TURN YOUR PREMISE INTO A BESTSELLING BOOK OUTLINE

This AI-Assisted Workflow Will Help You Build A Full Book Outline In Minutes

I read Story Engineering by Larry Brooks a few years ago, and his premise really resonated with me.

According to Larry, a former copywriter turned bestselling novelist and story consultant, nearly all bestselling books share the same framework, and for writers who want to make a serious attempt at creating marketable books, the best thing they can do is follow this framework in planning out a novel.

As a copywriter myself, this systematic approach to storytelling made a lot of sense to me. We do the exact same thing when writing a sales page or an email sequence.

I began planning out my own books with this framework in mind, but even with the help of Larry’s framework, it’s no easy task to plan out an entire book. It’s challenging, and it’s time-consuming.

At least, it used to be.

ChatGPT has created a way to plan out entire books in seconds. Watch the video below to learn how.

1. Initial ChatGPT Prompt

Copy/paste the following text into ChatGPT:

 

Larry Brooks, in his book “Story Engineering,” recommends a four-part story structure for crafting compelling narratives. This structure is designed to ensure proper pacing, character development, and plot progression.

Here is an outline of the four-part structure:

Part One: Setup (25% of the story)

a. Hook: An opening scene that captures the reader’s attention and introduces the main character and the story world.

b. Inciting Incident: The event that sets the main conflict in motion and disrupts the protagonist’s ordinary world.

c. First Plot Point: The turning point that propels the protagonist into the main conflict, marking the end of the setup and the beginning of the response. This point typically occurs at the 25% mark of the story.

Part Two: Response (25% of the story)

a. The protagonist reacts to the First Plot Point, often struggling and making mistakes.

b. The stakes are raised, and new challenges, obstacles, and conflicts are introduced.

c. Midpoint: The turning point in the middle of the story, where the protagonist gains crucial information, makes a significant decision, or experiences a pivotal event. This typically occurs at the 50% mark.

Part Three: Attack (25% of the story)

a. The protagonist becomes proactive, devising a plan to overcome the obstacles and conflicts.

b. The stakes continue to rise, and the protagonist faces increased opposition.

c. Second Plot Point: The final injection of new information, which often leads to a significant revelation or decision. This typically occurs at the 75% mark of the story and marks the transition to the resolution phase.

Part Four: Resolution (25% of the story)

a. The protagonist confronts the antagonistic forces and resolves the main conflict.

b. The climax: The most intense, emotional, and exciting part of the story, where the protagonist faces their final challenge or test.

c. The resolution: The aftermath of the climax, tying up loose ends and showing how the characters have been affected by the events of the story.

By dividing the story into these four parts, Brooks provides a clear roadmap for writers to structure their narratives effectively. The structure encourages proper pacing, character development, and plot progression, ensuring a satisfying and engaging reading experience.

I’m going to give you a book premise, and I’d like you to put together a plan for the book using this framework. If you can help me with this, reply YES.

2. Enter Your Book Premise

Type the following text into ChatGPT:

 

Here’s the premise: [your book premise]

What Makes A Good Book Premise?

According to Larry Brooks, a good premise includes the following:

  1. Conceptual Originality: The premise should be original and unique, bringing something new to the table that hasn’t been done before. It needs to introduce a fresh concept or a new twist on an existing one.
  2. A Compelling Question or Problem: A good premise also presents a compelling question or problem that the story seeks to answer or resolve. This is what drives the plot and keeps readers turning the pages.
  3. Conflict and Tension: The premise should inherently involve some sort of conflict or tension that the characters in the story must navigate. This conflict will drive the plot and shape the character arcs.
  4. High Stakes: The stakes should be high for the characters involved, lending urgency and importance to the story’s events. If the outcome of the story doesn’t matter to the characters, it won’t matter to the readers either.
  5. A Clear Protagonist: The premise should make it clear who the protagonist is, and ideally, give some indication of their goals or the challenges they’ll face.
  6. Character Arc: A good premise often implies a character arc, suggesting how the protagonist will change and grow over the course of the story.

In essence, a good premise sets the foundation for the story, introducing a unique concept with high stakes, conflict, and clear protagonist character development.

3. Request A Scene-By-Scene Outline

You can vary the number of scenes requested based on your preferences.

 

First, type in the following:

Write out a 15-scene outline for part one.

 

Next, type in the following:

Write out a 15-scene outline for part two.

 

Next, type in the following:

Write out a 15-scene outline for part three.

 

Next, type in the following:

Write out a 15-scene outline for part four.

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