How to Outline a Short Story in 4 Steps

Outlining enables you to write a short story efficiently. Short story writing is more limited in scope than novel writing, but it still involves many of the elements you’d find in a great novel: a compelling main character with a clear point of view, a character arc, a few plot points to anchor the narrative, and a satisfying ending. An outline ensures you have these pieces in place early in the writing process.

Like a novel outline, a short story outline is a visual tool that you can quickly scan to track character arcs, storylines, thematic content, and logical consistency. A good short story outline will always include these five elements:

1. 1. A problem: What is the key conflict that will drive your narrative? Whatever you choose must be compelling enough to anchor your entire plot structure. If your main conflict can’t hold your reader’s attention through the short story, you need to either expand the conflict or shorten the story.
2. 2. A solution to the problem: When it comes to creative writing, some authors don’t like to have all their questions answered before they begin; they want to discover the story alongside their characters. That can be a great technique, but some story elements must be known before you draft a single sentence of your first paragraph. One such element is the overall solution to your story’s main conflict.
3. 3. Character development: A short story outline is a great way to keep tabs on your main character’s growth as your tale unfolds. Make note of every scene in which they appear. Keep tabs on their development while giving them a consistent point of view. Their backstory will be important too, even if you only lightly address it in the outline. Learn more about character development in our complete guide here.
4. 4. Critical plot points: Even short fiction has plot points that anchor a narrative—from an initial hook to the rising action to the turning point to the climax to the denouement. Get these plot anchors in your outline, and make sure they are adequately spaced within your story structure.
5. 5. Worldbuilding: Short story writers must flesh out their narrative with details both grand and picayune that convey a sense of time and place to the reader. If you have ideas for textured detail during the outlining process, get them down on the page. This will help you remember them, and it will also let you track the quality and consistency of your worldbuilding throughout the short story. Learn more about worldbuilding in our article here.

Writing a good story requires thorough structure and careful attention to detail. Here are four writing tips to help you inject that structure and detail into your outline:

1. Condense Your Narrative Into a Single Sentence.

Let that sentence serve as a rough outline template for every draft you create. This technique—which is also the first step in what’s known as the snowflake method—keeps you accountable to a core storyline at all times.

2. Create a First Draft of Your Outline.

This outline will include only the broadest story road map. Focus on the big picture: the inciting action, the climax, the resolution. You’ll fill in the rest of the story later, but first you’ll want to see the broad sequence of events on the page to make sure you have enough for a compelling piece of short fiction.

3. Focus on Your Protagonist’s Desires.

As you outline, ask yourself what your main character wants in each individual scene. The best short story writers are skilled at crafting brief scenes that accomplish a great deal with very little real estate. There is nothing more important than your protagonist’s persona, needs, and character arc; making sure every scene services those elements will naturally make the storytelling efficient.

4. Use Conflict to Keep Things Interesting.

Readers respond to conflict. As with music, good fiction writing cycles through tension and release. Use new and unexpected conflict to keep the tension coming. This works across genres from mysteries to thrillers to science fiction to romance to whatever is topping the New York Times bestseller list right now.

Become a better writer with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by literary masters, including Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oates, Dan Brown, Margaret Atwood, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and more.