HOW I OUTLINE (as a reformed pantser) | beat sheets, timelines, pitches, & more! 

You are just so good at condensing and explaining writing craft. I'm about to start outlining a new book, so this is such an oddly satisfying video for me, haha. It's been so much fun to watch your writing journey. The difference!! Haha

haha, I used to be a pantser until I realized that when I write my books it ends up being just vibes with no plot just random things happening. Same when I write sceenplays. One thing I'm doing now that way I can still somewhat pants my way through without feeling tied to a guideline is just writing down the scenes that get me going from point A to D. I write down key things that needs to happen in each act and write my way to those points that way I'm still free to pants my way through my writing but there's more direction and purpose, haha.

I really needed this today. I am starting a new project and I'm honestly tired of struggling through my first drafts and WANT to become a planner.

I just wanted to say that I've watched a fair amount of WriterTubers of varying popularities, and I have fallen off of watching most of them (for various reasons), but you Kate, I am always happy to watch! I started watching your channel because you were one of the only WriterTubers who did the "writes [insane amount of words] in 24 hours" challenge that I was interested in, and that was three years ago! Now I'm still here because watching your videos feels like I'm catching up with my favorite member of a writing workshop that meets up twice a month. Your videos are the kind where you just want to grab a mug of tea and get comfy! Amazing and lots of love to you Kate!

As a pantser as well, I've actually been trying to outline books for the last year or so. I always make it to about the 25% mark and then I just get... bored. Because I've outlined them, there's no intrigue for me, no curiosity to figure out what happens and it doesn't feel like I have any room to stretch my creative legs, so to speak, and that's really what propels me forward to actually completing drafts. On the other hand, the two first drafts of novels that I HAVE finished by pantsing are also pushed to the side once I'm done because the revision process just feels so overwhelming, and the stories seem so messy and incoherent that it discourages me from even trying to fix them. Right now what I'm trying to do is like a plantser approach, where I fill out the scenes I have in mind and the few core beats, but I add to it as I go so I can see whether or not certain beats work for the structure and overall storyline and also keep the basic structure at the forefront of my mind so I can remember themes, pacing, etc. We'll see if it works this time bahahahahaha

Welcome to the Outlining Club, Kate. I got into fiction writing by learning to outline (screenplays not novels) so I kept going with that. I've tried the snowflake method, save the cat, and a book called 30 Days to a First Draft. Before I outline I MUST review my premise and get feedback because my idea might be woefully incomplete. But I also start with a working title (could be bland like Lost on Another Earth or pretty good like Escaping the Future.)

I am absolutely with you on needing to take snippets here and there to build an outlining process that works. When I first started writing fiction, I was in the "outlining is for non-fiction" camp, since that's how I did writing for school, but I quickly found out that pantsing just lead to frustration for me. I've been tweaking and refining my outline process for...oh geez...about a decade. Now, I use my take on the snowflake method. Logline, short synopsis, long form synopsis, scene blocking (this is where I usually build the timeline, Aeon is a LIFE SAVER), and then the zero draft, which is usually all the action and dialogue without much scene setting or inner monologue. I add those during the next draft. I find this helps me zero in on the main plot beats, and then I can smooth the rough spots in future passes.

Kate, this all sounds almost EXACTLY like my process! Even down to the evolution of recently realizing how helpful a loose outline can be. Sometimes I call myself a puzzler, because I feel like my brain dumping stage is me making the puzzle pieces, and then later I put what I have in order and see where I'm missing spots in the story and where I need to fill things in and bridge the gaps. And I also definitely need to write with my characters a bit to get to know them before I can decide their entire stories and all of their decisions and motivations.

I like the quote "different stories need different things" neil gaiman said something similar that he still often dosn't feel like a great story writer because everytime he is like "this is it, this is how you outline (or revise, or edit) a story." And how someone once told him (might have been Stephen King) "no you only learned how to outline (or revise, or edit) that story" I think that is a powerful message is that even if you think you have it figured out how to write a book, its going to change based on what that book needs.

