A story’s outline is a bit of a map that the writer creates to have some structure they can follow while writing. Beginners oftentimes don’t know where to even start making this map, thus we have created this guide for you, who are only starting to get into writing.
Define Your Premise
Your premise is the main idea around which the entire story revolves and there are many tricks you can use to define and expand it. Ask yourself what would happen if a certain event took place, and then define whothe main character in this event is and what the event itself would be.
Understanding from the start how the main characters will evolve throughout the story, what their goal is, who or what stands in their way, what you want to say, is key. After you have all these aspects clear in your mind, you can write a summary of your story.
Choose the Time and Place of Your Story
You will need to research and document yourself with all the information you can find about the time and place you choose for your story. It is important to find visual references that help you write descriptions that will help your readers immerse themselves in your story’s setting.
Establish as many details as you can, regarding the time and place you are writing in. Make sure you include all senses, what you hear, smell, see, feel, and every other detail you can think of.
Become Familiar with You Characters
You will need to know your characters better than anyone and for this, you can ask yourself how you would introduce these characters to your friends. Consider what you would like to say about them and what you wouldn’t mention, also define the level of importance they will have for your plot.
Taking these steps might only be the start of creating a wonderful story, but being clear on your main idea, your setting and knowing your characters, are all great foundations.
