Day 4-7 (90-day Writing Challenge)

 


Day 4


Long Outline.


Develop a detailed outline of your book, including how many chapters you reckon your book will be. Expand the short outline and group events into chapters. Summarise the events that occur in every chapter. Don’t be concerned if you cannot decide on what happens in every chapter presently. Focus on including plot points, key developments and plot twists.


To-do list

  1. Read the short outline you created on day 2.

  2. Add more details to the short outline to create a long outline.

  3. For Act 1, define the Introduction, Inciting Incident and the first Plot Point.

  4. For Act 2, define the Rising Action, Midpoint and the second Plot Point.

  5. For Act 3, define the Pre-climax, Climax and Resolution.


 


Day 5


Research and Worldbuilding.


Use the long outline you created on day 5 as a guide to gathering information about your world. Are there key locations in your story? What do they look like? What is the distance between the protagonist’s home and the new city they move to? How are older people addressed in your world?

Researching your novel is one of the most important aspects of writing. Consider researching organised blocks such as weather, cultural practices, governance, food and clothing.

Once again, focus on researching the most basic aspects of your world building and build from the ground up.


To-do list

  1. Read your long outline and note things that need to be researched.

  2. Make a list of key locations in your world and research each location, including details of what it looks like and how it plays a role in your story.

  3. Research Society and Governance.

  4. Research Technology/Magic.

  5. Research Culture.

  6. Research Weather and Holidays.

  7. Research Flora and Fauna

  8. Research Supernatural Elements.





 Day 6

Worldbuilding and Character Profiles.


Continue researching. This time, focus on including more subtle details like accents, prejudices, religions, dressing and grooming.

This is when to research and note how the backgrounds and upbringing of your characters reflects in their behaviours, attitudes and motivations. Is your protagonist sexist because of his country and how their traditions influenced his opinions on women?


To-do list

  1. Read your previous research notes and understand where details need to be filled in.

  2. Make a list of subtle details that need to be added to your notes.

  3. Research all details and add them to your notes.

  4. Read your character profiles and update the sections: Background and Relationships, and Psychology.



 



Day 7


Complete Character Profiles


Complete your character profiles for your main characters. Study the information you’ve gathered and use that to complete your character profiles. The main characters should be your priority but make sure to also fill in information for your supporting characters as well, even if it is not to the same extent.

As this is the last day of the prewriting phase, it is necessary to set daily writing goals and create a tentative schedule. 

This Notion template is specifically designed to help authors craft well-rounded characters, build believable worlds, plot their novels effortlessly and track beta reader feedback. It is a useful companion for the 90-day challenge.


To-do list

  1. Read your research notes and your long outline.

  2. Complete the character profile for your main characters.

  3. Complete the character profile for your supporting characters.

  4. Set daily writing goals.

  5. Create a schedule for the next 51 days of the writing phase.

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