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Manuscripts is our novel writing software... but before writing, most people need to outline at least a little bit! Here's a basic way to use Manuscripts for outlining.
- Access Manuscripts by clicking Manuscripts in the left sidebar.
- Start by establishing the plot by creating the basic chapter structure. You can create a beat sheet to store your plot in your Manuscript or alternatively use the plot template on the worldbuilding side of World Anvil.
To pull up your plot while working on your Manuscript, Press Ctrl + K to open the Search - After completing your basic plot reference, click the title of your Manuscript at the top of the left panel.
- Select Review mode at the top right of your screen.
- You will see small Synopsis fields for each Chapter of your Manuscript. Fill those in with the plot points that correspond to each chapter.
- After that, click on the Chapters listed on the left. You can now see the synopsis that you filled in for each of them on the right.
- You can now fill in the synopsis for each scene of the chapter. This is a great way to make sure your future self remembers your vision for each chapter.
- If you click on a Scene listed on the left, you can now see its synopsis on the right.
- You can now start expanding even further on what happens in each scene or start the actual writing!
For more information and help using Manuscripts, check the Feature Guide to Manuscripts. You can also check How to use Save The Cat on World Anvil for help outlining with this popular method.
