Storytelling for Authors: Making An Outline

I’ve given advice about when to make an outline, but today I’m going to dive in on how you can make an outline. There are plenty of ways to go about it, so you’ll have to find the way that works best for you. You can take or leave any part of this process, but here’s how I do it.

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Phase One

This first phase will feel like absolute chaos, but trust the process. Make a list of everything you can think of that you want your story to include. I usually use index cards so that I can rearrange them easily, but I’ve also written down a list with a space to put numbers to signify order.

Make sure with each item on your list you’re as detailed as possible. Since you don’t have the order set out yet, each point needs to be able to stand on its own without any context from surrounding points.

An example phase one outline:

__ Character A and Character B meet at a dog park
__ Character A and Character B dogs get off leash at the dog park
__ Character A and character B have a disastrous first date
__ Character A’s dog runs away/gets lost
__ Character A puts up lost dog posters at the dog park
__ Character B helps Character A look for their lost dog
__ Character B finds Character A’s lost dog
__ Character B reunites Character A with their dog
__ Character A and B try to have a second date that is less disastrous than the first

As you can see in this small outline, there are some points that have to be before or after other plot events. For example, Character B can’t help Character A look for their dog until the dog is lost. Also, they can’t have a better second date until they’ve had their disastrous first one.

The last step in phase one is putting your events in order. There are a couple different ways this outline could go, but here’s my initial take on it. I put the numbers next to the original order, so that you can see how much the chronology jumps around compared to my original idea list.

_3_ Character A and Character B meet at a dog park
_2_ Character A and Character B dogs get off leash at the dog park
_1_ Character A and character B have a disastrous first date
_4_ Character A’s dog runs away/gets lost
_5_ Character A puts up lost dog posters at the dog park
_6_ Character B helps Character A look for their lost dog
_8_ Character B finds Character A’s lost dog
_9_ Character B reunites Character A with their dog
_7_ Character A and B try to have a second date that is less disastrous than the first

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Phase Two

So you have the big picture of your story in order, which means now it’s time to get more detailed. At this point, I’m going to take my ordered outline and make space to add the small stuff. Here’s the new space I have to work with:

_1_ Character A and character B have a disastrous first date
__

_2_ Character A and Character B dogs get off leash at the dog park
__

_3_ Character A and Character B meet at a dog park
__

_4_ Character A’s dog runs away/gets lost
__

_5_ Character A puts up lost dog posters at the dog park
__

_6_ Character B helps Character A look for their lost dog
__

_7_ Character A and B try to have a second date that is less disastrous than the first
__

_8_ Character B finds Character A’s lost dog
__

_9_ Character B reunites Character A with their dog
__

Now I’ll fill in those spaces with some small details, just like I did in the first phase: no particular order, and with spaces to add a chronology afterwards.

1. Character A and character B have a disastrous first date
__ Character A is late
__ Character B spills their drink on Character A
__ both of their phones keep ringing
__ it’s loud and they can barely hear each other

2. Character A and Character B dogs get off leash at the dog park
__ both chase after their dogs
__ the leashes get tangled
__ Character A is in work clothes and they get covered in mud
__ Character B spilled coffee down the front of their shirt
__ both are yelling in vain

3. Character A and Character B meet at a dog park
__ both rescue their dogs from being tangled up in each other’s leashes
__ go to apologize, recognition
__ embarrassed about their second impression
__ Character B jokes that at least they spilled their drink on themselves this time

4. Character A’s dog runs away/gets lost
__ door is left open, dog wanders outside
__ Character A distraught, goes for a drive to try finding the dog
__ Character A doesn’t find the dog and goes home to make lost dog posters

5. Character A puts up lost dog posters at the dog park
__ Character A meets Character B at the dog park again
__ showing flyers around to other dog owners
__ stapling posters to trees/hanging on boards

6. Character B helps Character A look for their lost dog
__ both exchange phone numbers
__ start their search at the dog park and work their way back to Character A’s home
__ no luck, back at Character A’s place
__ Character B’s dog tags along
__ Character B offers to take Character A on a non-date (grabbing coffee mid-search)
__ set up plan to keep looking the next day after lunch (second real date)

7. Character A and B try to have a second date that is less disastrous than the first
__ quiet sandwich shop vs. crowded restaurant
__ Character A is subdued but Character B tries to get them to relax
__ now that they’re able to talk, they realize they actually have more in common than just their dogs
__ Character B thanks Character A for giving them the chance for a date do-over

8. Character B finds Character A’s lost dog
__ Character B out with their dog, dog takes off
__ Character B chases after dog, finds their dog with Character A’s dog
__ gets Character A’s dog on a spare leash
__ Character B texts Character A and says they’re on their way over with both dogs

9. Character B reunites Character A with their dog
__ Character A thrilled to have dog back
__ Character A hugs Character B = accidental romantic moment
__ both make plans for a third date (“third time’s the charm”)

Now it’s time to put everything in order, and then it’s on to phase three! I’m going to combine the two so that there’s less to scroll through.

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Phase Three

The third and final outlining phase is linking all of the key events together via transitional scenes. To do this, I’ve created space between each scene and added asterisks for what needs to happen in order to carry the plot seamlessly. This first block is the last phase outline in order, with asterisk spaces for transitions.

