How the Foolscap Method Can Help You Plan Your Novel (And Why It Works)

Novel planning is an overwhelming process. Even authors with multiple published books feel overwhelmed when starting a new book. The Foolscap Method can help you feel more confident in the outline of your story and less overwhelmed. It is a one-page outline that strips your story down to its essential elements. I will walk your through exactly how the Foolscap Method works and why it is so effective.

1. What is the Foolscap Method?

The Foolscap Method is a compact outline designed to get to the heart of your story’s structure. The method derives its name from the “foolscap” paper, a large sheet historically used for drafts. But this method isn’t about the size of paper—it’s about simplifying your novel's outline to fit on one single page.

In StoryGrid terms, the Foolscap Method is a condensed version of what might typically appear in a more detailed plan. According to StoryGrid, it helps you identify the fundamental elements that drive your story. The one-page Foolscap sheet typically includes:

• Genre

• Theme

• Protagonist’s Goal, Flaw, and Setback

• Plot and Key Scene Beats

• Setting

• Tone and Style

It’s designed to force clarity and focus by reducing your story down to one page. This forces you to make decisions about your story and prevent you from getting lost in a sea of ideas. It also makes it easy to track your story's most important aspects.

To read more on the origins and the details of the Foolscap Method, check out StoryGrid’s Foolscap article here.

2. How the Foolscap Method Can Help You Outline Your Novel

The Foolscap Method organizes the story’s key beats and structural essentials. Here’s a breakdown of each section:

• Genre: Accurately naming what genre your story falls into is so important because genre is what sets up the reader’s expectations. Genre dictates tropes and plot structures. A well-written book marketed as the wrong genre can fall flat because the reader’s expectations weren’t met.

• Theme: Identify your core message or theme early on. Is your novel about redemption, coming-of-age, love, or good vs. evil? Having this clarity up front will help you so much in crafting character development.

• Protagonist’s Goal, Flaw, and Setback: You must be able to identify your protagonist’s primary goal, the flaw that prevents them from achieving it, and the setback they face that forces them to change to reach their goal.

• Plot: I know it is so difficult to reduce a plot down to only a few sentences. The key here is to focus on pivotal turning points. Pushing yourself to identify the most pivotal parts of your story will help you so much later on.  

• Setting: Think about how your setting impacts your story. Where are we? When does this story unfold? Why is this the best time and place for your story to take place? Be sure that your setting enhances your plot.

• Tone and Style: Tone influences how readers emotionally engage with the story. Thrillers have darker tones and use short sentences to increase intensity during tense moments while romance has a light tone and uses vivid emotional descriptions to draw the reader into the emotions of the characters. Tone is important for allowing your reader to emotionally engage in your story.

The Foolscap Method prevents you from getting tangled in superfluous details by limiting you to these core elements and only one page of paper. It is a tough exercise but it will keep you focused while writing.

3. Why Writers Love the Foolscap Method

The Foolscap Method is widely praised for its simplicity and efficiency. Here’s why it’s a favorite:

• Clarity: The method forces you to think critically about the most important aspects of your novel. Condensing all key elements onto a single sheet forces you to identify the essential elements of your story.

• Focus: By identifying your genre, character, and plot, you keep your story's central conflict at the forefront which prevents your novel from losing direction mid-way.

• Speed: With the Foolscap sheet, you’ll have a novel’s “big picture” laid out within minutes. This rapid outlining technique sets a clear path and avoids getting lost in subplots and extraneous details. Since this method can be completed so quickly it can work for you whether you are a plotter or a pantser.

4. How to Use the Foolscap Method for Your Novel

Using the Foolscap Method is easy and straightforward. Follow these simple steps to fill out your Foolscap outline:

1. Genre: Write down your novel’s genre (e.g., historical fiction, sci-fi, mystery, etc.). This sets the tone for what readers can expect from the narrative. If you need help identifying your genre you can use Goodreads to search by genre to identify comparable titles.

2. Theme: Identify the overarching message of your story. What is your central idea?

3. Protagonist’s Goal, Flaw, and Setback: Define the protagonist’s goal (what they want), flaw (why they can’t get it), and setback (what obstacles stand in their way).

4. Plot: Write a succinct sentence or two describing each main plot point. Focus only on the primary conflict and turning points.

5. Setting: Briefly describe the setting—both time and place. Check that your setting supports the genre and theme.

6. Tone and Style: Identify the overall emotional tone and style of the novel. Is the writing light and humorous, or dark and tense?

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using the Foolscap Method

Here are a few common pitfalls that writers sometimes fall into when using the Foolscap Method:

• Overcomplicating the Outline: The beauty of the Foolscap is its simplicity. If you start adding unnecessary detail, you risk losing focus. Keep it concise.

• Vague Character Motivations: The Foolscap asks you to clarify your protagonist’s core goal, flaw, and setback. If these aren’t well-defined, I recommend spending some time identifying those before moving forward. Writing a character backstory and bio can be helpful for figuring these out.

• Forgetting Conflict: Without clear conflict (internal or external), your novel will lack drive and your risk the reader getting bored.  

6. Foolscap Method vs. Other Plotting Techniques

So, how does the Foolscap Method compare to other outlining techniques?

• Foolscap vs. Snowflake Method: The Snowflake Method involves expanding your plot through multiple levels of complexity, while the Foolscap Method focuses on defining the broad strokes in a much simpler format. The Foolscap is great for writers who prefer a high-level roadmap.

• Foolscap vs. Three-Act Structure: The Three-Act Structure dives deeper into specific plot points and story structure. The Foolscap method provides a quick sketch, which can then be fleshed out in greater detail using the three-act structure later if you would like.

7. Final Thoughts on the Foolscap Method for Novel Planning

The Foolscap Method is a concise way to organize your thoughts and outline your novel. It gives you a clear path to follow and reduces the chaos of overwhelming details. If you’re ready to take the next step, you can download my Foolscap Novel Planning Template here.

Still need help mapping out your story? As an Author Accelerator certified book coach, I work with authors of all experience levels at every stage to help build structure, solid character arcs, and strong, compelling plots. If you don’t see the right service for you on my Services page, please feel free to contact me for a customized coaching plan.