10 Free Book Outline Templates for Beginners: The Secret to Writing a Book Without Getting Stuck
By Olayinka Joseph
If you have a book idea but keep getting stuck after the first few pages or chapters, you probably do not need more motivation. You may need a clearer outline.
A good book outline answers a very practical question before you sit down to write: What am I supposed to write next? It gives you a working structure for moving from your idea to the introduction, from the introduction to the chapters, and from one chapter to the next without repeatedly stopping to figure out where the book is going.
I have written more than 80 books, and I did not learn this by reading about writing alone. I started self-publishing in 2017 after having a manuscript rejected by publishers. But before then, I attempted to write a book on relationship but I couldn’t finish it for many years. Since then, I have worked through the actual process of writing, developing manuscripts, editing them, formatting books, publishing them digitally and preparing books for print. One lesson that has become clearer to me over the years is this: a book becomes much easier to write when you stop treating the entire manuscript as one enormous task.
You break it down.
First into chapters.
Then into sections.
Then into individual points you can actually write.
That is what the templates in this article are designed to help you do.
What Is a Book Outline?
A book outline is a working plan for the content of your book.
It shows you what each chapter is supposed to accomplish before you spend hours writing the chapter itself.
For a beginner, an outline can be as simple as:
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 — The Problem
- Chapter 2 — Why the Problem Exists
- Chapter 3 — The Solution
- Chapter 4 — How to Apply the Solution
- Chapter 5 — Common Mistakes
- Conclusion
But that basic list is only the beginning.
When I am developing a book, I find it much more useful to go one level deeper. Under every chapter, I want to know the actual points I intend to discuss.
For example:
Chapter 3 — The Solution
- What the solution is
- Why it works
- What the reader needs before applying it
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Common mistake
- Practical example
- Chapter takeaway
Now I have something I can write from.
That distinction matters. A list of chapter titles tells you where you are going. A working outline tells you what you are going to say when you get there.
The Biggest Mistake I See Beginners Make With Book Outlines
Many new authors make their outline too complicated.
They download an elaborate writing template, fill in dozens of boxes, spend days rearranging chapters and eventually become tired before writing the actual book.
That defeats the purpose.
Your outline is not the book.
It is there to make writing the book easier.
When I am outlining a practical nonfiction book, I want to be able to look at the outline and immediately know what I should write next. If I have to spend another hour interpreting my own outline, I have made it too complicated.
There is another mistake on the opposite side.
Some writers create this:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Then they start writing.
That is usually not enough.
The moment they reach Chapter 3, they begin asking:
“What exactly am I supposed to say here?”
That is where many manuscripts begin to slow down.
The templates below sit between those two extremes.
Before You Choose a Template, Answer These 4 Questions
Do not start by choosing a pretty outline.
Start with the book itself.
Write down these four answers:
1. Who is this book for?
Be specific.
Not:
Everybody who wants to succeed.
Instead:
First-time authors who have a book idea but do not know how to turn it into a complete manuscript.
2. What problem does the book address?
What is frustrating the reader?
3. What will the reader know or be able to do after reading the book?
This becomes the destination of your book.
4. What will you deliberately leave out?
This fourth question is often ignored.
It is also one of the easiest ways to prevent your book from becoming unnecessarily broad.
If you are writing a book about creating a book outline, you do not suddenly need five chapters about ISBNs, printing, Amazon advertising and author websites.
Those may be useful subjects, but they belong in another resource.
A focused book is easier to outline and easier to finish.
If you want to see how I approach the wider publishing process separately, you can use my First-Time Author Publishing Checklist after the manuscript is ready.
10 Free Book Outline Templates You Can Actually Use
These are not meant to be rigid formulas.
Take the structure that fits your book, copy it into your document and replace the prompts with your own ideas.
Template 1: The Simple Chapter-by-Chapter Outline
This is the template I would recommend to a complete beginner who has never outlined a book before.
Book Title
One-Sentence Book Idea
This book will help/show/explain ____________________________.
Introduction
- Why I wrote this book
- The problem the reader is facing
- Who this book is for
- What the reader will learn
- What the book will and will not cover
Chapter 1 — __________________
- Main point
- Supporting point
- Example
- Practical lesson
Chapter 2 — __________________
- Main point
- Supporting point
- Example
- Practical lesson
Chapter 3 — __________________
- Main point
- Supporting point
- Example
- Practical lesson
Chapter 4 — __________________
- Main point
- Supporting point
- Example
- Practical lesson
Chapter 5 — __________________
- Main point
- Supporting point
- Example
- Practical lesson
Conclusion
- What the reader has learned
- Main lesson
- What the reader should do next
Add or remove chapters as necessary.
