This video explains the 24-chapter novel outline, a structured template developed by Derek Murphy, helpful for outlining commercial novels. The speaker details each chapter's suggested content and demonstrates how this structure aids in outlining with AI tools.
The transcript provides descriptions for 24 chapters, plus an optional 25th chapter. Here's a summary of what is described for each:
Act I: The Hero and Their Ordinary World (Chapters 1-6)
Act IIA: Exploring the New World (Chapters 7-12)
7-9: Hero is thrust into a new world, gaining allies and enemies, facing challenges (games and trials). 10. Section Break: The First Pinch Point (first major battle with the antagonist). 11. Problem Revealed: The hero realizes the problem's scale. 12. Right Before the Midpoint: The hero discovers key information leading to a crossroads.
Act IIB: The Bad Guys Close In (Chapters 13-18)
Act III: Defeat and Victory (Chapters 19-24)
Optional Chapter 25: Epilogue – shows character changes after the events of the novel.