Break a chapter into individual scenes with POV, goals, conflicts, outcomes, and emotional beats. Use when the user wants to outline scenes, break down a chapter, plan scene beats, or mentions scene outline or scene breakdown.
Create a detailed scene-by-scene outline for a chapter before any prose is written. Every scene must justify its existence by advancing plot, revealing character, or both.
books/<book-title>/chapters/chNN/outline.md# Chapter [N] Scene Outline: [WORKING TITLE]
## Chapter Purpose
- **Plot function**: What plot beat does this chapter deliver?
- **Character function**: What character development happens?
- **Reader experience**: What should the reader feel at the end of this chapter?
## Entering State
- Where are we physically?
- What just happened in the previous chapter?
- What is the POV character's emotional state entering?
- What does the reader know vs. what does the character know?
---
## Scene 1: [SCENE TITLE]
- **POV**: [character name]
- **Location**: [specific place]
- **Time**: [when, relative to previous scene]
- **Goal**: What does the POV character want in this scene?
- **Obstacle**: What prevents them from getting it?
- **Outcome**: (success / failure / complication / twist)
- **Emotional Beat**: What does the character feel at the end?
- **Information Revealed**: What does the reader learn?
- **Sensory Focus**: Which senses to emphasize?
- **Key Dialogue Moment**: The most important exchange (summarized)
- **Transition to Next Scene**: How do we move forward?
## Scene 2: [SCENE TITLE]
(same structure)
---
## Exiting State
- Where are we physically?
- What has changed since the chapter began?
- POV character's emotional state leaving?
- What question is the reader asking? (chapter hook)
## Continuity Notes
- Items/details that must be tracked going forward
- Promises planted in this chapter
- Character knowledge changes
Every scene must pass at least TWO of these:
If a scene only passes one test, it should be merged with another scene or cut.
Before outlining, verify:
books/<book-title>/chapters/chNN/outline.md