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How to Outline a Book with a PLOT GRID (Updated: 2025)

Write with Claire Fraise

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I use a plot grid to outline every single book I write. I learned it from an article about how JK Rowling outlined the Harry Potter books, and in this video, I explain what a plot grid is, how I use it to outline, how I use it to revise, and also share a template so you can create plot grids of your own.

I made this video YEARS ago on this channel, but I wanted to re-do it with clearer examples and also include a template. So, here you go.

Have you ever used a plot grid to outline your books?

PLOT GRID TEMPLATE ON GOOGLE SHEETS: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

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🎬 VIDEOS YOU WILL LIKE:
How to Outline Using a Plot Grid (2021): How to Outline a Book Using a Plot Grid
Outline a book with me using a plot grid: OUTLINE A BOOK WITH ME Using a PLOT GRID |...
Learn to plot like JK Rowling (livestream where I break down plot grids in detail): Learn How to Plot like JK Rowling | Using ...

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ABOUT: Hi, I'm Claire! I’m an award-winning self-published author of paranormal thriller books (my book "They Stay" won the Grand Prize at the 2023 Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards and is the first in a five-book series).

There is no one way to write a book. I’m a strong believer that the only way to develop your own writing process is by trying a bunch of different methods to find out what is the most helpful to you. In my videos, I share how I approach every stage in my writing process, from brainstorming to editing, in the hope that it could give you something to try that could help you level up as a writer. I share techniques that have improved my own writing so you can see if the same strategies help you.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 Introduction
0:31 What is a plot grid?
3:36 EXAMPLE PLOT GRID
8:59 My plot grid template
10:58 Final thoughts

20 Comments

@cliffordhallam3270 1 year ago

At 73 I finally have time to indulge my need to write. 25 chapters into my first novel I’ve got characters coming out of every nook and cranny and need a telephone directory to keep track of them . Thank you for your wonderful gift.

@ACooperNorthwoodsWriter 1 year ago

I can see this working for pantsers, as a "reverse outline" to help you keep track of what you've written, especially as you're building up your intuition. Thanks for sharing!

@rickyvvvvv 7 months ago

Three years ago, I began to see films as circles. Setups and payoffs tend to sit almost directly across from each other — if a movie runs two hours, a planted detail often returns about an hour later. Now that I’m writing my first screenplay, I begin by sketching a circle. I figure out the midpoint first, because it immediately divides the story in two. From there, I break it down further into four acts. What I’ve noticed is that, in many films using a four-act structure, act one contrasts with, mirrors, and rhymes with act three, while act two does the same with act four. I’m not sure how clearly this train of thought translates to you, but once I began seeing stories this way, structure stopped feeling abstract and started feeling intuitive. And now that the pattern is clear to me, I think I can finally let go of the circular diagrams and move straight into working with a mind map or even a grid like yours.

@oliverpapineaus 1 year ago

First - I prefer on paper for brainstorming then transfering to pc to clean it up into a clear and concise visual aid.

@Sparkles_and_Tiaras 1 year ago

I need you to know that I'm overjoyed to have this tool. I had gotten 100k words into my novel, and everything felt like it was breaking down even though I had a bunch of good ideas. This grid has saved my story, and helped me totally revamp it into something I'm even more excited about writing. Thank you! (PS, my friends think it's funny that I have yet ANOTHER spreadsheet that I'm excited about. 🤓)

@HelioFox75 1 year ago

Heads up that you should make your templates uneditable by others. Otherwise the template can be destroyed by those who don't know you have to make a copy of the document first before using it for their own projects.

@theunwantedcritic 11 months ago

Many years ago, I was reading Joseph Heller’s Catch-22. The hardcover edition contained several pages of his plot grid, which was the first time that I had seen one. Each chapter and catch 22 corresponds to a particular character so you’re going to see the same events from different characters point of view. So Heller had to know exactly what day and even what our event took place to make sure that his characters were not in two places at the same time. Was very useful.

@jacac 1 year ago (edited)

I started writing plays. Unlike novels, plays are usually more condensed, but they come with an added challenge: real actors have to understand and perform your characters (think Stanislavsky). So I built a grid using characters instead of subplots, and scenes instead of chapters. That helped me check whether each character's arc was coherent and relatable from an actor’s perspective. It really helped.

@gwynnathawinna 1 year ago

Whoa, the algorithm gods knew I needed this. Thank you SO much for the template! I will start reworking my revision with this today!

@starshipsunset 1 year ago

This method really helped me plan out the two thirds of my book but now I am stuck on the first third and have NO CLUE on what I want to happen lmao

@jcorey333 1 year ago

I was listening to a Brandon Sanderson lecture about plotting, and the idea of doing something like this came to mind. I think this is genius and I will definitely try it out!

@lizziebrucewrites 1 year ago

I use a plot grid pretty similar to what you use, but I add word count and percentage in the book to help me see that I'm hitting the points at the right time. I also keep my characters on a separate tab, so I can see it all at a glance 😁.

@tammyt3434 1 year ago

I'm currently writing a story with a LARGE cast of characters who all have a character arc and I had ground to a halt trying to keep track of it all. Thanks for posting this, I really needed it!

@Faby07aleixo 1 year ago

I think you just saved my writting. At some point I get too overwhelmed by my own plots and ideas. This will work wonderfully.

@suhukishinden9888 11 months ago

sorry to be weird but you have probably the prettiest eyes of any human I've ever seen. Anyways thanks for the video tips.

@mindlessmeat4055 1 year ago

That plot grid makes perfect sense to me. I deal with spreadsheets and data for a living (and enjoy it) and that Rowling example made perfect sense to me.

@HighManorPress 1 year ago

Thanks for this. I'm a hybrid 90% disovery/10% outliner. But I'm writing a new genre and need to hit certain beats. Even if I don't write it from an outline, I think this will help map all the moving pieces and see it at a glance.

@BigToody 1 year ago

This reminds me of LocalScriptMan's sticky note method

@PseudoAccurate 1 year ago

This actually is very motivating. I need structure to be creative, which I guess is a lesson for everything creative but this is a great framework. Thanks so much for actually sharing out the spreadsheet.

@Haregue 1 year ago

This method has helped me to develop a series of novels and laying out the whole story from a Birds Eye view. Thank you Claire for furthering my understanding of the grid. I thought I was using it to its fullest but this video has opened my mind to the many possibilities of what this grid method can really do!