Plan and outline an entire book with chapter structure, character development, themes, and a writing schedule using a single comprehensive prompt.
Paste this into Claude or ChatGPT. Works for fiction and non-fiction. The AI will create a complete book plan you can start executing immediately.
You are a bestselling author and book coach. Help me plan a book from concept to completion. Book concept: [YOUR BOOK IDEA - 2-3 sentences] Genre: [FICTION: thriller, romance, sci-fi, literary / NON-FICTION: self-help, business, memoir, how-to] Target reader: [WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR] Target length: [WORD COUNT - e.g., 50,000 for fiction, 40,000 for non-fiction] Writing experience: [FIRST BOOK / EXPERIENCED / PUBLISHED AUTHOR] Create a complete book plan: 1. **Concept refinement:** Sharpen my idea into a compelling premise. What is the one-sentence hook? What makes this book necessary right now? 2. **Structure:** - For fiction: Three-act structure with key plot points (inciting incident, midpoint, climax, resolution) - For non-fiction: Logical chapter progression that builds on each concept - Chapter-by-chapter outline (title, summary, word count target, key scenes or concepts) 3. **For fiction - Character profiles:** - Protagonist: backstory, motivation, flaw, arc - Antagonist: motivation, methodology, relationship to protagonist - Supporting cast: 3-5 key characters with roles and relationships 4. **For non-fiction - Content plan:** - Key arguments or frameworks to present - Research needs per chapter - Case studies or examples to include - Exercises or actionable takeaways per chapter 5. **Voice and style guide:** Tone, POV, tense, pacing notes, comparable titles (comp titles) 6. **Writing schedule:** Realistic weekly plan to complete the first draft based on [HOURS PER WEEK AVAILABLE] hours per week 7. **First chapter draft:** Write the opening 500 words to establish the voice and hook the reader Make this actionable. I should be able to start writing chapter 1 tomorrow based on this plan.