How to Outline a Book With the Snowflake Method

Рет қаралды 44,564

Күн бұрын

Many writers have found success with this method of planning a book: the snowflake method. Created by Randy Ingermanson, the idea is that each stage builds on the last, starting with a one-sentence summary and building all the way to a completed outline. If you want to outline a novel but aren't sure how to get from concept to complete plot, this is a tried and true method that works for many writers, so today we'll be covering the six stages of the snowflake method, and a few tips for success!
LEARN MORE:
-Using the Snowflake Method to Write a Novel: blog.reedsy.com/snowflake-met...
-How to Develop a Book: • How to Develop a Book
-How to Make a Character Profile: • How to Make a Characte...
-How to Develop Characters: • How to Develop Characters
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - What is the snowflake method
1:26 - Step 1: The one-sentence summary
2:00 - Step 2: The one-paragraph summary
2:42 - Step 3: Character development
3:33 - Step 4: The one-page summary
4:09 - Step 5: Character bibles and summaries
5:54 - Step 6: The four-page summary and scene list
6:50 - Tips for this method
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Пікірлер: 72

@s.sumbrella7616 3 жыл бұрын

I always find it hard to write my ideas down without obsessing over everything and then end up giving up on it

@eddieevans7596 2 жыл бұрын

The first draft stage hardly ever come out perfect. It gives you something to build off of. You have to give yourself permission to write bad for the first draft of the story.

@tygorilla.tactics Жыл бұрын

@@eddieevans7596 aw

@Fares_Gahlan 2 ай бұрын

Braindump on your phone. NOT your laptop or ANY OTHER MEANS. ON. YOUR. PHONE. When you braindump on the go, you don't obsess over anything. Just dump the idea and make room for a new idea.

@blankb.2277 3 жыл бұрын

4:21 such good advice. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to fill out a character form for a character I’ve been thinking about for a while and get stressed when it asked me questions that required me to know the plot 😂

@cowbless Жыл бұрын

This sounds invaluable for a person like me, who isn't so much trying to write a book, but instead is interested in constructing compelling stories to later use them as inspiration for creating music and visual material. Thank you so much for sharing this information!

@DarwinRoger893 21 күн бұрын

That sounds really awesome. Im also thinking of turning my stories into visual media

@RachelLovelace Жыл бұрын

I never thought of that, "Every character should think they're the protagonist." Great advice! - I find that the snowflake method is a good fit for authors who have a very specific message they are trying to craft through the narrative. It's one thing to write a story in the spirit of something as a way to participate in a broader message. It's another to convey a message through a narrative that not only challenges the reader but also guides them through their own questions and concerns while showing them the enough of what is behind the curtain to scare or thrill them... making them want more even if only to provide them a lamplit path out of the darkness you've just thrust them into. In this way, the framework not only gives the authors something to throw sinew, muscle, flesh and blood onto but also allows them to curate the aesthetic down to its cracked fingernails. This is what I have been trying to achieve... Excellent video!

@marsmurderer9868 2 жыл бұрын

This is the longest shortest video I've ever watched. It's only 9 minutes long but it's taken me the whole day to get 4 minutes in

@jwstanley2645 4 ай бұрын

Thank you for this alternative to The Hero's Journey and Save The Cat.

@1riddles1 3 жыл бұрын

Before this video I was watching a video on Snowflake data warehouse solution. I'm glad that KZfaq recommend this video.

@dicelady20 9 ай бұрын

Currently trying this method for nanowrimo this year since I didn't really flesh out during preptober.

@paulson456gamer5 2 жыл бұрын

It is a good spot to help bridge writers block.

@sunnysnowflake7766 3 жыл бұрын

What a coincidence. I‘m outlining my novel with the snowflake method right now.

@Reedsy 3 жыл бұрын

Good luck!

@sunnysnowflake7766 3 жыл бұрын

@@Reedsy thank you, so far it’s going well

@easyslay7989 3 жыл бұрын

I was looking for some articles on the snowflake method for the last couple of days and I bumped into your video which explained everything so clearly. Thanks Shaelin :)

@steveohlawrow3854 3 жыл бұрын

The book was a fantastic read! No matter your style, I suggest reading it. I think even if you're a discovery writer, the idea itself has, I think, useful ideas to bounce around your mind. I think even using the first couple steps after writing a novel are very insightful for marketing your novel.

