to plan a chapter, that’s a whole other ball game. How much you include in a chapter outline depends on your writing style and preference. Hope this helps. Happy writing.

[@usuario9305]

I live with my parents, do you know any method that i could do?

[@captainnolan5062]

I would like to know what you used the colors for in this trilogy on the wall behind you. What did each color of post it represent and what did your smaller stickers represent?

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Good question. For this particular trilogy, it was multi-POV, with a lot of threads intertwining. So, on the wall behind me, each post-it was one chapter and each colour a different character. For this series, the small post-its were used to keep track of changes I wanted to make. A different kind of small post-it for each kind of change. A big rewrite was one colour. If I only had something particular to check, it was different. And if I was considering moving the chapter, it was another colour again. I also used green stickers to mark each chapter that contained a fight scene as they were important for me in this story. Hope that clear it up..?

[@captainnolan5062]

@@ThildeKoldHoldt Yes, thank you! I ordered your first book in the epic fantasy novel, Northern Wrath. I look forward to reading it.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Oh thank you! I hope you enjoy the read! Oh and Northern Wrath is the book plotted with post-its to my right in the video (your left while watching).

[@captainnolan5062]

@@ThildeKoldHoldt Thank you. It will be interesting to see how 'complex' the book is in its final form (since you mentioned that you removed a bunch of subplots and 200,000 words!). This video has inspired me to get my own outlining underway. Thank you.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Ah yes it can definitely serve as a bit of a case study with that. It’s not a small book in it’s published format, but to think that it was twice as big when I first queried it... It really needed the heavy trim. And best of luck with your outlining! Love to hear it!

[@Fuliginosus]

I'd be worried that the Post-It notes would lose their stickiness, or that a gust of wind would blow them off the wall.

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Mine have been stuck to the wall for years. I’ve had to reattach maybe ten over the years but it’s rare that it poses an issue to me. When it does, a little stick glue does the trick.

[@isobelledger]

I want to read the scene where Sam and Frodo find a potato farm and Sam doesn't want to leave...

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I kind of do too...

[@gamingchinchilla7323]

I see a massive lack of pink post-its in your third book there. Did someone die? :0

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Apt observation. And yes a lot of people did die but that's not entirely the reason for the lack of pink. By the third book I FINALLY ran out of pink post-its so I blissfully changed colours for a character.

[@Elena-hu4wf]

Dont your posits fall off?😂 i have to use tape on them

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I guess i have been lucky to get some strong ones. I’ve only had a few fall off if I’ve moved them a lot and then I put a bit of stick glue on the backside and it’s all good. And my post it’s have been up for YEARS with no trouble 🤣

[@Elena-hu4wf]

@@ThildeKoldHoldt lmao

[@auei]

Tedious work. Imo scrivener basic is best way to outline. And some scrivener templates from net...

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Whatever works for you! Personally I find it helpful to be able to look up at my wall and visually see where I'm at even when I'm not writing or on my computer.

[@auei]

@@ThildeKoldHoldt Visually it quite interesting. Let's see if I can make it on Scrivener 🤞

[@enlightenedterrestrial]

Lol, the sticky note that says "Putin more orcs" is funny, confirming those Russian soldiers in Ukraine are orcs!

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

Hehehe. I mean… whoops.

[@nightskyarty]

My sticky notes won’t stick 😂…

[@ThildeKoldHoldt]

I've found out this can both be a question of sticky notes but also of the wall or surface. They tend to not stick to surfaces that change temperature a lot (so walls next to open windows and the like), and some kinds of paints they also won't stick to.... The more you know.

[@elchiponr1]

So LOTR was actually wrtten by some nice nerdy german girl....