Ever wonder how creative types write books and keep their ideas in places they might use for later? I’m assuming you’ve guessed the answer is Evernote, and here are a few templates to get you started.
Hear what Neil Gaiman (author of books like The Graveyard Book and American Gods) has to say:
“I use Evernote for jotting and leaving myself the kinds of ideas I might otherwise lose forever.” – Neil Gaiman
Check out how Neil uses Evernote here.
First up, we have a template for your Story Premise, which is basically a one or two-sentence explanation of what your story is about.
1 Story Premise
A good story premise is a simple one or two-sentence explanation of what your story is about.
Click the image below to copy the Evernote template to your own folder in Evernote to use later.
2 Three-Act Story Plotting
You should be familiar with how a story works, there is a beginning, middle and end. Use this template to plan out your Three-Act story.
3 Character Profile
The best stories have a depth of character, it’s the journey our characters go on throughout the story that draws us in. Use this template so you can have a basic outline of your character/s so you can refer back to your note when you’re writing your novel or short story.
4 Story Beats
Story beats are the milestones, turning points and bare-bones structure your story will follow. This outline is based on Blake Snyder’s “Save the Cat” screenwriting method, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t other methods you can follow, like the Heroes Journey or the 3 Act Structure in No. 2 above.
5 Worldbuilding Basics
The best stories have incredible detail built into their worlds, think about Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Use this template to ask yourself questions about the world you want to create.
Want some more help to Spark your Storytelling bone? Why not sign up for my FREE Micro Storytelling course? Click here to register.
Or jump right in and grab the accompanying workbooks to start your storytelling journey. Click here to purchase.
