The three most popular beat sheets for novels

A beat sheet is an outline for a novel or screenplay that helps writers to structure the story and ensure that important plot points are included. A beat sheet can be used to identify key moments in the story, map out the character arcs, and ensure that all elements of the narrative are in place. Beat sheets vary from one format to another, but they all provide a basic framework for writing a compelling story. In this article, we'll look at some of the more popular beat sheets and provide examples of how they can be used to create novel outlines.

What Is a Beat Sheet?

A beat sheet is simply an outline of your story composed of beats—the individual units that make up your narrative structure. Beats help you break down your story into its component parts, which gives you greater control over how it will flow when written out as a complete work. A typical beat sheet starts with an inciting incident or hook—a moment that sets the stage for conflict or drama—and then follows with various plot points and major milestones throughout the narrative arc until it reaches its resolution.

Three Popular Beat Sheets

When creating a novel outline using a beat sheet, there are several popular options available to choose from. Here are three common ones:

The Snowflake Method

This strategy was developed by author Randy Ingermanson as a way to plan out stories step-by-step using increasing complexity and detail. It consists of ten steps beginning with identifying your protagonist's goal, then breaking down each scene by adding characters and details until you have fleshed out everything needed for completion.

The Three-Act Structure

This approach looks at stories in terms of three acts: setup (or exposition), confrontation (or rising action) and resolution (or denouement). It encourages writers to focus on specific plot points such as inciting incidents and climaxes in order to craft an effective overall structure for their stories.

Save the Cat! Beat Sheet

Developed by screenwriter Blake Snyder from his book "Save the Cat!" this method consists of 15 beats organized into four acts: setup, confrontation, climax/resolution, and aftermath/denouement/wrap-up/climax II (Snyder calls these "stings"). Each act contains specific elements such as turning points or midpoints that help move your narrative along in an entertaining way while keeping readers engaged throughout each section of your story.

Examples Of Each Beat Sheet In Use

To illustrate how these different beat sheets might look when used to outline novels, here are some examples:

The Snowflake Method Example

Let's take a look at how someone might use this method to create an outline for their novel about two people who find themselves stranded in space after their spaceship malfunctions:

• Step 1 – Identify Protagonist Goal : escape from space before running out of oxygen
• Step 2 - Establish Setting : deep space; malfunctioning ship
• Step 3 - Introduce Inciting Incident : ship malfunctions; crew must abandon it
• Step 4 - Introduce Conflicts & Antagonists : hostile aliens; limited resources; limited time
• Step 5 - Establish Character Arcs : protagonists must overcome fears & doubts; antagonists become more powerful
• Step 6 - Lay Out Plot Points : protagonists discover new technology; narrow escape attempt fails ; protagonists find unprecedented solution ; final battle ensues
• Step 7 - Add Characters & Details : introduce secondary characters like engineers & scientists who aid protagonists ; flesh out antagonists , etc .

The Three-Act Structure Example

Now let's take a look at how someone could use the Three-Act Structure to outline a novel about a young girl who discovers she has magical powers:

• Act 1 – Setup : protagonist is unaware of her powers ; discovers them in unexpected way
• Act 2 – Confrontation : protagonist must come to terms with her newfound abilities & use them to battle an evil force
• Act 3 – Resolution : protagonist overcomes the evil force ; learns to accept & embrace her power

Save the Cat! Beat Sheet Example

Finally, here's how someone might use the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet to create an outline for a story about two teens trying to stop an alien invasion:

• Act 1 - Setup : protagonists learn of alien threat ; begin gathering resources & allies for defense
• Act 2 - Confrontation : protagonists face off against aliens ; defeat minor battles but realize full invasion is imminent
• Act 3 - Climax/Resolution : protagonists make final stand against aliens in epic showdown ; succeed in thwarting invasion
• Act 4 - Aftermath/Denouement/Wrap-Up/Climax II : protagonists are rewarded for their efforts and celebrated as heroes

Benefits Of Using A Beat Sheet Outline For Novels

Using a beat sheet outline can be highly beneficial when writing novels as it helps writers keep track of all the moving pieces within their stories. It also serves as a roadmap that can be used to ensure that all plot points are addressed and accounted for, which can help prevent unnecessary tangents that could derail the narrative. Additionally, by breaking down your story into beats you can more easily identify any potential areas where additional details or scenes may be needed. This makes it simpler and quicker to revise your novel should you need to do so.

How To Create Your Own Customized Beat Sheet Outline For Novels

Creating your own customized beat sheet outline doesn't have to be complicated. Start by jotting down key plot points you want included in your story such as inciting incidents, climaxes, turning points and so on. Then organize these plot points into acts or sections depending on what kind of structure works best for you and your story. From there you can add details such as characters, settings and conflicts until you have everything needed for completion. Once finished, you should have a comprehensive beat sheet that'll serve as an invaluable tool when writing out your novel from start to finish.

Conclusion

Beat sheets provide writers with an effective way of creating compelling outlines for their stories without having to worry about getting sidetracked or forgetting important plot elements along the way. Whether using one of the more popular methods like The Snowflake Method or The Three-Act Structure or developing your own customized approach, employing a beat sheet will make outlining much easier while giving you greater control over how your narrative flows throughout each section of your book.