THE CAREER NOVELIST
The Art of Writing Outlines
Over the years I have written some forty outlines for published nov-
els, and have read thousands more. Here are some tricks I have
learned.
First, remember that before you sell your story to the public you
must sell it to an editor. In other words, your outline should be as
smooth, professional, and polished as your final manuscript.
Next, in publishing terms outline really means synopsis. Forget
roman numerals and all that stuff. Organize yourself in that format,
if it helps, but for presentation tell a story.
Indeed, the best outlines are more than plot summaries. They
are novels in miniature. They use a variety of fiction techniques—
action, description, exposition, even bits of dialogue to highlight
dramatic moments—to give the reader the illusion that she has
read an entire novel.
Length? Five pages is too short, unless the intended reader is
familiar with your work. Fifty pages is probably too long. If that
much detail is necessary, why not write the entire book? Besides,
the point is to get the story across quickly. This is an outline.
Another tip: try using present tense and third person regardless
of the tense and person of your novel. Not only is this traditional in
the business, that combination lends a certain punch and immedi-
acy to an outline.
Some authors swear they get better results when outlines are
single-spaced rather than double-spaced. The theory is that when
an editor sees a double-spaced page, he looks for things to change.
A single-spaced outline, on the other hand, is said to discourage
editing.
Take your pick. If you do single-space, though, try leaving one
line of space between paragraphs or sections. That may help your
outline to read faster.
Finally, explain everything. Do not assume that your reader will
supply missing logic or will mentally fix a weak motivation. She will
not. You are the author. Show that you are in command.
Once you have written an outline, are you locked into it? Are you
forbidden to make changes, or even to make small improvisations?
Of course not. No editor expects a finished book to conform 100
percent to an outline. An exception is if you are making major
changes in the very nature of the story. If so, it is probably a good
idea to run those changes past your editor. No one wants to order
steak for dinner, but then be served sushi instead.