Book writing research:

Novel Outline/Story Outline:

● Includes important planning information about your novel’s structure, plot,
characters, scenes, and more
● Includes links between information and ideas
● 3 questions that should be kept in mind while writing the story outline
○ What is the main contract of the story?
○ What sort of time pressure is working on the characters?
○ What is at stake for the protagonist of the novel? Does the pressure on the
main characters grow more intense as the story progresses?
● Main aspects of the story outline that must be answered:
○ Who is the main protagonist?
○ What is the situation?
○ How will the protagonist change from the beginning of the novel to the
end?
○ What is his objective?
○ What does he want?
○ How does he get or not get what he wants?
○ Is there an opposing force that is stopping the protagonist from achieving
this objective?
○ What is the central conflict of the novel?

Character Outlines/Profiles:
● A character profile is a record of everything you will know about the character
○ Includes: origins, backstory, personality traits, physical appearance,
relationship, fears, motivations.
● Backstory:
○ Character’s full name
○ Place of birth and birth date
○ Family members who have shaped this characters life
○ Experiences that have shaped this characters life
● Physical Description:
○ Eye color, hair color, hair style, skin color
○ Physical mannerisms, body type, distinguishing features
○ Fitnesses, key weaknesses, coordination
● Personality Traits:
○ Personality type
○ Temper, unrequited loves, particular virtues, values
 ○ Bad habits, fears, phobias, mental disorders/stability
● Typical Routine:
○ Best friends, enemies, family members
○ Favourite food, book, subject, movie

DID/Multiple Personality Disorder:

● Treatment
○ Studies show that a combination of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRI), a specific kind of antidepressant medication, and lamotrigine, an
anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer, is an effective treatment for
dissociative disorders
● Auditory hallucinations
○ Hearing voices in DID is not connected to psychosis. In DID, the voices
one hears come from within the person
○ They are voices of the parts existing within the core person
○ Can start hearing voices during early childhood and with different tones,
genders, meanings
○ Not all voices are negative
● Delusions
○ Unshakable beliefs in something untrue
○ Lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or
sense of identity
● Other Symptoms
○ Anxiety, phobias, panic attacks
○ Sleep disorders (insomnia, night walking, night terrors)
○ Suicidal tendencies and compulsions
Resources:

● Brown, Dan. “How to Outline Your Novel in 5 Steps: Master Novel Template - 2021.”
MasterClass, 8 Sept. 2021,
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-outline-your-novel
● Staff. “Create a Character Outline for Your next Writing Project.” MasterClass,
MasterClass, 17 Aug. 2021,
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-great-characters#4-elements-of-a-cha
racter-profile
● “Schizophrenia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 7
Jan. 2020,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/symptoms-causes/syc-20
354443
● Wong. “Dissociative Identity Disorder: What Is It, Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland
Clinic, 2019,
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple
-personality-disorder
● Matulewicz, Crystalie. “Anonymous (Not Verified).” HealthyPlace, 22 June 2016,
https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/dissociativeliving/2016/06/hearing-voices-in-dissocia
tive-identity-disorder
● Bhandari, Smitha. “Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder): Signs,
Symptoms, Treatment.” WebMD, WebMD, 22 Jan. 2020,
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-
disorder
● “Emphysema | Emphysema Symptoms | Emphysema Treatment.” MedlinePlus, U.S.
National Library of Medicine, 24 Aug. 2021, https://medlineplus.gov/emphysema.html
● Bhargava. “Emphysema: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatments.” Cleveland
Clinic, 8 July 2019, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9370-emphysema
● Cunha, John P. “What Is the Life Expectancy for Someone with COPD?”
EMedicineHealth, EMedicineHealth, 14 Jan. 2019,
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/ask_life_expectancy_for_copd/article_em.htm#ask_a_
doctor