And how do I stick to it? I need to learn how to make an exciting outline for a story. Can y'all please help me?

 

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An outline for a story is just what you plan to do with it. A basic synopsis of the plot with extra details added in as you think of them. I use a small notebook and a pen so I can write down any ideas I have and pad out what I've got. There's really no such thing as an 'exciting' outline, just the feeling you get as the words go down on paper or keyboard when you know a good plot point is coming up.

Just write down the main plot points on a piece of paper/notebook and divide them into smaller sections for the details. Just like a list. It's how I do it anyway.

EDIT: There's also a major point that depends very much on your style of writing. How detailed your outline will be. I myself use a very basic outline and then pad it out in-chapter, writing in details as they come to me. Other people like to plan out every action beforehand, which helps keep plot holes to a minimum, but is entirely too much work for me.

Aekiel

 

To write a plot, you need a story. Here is a story outline:

A plot outline then, is taking your story outline, and selecting the order and parts you want to write about. You could make your story flow chronologically:

Using only this bit, and leaving the rest of the story as "assumed" or something to look back on with flashback or some other transition. If you want a plot not going in order (anachronus), so that it flows like a stream of cosciousness or something, you would just mix up the different parts of the story outline.

When you go to write your story, just take every sentence and expand it into one or more paragraphs of description, dialogue, et cetera.

This is a very structured and percise method of writing. I cannot personally write this way (it just doesn't work with me), but it produces good results, usually.

Note: If you do attempt this method, keep everything short and succinct. Story/Plot outline should contain almost no emotion or descrption.

 

Too many chefs and what have you, but I'll go ahead and take my turn to stir the plot...err pot:
Outline - you want to establish very beginning of your story, a general idea of what is going to happen, and where they are going to end up.
Like Chime said, you can go for a basic timeline-esque outline and flesh it out.

However, if you want to go into anything deeper, or else you intend to write a longer piece, you have to make your outline 'tighter' or else you'll end up with enough plot holes to make the whole thing moot.

Who are your characters? What are they trying to accomplish? What are the current relationships with the other people in your story?

Where do you want the plot to go? Is their any message you want to convey - write down all your ideas and thoughts. The important thing at this point is to get the ideas out your mind and onto paper.

At this point, look over your notes and start putting things in some order, chronologically is easiest for me personally at this point. You should be able to see a general trend of progression. This for me is the one of the most important steps: you now need to link your basic and most likely disjointed ideas while staying true to the character's emotions and perceptions as well as 'cause and effect'


Now you write your story, fleshing out ideas and adding details. It's like a human body - you start with a skeleton, but what you present to us is the full person, complete with individual personality and details.

 

One thing you always should do is write out what you don't want to happen. Let me reiterate. What you don't want to happen. If you have a section for this, it always keeps your mind on not making Harry into a Super!Harry, !Harry, !Harry, etc., which most authors seem to fall into around their fifth chapter.