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The Ten Day Novelist #1
The Ten Day Outline: A Writer's Guide to Planning a Novel in Ten Days
Before beginning any journey, you need a plan.
Writing a novel is no different.
Through a simple ten day challenge, The Ten Day Outline will guide you as you create an outline built to support every step of your writing journey. Along the way, it’ll help you form the foundation you need to write a novel you’re proud of.
You’ll learn to:
• Strengthen the ideas you have and discover new ones, even when inspiration seems far away.
• Expand your original idea into a fully fledged story.
• Develop a fleshed-out cast of characters, without overwhelming yourself with complex formulas and “best-practices."
• Apply structure to your story in a way that honors and refines your original idea. • Bring it all together in a final Master Outline, designed to guide you through every stage of writing your novel.
Each day of this outlining challenge comes with easy to follow prompts and intuitive goals, streamlining the outlining process. By the end, The Ten Day Outline will have taken the stress out of planning a novel, so you’ll be ready to set out on your own epic writing journey!
Writing a novel is no different.
Through a simple ten day challenge, The Ten Day Outline will guide you as you create an outline built to support every step of your writing journey. Along the way, it’ll help you form the foundation you need to write a novel you’re proud of.
You’ll learn to:
• Strengthen the ideas you have and discover new ones, even when inspiration seems far away.
• Expand your original idea into a fully fledged story.
• Develop a fleshed-out cast of characters, without overwhelming yourself with complex formulas and “best-practices."
• Apply structure to your story in a way that honors and refines your original idea. • Bring it all together in a final Master Outline, designed to guide you through every stage of writing your novel.
Each day of this outlining challenge comes with easy to follow prompts and intuitive goals, streamlining the outlining process. By the end, The Ten Day Outline will have taken the stress out of planning a novel, so you’ll be ready to set out on your own epic writing journey!
155 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2019
429 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 23, 2020
Of all of the writing craft books I've read, I'd say this one is the most helpful one. Even more helpful than anything else in this particular series, this book really hits a good mark, especially for someone who was previously a pantser.
I've pantsed a lot of my writing previously, and now as I go back into the query trenches, I find a lot of things that I've done wrong. Not just the sort of "this is wrong and subverts the genre in a cool way" wrong, but like... fundamentally bad story structure. Would the manuscripts be fixable? Yes. I could probably take them apart using this outlining method and make them better.
But the real gem lies in how this breaks down the structure to help you get it right the first time. The reason this book, above any other outlining book, really shines for me is this: Jorstad breaks it down into simple, step-by-step tasks. You get the idea hammered out, and then you break it down in a way that doesn't just look at your structure and your outline, but also focuses on character, premise, and more in a detailed way. My rough outline was a good 5,000+ words long after working through this book, but it allowed me to look past the obvious or cliche options to ones that were more in-depth and more exciting.
Who this book is for:
-Writers who would like a tried-and-true system to plot faster
-Writers who need a nudge to push past the obvious and make something even better
-Writers who haven't had success with outlining before
-Writers who want that step by step look at each part of the building process (perfect for a reformed pantser who needs something beyond "hey, now do your first act. Then do your second act.")
Who this book is not for:
-Someone who is resistant to the process taking longer than 10 days (spoiler alert: my outline took me a little longer than that)
-Someone who doesn't write using the three act structure. Jorstad focuses heavily on that, and a literary writer who isn't focused on three act structure probably won't find as much to work with here (though, there may be hidden gems).
If you only buy one book in his series, make it this one.
I've pantsed a lot of my writing previously, and now as I go back into the query trenches, I find a lot of things that I've done wrong. Not just the sort of "this is wrong and subverts the genre in a cool way" wrong, but like... fundamentally bad story structure. Would the manuscripts be fixable? Yes. I could probably take them apart using this outlining method and make them better.
But the real gem lies in how this breaks down the structure to help you get it right the first time. The reason this book, above any other outlining book, really shines for me is this: Jorstad breaks it down into simple, step-by-step tasks. You get the idea hammered out, and then you break it down in a way that doesn't just look at your structure and your outline, but also focuses on character, premise, and more in a detailed way. My rough outline was a good 5,000+ words long after working through this book, but it allowed me to look past the obvious or cliche options to ones that were more in-depth and more exciting.
