Sample Novel/Story Pre-Outline


Title and Author: Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White

Character 1 Name: Wilbur

Sentence: Wilbur the pig is saved from certain death by the girl Fern only to be thrown back onto the chapping block at Zuckerman's farm

Action/Involvement: Wilbur's life is in danger because he is supposed to be killed for bacon. Wilbur is trying to survive.

Character 2 Name: Charlotte

Sentence: Charlotte the spider comes to Wilbur's rescue at the beginning when she becomes his best friend.

Action/Involvement: Charlotte is trying to save Wilbur's life by writing nice messages about him in her spider's web.

Add more characters, following the same steps

Setting Place: The Zuckerman Farm

Mood: funny, sometimes sad

An interesting sentence: "It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both." (p. 184)

A problem which needs to be solved: Wilbur's life is in danger.

How the problem is solved: Charlotte saves him by writing messages about him in her web.

Finish reading? Why not try to talk it out before you do your rough draft?