It's reassuring to hear that you've built your process higgledy-piggledy based on what works for you. I know I really need to figure out an outlining process, because everything I've drafted so far has a) gone extrememly slowly bc I'm trying to think everything through as I go and/or b) run into massive tangles where I've thrown too many ideas at the page and not sorted any of them into a sensible order. Unfortunately every standard outlining process makes me want to scream, so I'm having to gradually and organically find things that work for me!

I really liked listening to your process here. I’m working on outlining at the moment and I’m finding that I think I am more of a discovery writer and I realised that I don’t have to outline too heavily if I don’t want to.

I definitely do a mock outline before my actual outline. I always thought I was weird for that, but good to know others do too! Love seeing your outline!

You're still pantsing, it's just that you're pantsing your writing style and surprising yourself as unexpected methods come along 🤣 As an always plotter though I love this take on outlining from a pantser perspective lol. I used to be really strict with sticking to my outlines but now I'm like "I'm gonna change it all in revisions anyway so I might as well go with the flow in the zero draft if something doesn't feel right"

I really love how you talk about the zero draft as kind of an introduction to the characters and figuring out the real heart of your story. The current project I'm working on I've struggled a lot with starting and stopping, and it feels really bad when I want to change a lot -- like what I've worked on has been a waste. But this kind of switches my perspective on it, so thank you!!

I have been a pantser for so long and outlining has always sounded so boring like you explained! I've encountered so many problems with my work though with plot holes and things that don't make sense and I feel like after hearing your process that I want to try and incorporate bits and pieces, especially the first portion before the zero draft and see if they help me with the struggle. I love watching your journey and thank you so much for sharing this process with us!

As Stephen King said (explaining why he never wrote ideas down) "The good ones stick" (talking about an idea for a scene in Under the Dome that he'd had maybe twenty years prior to writing the book)

This video has helped me so dang much! Not only has it made me feel like outlining can still give my inner pantser freedom, but it's also released me from the hell of six zero drafts I'm currently sitting in! I can now go to the step at 8:31 and write my detailed outline. You're a saviour!

Oooo I'm excited for the upcoming video about writing a series! I've always gotten confused on how to write character arcs in series even though I almost exclusively read series.

I feel like every plotter is just a "reformed" pantser 😂 I definitely am. I tried outlining as a kid, HATED it because I didnt know what I was doing, pantsed my way through a book or two, and then slowly learned how to outline the right way, lol!

I think sometimes what happens to us as writers is we try something the first time - plot or pants - and when it doesn't work for us, we think "Oh I'm the other one" when in reality I think it's just our first project and it was going to be a learning process no matter what we did. I bet more people are some level of pantsers than they realize because they tried it the first time without success, and same with some plotters. I think the real "secret" isn't figuring out if you're a plotter or pantser but just getting through those initial learning curves of writing until you understand some story structure a bit better and then can apply it more accordingly to yourself. Don't think there's really an easy way around it.

I'm currently writing 117 novels and tomorrow is actually the 1 year anniversary since I started this, I believe. I started out a panster, but as you can imagine, I've since become a plotter and outliner. This video was very helpful, thank you. I love your content so much. We really appreciate everything you do

OUTLINE GANG! OUTLINE GANG!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

I find all my ideas come while working on another project. So I literally have a file of backlogged ideas ready to develop next. I used to just pants it and always had too many projects on the go but my writing teacher/editor said it’s best to only work on one project at a time, I’m not sure I completely agree but I’m testing out only doing one project at a time just to see. I have seen changes and improvements to my productivity so far.

I still don't like to start with an outline because I enjoy the process of getting to know my characters and the world they're in. Everytime I start with an outline I end up shelving the story. But, outlining was how I learned to write originally. Pantsing is more the category I fall into because I've always put more work into projects that start like that. The exploratory nature of it is more compelling to me. But, I definitely like outlining for the editing process. It helps to redefine the parameters of the story that's being told.