@jayashreechakravarthy4949 10 ай бұрын

Abbie and Tsugumi will take notes. We always wing it. Yes, you can join us.

@LorraineCareyAuthor 3 жыл бұрын

This may work for me. I usually write out my scenes first on index card then put them in sequence. Thank you for posting this. Happy Weekend!

@xensonar9652 3 жыл бұрын

I'd already kinda done this without knowing it was a thing. But that's because I went through a period of being obsessed with elevator pitches and comp titles, stuff like that. Or what I'd say if someone asks me what I'm writing.

@piyalichhajed6009 3 жыл бұрын

I am currently on the 4-page summary part! It was a coincidence that you posted this because I was outlining with this method :)

@eleizesilvaferreira6471 Жыл бұрын

Reedsy is just amazing. Love you so much!

@Archanakarthikeyan 2 жыл бұрын

thank you for such a great introduction to the Snowflake method. As a first-time novel writer, I found it very helpful.

@AppleCore360 3 жыл бұрын

I'm certainly going to give it a go. Thank you so much for your informative video's. I love them

@veinohuxler9385 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for making this video! I was always struggling with outlining my stories, where to start doing an outline. I hope this works for me.

@ludwigvanel9192 3 жыл бұрын

I've used the snowflake method to write my debut novel (now revising)

@anthonycotts2451 4 ай бұрын

Great explanation! Thanks for making the videos.

@cristobalgomezgutierrez8546 2 жыл бұрын

# EveryCharacterShouldThinkThey'reTheProtagonist !!!

@3rdeyepirates28 3 жыл бұрын

Please make a series of your favorite literary devices and why love the content keep it going’

@gabrielsouza8480 3 жыл бұрын

She's already made a video about them! Search for "reedsy literary devices" and it should be the first thing to pop up. It's very informative.

@jeffdawson2786 23 күн бұрын

This helps SO much. Thank you. My problem is that my characters sit around and complain. I’m projecting too much.

@Atzael-SMN 3 жыл бұрын

Bro thats me. This video meant for me.

@alyaagad2958 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent. Thank you 💚👏🏻

@emilyeshraghi8197 3 жыл бұрын

Really helpful, thanks! :)

@reena9027 3 жыл бұрын

Nice video like always

@ColeOfCentauri Жыл бұрын

I’m writing my main character’s page synopsis at present using the SF method, and one thing I find is that it helps me flesh out minor characters. I went back to step 3 to write a shorter character intro for a minor character who confronts the hero with a warning before he approaches the first disaster, and I wound up writing her conflict, epiphany, sentence and paragraph summaries because they came to mind naturally. I agree, though, that this method can cause hangups. I have Asperger syndrome and am therefore somewhat perfectionistic, so I feel guilty if I don’t write a complete character intro for my whole extensive list of characters. I think it’s a useful method, but it has some fat that needs to be cut out, at least for me.

@manymusings 3 жыл бұрын

Sound interesting!

@mattthompson4836 2 жыл бұрын

Not very often that people say this these days (and mean it). But... thank you. 😊Merry Christmas and happy holidays, peeps. I hope 2022 is wonderful for you.

@jamesbarbatano6016 3 күн бұрын

Hey, why don’t you do a video on Kishotenketsu; splitting a story into four parts. Lots of people would love to hear more about it.

@vincentstark4496 3 жыл бұрын

That shirt looks amazing on you girl!

@user-fe2lr5jw4i 3 жыл бұрын

I have always done a very similar process just much quicker and less detailed than that. I am very good at coming up with compelling characters and stories and seem to get to the scene list easily. That’s the place I get stuck. With a paragraph or so per scene I don’t know how to turn that into prose. Any advice on the next steps?

