Writing a book in word скачать

Whether you’re writing a fiction book or a nonfiction book, you’ll want to start writing as quickly as possible to reach your goal of becoming an author.

A book template can help you do just that by saving you time from having to set up your own book file.

Even better – the book templates listed in this article are absolutely free. Since self-publishing costs come out of the author’s own pocket, it’s important to save money where you can, so that you can use that budget to hire professional editors and cover designers.

Here are the top free book templates:

1. Free Fiction & Nonfiction Templates
2. KDP
3. BookBaby
4. DiggyPOD
5. DIYBookFormats
6. 48HrBooks
7. BookPrintingUK
8. UsedtoTech
9. Book Template Generator

Please note that several of the sites listed here offer book production services. This article does not review the quality of the services provided by these sites, so we aren’t able to provide any endorsement or testament as to whether these companies are good to work with or not. 

Get A Nonfiction Book Outline for Your Manuscript!

In this article, we are simply listing the free book template resources that self-published authors can utilize as they write a book.

Reasons to use a book template

Every author has their preference on writing tools, and one that continually tops the chart is Microsoft Word. 

It’s your standard word processor, and while it seems basic, it’s super versatile and easy to use. 

If you don’t need a fancy writing software, or are just getting started as an author on a low budget, Microsoft Word may be your best bet. 

It’s readily available, user-friendly, and has all the nuts and bolts you need (including a powerful editor). 

Ready to find your perfect Microsoft Word book manuscript template? Here we go! 

Here’s 5 reasons why you should use a book template to write your book:

1. There is little to no learning curve.
2. It is readily available on most computers, and can be purchased at major retailers.
3. It’s versatile for use on a variety of word processing projects.
4. It has a powerful document editor for spelling and grammar checks.
5. It has several formatting options and includes free templates.

If you don’t want to fuss with setting up a book template in Word, or want more variety in templates to chose from, consider downloading a pre-made book template for Word.

There are several sites that offer free downloadable book templates, and they are already set-up and formatted specifically for writing a book. You can download the template, then open it in Word, and get to writing!

These sites offer free, downloadable book templates for Microsoft Word.

Free Fiction & Nonfiction Templates

If you’re writing a book and need a template to help you organize your chapters, content, and format, then we have a book template for you!

When writing a book, templates are helpful to keep you on track and plan for which content your book needs to include.

Here’s where you can download a free template for book writing:

• Writing a Book: Template For Nonfiction
• Writing A Book: Template for Fiction

KDP Free Paperback Manuscript Templates

For a basic manuscript template, use these free book layout templates from Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). 

Download them here.

If you plan to publish your eBook to KDP, these templates will work just fine. They are available in all of the common standard book sizes. 

Download blank templates, or pre-filled templates with sample content, if you want to have an overall example of how a book will appear with the template. 

If you need a book template for Word in a language other than English, these templates will be helpful as they are available in a variety of different languages. 

Once you download the files, a .zip folder will appear on your computer. Once you unzip the file, you will then see zipped folders for each language.

You can unzip the folder in the language you need, which will give you access to the various size book templates.

BookBaby Free Book Template

With several different sizes to choose from, BookBaby offers a variety of book layout templates depending on the type of book you are writing. 

From standard book sizes to niche-specific sizing options, you’ll want to be clear on which type of book template size you need for your story. 

Download them here.

The common standard sizing for most printed books is the US Trade 6” x 9” which is listed under the Interior Text Templates category. 

Once you find the correct size for your book, you can download the free book layout template by clicking the orange “Download” button underneath the corresponding size. 

The .zip file will then download to your computer, and it contains the template file. Once you unzip the file, you can then open the Word book template (it will be the file that ends in “.doc”). 

If you need additional instructions, BookBaby offers some helpful information in the “Using Our Templates” section. You can check out their specifications, and even download their Book Printing Preparation Checklist PDF. 

DiggyPOD Free Book Template for Word

A book printing company, DiggyPOD offers free book layout templates for your book interior and exterior. While the sizes offered aren’t as extensive as some, you can find the most common sizes for book printing available. 

Download them here.

If you’re just getting started with writing your book, download the interior template. 

If you’ve already written your book, you can use the resources on the page to create your own book template for your typed manuscript. 

DIYBookFormats Free Templates 

This site offers 5 free minimal book layout templates that you can use with a variety of programs, Word included.

Download them here.

These templates offer different designs, not just your standard text and format options. While you can access five templates for free, any additional access to other styles will have to be purchased.

You’ll also have to do some extra clicking and typing to access these manuscript templates (unlike some of the other sites listed in this article).

The free book templates are a gated offer, which means you will have to provide your email address, and then the templates are sent directly to your inbox. 