For me, it depends on the type of project it is since I write TV drama pilots, novellas, novels, and short stories. Since I’m adapting my own work (TV drama pilot to novel), the pilot ends up becoming a sort of outline, but I also have bullet points of ideas, especially for when I get stuck. And then getting ideas from beta readers and critique partners and use them to flesh out the draft with my own ideas. I guess it’s more plantsing, lol. I just adapted my 50 page supernatural TV drama pilot (12 drafts) into a 320 page Adult Urban Fantasy novel (2nd draft going into the third) for my PhD dissertation and it’s been a journey. I’m also adapting my horror pilot into a novel as well! 🥰

I've only recently started writing, but outlining just suits the type of person I am. Currently, I outline the entire story in a few bullet points for each chapter, then I add a timeline to those chapters to make sure I can add other context to the scenes, and finally I do an outline for each chapter (obviously not in as much depth). Then I start a first draft using the chapter outlines as a guide and adding the scene context around it. It's interesting hearing about your process - especially from someone not as experienced!

I’m glad to come across this while working on a current writing project. I have a vague idea and want it to go a certain way but sometimes I get lost in the weeds. I have started a few books and am unable to finish any of them because I just don’t know how to get to that ending. I really want to write the ending for my current story. Also I was 100% a pantser and had no idea how to outline. Over the past couple years I’ve been using your 27 Beats outline, Save the Cat, and other type of outlines to give myself more structure and help me when I’m floundering.

I also stumbled into my current process. It was in part because I watched a video years ago when you talked about zero drafting. I loved the concept, and it so perfectly describes the first pass of writing a novel for me. The one major difference I have in my current process is I take a first stab at an outline before I do the zero draft. I find the outline makes it easier to fast draft and/or pick up and set down my draft, which is important as I'm still working fulltime. The outline usually only consists of what I think are the major beats (catalyst, break into A2, midpoint, etc.) and perhaps some ideas for the others (debate, fun & games, etc.). One resource that I found immensely helpful in thinking through the importance of outlining is Blueprint for a Novel (book by Jennie Nash, and the #amwriting podcast did a series on it last summer). At first glance, I thought the blueprint was too restrictive, but when I coupled the scene/because-of-that structure with the Save the Cat beats it made my drafting so much cleaner, and now that I'm in editing (a YA fantasy novel), the process is much smoother (especially since, like you I write short, need to expand some of the multi-beat sections for pacing).

the outline I use is a rough 27-chapter/chapter-by-chapter outline, it just gives me an idea of what is coming next so I don't struggle too much while writing the next thing 😅

!00% my favourite book for outlining is Take off your pants and outline by Libbie Hawker. She uses such relatable examples and I feel my writing became so much better because my stories now have so much more depth and structure because of her method. Fully recommend you check that book out! Save the cat was my go to before I found this book, and I have since never looked back.

Also I’ve been following “Story by Numbers” by Adam Skelter and the Duffer Brother’s Master Class, for my outlining (I’m converting a screenplay I wrote into a novel).

I may have to try outlining like this! I’ve always been a pantser but I’m working on a series right now and trying to outline for it has been rough. I’ve noticed I outline much better when I write a zero draft first but I tend to overwrite and underwrite at the same time so going through it afterwards is a bit of a pain

Well, i am a reformed outline, lol. Outlining is amazing. It gives 'writer's block' a middle finger. But theres weakness, our characters cant grow the way they want. They had no choice but to follow our outline. Anyway thanks for ur share kate😊

I'm a relatively new writer (started taking it seriously last year) so I haven't found a good writing routine from start to finish for me, still exploring different ways to write a story! (don't we all) But I've outlined a few ideas in the past and I'm not sure following a structure beat by beat like that is for me because I ended up dropping those since the passion and fun explorations aren't there anymore (which is a shame since I was really excited to write it before). But your way of outlining seems very freeing and unrestrictive! Definitely going to be trying this! (And I definitely agree about needing to actually draft to get to know my characters. It makes the editing process so much fun and so hard at the same time!)

This is exactly what Elizabeth George stated in her two craft books "Write Away" 2004 and "Mastering the Process (From idea to Novel)", 2020. Both are basic type of advice but good though.

I recently learned the novel I’m currently working on that plotting makes everything easier. I too used save the cat and romancing the beat. They both helped a lot

How has my outlining process changed over time? I have one now. And yah, it would've been a lot easier to do it in the beginning but it'll be easier for future novels. (Also, this is just for the algo. Come on, 50K subscribers!)

