You are thinking about writing a book, but don’t know where to start.

I got you! Outlining was one of my biggest struggles. I used to believe vehemently that I was a pantster, and that I was never going to change.

But writing a book, of any kind, without having a clear idea where it is going, is not the best of plans, and it’s the reason why I haven’t finished many of my stories throughout the years: I just didn’t know what was next, got frustrated, allowed imposter syndrome to take over and BOOM! The book was ditched.

So, I did what I do best, took as much information as possible from what I was learning, adapted it to my very own needs, and tried to find something that works for me.

And it all comes down to 5 questions, 5 simple steps to writing a book. If you answer them, you’ll be taking a big step forward in your writing journey.

#1

Who is the hero?

Don’t answer this question with the usual character’s information. I am not asking you what they do for a hobby, or how is their family situation (most likely orphans, right?). I am asking why this character is the hero, what makes them the hero. Think about Harry Potter, for example: Harry is the hero of the story because he got chosen by Voldemort himself, and he is the only one who can defeat him.

#2

What problem does the hero need to solve?

What’s the issue here? Find the reason why your hero needs (or decides) to act.

#3

What challenges the hero must face in order to solve the problem?

It could be anything, from travelling across the world to finally facing personal emotions and solving an inner conflict of sort. A little advice: give them loads of trouble!

#4

What are the turning points?

It could be a jaw-dropping plot twist, or just something that moves the hero closer or farther from the ending. Ideally, a good story would have at least two turning points, and they would either add an obstacle or overcome one of the challenges.

#5

What do you want to get from the story?

Aka, the ending. Is it going to be happy? Is it going to be bitter? Does somebody sacrifice themselves or something? What happen in the end? What was it all for? Do you want to transmit a moral? You can’t write a story if you don’t have an idea of where you want to take it, you need to know what the finish line is going to be.

These five simple questions have helped me plan my novels and actually work on them, defeating writer’s block once and for all, and they will help you write your own story.

Could you write a book by just answering these questions ? Eh… I don’t know. But they are definitely a great starting point for a great novel outline, or to support you as you wing it as you go in pure pantster style.

Now, stop browsing the internet and go write! You know how to plan that idea that had got inside your head, it’s time to take it out of there and turn it into something wonderful.