# Novel Outline Worksheet — BookOS

An editable planning worksheet. These prompts are options, not rules.
Guide: https://osforauthors.com/guides/how-to-write-a-novel-outline

## Book overview
- Working title:
- Genre and intended reader:
- Target word count (your choice):
- Premise: [Character] wants [goal], but [obstacle], risking [stakes].
- Narrative point of view and tense:
- Theme or question the story explores:

## Characters
- Protagonist's external goal:
- Protagonist's underlying need:
- Belief or fear that holds them back:
- Antagonist's goal and motivation:
- What would each character refuse to do at the start?
- What changes by the ending?

## Five turning points
1. Inciting incident — what disrupts ordinary life?
2. Commitment — why can't the protagonist simply walk away?
3. Midpoint — what changes their understanding or strategy?
4. Crisis — what forces the hardest choice?
5. Climax — what action settles the central conflict?

## Chapter and scene plan
Copy this block for each chapter or scene.

### Chapter [number]: [working title]
- Point-of-view character:
- Location and story time:
- Scene goal:
- Obstacle or conflict:
- Choice made:
- Consequence / what changes:
- Setup planted or paid off:
- Subplot or character arc advanced:
- Approximate word budget (optional):
- Research or continuity questions:

## Subplots and continuity
- Subplot:
- Chapters where it starts, escalates and resolves:
- Timeline facts to keep consistent:
- Character / world facts to keep consistent:

## Ending and revision
- Final image:
- What has changed since the opening?
- Unresolved threads (intentional or accidental?):
- Scenes that repeat an earlier purpose:
- Next three writing tasks:
  1.
  2.
  3.

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