So here you are: you have your outline and the general idea of what your novel is going to look like. But you’ve run into another problem. How do you write the chapters?

This is something that’s stumped me for a while. After all, if I want to write a 27-chapter novel, how am I supposed to do that if I don’t know how to write the chapters? So, with a little research and my trusty pal, Pinterest, I’ve created my own chapter outline. Here is how I break it down:

Scene Setting

I’ve broken this section into three parts: time, location, and atmosphere. Does your scene take place in the afternoon or at dawn? Where are your characters: a park or an abandoned warehouse? Is the mood tense or romantic and mysterious?

Characters Introduced/Included

This section will inevitably change throughout the writing of the novel, since you’ve most likely introduced your main characters in the first three to five chapters. Ultimately, this is all about the people in your chapters.

Key Interactions

What does the chapter reveal about the characters included? Are your characters passive-aggressive with each other, or are they close friends who haven’t seen each other in years?

Chapter Goals

This section is pretty self-explanatory: what do you wish to accomplish with this chapter? What secrets are revealed, if any? What does your reader now know about your characters or the plot?

Chapter Conflict

What conflicts are included? Does your main protagonist have feelings for two different people? Are they facing a choice that will lead to another character’s demise? What will they do in the face of their decision?

Chapter Outcome

How does the chapter end? Does the character make the right decision? Do they hurt someone else to get what they want?

Emotional Arc

What state of mind does the character start out with? How does that change as the chapter progresses?

What is Learned?

Is there anything new your reader should take note of? Is there an ulterior motive revealed or a secret unlocked that would affect the plot later on?

What Questions Are Raised?*

Is there anything that you want your reader to be left wondering? What kind of questions do you want them to ask? The best way to accomplish this is with a cliffhanger ending, where the reader will want to keep reading in order to figure out what happens next.

* Note: this last section is purely subjective, and it can change depending on the reader. My suggestion is to write out a few basic ideas of questions you want your reader to ask as a generalization you can frame your chapter around.

Depending on the depth of your novel or your experience in writing, you can change this or use it as a starting point for your writing. I’m still learning how to outline in general, but this has given me the ability to sort out my ideas and frame them in a way that is easy to see and understand. I hope that it helps you as well! Happy writing!

If you need a refresher on how to outline your novel as a whole, here is my post on outlining