Who this book is for:
-Writers who would like a tried-and-true system to plot faster
-Writers who need a nudge to push past the obvious and make something even better
-Writers who haven't had success with outlining before
-Writers who want that step by step look at each part of the building process (perfect for a reformed pantser who needs something beyond "hey, now do your first act. Then do your second act.")
Who this book is not for:
-Someone who is resistant to the process taking longer than 10 days (spoiler alert: my outline took me a little longer than that)
-Someone who doesn't write using the three act structure. Jorstad focuses heavily on that, and a literary writer who isn't focused on three act structure probably won't find as much to work with here (though, there may be hidden gems).
If you only buy one book in his series, make it this one.
September 11, 2020
I loved the brainstorming exercises in this book as a way to shake up my prewriting process. Used in tandem with Story Genius, I feel like this was a great way to set up a string plot/character/theme trio.
January 8, 2023
Some really great ideas for outlining that I hadn't heard before. I'm excited to to try this method for outlining the sequel to my debut, because she's being stubborn and resisting all attempts to outline thus far 😠
August 2, 2022
Great resource
Some really interesting ideas for drafting a novel. I’ve picked up some tips that I’m keen to put into practice.
Some really interesting ideas for drafting a novel. I’ve picked up some tips that I’m keen to put into practice.
April 29, 2020
Have an idea for a novel? Go ahead and write it.
Oh, wait. After the first few pages you wonder where to go from there.
Or you make up your characters as you go along, but they change from chapter to chapter.
Or your story veers wildly out of control.
There are things you should think about before you start writing: What is the story actually about? What are my characters really like, and how do I keep them authentic all the way through? How do I build my story from beginning to end without making it sag in the middle?
There are several books about how to plan a novel, but The Ten Day Outline by Lewis Jorstad is the most immediately useful. Jorstad shows you, step by step, how to plan out your story. He deals with big things first, so you won’t have to go back and start all over again later. Throughout The Ten Day Outline, he goes from overarching general topics toward specifics. It’s really pretty open-ended—not like those tedious outlines you had to do in middle school. He does this in a friendly, non-judgmental style that makes the process easy for you.
When I read The Ten Day Outline, I had already written a lot of my first draft; however, I stopped and went through the ten day process. It showed me how to tighten up the concept of my story, sharpen the main conflict, and broaden my major characters. It showed me how to order my scenes and connect them to each other. And it showed me some ideas for the ending I hadn’t ever thought about. My novel is going to be highly improved by The Ten Day Outline.
Have an idea for a novel? Get The Ten Day Outline and start in right away—the right way.
Oh, wait. After the first few pages you wonder where to go from there.
Or you make up your characters as you go along, but they change from chapter to chapter.
Or your story veers wildly out of control.
There are things you should think about before you start writing: What is the story actually about? What are my characters really like, and how do I keep them authentic all the way through? How do I build my story from beginning to end without making it sag in the middle?
There are several books about how to plan a novel, but The Ten Day Outline by Lewis Jorstad is the most immediately useful. Jorstad shows you, step by step, how to plan out your story. He deals with big things first, so you won’t have to go back and start all over again later. Throughout The Ten Day Outline, he goes from overarching general topics toward specifics. It’s really pretty open-ended—not like those tedious outlines you had to do in middle school. He does this in a friendly, non-judgmental style that makes the process easy for you.
When I read The Ten Day Outline, I had already written a lot of my first draft; however, I stopped and went through the ten day process. It showed me how to tighten up the concept of my story, sharpen the main conflict, and broaden my major characters. It showed me how to order my scenes and connect them to each other. And it showed me some ideas for the ending I hadn’t ever thought about. My novel is going to be highly improved by The Ten Day Outline.
Have an idea for a novel? Get The Ten Day Outline and start in right away—the right way.
April 25, 2020
I approached this book knowing I usually have a rough framework of plot before I begin writing. I know where the key points should land, but beyond writing the "exciting" scenes, I tend to stall in the connecting scenes and therefore never really get much completed. I knew I needed a gentle push and some structure. The built-in deadline of 10 days to an outline would keep me from procrastinating (in theory- it took more like 12 days, but that's on me) I am big fan of "props" and inspiration so the beginning spoke to me about making a collection to spur creativity. I also was very thankful for the 10 questions, 20 answers segment. It made me really think about where I wanted to go with the plot and gave it more depth than I might have had without it. Expanding on the scenes made me rethink the ones I thought of as filler or not as fun as others. I feel like I have a solid structure now to work from and actually hitting "The End" will be possible. Thank you!