Do not force your book to have ten chapters simply because a template has ten spaces.
Template 2: The Problem-Solution Book Outline
This is particularly useful for practical nonfiction, self-help, Christian living, business, technology and instructional books.
The structure is simple:
Problem → Understanding → Solution → Application → Action
Introduction
- Identify the reader’s problem
- Explain why the problem matters
- Establish what the book will help them do
- Briefly explain your experience with the subject
Part One — Understanding the Problem
Chapter 1: What Is the Problem?
- Define the problem
- Explain how it affects the reader
- Give examples
Chapter 2: Why Does This Problem Happen?
- Causes
- Common misunderstandings
- Mistakes people make
Part Two — The Solution
Chapter 3: The Solution
- Introduce your approach
- Explain the principle
- Show why it matters
Chapter 4: How to Apply It
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Practical example
Part Three — Making It Work
Chapter 5: Common Problems
- Mistake 1
- Mistake 2
- Mistake 3
Chapter 6: Your Action Plan
- What to do first
- What to do next
- What to monitor
Conclusion
- Recap
- Final encouragement
- Next action
This is one of the most useful structures for a beginner because every section has a job.
Template 3: The How-To Book Outline
If your book teaches somebody how to accomplish something, do not bury the actual process underneath too much theory.
Get the reader to the process.
Introduction
- What the reader is trying to accomplish
- Why it may seem difficult
- What they will be able to do by the end
Chapter 1 — Understand the Basics
- What you need to know first
- Important terms
- Common beginner mistakes
Chapter 2 — Prepare
- Tools
- Materials
- Information
- Decisions to make before starting
Chapter 3 — Step One
- What to do
- How to do it
- Example
- Mistake to avoid
Chapter 4 — Step Two
- What to do
- How to do it
- Example
- Mistake to avoid
Chapter 5 — Step Three
- What to do
- How to do it
- Example
- Mistake to avoid
Chapter 6 — Troubleshooting
- What can go wrong
- Why it happens
- How to correct it
Chapter 7 — Finishing the Process
- Final checks
- Quality control
- What to do after completion
Conclusion
- Recap
- Final checklist
- Next step
A practical book should not make readers hunt through ten pages of explanation before discovering the step they came to learn.
Template 4: The “One Problem Per Chapter” Outline
This is one of the simplest ways to stop a nonfiction book from becoming repetitive.
Instead of asking:
“What can I put in Chapter 4?”
Ask:
“What single problem should Chapter 4 solve?”
Then build the chapter around it.
Chapter Template
Chapter Title: __________________
Problem:
What specific problem does this chapter address?
Why it happens:
What the reader needs to understand:
Solution:
Example:
Practical steps:
Common mistake:
Chapter takeaway:
Repeat this structure for every chapter.
It creates a useful discipline: one chapter should not try to solve five unrelated problems.
That is one of the easiest ways to keep a book focused.
Template 5: The Personal Experience Outline
This is the template I recommend when your own experience is part of the value of the book.
Do not simply write your life story.
Use your experience to teach something.
The Situation
What happened?
The Problem
What were you trying to solve?
The Mistake
What did you initially get wrong?
The Discovery
What did you learn?
The Change
What did you do differently?
The Result
What happened after you changed your approach?
The Lesson
What can the reader take from the experience?
The Application
How can the reader apply that lesson to their own situation?
This is particularly useful for authors who have actually done the thing they are teaching.
In my own publishing journey, for example, I did not begin with a complete understanding of digital publishing. I had to learn the process practically after my experience with trying to get a manuscript published in 2017.
That kind of experience is useful in a book because it gives the reader something more than a list of instructions.
It gives them the lesson behind the instruction.
Template 6: The Teaching Book Outline
Use this when your book is primarily designed to explain a subject.
Introduction
- What the subject is
- Why it matters
- What the reader currently struggles to understand
- What the book will teach
Chapter 1 — Foundation
What must the reader understand first?
Chapter 2 — Principle One
What is the first major principle?
Chapter 3 — Principle Two
What is the second major principle?
Chapter 4 — Principle Three
What is the third major principle?
Chapter 5 — Practical Application
How does the reader use what they have learned?
Chapter 6 — Common Questions
What questions normally arise?
Chapter 7 — Putting Everything Together
How do the principles work together?
Conclusion
What should the reader remember?
