The Value of an Outline

The Value of an Outline

 

The outline is one way you can develop your story around the concept of problem/resolution. Also, an outline is a fluid document. You're free to refine and change it as your story takes shape during the first draft.

 

  The rest of the process is straightforward. With an outline the writer can start a new draft and know precisely where to focus your narrative drive. Having established a solid foundation, you begin to concentrate on characterization, dialogue, pacing and all the other ingredients that make for a compelling read.
 
Outlines need not be lengthy, nor should they take long to complete. If you can't seem to finish your outline, this may be a sign that all is not well with your story idea. If you're stuck, ask yourself: does your character have a compelling and strong enough problem to build a story? Does your resolution solve your character's problem? Do your plot developments logically take the character from his problem to his resolution? If not, can you come up with a series of events that do?
 
Some stories have a mountain foundation, the main character is climbing up the mountain,  moving through the problem,  life experiences, challenges, and situations, until something changes, or the character reaches a plateau. Discovery, transformation, and understanding occurs as the character begins to descend down the mountain, armed with the strong emotions of change which ultimately leads to resolution of a problem.  
Another visual of the development of the story is the movement through hills and valleys, moving up the mountain with life experiences and then falling down without permanent resolution, only to climb another mountain, hit a plateau where change may or may not happen as the character descends down the side of the mountain, this continues until something drastic happens, or the character makes a decision to change which ultimately finally leads to resolution of the problem.

Don't leave your story's development to chance; instead, use an outline to build a solid foundation. This fundamental step will quickly and clearly show you: (1) the depth of your character's problem; (2) how the character goes about solving his or her problem, and (3) whether the final resolution supports the rest of your story.
This outline can be used for many different kinds of genres such as memoirs; poetry; children’s books and motivational self-help books.

What is the problem or what are you solving in your story/self-help book???