It's impossible to conceive a project the size of a novel without a proper outline. A well thought out, well fleshed out outline will save you hours, maybe even weeks of rewrites and frustration. No. It will save you months, probably years, of trying to force all your little square pegs into the round holes you built for them. An outline is a Protector of the Plot Continuum, your roadmap, your guide. It will keep your paths straight and your goals clear. In short, it is essential -- especially if you work in a collaborative manner, as do The Bunions.

To the right is the actual outline used by The Bunions to plan one of their bestselling novels -- The Oslo Incident. Concise, complete and professional, it is the perfect example of how to approach this daunting task. One starts small and fleshes out in subsequent passes. Then, writing the tale is as easy as sipping a margarita. Patience and consistency with these early details is the difference between a so-so novel and one that shines.

The prologue to The Oslo Incident is a fine example of the polish any piece of writing can achieve with assiduous attention to mapping your story.