As an author who loves blending speculative fiction plots with sweet romance, I’m always on the lookout for resources that can help streamline my outlining and story development process. I think I’ve used almost every tool under the sun to make outlining a novel easy, and have found this “24 Chapter Novel Outline” format my favorite, by far, for a more detailed guideline. (Scroll down for a quick visual representation of this outline.) or, sometimes, I just like the simplicity of the standard, “7 Point Story Structure.” But, recently, I discovered two books that have become invaluable additions to my writing toolkit.
The first is “Super Simple Story Structure” by L.M. Lilly. This concise guide has helped me get my creative juices flowing and nail down the core elements of my speculative fiction stories. Lilly’s straightforward approach to story structure has allowed me to quickly establish the backbone of my plots, ensuring I have a solid foundation to build upon. It’s very similair to the “7 Point Story Structure” above, but I like how it gets me thinking with…”what if…” (I might then go back to my more tedious, “24 Chapter Novel Outline” and flesh it out, or I might move on to the “Romance Beats” below.)
The second book that has deeply influenced my outlining is “Romancing the Beat” by Gwen Hayes. As someone who loves weaving romantic subplots into my speculative fiction, this book has been a game-changer. Hayes’ insights into the rhythms and beats of a satisfying romance narrative have allowed me to seamlessly integrate those elements into my overall story structure.
Of course, these two books aren’t the only resources I’ve found helpful for my outlining process. I’ve also found great inspiration in some classic fiction outlining methods, such as:
- “Save the Cat!” by Blake Snyder: This iconic screenwriting book has long been a favorite among novelists for its practical, beat-by-beat approach to story structure.
- “The Hero’s Journey” by Joseph Campbell: I haven’t read this one, but have found and used his outlines all over the internet that help when I’m feeling stuck to make me look at the story in a little different way. I believe his work has been a classic for many generes, but especially speculative fiction authors.
By blending the insights from these various outlining resources, I’ve been able to craft speculative fiction stories that balance imaginative worldbuilding, compelling character arcs, and swoon-worthy romance. The 24-chapter novel outline I’ve long relied on has become an even more powerful tool, allowing me to bring my vision to life with greater clarity and efficiency.
If you’re an author who shares my love for speculative fiction with a romantic twist, I highly recommend checking out “Super Simple Story Structure” and “Romancing the Beat.” They just might be the missing pieces you need to take your outlining process to the next level.
Would you like me to share a step-by-step of my process with you? Or do you have a book you prefer or that I should add to my toolkit? Please leave a comment to let me know.
Happy writing!
–Joy
Here is the visual of the 24 Chapter Novel Outline I like to use:
Thank you for sharing this! I plan to write fiction someday and this is very helpful
When you’re ready, let me know if you need help and I’d be happy to guide you anyway I can, but as a reader, I’m sure you’ll have no problem creating your own story. 🙂
Thank you, that’s very kind of you 😊
Thank you, Joy, your post was most helpful and has given me inspiration how to structure the story arc of my novels. I will look these books up.
I hope they fit your style! Happy writing!