Once you download the .zip file, you’ll want to unzip it. Then, you can open the folder for each styled template, and select the file you need. If you are using Word, you’ll want to click on the .doc or .docx file, depending on which Word version you are using.

The site also provides some helpful tutorial videos on how to format your book in Microsoft Word, if you want to skip the template and do it all yourself. 

48HrBooks Word Templates

This site offers four of the most common standard book sizing options available – no email required. Perfect for use if you haven’t started typing your story yet, these Microsoft Word book manuscript templates are straight and to the point. 

Download them here.

To begin your download, look under the “Free Book Templates” heading, and scroll down to the “Inside Pages” option. You can then click on the book icon for the corresponding size you need, and the file will begin downloading automatically.

If you need further instructions, there is also a handy PDF that you can download with more info. 

BookPrintingUK Template Generator

Featuring an easy-to-use design, this responsive template generator is great if you know the specifics of your book’s layout, such as binding and size. 

Download them here.

You can start by selecting which program you are using to write your book, and Microsoft Word is the first option you can select. 

You’ll need to know the document type needed, the book option, template size, color (if applicable), and orientation to generate your template. 

One thing to note is that this site is for UK book printing, so it will be UK sizing. However, you can always look up the US equivalent with a quick Google search, if needed.

UsedtoTech Free Word Book Template

A simple, clean design, this free Word book template is specifically for the standard 6” x 9” book, which is the most common book size for printed paperbacks. 

Download them here.

To download, you’ll need to scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the “Download” button. This will prompt the download of the .zip file to start automatically. 

Unzip the file, then select the file that ends in “.docx” or, if you need to, you can download the .pdf file. 

This book template for Word features a minimal design, and is free – no email required! 

Book Template Outline Generator

If you need a done-for-you book outline to fill in your book’s contents into, consider using a pre-made outline for your nonfiction or fiction book.

This is not a print-ready format for your book, but an actual outline to organize your manuscript.

Use this Book Outline Generator to select your genre and immediately get access to complete outline – all you need to do is add your content!

Once you choose your book type and generate an outline, you’ll get access to a done-for-you book template in Google Docs. You then follow the steps in the document to get started.

Can I write a book in Microsoft Word?

Yes, you can write a book in Microsoft Word, and it may even help you write your book faster and increase your writing focus, since you can save time formatting and setting up your book layout. You can write a book in Word by downloading a free book template, by using the standard book template Word offers, or by setting up your own (which is more time-consuming).

Because Word is a flexible word processing system, you can simply use a book template within Word, and start typing your book directly onto the page.

Even if you don’t use a book template, you can still write a book using Microsoft Word – just be aware that you may have to spend more time formatting your book when it’s time to publish it.

How to write a book in Microsoft Word

To write a book in Microsoft Word, simply download a free book template, open the file, and start typing your manuscript into the template. 

You’ll want to be sure that you download a book template that is formatted specifically for Word, and all of the sites listed in this article offer Word templates. 

Once your template is downloaded, you can then open it on your computer, and make any modifications as needed. 

Then, you can start typing your manuscript directly into your Word template. That’s it! 

You don’t need a fancy template to start with; you can simply make do with the free templates that are available for download on these sites. However, if you want to purchase a template, there are some paid book templates that you can buy if you choose to. 

Here are the steps to write a book in Microsoft Word:

#1 – Step 1: Download a Microsoft Word book template (more instructions on this below)

#2 – Step 2: Open Microsoft Word on your computer and click “File” then navigate to “Open.” Select your book template file.

#3 – Step 3: Your book template file will open and appear on the screen. You can now start typing your text directly into Word.

#4 – Step 4: Click “Save” often throughout your writing process, and before you exit the Word application.

Does Word have a book template?

Yes, Microsoft Word offers several templates within the application, including book templates to choose from. Different sizes and formats are offered, depending on the type of book you are writing.

All of the available book templates are customizable and editable, which means you can tailor the template to fit any specific requirements you need for your book.

To access the standard book template in Word, follow these steps:

1. After opening Microsoft Word, click “File” then “New.”
2. Double click “Books” folder icon in the “Available Templates” section.
3. Double click “Other Books” folder icon.
4. Browse through the available templates and select one that best fits your needs and book type.
5. Customize your book template settings as needed.
6. Start removing the placeholder text and typing your own book information directly in the document.
7. Click “Save” any time you make changes and before closing the Word application.

How do I make a book template in Word?

If you prefer to make a book template in Word that is customized to fit your specific writing needs, then there’s an easy way to do this, too.

Microsoft Word is a versatile word processing tool that’s relatively easy to learn and super customizable. You can make a variety of projects, including a novel or book template with a little learning and direction.

The key is to start simple with one of the pre-made templates in Word, then format and customize the book layout to fit your needs.

