Before doing this step, it's important to know your characters because their fears, weaknesses, and strengths may affect certain outcomes. For example, if a character needs to jump out of a jet to escape the antagonist but fears heights, then they will most likely refuse to jump, resulting in their capture.

Outlining a story has many different approaches. Some people prefer outlining only major events; others like to jot down each scene. By noting only the big events in your story, you allow more flexibility with the smaller scenes leading up to the event. Both ways will give you a sense of direction when writing, which will decrease your chances of getting writer's block.

Other tips: Try using note cards when jotting down scenes. This way, you can easily rearrange them without having to erase and rewrite constantly.