Creative projects
Outline the next scene in a short story
A scene outline works best when it starts from a specific situation and lets the consequences follow from who the characters are. Share what has happened so far, what each character wants, and the decision the scene needs to land on.
A text to start with
I'm writing a short story. Mara, a cautious archivist in her 50s, has found a letter showing that her late brother took money from their mother. Her nephew Dani, who idolizes his father, is waiting in the next room. Outline a scene in which she decides whether to show him the letter. She tends to shield people from hard truths. The tone is quiet, in close third person, similar to the excerpt pasted above.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.What to check before using this outline
Read the outline against the excerpt you shared. If a line of dialogue sounds like a different writer, mark it and ask for a revision that follows your own phrasing. Check each consequence against the facts already established in your story. The outline may also propose a resolution your characters would resist, so trust your sense of them over any suggested beat.
Turning the outline into a draft
Pick the moment in the outline that feels truest and draft it yourself first. Then share that draft and ask for a second pass on the remaining beats. If a proposed consequence changes your planned ending, settle that before you write further.