Writing a book outline is much like building a house. Before building a house, you need to lay out the foundation. There are certain components you need to gather to see if your book idea is worth pursuing. This reminds me of Luke 14:28: For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Writing a book outline may seem like an unnecessary step in writing a book. However, a well-laid-out outline can be the foundation you need to help you access what you want to include in your book, and like I mentioned earlier, whether it’s a book idea worth pursuing. I have never been much of an outline type of writer, but I am finding lately it really helps me to organize my thoughts and the information I want to include in my book, therefore laying out a foundation for my book. There are different outline techniques you can use for outlining. In this post, I’m going to show you three steps I used when outlining Getting Unstuck: A Guide For Frustrated Writers.
Writing a Book Outline: First Steps
First, I took Christian Book Academy’s class Procrastination to Publication. By taking this class, I learned what I needed to consider when writing a book. So that being said, once I knew what kind of book, I wanted to write and the central theme of the book I started articulating certain information such as:
- Cover Design – How did I want my story depicted on the cover?
- Categories- I chose two different categories that I thought were a good fit for the listing of my book on Amazon.
- Keywords- I chose three keywords that seekers of my book might use to search for my type of book.
- Vision- What is it I hope to accomplish with my book? What is the goal of my book? The benefit for my reader?
- Target Audience- Who is more likely to read my book?
- Experience- What can I bring to the table that would benefit my reader?
With this information in place, I began to brainstorm possible topics to cover in my book. Being my target audience consists of two groups of people: writers looking to self publish, and those who are stuck at the format process, I brainstormed topics that would best benefit them such as:
costs, software recommendations, cover design, editing tools, formatting, reformatting, etc..
In doing this, I could see that I had more than enough content to cover the book I had in mind. Therefore, it is a book worth pursuing.
Writing a Book Outline: Foundation
Now it was time to construct an outline. I started with what I wanted to cover in each chapter and numbered the areas accordingly. Later on, I had to rearrange some of my chapters, being some areas were not in a logical order. I split up the content according to what the chapter would cover and listed extra resources such as screenshots, verses, professional recommendations for those who want more outside help, resource recommendations for those who want to do it alone, etc. It took some time to do this, but it gave me a foundation to build on. Not to mention this is a great exercise when you are not sure if you have enough content or knowledge in an area you want to write about. You will quickly find out if it is a doable book based on these exercises.
Writing a Book Outline: Write
With all of this in place, I have begun to write my book. To do this, I have organized the chapters of my book in a binder each separated by a divider. I also added a list of what I want to include in each chapter. I am so convinced now that an outline is a key component to successful writing. Whether it be a book, blog post, class material, etc.. It helps me get a feel for the task at hand. Also with what content I want to use and how I want to represent that content. Now I have the foundation laid for my book and the journey of filling the pages for this book has begun. So with a pen in hand or in all honesty with a keyboard in hand, I’m on my way. So with all of this said, I strongly suggest that if you have a book idea in mind do not omit the outlining process it can be the key to unlocking your writing potential.
About the Author
Lizzy, pen name EO Writes, was first called to write for the public in 2012 when God placed it on her heart to pen an article titled “Where Have the Children of Yesterday Gone?” For a season, articles on homeschooling were her forte until 2018, when God said to her, “Your voice will change.” In 2024, she began her self-publishing journey with A Case of Mistaken Identity, a book that was born through a three-month writing class Procrastination to Publication. The fuel she needed to complete her book. Her passion is sharing God’s love through her art and writing. She has many works in progress and is looking forward to sharing them with the world.
Resources for Writing a Book Outline
- Outline to Finish Line by Shelley Hitz
- Outlining Your Novel Workbook by K.M. Weiland
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