We understand how difficult it is to develop stories, even for the most talented authors. The hardest part of any project is always the beginning. What to write about? For what ? And what would these characters do in certain situations? More importantly, what is the gist of this story? We know that only the author can answer these questions, but solving them first allows the work to flow more smoothly.
We also know that fall is the perfect time to put pen to paper or finger to keywords, so we created this template in time for optimal use. And while many writers scribble notes on napkins or draft outlines on their laptops to plan and brainstorm new works, we have a better solution. Using our story outline template to keep the story grounded will help you during both the writing and editing phases of a project.
We designed this story outline template to help authors put together the basics of their story. From the basic plot to the outline, setting and characters, everything is there to stimulate the creativity of each writer. Let’s take a look at the slides and get started!
Story Outline Template
A basic cover page where the title of the work will feature prominently.
PREMISE OF THE SCENARIO
The premise of the story is the foundation upon which everything else in the story is built. We consider it a step-by-step guide to planning a plan. From deciding the time and place where the story takes place, to the identity of the protagonist and their motivations, this slide helps the writer craft a concise summary of what the story is about .
- Setting: Location and time are essential. For example, maybe Key West during a hurricane or London during a German bombing during World War II?
- Main Character: The name and details of the character. For example, their name, age and background. Is the person a cruise ship captain? Nurse for the English army? Or a rich socialite stuck in a bad situation? What shaped their personality? What does the character want?
- Antagonist: Who is the antagonist of the story? What is the connection with the main character? In the Key West example, the hurricane could be the antagonist, and the nurse mentioned above could face an enemy air force as she works to save lives.
- The details are summarized in a brief summary:
A young American nurse works with Allied troops during a bombing raid in London, rushing between bombs to check the pulse of soldiers and civilians on the ground. In doing so, she faces her own mortality but realizes how important it is to stay alive and save everyone she can.
TRACKING IN THREE ACTIONS
Every story should have a beginning, a middle and an end. While this can be done in many ways, the most logical way to tell a story is to move from the initial story setup, through escalating action and a number of exciting pivots, to finally moving to a resolution.
HISTORY BEATS
These are the actual action points on which the story advances. They connect the actions of individual characters and create the story like a puzzle where the pieces are slowly connected. These are each moments in the story where something important happens. For example: a bomb is dropped on London and the nurse we talked about is so close that she almost gets hit. But she takes action and puts her training into practice. Another character may then appear and another action will occur. Over and over…putting the story together and connecting the dots.
TRACKING THE STORIES TIMELINE
This is the slide where the story is presented. Action 1. Action 2. Until the end and until the resolution.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
This slide helps you make decisions about the layout of the chapters and how much of the story will be revealed in each.
WHERE, WHO, WHEN, WHY: CHARACTERS AND MOTIVATIONS
This slide goes into more detail about the initial setting and characters, as well as what motivates each of them and why. It brings the richness of the story that keeps the reader captivated.
SIMPLE LAYOUT
This slide summarizes the framework of all the other slides in one place. At this point, the author should be able to put together a fairly comprehensive overview of the entire story.
- Main character
- Villain/Antagonist
- Situation
- Change
- Conflict
- Resolution
Once a writer has gone through each of our story outline template slides, they should be ready to write the first draft of their story. Best of all, they can come back to it as they write revisions and edit each one, always making sure they stay true to their premises and characters.
2024-01-04 20:53:55
#Story #Outline #Template #Personnalisable