1. Character A and character B have a disastrous first date
_a_ Character A is late
_b_ it’s loud and they can barely hear each other
_c_ both of their phones keep ringing
_d_ Character B spills their drink on Character A

*

2. Character A and Character B dogs get off leash at the dog park
_a_ both chase after their dogs
_b_ both are yelling in vain
_c_ Character A is in work clothes and they get covered in mud
_d_ Character B spilled coffee down the front of their shirt
_e_ the leashes get tangled

*

3. Character A and Character B meet at a dog park
_a_ both rescue their dogs from being tangled up in each other’s leashes
_b_ go to apologize, recognition
_c_ embarrassed about their second impression
_d_ Character B jokes that at least they spilled their drink on themselves this time

*

4. Character A’s dog runs away/gets lost
_a_ door is left open, dog wanders outside
_b_ Character A distraught, goes for a drive to try finding the dog
_c_ Character A doesn’t find the dog and goes home to make lost dog posters

*

5. Character A puts up lost dog posters at the dog park
_a_ showing flyers around to other dog owners
_b_ stapling posters to trees/hanging on boards
_c_ Character A meets Character B at the dog park again

*

6. Character B helps Character A look for their lost dog
_a_ start their search at the dog park and work their way back to Character A’s home
_b_ Character B’s dog tags along
_c_ no luck, back at Character A’s place
_d_ both exchange phone numbers
_e_ Character B offers to take Character A on a non-date (grabbing coffee mid-search)
_f_ set up plan to keep looking the next day after lunch (second real date)

*

7. Character A and B try to have a second date that is less disastrous than the first
_a_ quiet sandwich shop vs. crowded restaurant
_b_ now that they’re able to talk, they realize they actually have more in common than just their dogs
_c_ Character A is subdued but Character B tries to get them to relax
_d_ Character B thanks Character A for giving them the chance for a date do-over

*

8. Character B finds Character A’s lost dog
_a_ Character B out with their dog, dog takes off
_b_ Character B chases after dog, finds their dog with Character A’s dog
_c_ gets Character A’s dog on a spare leash
_d_ Character B texts Character A and says they’re on their way over with both dogs

*

9. Character B reunites Character A with their dog
_a_ Character A thrilled to have dog back
_b_ Character A hugs Character B = accidental romantic moment
_c_ both make plans for a third real date (“third time’s the charm”)

Now all that’s left is to fill in the gaps with those transitions! The result is this final outline:

1. Character A and character B have a disastrous first date
a) Character A is late
b) it’s loud and they can barely hear each other
c) both of their phones keep ringing
d) Character B spills their drink on Character A

* Transition: perspectives from both, both leave and go home to their dogs, lamenting about bad first dates

2. Character A and Character B dogs get off leash at the dog park
a) both chase after their dogs
b) both are yelling in vain
c) Character A is in work clothes and they get covered in mud
d) Character B spilled coffee down the front of their shirt
e) the leashes get tangled

* Transition: both catch up to their dogs, not immediately understanding that they know each other from the terrible date

3. Character A and Character B meet at a dog park
a) both rescue their dogs from being tangled up in each other’s leashes
b) go to apologize, recognition
c) embarrassed about their second impression
d) Character B jokes that at least they spilled their drink on themselves this time

* Transition: both leave, wonder what had gotten into their dogs, figure that it’s best the first date didn’t go well since they’re obviously chaos magnets whenever they meet

4. Character A’s dog runs away/gets lost
a) door is left open, dog wanders outside
b) Character A distraught, goes for a drive to try finding the dog
c) Character A doesn’t find the dog and goes home to make lost dog posters

* Transition: Character A makes a plan to go to the dog park the next day with the flyers, figures it’s a familiar place for the dog and so chances are it’s where the dog will end up going

5. Character A puts up lost dog posters at the dog park
a) showing flyers around to other dog owners
b) stapling posters to trees/hanging on boards
c) Character A meets Character B at the dog park again

* Transition: Character B takes in the lost dog posters and Character A’s general distress, offers to help in the search once the posters are all up

6. Character B helps Character A look for their lost dog
a) start their search at the dog park and work their way back to Character A’s home
b) Character B’s dog tags along
c) no luck, back at Character A’s place
d) both exchange phone numbers
e) Character B offers to take Character A on a non-date (grabbing coffee mid-search)
f) set up plan to keep looking the next day after lunch (second real date)

* Transition: part ways, both looking forward to the date despite the circumstances that drove them back together, meet up the next day both on time

7. Character A and B try to have a second date that is less disastrous than the first
a) quiet sandwich shop vs. crowded restaurant
b) now that they’re able to talk, they realize they actually have more in common than just their dogs
c) Character A is subdued but Character B tries to get them to relax
d) Character B thanks Character A for giving them the chance for a date do-over

* Transition: the next day, Character B decides to go for a walk to the dog park and will check the lost dog posters to make sure none of them have fallen down

8. Character B finds Character A’s lost dog
a) Character B out with their dog, dog takes off
b) Character B chases after dog, finds their dog with Character A’s dog
c) gets Character A’s dog on a spare leash
d) Character B texts Character A and says they’re on their way over with both dogs

* Transition: Character B reaches Character A’s home with both dogs, Character A answers the door

9. Character B reunites Character A with their dog
a) Character A thrilled to have dog back
b) Character A hugs Character B = accidental romantic moment
c) both make plans for a third real date (“third time’s the charm”)

Ta-da! We started with a few quick notes and now we have a full outline, and you can follow this process, too! Just start with some basic ideas and expand as you go, and know that whatever you add, you can always move it around or even discard it later. It’s your story after all. You have the creative power for your outline, so all that’s left is for you to create it.

What do you think? Will you try this process? Do you use a different process? What kinds of dogs do you picture these characters having? Let me know in the comments!
-Katy