Template
This is the template I am distilling through this project. It is, as already stated in the Intro, a living document. It will continue to change, possibly indefinitely.
The template is like an equation. You plug in variables to get the answer, with the answer being your outline. So, the template helps you create your outline.
The Beginning (Chapters 1 - 6)
Chapter One
Chapter one is about events and people that are not the main characters, but they are key players in the story.
This chapter is all about the event that sets this whole story in motion. Without this event, the story doesn’t happen.
For Harry it was being brought to the Dursleys/his parents’ death. For Eragon it was the egg being sent.
There should be a thing from this chapter that carries over to the second chapter.
In Harry Potter it was Harry and his dream of the flying motorbike, and in Eragon it is the “stone”.
This chapter shall also include things, places, people, behaviors, and skills that come back up through this book and the series.
We meet or learn of the villain in this chapter. It can simply be the villain of the book, but preferably the series also.
Chapter Two
This chapter shall go hand in hand with the first one. Or rather, it will be as if a baton was passed from the first relay runner to the second.
Chapter Two is from the perspective of the main character.
This is where we get our description of them (3-5 sentences, can be spread over a paragraph or together), and what their life is like.
In this chapter the character is simply going about their day as normal. This gives us a view of the small world they currently live in, so we have a good reference when they are plunged into the larger one.
We are also given a glimpse of the larger world that the main character is about to be plunged into.
In Harry Potter the glass vanishes, and in Eragon he notes that the “stone” must have been sent by magic.
We are introduced to a place that is special or unique to the main character.
For Harry it is his cupboard and for Eragon it is the Spine.
We learn that our main character is poor. Surviving, but poor.
If you have magic in your world, this is where it will first be seen.
The egg appears, the glass vanishes.
Chapter Three (the pre-nexus event)
Chapter 3 sets the stage for the nexus event in chapter 4.
Harry Potter’s chapter three ends with him on the island counting down to his birthday. As Eragon has more chapters, its equivalent is chapters 3 and 4 combined, which ends with him hearing about the dragons from Brom.
While your character would like their life to change, they have little to no longing for it, as it is not something they have ever considered possible.
In this chapter you will have an event, or events, that balances the entire story on the fence. This will be either the main character or someone else actively attempting to keep the nexus event from happening, knowingly or not. Something that should it actually succeed would end the story right there. Of course, don’t let that thing happen. It doesn’t have to be anything that appears to be a big deal at the time. Selling a stone you found is just a thing, right? No big deal.
For Harry it was Vernon trying to keep him from school. For Eragon it was him trying to sell the egg.
Chapter 3 should also foreshadow things in the middle of the book and series.
Harry Potter mentions Aunt Marge, and Eragon mentions SO much; armies dissappearing in the spine, dragons, and the Igualda Falls to name a few.
In this chapter you will see what normal life is for your main character, which is not exactly pleasant. We see how the main character is simply used to this and it is their norm, despite it looking like a terrible existence to us.
For Harry it was his punishment, being taunted by Dudley, the control and physical abuse of his uncle, and their general drive to deprive Harry of things. In Eragon it is him having to barter and borrow for food, them toiling to store food for winter, and them simply waiting around for winter to end.
This is a good opportunity for us to see the main character in their natural habitat before the world is turned over. We should learn who they are, how they act, how they respond to the stimuli of their environment and the people around them. We should also learn what the people in their life are like, as we will be seeing them more in the future. This is the chapter that gives us a good look at what they will be leaving behind.
As with previous chapters, you must have elements that are not obvious to first time readers. There should also be layers for the second time readers; obvious things for any second time reader, things an astute second or third time reader may notice, and things probably only apparent through a study of the book.
The thing I noticed in Harry Potter during study was Dumbledore’s omnipotence and cunning as he put the letters in the eggs. A first time reader wouldn’t know it was Dumbledore, a second time reader will know it was magic, but only if you stop to think will you realize what it would have taken to accomplish this and who was responsible.
Chapter three should end on the doorstep of the nexus event, like, right there man.
Chapter Four (the nexus event)
This is chapter is the Nexus event. The nexus event is a simple thing. It is not so much that the thing happened, but what it does to the main character. After the nexus event happens, there is no going back, nothing that would convince the main character to ignore what just happened and return to their previous life. It is the awakening, the final snowflake that starts the avalanche.
For Eragon it is the egg hatching. For Harry it is him learning he is a wizard.
Your main character is faced with a hard choice, and they must make a decision to stay in their old life or commit to this new one, even though they haven’t yet the faintest inkling of what that commitment means. It is crucial that the main character gets the choice, and that they make the decision. They should not be thrust into this without a choice. Maybe in a different template, but not this one.
While they get a choice, their emotions can be varied. Harry of course was elated to learn of his new life and very willing to have an escape. The choice was easy. Eragon on the other hand had a harder choice. His only options were go with it, or kill the dragon. Not much of a choice, but still a choice.
