Plot Outline Template (Printable PDF & GoodNotes)
A novel plot outline with lines for the title, genre, logline, target word count, point of view and deadline, then seven story beats: opening, inciting incident, first turning point, midpoint, darkest moment, climax and resolution.
- Printable US Letter8.5 × 11 in, white paper
- Printable A4210 × 297 mm, white paper
- iPad / GoodNotesAlso Notability and Noteshelf
- E-ink tabletreMarkable, Kindle Scribe, Boox
Free PDF, 1 page, undated. No sign-up needed.
Shown for iPad in the Ivory Minimal theme. Printable downloads use white paper (there's a dark mode preview below); the e-ink version is black and white.
One page, ready to fill in.
- Write-in lines for title, genre, logline, target words, point of view and deadline
- Boxes for opening, inciting incident, first turning point, midpoint, darkest moment, climax and resolution
- Undated, so you can print or duplicate it as often as you need
Who it's for
First-time novelists, writers taking part in a writing month challenge, screenwriters, fan fiction writers and creative writing students. Teachers running creative writing units can hand it out as a planning sheet, since the seven beats give students a clear shape to work towards.
Getting the most from a plot outline.
Write the logline first
One sentence: who wants what, what stands in the way and what's at stake. If you can't write it, the story isn't clear yet.
Fill the beats out of order
Many writers know the ending first. Fill in the climax and resolution, then the inciting incident, and work out the middle last.
Make the midpoint a turn
Something should change at the midpoint: a revelation, a reversal or a shift from reacting to acting. It keeps the middle from sagging.
Keep each beat short
Two to four lines per beat. The outline is a map, not a draft.
Revise it as you draft
Stories change while you write. Update the outline when they do, so it stays useful.
Test the logline on a friend
Read your logline to someone and ask what they think the story is about. If their answer surprises you, the logline or the story needs sharpening.
Included in 1 planner
This template is a page in this planner. Open it to see everything else that comes with it.
Get it inside a full hyperlinked planner
The novel writing planner includes this page alongside dated month and week pages for your year, with side tabs and links between every page. Pick your device and theme, preview it free, and pay only when it's right.
- Dated pages for the whole year
- Tap a tab or a date to jump there
- GoodNotes, Notability, Samsung Notes, e-ink and print sizes
Opens the novel writing planner with the Novel Writing section switched on.
Or read about the novel writing planner first.
What story structure does it use?
A simple seven-beat structure that fits three-act and most popular outlining methods: opening, inciting incident, first turning point, midpoint, darkest moment, climax and resolution.
Is it for novels only?
It works for novels, novellas, screenplays and long short stories.
Can I use it for NaNoWriMo-style challenges?
Yes. Fill in the target word count and deadline, and outline before the month starts.
What's in the novel writing planner?
Plot outline, character profiles, setting and world pages, a scene list, chapter tracker and writing tracker, plus goals and reviews.
Should I outline or write by discovery?
Both work. Even discovery writers often find a one-page outline useful once the first draft is done, to fix the structure.