Please keep in mind that depending on the Microsoft Word version your computer or laptop has, the step-by-step instructions may vary, since older or newer versions may have different menu items, names, or placements.

Here are the steps to make a book template in Word:

1. Open the Microsoft Word program or application.
2. Click “File,” then “New.”
3. Go to Layout and click on “Page Setup”. Note: Depending on your Word version, you may have to click the launch icon to the left of Page Setup (it looks like a square with an arrow).
4. Click “Margins.”
5. Click “Custom Margins.”
6. Click “Mirror Margins.”
7. Enter the margin values you need. For standard book margin values, enter the following: Top & Bottom: .5, Inside: .8, Outside: .5, Gutter: 0.
8. Click “Portrait” under Orientation.
9. Click “Whole Document” under Apply To.
10. Click on the Paper tab.
11. Adjust the values to match the height and width of your book’s printed paper size. If you do not know these yet, you can adjust them later.
12. Click “Save.”

How many Microsoft Word pages equal a book page?

As you start writing in your book template, you can easily track the word count. But, that doesn’t necessarily tell you how many actual “book pages” you have typed up.

Depending on how you like to track your progress, it might be helpful to know how many Microsoft Word pages equal a book page. While this will vary depending on your book’s genre and writing style (some authors are more wordy than others), there is a rough ballpark range you can use.

Determine what your book’s word count goal should be

First, we recommend determining how many words your book should be. You can use this Word & Page Count Calculator to plug calculate how many words you should aim for as you write your book. It calculates the word count depending on your book’s type, genre, audience.

Use the Word Count tool in Microsoft Word

As you write, it’s important to keep track of how many actual words you are writing. Word has an easy tool that makes it super simple to keep count, and it updates in real time.

Again, depending on your version of Word, there may be a different way to access the Word Count tool, but you can play around with it a bit – it almost always will be in the “Tool” menu.

Here’s how to track your book’s the Word Count in Word:

1. In your Word document, click “Tools” from the top menu tool bar.
2. Click “Word Count.”
3. A small window will appear with the total number of words.

Determine how many Word pages equals one book page

Once you have determined your writing word count goal, and know how to easily track how many words you’ve written using the Word Count tool, the next step is to figure out how many Word pages equal one book page.

To do this, you will first need to understand that there will not be a direct correlation. In other words, there isn’t an easy, super accurate answer. The reason for this is because it will depend on your finished book’s page size.

A standard US paperback novel is typically printed as a 6 in. x 9 in. book, but it can be printed in a variety of other sizes depending on your book size.

Your book page in Word will be the standard paper size of 8.5 in. x 11 in. Therefore, the variance in size between the Word book template and your finalized printed book means there isn’t an exact equivalence.

Generally, a paperback novel in the standard print size can contain about 250-300 words per page. In Microsoft Word, one page in the standard size and 12-point font will be about 500-550 words per page.

So, a rough estimate is that 2 paperback printed pages will equal 1 Microsoft Word page, more or less. Please note that this is a very rough estimate, with several variables involved.

The only way to find an exact correlation is to set your Word document up to be the same size as your finalized printed book. So, you could set your word document up to be 6 in. x 9 in. However, there will still be some variance due to margins, printed text size and typeface, paragraphs, etc.

The best thing is to just go by your desired Word count and worry about the printed pages later. Focus on getting your story out, and the rest will follow suit once you get there!

Start typing your manuscript into the book template

Once you find your perfect Microsoft Word book manuscript template, you’ll be ready to start typing up your book! 

Achieve your writing goals by committing to writing each and every day. Find a fellow author friend to make yourself accountable, or attend a writing conference to drive urgency for your writing career.

Once your manuscript is typed and self-edited, you can start the editing and production process to get your book published and into the hands of readers!

When you’re ready to write a new book, you can use the same book template, or make your own!

Which book templates did you find the most useful?

Need some help along the way as you self publish?

Get A Nonfiction Book Outline for Your Manuscript!

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Create a booklet or book

1. Go to Layout and select the Page Setup dialog launch icon at the bottom-right corner.

   

2. On the Margins tab, change the setting for Multiple pages to Book fold. The orientation automatically changes to Landscape.

   

   Tip: If you have a long document, you might want to split it into multiple booklets, which you can then bind into one book. Under Sheets per booklet, choose how many pages to print per booklet.

3. Select and increase the value of Gutter to reserve space on the inside fold for binding.

4. Go to the Paper tab and select the Paper size. The final size of the booklet is one half width of the paper size.

   

   Tip: You can add many embellishments to your booklet’s appearance. For example, to add borders to every page, on the Layout tab of the Page Setup window, click Borders.

5. Click OK. If your document already has content, the text is formatted automatically, but you might need to adjust objects like images and tables manually.

