Outlining Skill

Purpose

The outlining skill helps authors create structured plans for their books, whether fiction or nonfiction. It transforms high-level ideas into detailed roadmaps with chapter breakdowns, scene structures, and narrative arcs.

When to Use

• Story Planning: When the author needs to plan the overall structure of their book
• Chapter Breakdown: When developing detailed chapter-by-chapter outlines
• Arc Development: When mapping character arcs, plot threads, or argument flows
• Structure Evaluation: When assessing whether an outline has proper pacing and balance

Core Capabilities

Story Structure Analysis

The skill understands various narrative structures:

• Three-act structure (setup, confrontation, resolution)
• Hero's journey (Campbell's monomyth)
• Kishotenketsu (introduction, development, twist, conclusion)
• Five-act structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement)

For nonfiction:

• Problem-solution structure
• Chronological progression
• Thematic organization
• Argument-evidence structure

Planning Workflow

1. Initial Structure: Create high-level book structure from author's concept
2. Chapter Breakdown: Develop detailed chapter outlines with key points
3. Scene Planning: Break chapters into scenes or sections with specific purposes
4. Arc Tracking: Map how themes, characters, or arguments develop across the book

Outline Components

Each outline should include:

• Chapter/Section Title: Clear, descriptive title
• Purpose: What this chapter accomplishes in the overall narrative
• Key Events/Points: Main content or plot points
• Arc Progression: How character/theme/argument arcs advance
• Pacing Notes: Tension level, speed, emotional tone
• Word Count Target: Estimated length for balance

Integration with Corpus

The outlining skill leverages the corpus for:

1. Consistency Checks: Verify outline aligns with established world details
2. Character Arc Tracking: Ensure character development matches their profiles
3. Timeline Validation: Check that events sequence properly
4. Theme Reinforcement: Identify opportunities to reinforce core themes

Pre-Outline Queries

Before creating outlines, query the corpus for:

• Character relationship graphs
• Timeline of established events
• Location and world-building details
• Thematic elements to weave through chapters

Outline Types

The skill supports different outline depths:

High-Level Outline

• Part/section divisions
• Chapter titles and one-sentence descriptions
• Major turning points
• 1-2 pages total

Standard Outline

• Chapter-by-chapter breakdown
• Key scenes or sections per chapter
• Character/theme progression notes
• 5-10 pages total

Detailed Outline

• Scene-by-scene breakdown
• POV character per scene
• Specific plot beats and dialogue points
• Character emotional arcs per scene
• 20+ pages total

Pacing Considerations

The skill evaluates pacing by:

• Scene/Chapter Length Variation: Mixing short punchy chapters with longer ones
• Tension Escalation: Building toward climactic moments
• Breather Moments: Placing quieter scenes after intense sequences
• Information Distribution: Spreading reveals and developments evenly

Output Format

Outlines should be structured markdown with:

• Clear hierarchical headings
• Consistent formatting for scene/chapter entries
• Metadata annotations (POV, timeline, word count targets)
• Cross-references to corpus entries

See outline-template.md for the standard template structure.

Specialized Techniques

Fiction Outlining

See fiction.md for:

• Plot arc structures
• Scene tension patterns
• Character development tracking
• Subplot integration

Nonfiction Outlining

See nonfiction.md for:

• Argument flow structures
• Evidence organization
• Reader journey mapping
• Chapter types and purposes

Validation Steps

Before finalizing an outline:

1. Verify each chapter has clear purpose
2. Check arc progression is smooth
3. Confirm pacing has appropriate rhythm
4. Validate timeline consistency
5. Ensure themes are woven throughout
6. Check word count distribution is balanced

Iteration Support

Outlines should be treated as living documents:

• Store in corpus for later reference
• Update as book evolves
• Track major structural changes
• Maintain version history for rollback if needed