This works particularly well for teaching-focused books because you build knowledge progressively instead of throwing every idea into the manuscript at once.
Template 7: The Christian Book or Devotional Outline
If you are writing a Christian book, you may need a structure that allows Scripture, teaching and application to work together.
A simple chapter can look like this:
Chapter Title
Key Scripture
Opening Thought
What issue is the reader facing?
Biblical Foundation
What does Scripture say?
Explanation
What does the passage mean in the context of the chapter?
Practical Application
How should the reader respond?
Personal Example
What experience can help explain the lesson?
Reflection
What should the reader think about?
Prayer or Declaration
What can the reader pray or declare?
Chapter Takeaway
What is the one truth the reader should remember?
This structure prevents the chapter from becoming a collection of Bible verses without a clear teaching direction.
Template 8: The Memoir or Testimony Outline
A memoir becomes difficult when an author tries to record everything that happened in their life.
You do not need everything.
You need the events that serve the story.
Beginning
- Where the story starts
- Who you were
- What life looked like
The Problem
- What changed?
- What challenge appeared?
The Struggle
- What did you try?
- What failed?
- What did you learn?
Turning Point
- What changed?
Transformation
- What did you begin doing differently?
Where You Are Now
- What is different?
Lessons for the Reader
- What can the reader learn from your experience?
This is particularly important when writing a testimony.
Your experience is the evidence, but the reader still needs a reason to keep turning the pages.
Template 9: The “Question and Answer” Book Outline
This is useful when your readers are likely to have many specific questions.
Instead of organizing the book around broad subjects, organize it around the questions people actually ask.
Introduction
What problem brought the reader here?
Chapter 1
Question: __________________
Answer: __________________
Explanation: __________________
Example: __________________
What to do: __________________
Chapter 2
Question: __________________
Answer: __________________
Explanation: __________________
Example: __________________
What to do: __________________
Continue until the major questions have been answered.
The important part is to avoid padding the book with questions simply to increase the chapter count.
If three questions can be answered properly in one chapter, keep them together.
Template 10: The Complete Chapter Worksheet
This is the template I would use when you already know your book’s main structure but keep getting stuck while actually writing the chapters.
Copy this block underneath every chapter in your outline.
Chapter ___: __________________
What is this chapter about?
What question does this chapter answer?
What does the reader already know?
What does the reader need to understand?
Main point 1
Main point 2
Main point 3
Example or story
Evidence, Scripture, research or practical experience
Common mistake or misunderstanding
Practical application
Chapter conclusion
What should naturally come next?
That last question is important.
It creates a connection between chapters.
You do not want Chapter 4 to feel as though it has nothing to do with Chapter 3.
How I Would Use These Templates If I Were Starting a New Book Today
I would not fill out all ten.
That would create unnecessary work.
I would start with Template 1, the simple chapter-by-chapter outline.
Then I would take each chapter and expand it using Template 10.
That gives me two levels:
Book level:
What is the entire book about?
Chapter level:
What exactly am I saying in this chapter?
This is enough structure for most beginners to start writing without turning outlining into another project.
The Method I Use to Stop an Outline From Becoming Too Big
Here is one practical rule I have learned from writing many books:
Every item in your outline should have a reason for being there.
Suppose you are writing a book about overcoming fear.
Your outline contains:
- What fear is
- Types of fear
- Causes of fear
- How fear affects the brain
- History of fear
- Fear in ancient civilizations
- Fear in modern society
- Five famous people who experienced fear
- How to overcome fear
- Daily exercises
- Conclusion
You may have enough material for a much larger book.
But that does not automatically make it a better book.
Ask of every proposed chapter:
Does the reader need this to reach the promised result of the book?
If the answer is no, move it to another project.
This is how an outline protects the book from becoming bloated.
What to Do When You Get Stuck in the Middle of Writing
This is where an outline becomes particularly valuable.
Do not immediately conclude:
“I cannot write this book.”
Look at the chapter you are working on.
Then ask:
- What is this chapter supposed to teach?
- What specific question should it answer?
- What point am I trying to make?
- What example can explain that point?
- What should the reader do with this information?
- What comes next?
If you can answer those six questions, you usually have enough material to continue.
Sometimes the problem is not writer’s block.
Sometimes the chapter itself is unclear.
There is a difference.
Do Not Wait for the Perfect Outline
I learned this through the practical process of writing and publishing books: an outline can change while the book is being written.
You may discover that Chapter 6 belongs before Chapter 4.
You may realize that two chapters are repeating the same idea.
You may discover a better example while drafting.
