My outline process

So I have been having a few people ask me some questions about my specific outlining process, and I always have to remind people that I didn't have one.  I don't know if I DO have one.  I'm working on the first project I have ever outlined, so I can't say I have a "process" but here is what I did.

I started with a "what if" question.  This isn't anything different from my normal writing process.  But with short stories I come up with my "what if?" question and then start writing.  With a novel, I went a little further.

Next, I wrote a quick plot summary. If someone were to ask me "what happens in your book?" This is what I would tell them. It contains all the big parts, but isn't very exhaustive.

Then, I wrote the detailed plot summary.  This goes beyond just the "what happens" situation.  This is the summary you would write if there was a book report assignment for your book.

After that, I wrote out all of the history and the lore.  Stuff that happened BEFORE when my book starts.  What political systems are in place, how did they get there, what year is it? etc.

Then I wrote a "stuff that needs to happen" list.  This part is pretty simple.  It lists all the things in order that need to happen. For example:

1. Reader meets main character

2. Reader meets secondary character

3. Characters need to meet each other.

and so on.

Now, I didn't add the in-between bits. The HOW of all of those things.  It just acts as a quick list for me to look to when I'm like "So...what should I be doing?" which happens a lot.

After that, I made a list of things that need to happen in Act I.  Here is my list:

• The set up
• Establishing mood/tone
• The hook
• The stakes
• introducing the main cast
• introducing the villain
• Establishing of theme
• The turning point

So I went through my list and and figured out which of those things took me up to the "turning point".  Once I discovered that, I did my scene by scene outline for ALL of Act 1 of my novel.

For each scene I listed out some things:

Characters

Setting

Mood/Tone

Scene Objective

This acts as the in between bits that I didn't have earlier.

Then I took those scenes and separated them into chapters.  It should take me 8 chapters to get through Act 1.

Once I'm done writing Act 1, I will go through outlining Act 2. I already have my "stuff that needs to happen" list, so I just need to figure out which of those things will carry me through the second act, and then I will write my scene by scene outline, and break that down in chapters, and write.  Then do the same thing with Act 3.

I can't say if this is the best method.  However, it is working well for me so far. Maybe this structured method can help some of you writers outline your projects.  I know for me, this makes my project a lot more tangible, and less overwhelming.  I can focus on an act at a time, or actually, a chapter at a time which is nice.  I have a bunch of little goals that will come together to complete a bigger one.

Now, I'm off to write!