How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The Story Outline

This is the 10th post in a series on how to write a fantasy novel that sells.

If you’ve been following this series of posts then you know I’m explaining how to write a fantasy novel by using examples from my best-selling fantasy novel, The Jongurian Mission.

What I did with that book even before I wrote the first sentence of what would become the novel was to write a detailed outline.  I knew I wanted to write a fantasy trilogy.  I knew that I wanted it to be epic.  And I knew that I was looking at around 120,000 to 150,000 words for each volume.  With that much material it’s easy to get lost.

Writing a Detailed Fantasy Story Outline

Because it’s so easy to get lost in your story it’s always a good idea to have a roadmap of sorts.  I can’t tell you how many times I went back to my original, and later detailed, outline to see where I needed to go next.

This made it easy for me to see the end in sight and in turn finish the novel.  This approach won’t work well for everyone, and many authors think that it stifles their creativity.  I will tell you that I don’t really plot out individual scenes and never dialogue.  I let those things come naturally through the creative process.

Below is an example of what I did to detail my fantasy story outline:

Story Outline

• The story begins with the young peasant Bryn Fellows traveling with his uncle Halam Fiske to the capital of Tillatia, Plowdon, from a small farming village.
• It is the first time Bryn has traveled.  His uncle wants to educate him in the way of politics and court life in the capital city.
• Soon after arriving to court, Halam is given the task to attend court in the capital city of Culdovia, Baden, to negotiate the upcoming year’s trade deal for the provinces’ grain harvest.
• Halam sees this as an even better opportunity to further Bryn’s education, so takes him along.
• The two travel along the road to the capital, discussing the different provinces and their history along the way.
• On route, they run into many different characters traveling to or from the capital, or to points anywhere in between.  These characters give further information about the continent of Adjuria
• Arriving in Baden, Halam and Bryn find lodgings with a friend of Halam’s, a fellow noble from Tillatia who permanently resides in the city on the provinces’ behalf.
• The two travelers learn that a trading and diplomatic exhibition is about to get underway to the Jongurian treaty-port city of Weiling.
• It is made known to Halam that he may have to represent Adjurian agricultural interests on the voyage, as the trade representative from Fallownia returned home.
• Halam attends the royal court to hear the news of the exhibition.  It is much more important than he was led to believe, as the diplomatic mission is to open up greater dialogue and ease travel restriction with Jonguria, something which has not been attempted for several years.
• Other groups are present at court wishing to go along, and are heard by the king.
• Envoys from Culdovia and Duldovia for the diplomatic mission.
• Soldiers from Mercentia and Allidia wishing to attend Jongurian military academies.
• Shefflin nobles to negotiate better trading deals.
• It is agreed that Halam will go with the exhibition.  He thinks this is too important, and perhaps dangerous, to take Bryn along, so begins preparations for him to be sent back to Tillatia.
• Bryn is able to show his usefulness, however, and persuades Halam that he would be an important contribution to the exhibition.
• The group travels to Dockside in Portinia to board a ship to the island of Nanbo in Jonguria.
• The ship arrives safely after many weeks at sea, and meets with the Jongurian trade and diplomatic officials.
• The Jongurians have bad news.  They tell of further travel restriction and a cessation of all trade between the two nations.
• There is no reason given, and the group is told to immediately board their ship and head back to Adjuria
• With little choice, the group prepares to debark.
• The night they leave Weiling, the ship is attacked with most hands asleep.  Most are killed, but before the ship goes down, most of the group is able to board a small boat.
• After many days at sea, they land on the southern coast of Jonguria, in the Pudong Province, west of the Dashao Desert and east of the city of Bindao.
• After much debate, the group is split between those wishing to journey overland into Ximen province so as to cross the Isthmus, and those wishing to head to the city of Bindao to catch a ship back to Adjuria.
• It is well known that foreigners are not allowed in Jonguria, and that they all may be killed if they go to the city.  There is a strong suspicion that they were attacked by Jongurian pirates, perhaps with the permission of the government.
• It is decided that the group will try their luck in Bindao
• The group nears the city of Bindao and is immediately taken into custody by the patrolling city guard.
• They are taken to see the cities governor, who tells them they are to be put to death for breaking the travel restrictions.
• The group is thrown into a prison to be executed in the morning.
• During the night, the group is able to escape, but not without the capture of one of the diplomats.
• They see him put to death as they exit the city.
• Now with many members wounded, the group begins traveling northwest toward the border with Adjuria.  They know it will be near-impossible to get through Xishan Mountains and past the city of Waigo, not to mention the desert of the Isthmus, but they see no other way.
• Slowed by injuries, the group is soon set upon by Bindao soldiers.  They make a run for some low hills, hoping to escape or make a stand.
• During the ensuing fight, they are aided by an older soldier who attacks the Bindao soldiers.
• It is learned afterward this is an Adjurian named Jurin Millos who has lived in Jonguria for many years.
• There is little time for questions as more Bindao soldiers are on the way.  Jurin takes them further into the hills, telling them they need their wounds treated.
• Jurin takes them to the home of an old Jongurian named Wen Wubai who treats their wounds.
• After much deliberation in the Jongurian tongue between Jurin and Wen, Wen sets out with the group, who now number one less due to mortal injuries suffered in the fight.
• The group sets off once again for the Isthmus.
• Along the way Bryn questions both Jurin and Wen, learning much and seeing much debate between the two about their two nations.
• Following the Dongshui River, the group makes it to the Xishan Mountains.
• It is impossible to cross the mountains anywhere besides the pass which leads to the city of Waigo.
• Wen tells them he was once a border guard along these mountains many years ago, and with his help, the group may be able to get by the city.
• Wen enters the city with Jurin, leaving the group in the mountains looking down on Waigo.
• After two days with no word, it is decided that something has gone wrong.  Some want to press past the city themselves, while others want to find out what happened to Wen and Jurin.  A small group goes into the city
• They find out that Wen and Jurin have been captured, Wen for harboring a foreigner, and Jurin for previous crimes unstated.
• The small detachment is able to free them in a small battle, losing another member of the group.
• They flee the city, finding the remaining members, and then flee back into the mountains.
• Wen tells of a canyon he knows which will lead past the city, but it is very dangerous if they are followed into it.
• They see no choice, and go into the canyon
• With Waigo forces at their tail, the group flees through the canyon.  It is evident they will not be able to outrun the Waigo forces, who know the canyon better and have superior numbers. 
• It is agreed that the strongest fighters will make a stand, and the others will flee to the Isthmus, hopefully alerting Adjuria to the problems.
• Jurin and Halam stay to fight, sending Bryn and some of the remaining diplomats along with Wen, who can find the way out of the canyon, on toward the isthmus.
• The last Bryn sees is Halam being cut down in battle, with Jurin about to suffer a similar fate.
• The group is able to make it out of the canyon and onto the outskirts of the Xi’Tsong Jungle.  They make their way through onto the grasslands and into the desert of the Isthmus.
• It is agreed their best chances lie by traveling along the southern coast in the off-chance they may spot a trading vessel heading to or from Nanbo.
• This is not the case, and the group, losing more to dehydration along the way, staggers into the grasslands and forests along the Barrier Mountains where they are spotted by a patrol from the Ithmian capital of Fadurk.