I find it so funny that you don’t feel like you are a plotter. Honestly thats fine. But the funny part is I do a lot of the same kinds of outlining and all my writing friends say I'm an intense outline-er

I currently outline the George RR Martin way. I'm currently in my first book but also at the same time the 27th? I'll have to recount. 😂 Ps. I'm currently outlining 3 sentences from the sequel.

omg what perfect timing for this video! im outlining right now! im working on a new project, thats for the first time purely a romance, all my other stories have romance in them but its never the main focus, and just last night i was going through romancing the beat! its great! im finding that i am able to outline this story so much more easily than any other, im still tweaking it, but i have a whole outline, and its way more detailed than any previous lets say fantasy story ive worked on. not to say romances are overly simplistic, just that the relationship kinda IS the plot? 😂 anyway, what i mainly wanted to say is that I too am a former pantser, and now I do outlines very similarly as to how you described it! 😁 i might incorporate the elevator pitch & query in it too! i feel like it would be helpful too

I use Notion to outline my story until I have to draft the actual story. I prefer discover writing when it comes to the story itself. So after I finishing drafting, I bullet point the scenes that seem prevalent to the novel as a whole.

I'm SO gonna try some of this!! :) I'm a very passionate Plantser, so I need some points through the story that I already know but the rest I explore while writing. I love how you talked about getting to know the characters and how they have a mind of their own :D Did it ever happen to you, that you couldn't really figure out a character? If yes, what did you do? Thanks for the video. Sending you love and creative vibes and tons of fun in Preptober

thank you for this!

I should try outlining. I get stuck often, sadly.

I’ve always been an outliner, but the outlines were (like you mentioned!) never something that couldn’t be adjusted while I wrote (in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had an outline that was followed 100% by the end of it tbh). I used to have an issue with narrative thrust like being complimented on set pieces, but those same set pieces not feeling too connected (the manuscript I first got this comment on was a quest journey which made me more susceptible to this problem too). I found out about the ‘revelations sequence’ in John Truby’s The Anatomy of Story as seperate to the plot outlining and (this is not new at all tho lol) there will always be a period before and while I write where I just listen to certain songs on repeat and see scenes from my future manuscript playing along to it like a fanedit lol (currently a lot of Hozier’s new releases are aiding that lol).

I hate the idea of zero drafting because it's just so hard for me to draft that I don't want to get rid of anything I wrote. Zero drafting feels wasteful. That said, I just seem to outline and plot more and more. For my most recent WIP, I think I had almost 50 pages of plotting notes before I was finished.

Thanks for this video! Great topic!

I have been looking for your outlining video, now I know why I haven't been able to find one. :) I use the Save The Cat method, but for the "Muddy Middle" I add a few of the plot points from Three Act structure as well to give me just a little more framework. I have tried the in depth version, of an outline, but end up off the rails, and frustrated that I have wasted time, so I just get the main points and let the character guide the scene.

Thank you. What I do for an outline (using a 4 act structure) I have goals for each section of where I want the story to go. But my mind is now going ohhh side characters, now doing a novella (book 1.5) it has spoilers for book 1 😂

After I get an idea I creat a note in google keep. Usually ideas come to me as I live out my days. At the same time I find music which fits the vibe of my idea. The next step is outlining characters and the plot. I use Save the Cat for both screenwriting and novel writing. Then I draft. I am an avid note taker as I write. I both makes notes in the draft and in a Scratch list (it's a list of things which bother me with the writing). You know I pants now a whole lot more than I used to. I always plot but sometimes I need to just write and see how things flow when I struggle with the outline. So sometimes I skip a step.😊

This is pretty similar to my outline process. I've always been an outliner. Ive actually gotten less detailed with it as the years have gone by. It always confuses me why some writers get so upset at the idea of outling.

as a heavy outliner (as in, every single scene is mapped out), i actually think i could do with less outlining. i have so many finished outlines but not a lot of finished books because i finish the outline and then i feel like i've done the fun part and my adhd brain no longer finds it novel (no pun intended).