Your main character is not in his special place when the event happens, but they may be in a secondary place.
Harry was in the shack on the island, Eragon was in his room.
Chapter Five (preparing to leave)
This is the chapter where your main character prepares to leave their world. They gather the things they need, and perhaps events happen along the way to force their hand.
Harry goes to Diagon Alley and gets everything he needs. Eragon “borrows” the things he needs.
Eragon actually leaves twice; Once when Saphira kidnaps him and once after he knows he must leave. He gathers his things in between the two leavings, but Harry only leaves once. The instance in Harry Potter is much cleaner, however one can see the reasons Chris had for doing what he did.
Eragon has a lot of things happen to him that makes leaving be the best option. So while they “have a choice” it may not be much of one. Harry is elated about his option to leave, whereas Eragon does it more out of necessity rather than his preferences.
This chapter sets the stage for them leaving their small little world. I suppose that goes without saying, as every chapter paves the path that leads to the next…
The things gathered will be the basics your main character will need in the new world.
The main character may or may not be aided by a travel partner
Harry is aided by Hagrid. Eragon does all the gathering himself and meets Brom as he leaves.
Your main character may meet their minor rival during this time.
Harry meets Malfoy.
Your main character will gather a “thing” or "things” that they will have throughout the series.
Harry gets Hedwig, his wand. Eragon gets his saddle, and a debt to the tanner, Zar’roc
This is a fantastic place to place some breadcrumbs of foreshadowing.
Harry sees the nimbus two thousand, hears about quidditch, has his mother’s eyes mentioned, the wand chooses the wizard, twin cores, says Voldemort and gets chastised, meets Quirrell, meets Malfoy, etc. Eragon meets the Ra’zac, gets his legs flayed,etc.
Chapter Six (leaving)
Your main character will meet a person or thing with character that they will have throughout the series.
Harry gets his friends, like almost all of them. Eragon gets Brisingr
Harry meets the Weasleys, and Ginny ;D
Your character is ignorant of the larger world they have just been plunged into, as is the reader. So, the main character asks a lot of questions that get the reader the exposition they need, and yet it doesn’t feel forced.
You will lay out some details that basically telegraph what is going to happen. It must be subtle though. This is a transition chapter where you set the stage for what is about to come, and if you hint at it all before hand, the reader will feel better equipped when it happens. You CANNOT be heavy handed here. Foreshadow a lot here, and not just about this book, but the whole series.
If your world has magic, this is the chapter where your main character sees their new friends using it.
Your main character cannot, or will not, return to their old life/place of old life once they leave.
What is this section called? (Chapters 7 - ?)
Chapter Seven (Arriving/Initiation)
Your main character arrives at their new life.
Harry arrives at Hogwarts. Eragon’s arrival is a bit more figurative, as he arrives at battle, and magic, and near death, which is his new life.
This arrival can be magical, a rude awakening to reality, or both.
By the end of this chapter, your character is fully (you know, like 80%) initiated into their new life. They still have a lot to learn, but this chapter is the main transition period, and they are fairly set in their new life by the end of it.
This transition had fairly hard limits for Harry, however it was much much softer for Eragon, and I believe it continued at least through chapter 23, maybe through 28 for him.
This chapter is where you plant a recurring theme. This theme will carry through the entire series to he very end.
For Eragon it is Brisingr, and for Harry it is his scar burning.
Establish a red herring for the villain, here in this chapter. It can be the main villain or the book villain.
For Harry it is Snape, and for Eragon it is the Urgals.
Here we set some rules, rules that your main character will break, bend, or push.
Break the ones that won’t kill them, push the ones that will, and bend the ones that will get them expelled from their new world.
You have to have a character who will establish these rules, like Brom, McGonagal, and Dumbledore.
Chapter Eight (the Learning Begins)
Your main character is always learning new things, especially about their new life, but this chapter is where things really take off and their learning / being taught starts in earnest.
Here we will start to learn more about our hero’s partner(s). Are they smart? Cunning? Funny?
We may have some more C-listers introduced
example: Filch, Mrs. Norris
Your main character may start a secondary friendship here.
Harry starts becoming friends with Hagrid
Your Red Herring is reinforced in this chapter. Like hard.
Think Snape.
This chapter shows more of all the characters involved, remember to reinforce who they are with every word.
Hermione is a know it all, Neville is clumsy, Snape is a wienie, Brom knows more than he lets on, Brom is secretive, Saphira is vain, etc.
Lay down some more Items of Later Significance. These should come back way later.
Rowling throws in Beozores and the Draught of Living Death, which aren’t really mentioned again until book 6. Gotta give your readers these things to make them feel like they are special for remembering or noticing them.
Your Hero will be saved, in a very minor way, by their partner. Remember, your hero cannot succeed without help.
Ron stops Harry from mouthing off.
