PLANNING AND OUTLINING
How to plan a novel before you start writing
What to decide before drafting a novel, from premise and characters to structure and research, so you can write with confidence without over-planning.
Planning a novel is not about filling in a template. It is about making the decisions that are expensive to change later, so that the drafting can be free and fast. This guide covers what to decide, what you can safely leave open, and how to tell when you have planned enough.
Start with the premise, not the plot
A premise combines a character, a situation and a question. A disgraced healer is forced to treat the king who exiled her. Will she save him, or let him die? A strong premise generates scenes on its own: you can immediately imagine the confrontations it creates.
Test your premise with three questions:
- Is there a clear want? Characters who want nothing do nothing.
- Is there real opposition? Someone or something must make the want hard to get.
- Does the outcome matter? The reader should feel the cost of failure.
Know your main characters before you meet them on the page
For each major character, decide:
- What they want on the surface, and what they need underneath.
- What they are afraid of, and what they believe that is not quite true.
- How they speak, and one or two details a reader will remember.
- How they will be different by the end.
You do not need pages of backstory. You need enough to know how they would react under pressure. See how to develop memorable fictional characters for a deeper approach.
Choose a structure
Most commercial novels follow some form of three-act structure: a set-up, a long middle of escalating complications, and a climax with a resolution. Within that, plan a handful of anchor points:
| Anchor | Roughly where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Opening image | First chapter | Shows the world and the character before change |
| Inciting incident | First 10 to 15% | Disrupts normal life and starts the story |
| First turning point | About 25% | The character commits; there is no going back |
| Midpoint | About 50% | A reversal or revelation raises the stakes |
| Low point | About 75% | Everything seems lost |
| Climax | Final 10 to 15% | The central conflict is decided |
These percentages are guides, not rules. Their value is in reminding you that the middle needs its own events, not just more of the beginning.
Decide the rules of your world
Even contemporary stories have rules: how long it takes to drive between two towns, what a character's job allows them to do, who knows which secret. In fantasy, science fiction and paranormal fiction, the rules matter even more. Write down how magic, technology or power works, and especially its limits. Limits create conflict; a power without cost removes it.
Research before, not during
Collect the research you need to start, then stop. It is easy to hide in research because it feels productive. Make a list of open questions, research the ones that affect the plot, and mark the rest to check during revision.
Write it all down in one place
Your planning is only useful if you can find it when you need it. Keep the premise, characters, world rules and structure together in a single reference. That reference grows into your Story Bible, which becomes your memory throughout the draft. Our guide to creating a Story Bible shows how to set it up.
How much planning is enough?
You have planned enough when:
- You can describe the beginning, the ending and three or four turning points.
- You know what each main character wants and fears.
- You know the rules that would break your plot if you got them wrong.
- You feel curious about writing it, not exhausted by planning it.
If you find yourself redesigning the map for the third time, it is time to write.
How Gold Prints helps
In Gold Prints Publishing Studio, you can turn your idea into a book blueprint and a chapter-by-chapter outline, edit both, and then generate a draft Story Bible from your concept to review and approve. When you start drafting, chapters are written with your outline and approved Story Bible in view, whether you write them yourself or with AI assistance.