My current outlining process establishes book description before doing a bullet point list of things that happen (and emotional responses) - I actually have it on the inimitable books Ko-fi page shop

Outlining isn't rigid. At all. I'm not sure where folks get that idea.

That actually sounds similar to my process, though, of course, I haven’t been able to finish a single thing yet😓😢

What I find myself doing is writing whatever scene/idea comes to me in a doc dedicated to a specific book. I do a lot of that in addition to writing planned out scenes. Then at some point I'll have enough to outline with and start from there. One of my current drafts has 32k+ words and a in progress timeline. Will all the scenes make it to the book? Doubt it but its always there if I want to rework it and add it later!!

I tried outlining and just gave up and went straight to basically Zero drafting or maybe is an extensive outline😅 because some scenes are 2 lines and others are over 1k some have dialogs and others are I want FL to be cute with ML and bond so their love grow😂😂

I'm terrible at titles. Usually I just do "Ghost story" or "Nanowrimo Story"

Where can I find a list of the books you've written?

Kate, what is the program you use to do timelines?

Keep strong. Dont forget that despite the struggles in this world, God is full of justice, mercy and love. Justice said we broke His perfect law - causing the world's previous perfection to be destroyed - and therefore we deserve Hell (like a punishment in any legal system but this is eternal as His perfect law is eternal too). Don't think you fit in that category? Ever done one of these?: lying, stealing - regardless of how small the object EVER, hating others - which is murder in God's perfect law, lusting (plus God sees our entire thought life). Justice says "the soul that sins shall die" - if we break one in thought/word/deed it's as if we're guilty of all of them. Quite simply, living by the law (which is doing everything perfectly) is impossible for sinful humans . The law shows us that 1. We will die in Hell if we fail to follow it and 2. We cannot save ourselves BUT, 3. God's perfect, immovable law points us to Christ, who followed and fulfilled the law in thought, word and deed perfectly in our place. He did what we couldn't and did it on our behalf. He was then sentenced to death on a cross, and took our personal punishment for our sin, paying our penalty (like paying our fine) completely FOR us, and has given us freedom. If we turn from the sins we have committed and repent (pursue the opposite direction of love through Christ) He will, overtime, recreate us back into that previously perfect image through The Holy Spirit which Jesus sends to all who accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior of their life. He will help us through the struggle, the stress, and anything we experience in the world. It's about letting Christ in to guide and teach you and obeying Him through His power (not ourselves, we need Him to help us as it's impossible without depending on His power and instruction). He is our substitute in His life, death and resurrection. He essentially rewrote history in our place so that, if you believe in Him, it will be as if you had never sinned if you accept Christ's death as our own in our place. He is in Heaven right now preparing a place for us so that He can take His faithful, believing children home with Him when He returns. He will ressurrect us from death when He returns, giving mercy to those who accept His love, instruction and teachings in their life, and give justice to those who refuse it. He doesn't want ANY of us to go to Hell and die for continuing in evil and rejecting His way to life, thats why He died FOR us. Hes giving EVERYONE a chance, He wants everyone to take the free gift of salvation from Hell. He wants us to be His and begin to follow His life of love and service through His power and abiding (staying) with Him. So long as we keep our hearts near to Christ through His strength, strive to follow His will of perfect love revealed in the Bible, and let Him lead in the midst of (very certain) pitfalls and struggles, we will, in time, win the ultimate victory over sin, pain and DEATH through Christ. Even if you are willing to be made willing, pray for Jesus to come in and He will do what we can't. Give us The Holy Spirit who will guide us in the right way. Christ says in John 16:33: I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] - (AMPLIFIED version) NOTE: You are NEVER too sinful or messed up that God cannot turn your life around through Jesus. EVER. Regardless of what you've done or what you're going through you CAN make it through Jesus. If you have any questions let me know xx

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No, outlining doesn't have to be rigid. It's easier and faster and less heartbreaking to change your outline than it is to change thousands of words or pages at a time.

As a pantser, I don't think I could stick to outlines

If you're going to actually show off your Scrivener or other editing software, please, for the love of God, use screen capture software. OBS is perfect for that and it's free.

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