@evelyngonzalez6081 3 жыл бұрын

So my advice is that each paragraph (scene) should carry the story along in some way right like this example HERE IS MY ADVICE SINGLE (10 SENTENCE) PARAGRAPH EXAMPLE SENTENCES 1-3 /INTRODUCING YOUR READER TO THE WORLD & MC SENTENCES 4-7/ BRING ABOUT THE CONFLICT FROM WITHIN THE MAIN CHARACTERS THOUGHTS (A MONOLOGE OR AS I SAID YOUR MC COULD BE DEEP IN THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROBLEM SENTENCES 8-10 GIVE YOUR MC SOME TYPE OF HOPE FOR THE RAOD AHEAD MAYBE INTRODUCE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO'S READY TO HELP MC OR REVEAL THAT THE FRIEND OR WHOEVER HAS SOME ADVICE TO HELP MC (GIVE US READERS SOME REASON TO KEEP READING LET OUR HOPE FALL AND RISE WITH MC NO PRESSURE 🤣😅😬 LOL JK EATCH PARAGRAPH OR IN THIS CASE SENTENCES HAS TO LEAD INTO THE NEXT I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN

@2BlackQQeyes 3 жыл бұрын

I wonder... This sounds like it would work well as the lexical point to the Lester Dent method.

@michaelmccullough4633 11 ай бұрын

Do you outline as a discovery writer?

@mhollis1989 3 жыл бұрын

I have tried this so many times but gave up on the character Synopsis (Step 4), usually because i get overwhelmed with the amout of characters to profile.

@screenkiduniya3717 8 ай бұрын

I have 5to6 page for each character

@wocalich340 3 жыл бұрын

This sounds like it would really help with developing a draft. However, I'm a pantser/discovery writer like you and so I don't think it's for me.

@emma-lj6cg 3 жыл бұрын

I am a discovery writer too, and I suggest you can modify the method in accordance to what will work for you :D I think I will have a lot of adjustment on this one that I can no longer call it “snowflake” method, but this video really get me an idea on how my story progress by using the first two step. I hope this helps. Anyway, I hope you a good writing :’)

@fragwagon 3 жыл бұрын

I like the snowflake method but I don't like character summaries, I feel like I should just be drafting at that point.

@greenjupiter 3 жыл бұрын

Like your hair colour

@ludwigvanel9192 3 жыл бұрын

The snowflake method, as good as it is, isnot really suited to my next work, due to the complex structure. The snowflake is based on the 3-act structure, which is kinda artificial)only designed to give theatergoers time for a loo- break)

@generalsankarashezi3326 2 жыл бұрын

I have been trying to write my life story but fear that I may offend some of the people who have been part of my journey. How do I do this without writing a fiction but a true story?

@elisa4620 Жыл бұрын

Change names and settings? Be gentle in the "delivery" of facts? Avoid giving personal informations about other people?

@tifanyleetv 2 жыл бұрын

Would this work for a non-fiction, I wonder?

@lyndonkessler4766 2 жыл бұрын

It seems to me that YES is the answer. Even writing about a scientific subject, i.e., The Human Genome would need to be presented as an exciting read for any reader. The Snowflake method is a guide designed to help the writer connect with the reader. (and the reader to connect with the subject)

@milestrombley1466 3 жыл бұрын

It is basically a novel bible.

@lindenstromberg6859 2 жыл бұрын

Do they call it the snowflake method because everyone thinks they’re the main character?

@tophat2115 2 жыл бұрын

goal, conflict, disaster, alternating with reaction, dilemma, Decision from techniques of the selling author

@ravichandranrajandran7266 3 жыл бұрын

Is IT mandatory to outline books with this method ??

@wocalich340 3 жыл бұрын

It isn't

@mikeg8028 3 жыл бұрын

No, you can write an outline or even the whole book however you want. That said, it is a fantastic method for getting you to focus on the development of your story.

@piyalichhajed6009 3 жыл бұрын

no. There are many other methods to choose from. Or if you're not interested in outlining, you can write without it.

@andrewfleenor7459 3 жыл бұрын

Nothing is mandatory, there are no Plotting Police. :) If your story turns out well, you did it right, or at least ok. You can do one of these processes if you want, or take bits and pieces from others if they help you do better work faster.

@ravichandranrajandran7266 3 жыл бұрын

@@andrewfleenor7459 ok