January 28, 2024
Plotting fast and furious
July 9, 2025
The Ten Day Outline breaks down the process of outlining a novel into ten (nine, really) days of exercises geared toward fleshing out character and plot, addressing pacing, and reducing the rework that often accompanies “pantsing” (writing a novel without any planning).
My finished novels to date have been rewritten in their entirety several times, which is frustrating, slow, and demoralizing. I picked up this how-to based on another author’s recommendation. I found it to be an insightful and practical approach for someone who would like to outline but finds that process tedious in itself.
I followed the steps as written and am finalizing the master outline to rework (*eye roll yes, again) my work-in-progress in the hopes that doing this process before I’m sixty or seventy thousand words into whatever comes next will save me the angst that brought me to this book in the first place. While there are not a ton of new ideas in this book, the instructional delivery makes it a highly recommended read for anyone struggling to see their ideas through from start to finish.
My finished novels to date have been rewritten in their entirety several times, which is frustrating, slow, and demoralizing. I picked up this how-to based on another author’s recommendation. I found it to be an insightful and practical approach for someone who would like to outline but finds that process tedious in itself.
I followed the steps as written and am finalizing the master outline to rework (*eye roll yes, again) my work-in-progress in the hopes that doing this process before I’m sixty or seventy thousand words into whatever comes next will save me the angst that brought me to this book in the first place. While there are not a ton of new ideas in this book, the instructional delivery makes it a highly recommended read for anyone struggling to see their ideas through from start to finish.
June 24, 2025
Okay, this wasn't a 10-day outline for me, but I've finally reached the finish line and I'm happy with my overall experience!
This is a solid book for beginners like me with no writing experience. Each chapter was straightforward and honed in on a different aspect of the outlining process. The only reason I didn't rate this book five stars is that I wish there were additional chapters for those of us writing fantasy and sci-fi, dedicated to more heavy worldbuilding, and I would've liked the structure of the outline to have been more detailed. Sometimes, I finished a chapter and felt unsure where the content should fall in my outline. On the other hand, that could be seen as a positive because then you don't feel as constrained!
I'll definitely do more work on my outline in my own time before I sit down to start writing, but this book was invaluable in setting me on the right path and motivating me to move forward!
This is a solid book for beginners like me with no writing experience. Each chapter was straightforward and honed in on a different aspect of the outlining process. The only reason I didn't rate this book five stars is that I wish there were additional chapters for those of us writing fantasy and sci-fi, dedicated to more heavy worldbuilding, and I would've liked the structure of the outline to have been more detailed. Sometimes, I finished a chapter and felt unsure where the content should fall in my outline. On the other hand, that could be seen as a positive because then you don't feel as constrained!
I'll definitely do more work on my outline in my own time before I sit down to start writing, but this book was invaluable in setting me on the right path and motivating me to move forward!
May 17, 2020
This book is a must
I always considered myself a “pantser” or one who writes without a plan. Outlining was always an insurmountable task for me. This book changed that. Currently, I have a complete master outline after completing the ten day outline challenge. 40 index cards detailing each scene, front and back.
I’ve read every book on novel writing, and this one is the most impressive. Until this point On Writing by Stephen King was the number one writing book in my library. Jorstad is even more inspiring, and easy to follow.
It’s on to the next book in the series for me. The Ten Day Draft. If you struggle to outline and want to make writing your first draft a thousand times more manageable, pick this book up!
I always considered myself a “pantser” or one who writes without a plan. Outlining was always an insurmountable task for me. This book changed that. Currently, I have a complete master outline after completing the ten day outline challenge. 40 index cards detailing each scene, front and back.
I’ve read every book on novel writing, and this one is the most impressive. Until this point On Writing by Stephen King was the number one writing book in my library. Jorstad is even more inspiring, and easy to follow.
It’s on to the next book in the series for me. The Ten Day Draft. If you struggle to outline and want to make writing your first draft a thousand times more manageable, pick this book up!
August 27, 2024
Great step by step Outline advice!
Everyone talks about Outlines and how it keeps them on track or some say they don't do it at all.
This is the first book that breaks down HOW to make an affective outline and gives the step by step instructions to do it.
It's def a challenge and the author challenges you/us to take the time (2 hours a day) to sit down and start not just braining storming but writing things down.
