Outlining with Multiple POVs

[Centerfield97]

I'm having trouble outlining. I can write what each character (i have around 5/6) is doing in the beginning, middle, and end of the novel, but I'm finding it difficult to do a more chapter-by-chapter outline, especially where chronologically characters have to be in the same place or experience similar events. Any tips/articles?

 

[Ankari]

I have the same thing going on. I have two documents: one is a storyboard and the other is a timeline. In the timeline, I list all the days in one column and next to it I write the chapter that falls on that day. It helps. FYI, I use Excel for the timeline. You could easily use Google Spreadsheet.

 

[Weaver]

I'd go with a low-tech method myself (yes, go ahead, call me a technophobe if you like - it hasn't happened yet this week), like just drawing it on a piece of paper, but however you choose do it, some kind of visual diagram of the timeline would probably work best in this case. That way you can easily see where two or more characters are in the scene together, rather than having to flip back and forth from one character's personal timeline to another to see where they intersect. I did this once with one of my own stories to make sure I was spacing scenes with various characters more or less evenly instead of bunching a lot of scenes with character A too close together or not having much with character B for several chapters.

 

[Penpilot]

Try this youtube video. There's examples of how to handle multiple plot lines.
Dan Wells on Story Structure, part 1 of 5 - YouTube

 

[Butterfly]

On excel, I have created a calendar, and written in where each character is, and a description of the events taking place on certain dates at certain plot points. (Come to think of it now.... I need to go and update it).