You should show your main character’s inexperience, or naivety here, and if their partner has experience, show that too.
Sprinkle in some foreshadowing. Or slather it on maybe.
This foreshadowing should be for big and small things.
Brom mentions how odd it is that the Urgals have gathered in force. He also literally talks about the thing that happens at the end of the series, the name of names. Foreshadow a lot, I don’t think you can overdo it.
This whole chapter is about laying down important information for later, but the last thing you do in this chapter is throw something in that brings us back to the main plot.
The Gringott’s robbery is brought up, and Harry starts to connect the dots.
To reiterate, this whole chapter is about learning and foreshadowing.
Chapter
Optional Elements
These are things that I do not believe have to be universal, but I am considering using in my personal template for my outline.
Humanize the villains. Make the reader sympathize with them, make them understand why they did what they did. The villain is of course wrong, but make that less black and white. Make the villain more similar to the hero than we would expect. Give them common ground.
Sorting Area
Your main character cannot go back to their old small world after they leave. Eragon never goes back to Palancar valley until a short nostalgic trip in the last book, after like a million words. Harry doesn’t go back to #4 Privet Drive in any book, he just starts every book by leaving it.
Have a symbol for your series. Something simple, but important and recurring. This symbol should recur often, as that is how you make a thing into a symbol. Don’t force it though.
Create a minor character or characters that will challenge the main character, a minor rival, like Malfoy and Sloan. Have the main character save this person later.
Create Character Sheets that you can fill out. These will fully define your characters.
Throw in a little Easter egg, a slight reference to both of these books.
Your main character’s parents must be dead, or in some way out of the picture. Come up with a good story about how and why they have not been in your main character’s life since they were young. They cannot know exactly what happened to them right away, or what they were like, that is why they died when the main character was young. They also cannot have any siblings or parent figures. One close relative or friend that they care about is all they are allowed to have when the story starts. The only exception is if they have a close relative or friend who is removed from the story early on, like Garrow was. They may have family, but only if they do not like them, like Harry’s relatives. This is necessary to give them emotional flexibility, as well as something for them to find out and come to terms with later. Create a sheet that helps lay this out better, like allowable relationships at the beginning of the story. One other exception would be if the main character is given good reason to be freed from emotional responsibility toward the family or friends they have at the beginning, similar to how Eragon is mostly freed from worrying about Roran because Brom leaves a note and he knows Roran can look out for himself.
Place things close to your main character that will not have significance until later. Some of these things should be important in this book, and some in later books.
Your main character should start the series at an age between 12 and 15.
The event that changes everything, the nexus, must happen by chapter four. Both Eragon and Harry Potter have it happen in chapter four.
Your characters should have plans, ambitions, worries, that will never come to fruition because of the nexus event.
Your story requires at least one red herring that comes in after the nexus event but well before the middle of the story.
Create rules for your world. These rules are “unbreakable” and can only be breached with thorough and fitting explanation. This especially applies to magic, or any other special abilities, if your world has it.
The hero/heroin will require the aid of others, they will not be able to accomplish what they need to on their own, especially in the final climax and despite what they think or want.
Create the customs of the different places in your world, even if you never show them.
The world your main character lives in prior to their nexus event is very small. Define it fully.
The new world your main character is plunged into is very old and has as much history as our own planet. Define it as well as you can.
Develop a timeline and ensure things happen with proper pacing.
Whatever it is that resolves the final conflict in the last book of the series should be set up and subtly alluded to in the first book, preferably in the first third of the book.
Plot points from each book in the series should have roots in the first third of the first book.
Your series will have a song. It can be in any of the books, and there can be more than one if desired. The same goes for poems. At least one.
You will have to fully define the rules of magic in your world. Does it have a language attached to it?
Your character will have a dream in the first half of the book. It will either be prophetic, or foreshadowing.
Your story will have an eccentric character that is actually one of the most sane and intelligent characters in the series. For Eragon it is Angela, for Harry Potter it is Dumbledore.
Set the boundaries of your world, the limits of magic, technology, knowledge, and stay inside them. Push them, ride them, rail against them with your characters, but stay inside them.
Foreshadow the shit out of everything. This cannot be stressed enough, or taken too far.
You have to set up and foreshadow all the books in the series in the first book. You have to.
The hero cannot do what is required of him on his own, he needs the help of his friends.
Your magic system needs a Kryptonite. Anything that can be OP needs a Kryptonite.
Your story has to have some complexity, like Eragon’s family, or Harry Potter’s family/connection to Voldemort.
You should have some surprise or twist.
Your main character must have an underlying talent. Harry’s is defense against the dark arts, Eragon’s is swordplay.
Nexus event notes
The new world gets your character
Hagrid(new) got Harry, Saphira(new) got Eragon.
Aware of the new world prior to being got, or not aware.
Harry was unaware of the wizarding world, Eragon was well aware of the dragon and magic world