I didn't finish the challenge as I got busy but plan to revisit this book next year to redo it. I'd liked the steps so far and finished reading through and think it gave sound advice to bring my ideas together.
Can't wait to put this into practice and then moving on to the drafting book!
Everyone talks about Outlines and how it keeps them on track or some say they don't do it at all.
This is the first book that breaks down HOW to make an affective outline and gives the step by step instructions to do it.
It's def a challenge and the author challenges you/us to take the time (2 hours a day) to sit down and start not just braining storming but writing things down.
I didn't finish the challenge as I got busy but plan to revisit this book next year to redo it. I'd liked the steps so far and finished reading through and think it gave sound advice to bring my ideas together.
Can't wait to put this into practice and then moving on to the drafting book!
January 16, 2020
As a recent converter to outlining, I wasn’t sure where to begin. Having finished The Ten Day Outline, I have a new perspective on the outlining process—which I’m grateful for!
Lewis breaks down every aspect of his process with terminology and examples that even new writers can understand. It’s extremely useful for the new outliners as well. Since outlining a novel can be daunting, outright overwhelming, and complicated, it’s nice to have a step-by-step book to help with the process!
I HIGHLY recommend any writer read this book, whether you’ve just started out or have been writing for years!
Lewis breaks down every aspect of his process with terminology and examples that even new writers can understand. It’s extremely useful for the new outliners as well. Since outlining a novel can be daunting, outright overwhelming, and complicated, it’s nice to have a step-by-step book to help with the process!
I HIGHLY recommend any writer read this book, whether you’ve just started out or have been writing for years!
January 22, 2021
So enjoyable!
Not gonna lie: even if I consider myself a very organized and goal-oriented person, this challenge was no walk in the park.
At first, I had trouble seeing the value in some of the exercises, but I pushed myself and ended up getting hooked!
I had already started with my story and had a (very shoddy) outline when I started this workbook, but I managed to flesh everything out, get the logic and flow of scenes down, and find ideas to resolve plot points that were still nebulous in my mind. I was excited to write this story when I first came up with it, but now I'm completely stoked! Thanks, Lewis!
Not gonna lie: even if I consider myself a very organized and goal-oriented person, this challenge was no walk in the park.
At first, I had trouble seeing the value in some of the exercises, but I pushed myself and ended up getting hooked!
I had already started with my story and had a (very shoddy) outline when I started this workbook, but I managed to flesh everything out, get the logic and flow of scenes down, and find ideas to resolve plot points that were still nebulous in my mind. I was excited to write this story when I first came up with it, but now I'm completely stoked! Thanks, Lewis!
April 4, 2022
The book that converted me from pantsing to plotting. While a lot of the advice Lewis offers is nothing new, the way that he presented these concepts helped me finally understand why things I'd dismissed as a waste of time previously were useful and see the bigger picture of how outlining can be a tool to better harness my natural creativity, rather than stifling it as I'd previously assumed. Lewis makes the process feel clear, manageable, and approachable, especially for my all-over-the-place ADHD brain, and thanks in large part to his process, I was finally able to go from never having finished anything longer than a short story to successfully drafting my first novel.
September 14, 2021
Such a great book to plot and plan too. Just completed the plotting and planning of the first book in a romance series - my second time plotting and planning and this worked a treat. I have a solid premise, outline a d character profiles all reward to go. I didn’t do it in 10 days (I work full time as a teacher) so don’t let the time frame put you off- but I did plan on a third of the time. The information is clear and helpful and you learn a great deal. Will definitely use it again fir Book 2 in my series.
November 4, 2025
A very helpful guide
I liked that this was an actual guide to writing an outline with clear steps to follow. I liked that it gives deadlines for a chronic procrastinator this was a big help to keep in check, but it did take me longer than 10 days - life has a way of getting in the way. I would recommend anyone who wants to write. I think no matter what type of writer you are have an outline with at least the general ideas of your story already laid out will be beneficial for you to actual complete a novel that flows.
I liked that this was an actual guide to writing an outline with clear steps to follow. I liked that it gives deadlines for a chronic procrastinator this was a big help to keep in check, but it did take me longer than 10 days - life has a way of getting in the way. I would recommend anyone who wants to write. I think no matter what type of writer you are have an outline with at least the general ideas of your story already laid out will be beneficial for you to actual complete a novel that flows.
