How to Outline a Book Using Microsoft OneNote

Ever encounter the "How to outline a book" question? Whenever the idea of writing a book occurs, most writers just jump right into the writing portion and completely overlook the planning portion; that's a mistake because both go hand in hand. If you just start writing, you won't know where any of your ideas should or will end, how to break things up, and where the best places to input interesting information is. So, without further ado, here's:

How to Outline a Book

Planning Software- Invest in planning software. Personally, I enjoy using Microsoft OneNote for my book planning, the pages are easy to use, you can start writing anywhere on the surface and the rules are not restrictive to margins and placement. Just like Excel, you will be given various options for separate notebooks, pages, and folders within them, which can be used to separate your projects. My layout usually consists of the following:

• 1 Notebook for Home and 1 For my Books
• Use the "FOLDERS" tab above the page to create book tabs, specifically for each title you are working on
• Use the "PAGE" and "SubPage" tabs on the right of each folder to create your chapter and character outlines

Character Page- Start with a Page labeled "Characters", and add subpages for each of your characters or one for all of them, separated into different boxes. Use these subpages to describe your characters, what they look like, their personalities and build them up before you start writing about them.

Tip: you may want to create a subpage to add images of people you think your characters would look like. Gather different hair types, statures and complexions from the web. You can even use merging tools, which can merge celebrity faces together to create the perfect character to envision in your writing.

Create a subpage specifically for their relationships with one another, how they come to meet, and how their lives interlock.

Tip: Whenever I come up with good lines or quotes that I'd like for them to say later on, but I don't want to forget them, I create a subpage just for these lines and dialogue.(Design at your whim).

Chapter Page- Create one page titled "Chapter Page", on this page create an overall breakdown of your chapters, separated into different boxes; however, you should NOT do this until you have structured your chapters on subpages.

Break down your chapters in their respective chapter subpages and describe in detail what will occur and when.

Tags- Do not forget about your tags. These will help you identify key elements in your outline and make it easier for you to group information. Use tags to note main characters, supporting characters, ideas, and important facts. 

Finally, design your outline however it fits your needs. This sample was done using the OneNote app for iOS iPad. It will look differently for each operating system or if you are using the online version.

Tip: Personally, I feel that the 2007 version of this program was the best version. However, it will be hard to find now. This version I used is the newest version and it is free, however, should you come across the 2007 software, I highly recommend you invest in it. It is the only program you will ever need to outline your book and has more features such as easier subheading, more tag elements and better interface.