Tools or guide for a story outline

[Former Member]

Does anyone know of any tool or guide to writing a story outline?  

 

I need to completely re-organize and re-work a multi-chapter story because I keep getting myself written into a corner.  

[Kai Taylor]

Personally I just use Microsoft Excel to create an outline.
 
I was inspired of the idea by JK Rowling, who used something similar with Harry Potter:
 

[Johnathan Colourfield]

YWriter5 is one that was reccomended to me and I use it occasionally. It helps you map out scenes into chapters into stories.

 

Google it.

[Cia]

Two words... mind map. I like bubble.us When I rough draft out a plot idea using something so structured as a spreadsheet or a paragraph format becomes messy and disjointed. I'll have ideas for plot events 3 at the top and bottom of the page, and I hate cutting and pasting and moving crap around. Using a mind map lets me move around my idea in a 3d fashion. This way I can go with a base idea, spread out in small ideas, add contrasting plot events to pick from with branched ideas, no matter when they come to me.

[Fishwings]

One word: Scrivener.

[Megido]

I'm working on my first story, and there's two things I've found to be immensely helpful. First, write out the bare bones of your overall plot for a chapter or book, no details just events. Then go back and read what you've already written before writing the new chapter. Second, find some way to keep track of all the information about your characters, timeline, backstory...everything about the world you're writing about. I use onenote for that myself, but I would definitely checkout these other programs as well.

 

Hope this helps

Edited June 24, 2013 by Megido

[AnimalMorph]

Huh? Do you really need all that flashy stuff?

 

I need only a book and a pen and scribble down my messy plotline. Along with other ideas that pop on my mind.

When I got a good grip of that particular story outline, that's when I'm touching my keyboard / laptop and starts typing (writing).

 

... But I guess I'll check out what everyone has shared here anyway.

Who knows? It might just help me.

[Sasha Distan]

i write a bunch of key phrases down in a word document and then shade them in as i go through it (see below). sometimes there's a spreadhseet, but not often.

 

i require no fancy software.

 

literally, this was all i had for each chapter of Finding Atlantis before i wrote it. i little paragraph for each chapter:

 

5: ALEKSI: breakfast in the olive grove; the life and times of a failing Finnish student; going to the harbour; seeing K on his return; one man down, help us with the fish; shaken hands; Krilla shows him the boat; Aleksi tells his story; meeting Aziz; dinner for 8 on the Aikaterine; a place to sleep on La Belle Mere; watching Krilla dream.

 

6: AZIZ: A day fishing with Krilla; talk of the newcomer; how to skin a fish; observations on Krilla; a sea horse; the beach of the smooth white rocks; star gazing; a call into Meis; backgammon and fruit juice; the trouble with passports; the smooth sail to Kas; life at home; a visit from Shalla.