Scribe Book Schoolby Scribe Media
Free tool

Nonfiction book outline builder

A fill-in outline template for a nonfiction book. Start with who the book is for and what it promises, then give every chapter a thesis, a hook, its supporting points and what the reader should take away. The finished outline builds underneath as you type, ready to print or save as a PDF.

The fields follow the chapter template in module 3, which explains each one in detail. Everything you type stays in this browser.

The book

Chapters

Your outline


      

    

  





  

    
How to use it

    
    
      
  1. Fill in the book first. If you cannot name the reader and the promise in a sentence each, go back to module 1. Every chapter gets checked against them.
    2. 
      
  2. List the chapters before you fill them. Add a chapter for each step, principle or argument, and give each a working title. Reorder with Move up.
    3. 
      
  3. Write the thesis for every chapter before anything else. One or two sentences: the single point that chapter makes.
    4. 
      
  4. Then the hook, points and takeaway. Bullet points, not paragraphs. Full sentences belong in the draft.
    5. 
      
  5. Read the outline top to bottom. Does each chapter earn its place against the promise? Cut or merge any that repeat.
    6. 
    


    
An example chapter

    
This is an invented example to show the level of detail that works, not a real book.

    
CHAPTER 3: PRICE THE WORK, NOT THE HOURS
Thesis: Clients buy outcomes, so pricing by the hour caps your income and makes the client watch the clock.
Hook: The week a client thanked me for finishing early, then asked for a discount.
Supporting points:
  1. Hourly pricing punishes you for getting better / the early-finish story
  2. Outcome pricing starts from what the result is worth to the client / a worked example
  3. How to make the switch with existing clients / a three-step script
By the end: The reader drafts one offer priced on the outcome.
Next: Once the price is right, the next problem is getting the conversation.


    
Questions

    


Can I get this outline template as a PDF?
Yes. Fill in as much as you want, then use Print and choose Save as PDF. The printed version is the finished outline, with your book details at the top and every chapter in order.


Where is my outline saved?
Only in this browser, on this device. Nothing you type is sent to Scribe or anyone else. If you clear your browser data or switch devices it will not be there, so print it or copy it as text when you finish a session.


How many chapters should I plan?
As many as the book needs to keep its promise. A common convention for nonfiction is around 12 chapters, but plenty of good books have more or fewer. The book length guide explains how to set a target from your outline.


Does this work for a memoir?
Partly. The book fields and chapter thesis work well. For a memoir, use the hook for the scene that opens the chapter and the supporting points for the moments in it, and use the takeaway for what changed.



  




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