You may realize that one chapter is actually large enough to become two chapters.
Change it.
The outline is serving the manuscript.
The manuscript is not serving the outline.
I would rather have an imperfect outline that gets me writing than a beautiful outline sitting untouched in a document.
A Simple Book Outline You Can Copy Right Now
If all ten templates feel like too much, start here.
BOOK TITLE:
____________________________________
WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?
____________________________________
WHAT PROBLEM DOES IT SOLVE?
____________________________________
WHAT WILL THE READER LEARN OR ACHIEVE?
____________________________________
INTRODUCTION
- The reader's problem
- Why this book matters
- What the book will cover
CHAPTER 1:
Main idea:
-
-
-
Example:
Practical takeaway:
CHAPTER 2:
Main idea:
-
-
-
Example:
Practical takeaway:
CHAPTER 3:
Main idea:
-
-
-
Example:
Practical takeaway:
CHAPTER 4:
Main idea:
-
-
-
Example:
Practical takeaway:
CHAPTER 5:
Main idea:
-
-
-
Example:
Practical takeaway:
CONCLUSION
- Main lessons
- Final takeaway
- What the reader should do next
You can add as many chapters as your book actually needs.
How Detailed Should Your Book Outline Be?
There is no magic number of pages.
I would not decide that an outline must be five pages, ten pages or twenty pages.
Instead, make it detailed enough to remove the next major decision from your writing session.
If you sit down tomorrow and your outline tells you:
Chapter 4 — Marketing
you may still spend fifteen minutes wondering what to write.
But if it says:
Chapter 4 — Choosing Your First Book Marketing Channels
- Why trying every platform creates scattered effort
- Start with where your readers already are
- Compare three realistic channels
- Explain what I would test first
- Common beginner mistake
- Practical action plan
you can start writing.
That is the real test.
Does the outline help you write?
If it does, it is detailed enough.
Your Outline Should Help You Finish
One thing I would caution a new author against is spending so much time planning the book that the planning becomes a substitute for writing.
You do not publish an outline.
You publish the finished manuscript.
So use the outline to get yourself to the next page.
Then the next chapter.
Then the final chapter.
When you reach the end, you can revise the structure.
That is much easier than trying to predict every sentence before you have written the book.
If you are still at the idea stage, my guide on how to write your first book step by step covers the wider writing process. This article is intentionally narrower: its job is to help you build an outline that you can actually write from.
What Comes After the Outline?
Once your outline is ready, the next objective is simple:
Write the first draft.
Do not start worrying about the cover, ISBN, Amazon description, advertising or printing while you are still struggling to complete Chapter 2.
Get the manuscript finished first.
After that, you can move into editing, formatting and publishing.
My First-Time Author Publishing Checklist is designed for that wider process.
When you eventually reach the production stage, even your word count becomes useful because it helps you estimate the physical size of the finished book. You can use the free Word Count to Page Count Calculator to get an initial estimate before final formatting.
And when the manuscript is finally ready for publication, your book description becomes part of the publishing work too. I have also created a free Book Description Generator for authors to help with that stage.
The important thing is to handle these stages in order.
Idea → Outline → Draft → Edit → Format → Publish.
Do not try to complete all six at the same time.
Final Advice From My Own Writing Experience
If you have been carrying a book idea around for months or years, do not make the mistake of thinking you need to write the entire book before you can call yourself a writer.
You need to write the next useful section.
That is why I like a practical outline.
It takes the enormous question—
“How am I going to write an entire book?”
—and turns it into smaller questions:
What is this chapter about?
What does this section need to explain?
What example will make it clearer?
What should the reader do with this information?
Then you write the answer.
One section at a time.
One chapter at a time.
Eventually, you look back and realize you have a manuscript.
That was one of the lessons I learned through my own journey from writing my first manuscripts to building years of experience in self-publishing and working with books.
You do not need to know every sentence of your book before you begin.
You need to know what you are trying to accomplish next.
That is what a good outline gives you.
And if your current outline is not helping you write, simplify it.
Your outline does not need to be impressive.
It needs to get you unstuck.
Olayinka Joseph is the founder, editor and lead practitioner behind Creativity Publications. He is a writer, publisher, web designer and digital publishing professional with a B.Sc. in Computer Science and postgraduate studies in Information Technology. His practical work spans book publishing, manuscript preparation, WordPress web design, SEO and digital content. He also writes beginner-friendly guides on web design, artificial intelligence and book publishing, drawing from his hands-on experience to help readers make informed decisions.
