• Character: Who is your central character?
• Setting: Where is the novel set and how does your character function in that setting?
• Motive: What does your character want to achieve in the course of the novel?
• Inciting incident: What is the significant development that sparks your character’s desire to achieve whatever it is they want?
• Change: What is the fundamental change that has to happen in the novel?
• Plot developments: What are the basic incidents that need to happen to move your plot along?
• Crisis point: What is the worst thing that happens in your plot, the point at which everything seems lost?
• Resolution: What happens at the end to draw your plot to a satisfying ending?
• Theme: Is there an underlying theme to what you are writing? It’s good to realise what it is as it will help you to create the best structure for the book.