Glossary · Writing & editing
What is a book outline?
Definition
Book outline: A book outline is a plan of a book's structure — chapters or sections in order, with what happens or what each covers — written before drafting.
An outline is a roadmap for the book. For fiction, it typically lists chapters or scenes in order with a short summary of what happens, whose POV it is and how it moves the plot. For nonfiction, it sets out the chapters, the key points and examples in each, and how they build toward the book's promise.
Outlines range from a single page of bullet points to detailed documents covering every scene. Writers sometimes describe themselves as "plotters" who outline in depth, or "pantsers" who write by the seat of their pants and discover the story as they go; most people end up somewhere in between. There is no right amount — use enough planning to keep you moving and avoid major rewrites.
Outlining saves time in several ways: it exposes structural problems before you have written 80,000 words; it makes it easier to write out of order or after a break; it keeps series continuity straight; and for nonfiction, a chapter outline is the core of a book proposal and helps you spot gaps in the argument. Outlines also make briefing an editor or ghostwriter much easier.
Treat the outline as a living document. Stories change while you write, and it is normal to revise the outline as you go.