# Plotters or Plansers, teach me how to plot and outline a whole novel series, please? **URL:** \ **Category:** All Things Writing\ **Tags:** question, writing, help\ **Created:** [November 21, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903 "2025-11-21T21:23:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/1 "2025-11-21T21:23:55Z")
If you are a plotter or even a planster, please come here and help out a friend. Teach me how to outline and plot a whole novel series before I start writing the novel series. I need to change my tactics since I am doing a novel series that is possibly going to be more than two or three books. So, teach me how to outline a book series before I get started on it. Thoughts and feelings? ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/2 "2025-11-21T22:12:39Z")
note: never did it for a whole novel series but if i were to these would be the options I would take to approach it broadly speaking. and tailor based on whatever unique needs, challenges, obstacles, strengths i had. questions for you: what are you strengths as a writer? storyteller? what are your needs? what are your current obstacles? what are the things you find challenging? here are the options option 1: write your entire story out as a screenplay or teleplay (aka television episodes). this will serve as your outline. you then ‘adapt’ the screenplay/s and or teleplays (television episodes) into a novel/s option 2: look at the various types of story structures. look over each of them and see which might work for your story. then try out one and at a time each of them. [here’s a link listing all of them](https://imgur.com/onltNgA) note: you can mix and match but I would go through each story structure type in full. and then mix and match option 3: pitch your story. summarize your story out loud. then write a bullet point outline of what you summarized. read over your outline- and ask your self if it wasn’t my own story what would be unclear and or underdeveloped for me and or not explicit/ obvious. write those down as a list of questions. and answer them. then pitch yourself the story again. keep repeating this process until you have a full detailed outline option 5: same as 4 but instead do it with another person and have them tell you what is unclear, and ask questions option 6: combine any of these option in any order just make sure to do one at a time. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/3 "2025-11-21T22:16:04Z")
questions for you: what are you strengths as a writer? storyteller? what are your needs? what are your current obstacles? what are the things you find challenging? ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 10:55pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/4 "2025-11-21T22:55:53Z")
> [@thatstheway](#): > > what are you strengths as a writer? storyteller? Pacing and dialogue. > [@thatstheway](#): > > what are your needs? What do you mean? > [@thatstheway](#): > > what are your current obstacles? Character control, properly showing and telling, execution, and prose > [@thatstheway](#): > > what are the things you find challenging? Setting, descriptions, and showing not telling. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/5 "2025-11-21T23:05:56Z")
what are your needs- as a writer/ storyteller are their certain things that you need personally or as a part of your process to write? ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:22pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/6 "2025-11-21T23:22:15Z")
Honestly, nothing much. I don’t have much. Unless you count writing chapter summaries, but even that was varied. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/7 "2025-11-21T23:23:51Z")
okay based on your answers I am actually going to recommend something different for you then above. recommendation step 1: write your story as a stage-play or series of stage-plays. stage-plays tell a story through dialogue primarily. so write your entire story using dialogue only step 2: read the stage play/s and write it out as an outline using Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat > **[Blake Snyder's Save the Cat!® - The Language of Storytelling](https://savethecat.com/)** > > Save the Cat! Scriptwriting website is a one-stop resource for writers, offering everything you need to develop screenplays and novels, from scriptwriting software to coaching ---
**Author:** ![NotARussianBot](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/notarussianbot/32/63102_2.png) [@NotARussianBot](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/NotARussianBot)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/8 "2025-11-21T23:25:42Z")
If you know the beginning and the end to each book, the middle is easier to come up with. If you have just the beginning and middle, the ending becomes harder. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/9 "2025-11-21T23:25:44Z")
> [@Qualeshia12](#): > > Setting, descriptions, and showing not telling. out of curiosity; are you hoping outlining will help with this? ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/10 "2025-11-21T23:27:32Z")
Sorta. But that will be more of me practicing how to edit and revise a novel. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/11 "2025-11-21T23:31:25Z")
ah kk. off topic- is it just descriptions you struggle with or actions too? ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/12 "2025-11-21T23:33:07Z")
I tend to think about those things in vague ways. I understand enough…sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/13 "2025-11-21T23:34:34Z")
Both. Though descriptions are a bit more challenging. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/14 "2025-11-21T23:38:02Z")
i would suggest doing the following writing exercise to help. write something without commentary and or dialogue. if you don’t know what to write; find a writing prompt and write for the writing prompt without dialogue and or commentary. the more you drill this the easier it will be. so don’t just do it one time- but make it part of a routine/ schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:41pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/15 "2025-11-21T23:41:29Z")
Would trying writing prompts and doing a screenplay make my novels come out better over time? This is a genuine question because I can only hope. ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/16 "2025-11-21T23:42:40Z")
> [@thatstheway](#): > > if you don’t know what to write; find a writing prompt and write for the writing prompt without dialogue and or commentary. Pinterest has plenty. Though I want to make up my very own. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:47pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/17 "2025-11-21T23:47:07Z")
yes. though the prompt and or idea isn’t what helps you- it is the exercise of writing without commentary and dialogue that helps you. It is that most people need an idea or prompt to write. as for screenplays- I wouldn’t suggest it as writing exercise or outlining tool for you just yet. ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:49pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/18 "2025-11-21T23:49:57Z")
> [@thatstheway](#): > > as for screenplays- I wouldn’t suggest it as writing exercise or outlining tool for you just yet. It’s funny but I tend to have moments where I want to write a screenplay as a draft then turn it into a novel. ---
**Author:** ![thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/thatstheway/32/33303_2.png) [@thatstheway](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/thatstheway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/19 "2025-11-21T23:52:00Z")
haha then you should try it. it is just that screenplays are almost entirely show. ---
**Author:** ![Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/user_avatar/forum.wackywriters.com/qualeshia12/32/63136_2.png) [@Qualeshia12](https://forum.wackywriters.com/u/Qualeshia12)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2025, 11:57pm UTC](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903/20 "2025-11-21T23:57:46Z")
True. I’m going to do it. [Next page](https://forum.wackywriters.com/t/plotters-or-plansers-teach-me-how-to-plot-and-outline-a-whole-novel-series-please/15903.md?page=2)