December 5, 2020
This book is a great workshop for outlining, though it works mainly if you’re a plotter rather than a pantser. There are sections on plot, character, point of view, structure...it packs a punch for a small book.
My only real critique is that it focuses mainly on handwritten index cards for plotting, but doesn’t really touch on spreadsheets or programs like Scrivener that have their own “corkboard.” But other than that, this is a solid outlining resource.
My only real critique is that it focuses mainly on handwritten index cards for plotting, but doesn’t really touch on spreadsheets or programs like Scrivener that have their own “corkboard.” But other than that, this is a solid outlining resource.
March 19, 2022
This book is perfect for those writers who are stuck with an idea but don't know how to flesh it out and bring it to life. Although, I felt like I had to complete my outline with my own processes - which is totally normal and every author has their own ways - I felt like this book gave me a clear structure of how to begin and how to proceed with my outlining step by step. I will keep using it for my other writing adventures.
November 27, 2025
ADHD Aspiring Author God Send
This was exactly what I needed to take my story from an idea to a deeper fleshed out story. I thought I had my novel well on its way but as I worked through this book, I was able to see the potential for depth in my story. It is practical and holds you accountable. There are reminders to help track back to earlier ideas and expand on them. I highly highly recommend. I’m looking forward to reading more of the series!
This was exactly what I needed to take my story from an idea to a deeper fleshed out story. I thought I had my novel well on its way but as I worked through this book, I was able to see the potential for depth in my story. It is practical and holds you accountable. There are reminders to help track back to earlier ideas and expand on them. I highly highly recommend. I’m looking forward to reading more of the series!
February 20, 2020
The Best!
This detailed book will guide you from vague idea all the way to a complete first draft. No other book comes close to explaining it so well. After almost twenty years of studying the craft of writing, I can now make the connection between my thoughts about something I could write, and now being able to actually achieve real results.
This detailed book will guide you from vague idea all the way to a complete first draft. No other book comes close to explaining it so well. After almost twenty years of studying the craft of writing, I can now make the connection between my thoughts about something I could write, and now being able to actually achieve real results.
May 4, 2021
If you're just starting out, got some writing under your belt, or even if you're a "pro" this book is for you. You will not be disappointed. Jorstad brings his A game and hits it out of the park. The 10 day outline takes you from blank page to outline in 10 days with easy to follow (and excellent) advice. You can't go wrong with this book - or any of them in the series.
July 31, 2021
Even though the tips given in this book are good, I feel that the writer has simply cherry-picked ideas from other writers and pretended they were his own. Not one thing is new in this, nothing from his own writing experience is shown (because he hasn't published a novel), and he constantly repeats himself.
I won't bother to read any of his other 'Ten Day' guides.
I won't bother to read any of his other 'Ten Day' guides.
August 11, 2021
Ive been live streaming, using writing sprints and this book to outline and I have to say that it is indeed a great start. I am a terrific pantser but I struggle with doing the necessary work to produce a workable reverse outline...so I did a proper outline for a new work and voila! in a few days I will begin the actual writing of the manuscript
March 9, 2020
Synchronicity
A lot of things I’ve been studying by reading craft books has come together in reading this book. I plan pn using these techniques on my fourth book and hope that it will streamline the process to make it possible to release a new book every two months.
A lot of things I’ve been studying by reading craft books has come together in reading this book. I plan pn using these techniques on my fourth book and hope that it will streamline the process to make it possible to release a new book every two months.
September 5, 2023
Hands down the best guide to writing a book outline. The author provides so many details that I'd never think about. It's not necessary to write your outline in ten days, and I certainly didn't, but this guide was so helpful in writing my new book.
July 3, 2024
I needed a lot of helping outlining my novel. As someone who struggles to stay organized, especially with my writing -- this book helped a lot! My outline still needs some work, but it's so much more fleshed out and organized than it was before. This is an excellent resource for writers!
July 1, 2020
The Basics
This is a pretty basic book about outlining. It's nothing you couldn't find with a quick search of YouTube of just the internet in general.
This is a pretty basic book about outlining. It's nothing you couldn't find with a quick search of YouTube of just the internet in general.
October 13, 2020
Super helpful!
April 23, 2021
Great tips and guidance to get things started.
August 13, 2021
Great step by step book
This was a great step by step process. It lays out the process one piece at a time to give you a great way to handle an outline. Highly recommend.
This was a great step by step process. It lays out the process one piece at a time to give you a great way to handle an outline. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews