by Samuel Loveland

Created on: November 27, 2009   Last Updated: November 28, 2009

In my attempts to write novels, I've found that I need to have an idea of where my story is going. Everyone is different; some people are complete discovery writers, others are total outliners. I'm somewhere in the middle; I need a rough idea of where to go and where I'm headed, but the best details come out in the writing. Quoting Dan Wells, "How can I know what I think until I can read what I've written?"

Every writer is different. But for those of us who need a simple outline, for the sake of making sure nothing is missing in our story, I've adopted a Seven-Step Outline from Dan Wells' Blog.

1. Hook

2. Plot Step 1

3. Pinch

4. Midpoint

5. Plot Step 2

6. Pinch

7. Resolution

I'll give you an example of how to use this outline by plotting out a story you probably know; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I'll do it in the order I find most useful when plotting out a story myself. In the beginning, or Step 1 Hook, we begin with four children that are in an awkward position in life. The country is a dangerous place due to war, and they are sent away to a safer location at the Professor's Mansion. They are scared in a new place, with frighteningly strict adults around, anxious about their parents. At this point we have a good beginning; characters in conflict. Knowing we want to write a fantastic story involving a magical new world, we can formulate a basic ending. In Step 7, Resolution, we want the four children to develop into strong Kings and Queens of Narnia, having defeated the evil Queen and liberated Narnia from her clutches and curses, banishing the endless Winter she had brought.

This is a solid enough beginning and ending, but how do we connect them? Midpoint, Step 4, connects the Hook with the Resolution. In order for the Ending to be important in any way, Step 4 involves meeting with Aslan at the Stone Table, with all the other talking creatures and other magical races of Narnia, to prepare for a last stand against evil. Now we can address steps 2 and 5; the Plot points. These points connect the Hook to the Midpoint, and the Midpoint to the Resolution. For Plot Point 1 we'll have the children discovering the magical world contained in the Professor's antique wardrobe. Now the Pinch; A pinch doesn't stand for conflict, but rather the point at which conflicts come to a head. In the case of Step 3 - Pinch, we have Edmond betraying his own family to the White Witch. After the midpoint, Plot point 2 involves the White Witch arriving at the Stone Table

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