《How to write a book》Writing a story overview
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Making a story overview is important to have consistency in your book or story. It takes a little bit of your time, but it prevents having a writer's block.
You'll split the story up in chapters and write in short what will happen in each. The first chapter (or the prologue) should contain the start of your conflict, and the last chapter (or epilogue) should contain the end of your conflict. The chapter in between should contain either more conflict, or solutions. Remember that the tension should be building until the very end of the novel.
Now, take a piece of paper or open word and start with answering the six questions below for the first and the last chapter.
CHAPTER [number] (You could give the chapter a title.)
1. What happens in this chapter?
2. What characters are involved in this chapter?
3. Where does this chapter take place?
4. Out of which Point Of View (POV) will this chapter be told?
5.What is the feeling this chapter will have? (Happy, tragic etc.) try to have happy and tragic chapters, to prevent your story from becoming boring. If the general emotion in your story is dramatic, it would still be wise to add happy chapters.
6.(optional) What is my guess about the length of this chapter? This step will help you to guess how long your book or story will be when it's finished.
Now add the most important chapters that happen in between the beginning and the end, using the same questions. (The chapters were something big happens to help your plot along.)
Look at your first chapter again, and then look to the first important chapter after that. How did your characters get from the beginning to that other chapter? Ask yourself why, how, when etc. Do this with all the gaps in your plot, until there are none left. This way you'll come up with what happens in the chapters between the beginning and the end.
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There are no rules about how many chapters you could add, or how long they should be. It's all up to you and your creative freedom.
BUT
If you want your story to be exciting to read, let all chapters and all paragraphs add something to the plot. Remember your pitch.
The story overview is not set in stone. You can change things or add things if you find out that something isn't working.
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