Print settings for booklets

When you print the booklet, check the print settings to make sure you print on both sides of the paper and flip the papers correctly for the printing to work as intended.

1. Go to File > Print.

2. If your printer supports automatic printing on both sides, change Print One Sidedto Print on Both Sides. Choose the option Flip pages on short edge to avoid printing the second side of each sheet upside down.

   

3. If your printer doesn’t support automatic printing on both sides, select Manually Print on Both Sides, and feed the pages back to the printer when prompted. To avoid pages from printing upside down, flip the sheets on the short edge of the paper according to your printer’s instructions.

   Tip: For a professional touch, consider adding page numbers in the header or the footer. For more info, see Add page numbers.

See Also

Create a booklet using a Word template

Booklet: Page numbering tips.

Create different headers or footers for odd and even pages

Get Microsoft publishing templates

Create a booklet or book

1. Go to Layout > Margins > Custom Margins.

2. Change the setting for Multiple pages to Book fold. The orientation automatically changes to Landscape.

   Tip: If you have a long document, you might want to split it into multiple booklets, which you can then bind into one book. Under Sheets per booklet, choose how many pages to print per booklet.

3. To reserve space on the inside fold for binding, increase the width of the Gutter.

4. You can add many embellishments to your booklet’s appearance. For example, to add borders to every page, on the Layout tab of the Custom Margins window, select Borders.

5. Select OK.

   If your document already has content, the text is formatted automatically, but you might need to adjust objects like images and tables manually.

6. Go to File > Page Setup and check the paper size. Keep in mind that the final size of the booklet is one half of the paper size. Make sure your printer is stocked with paper of the right size.

Print settings for booklets

When you print the booklet, check the print settings to make sure you print on both sides of the paper and flip the papers correctly for the printing to work as intended. If your printer supports automatic printing on both sides, follow these steps.

1. Click File > Print.

2. Under Two-sided, select Booklet.

   Tip: For a professional touch, consider adding page numbers in the header or the footer. For more info, see Add page numbers.

Note: If your printer doesn’t support automatic printing on both sides, you’ll need to print each page manually.

See Also

Create a booklet using a Word template

Booklet: Page numbering tips.

Create different headers or footers for odd and even pages

Get Microsoft publishing templates

If you want to write a book, you’ll need book writing software that’s up to the task. Yes, you can invest in dedicated book writing programs. But you don’t have to: a great writing tool is likely already at your fingertips, if you know how to write a book using Microsoft Word.

There’s a lot of book writing software out there. Many of these programs claim to offer intuitive use, help with organization, and even say they’ll keep you from distraction. The options can be overwhelming.

There’s still one tried and true option if you’re not interested in all that (or can’t afford the fancier programs): Microsoft Word.

I write most of my books in Microsoft Word, not to mention short stories. Here’s the rundown of how to write a book using Microsoft Word, and why that might be your best choice.

The Benefits of Microsoft Word for Book Writing

You most likely already have it. And so does everybody else. Word is the standard, accepted across platforms, and is easy to access for non-writers (your beta readers). It’s been around forever, so most people know how to use it.

There are book formatting templates. A ton of them. They have them for short story format and for manuscript format. Personally, I don’t use those templates, but they’re a nice baseline for beginners, or even old hats that just want to hurry up and write without setting up their document first.

It’s simple and uncluttered. There are a ton of apps and programs out there that will allow you to keep your plot structure notes close at hand, to rearrange your chapters with the click of a button, and to keep detailed character profiles right in the program. That’s all a little too much for me. I prefer handwritten notes and nothing else blocking my screen while I’m typing and Word gives me that.

It is worth noting that if all that sounds appealing to you, you can do those things in Word as well, it just won’t be as fancy as other programs.

Hey writer: the first step to writing a book is coming up with a great idea. The second step is figuring out the structure of your book. If you have an idea but you need help with the structure, check out our new book The Write Structure. In it, we’ll teach you how to apply timeless story structure principles to write a great book. Get The Write Structure »

How to Navigate Your Book in Microsoft Word

When you have a 90,000-word manuscript, navigating becomes daunting. Luckily there are ways to do it in Word that make it easier if you know where to look.

Chapter Headings

Word doesn’t divide your book into chapters for you like some other programs. There will be no easy way to click and drag to rearrange chapters.

What I recommend is using headings. On Word’s Home page, there are already standard headings listed. Definitely mess with them and change their formatting to something simple.

No one needs giant blue words as their chapter headings. (You can set your simpler formatting as your default style as well, so you don’t have to change it every time.)

Make the title or number of each chapter a heading. Then you can easily bounce around to different chapters through the navigation pane (check the Navigation Pane box under the View menu).

Bookmarks

These basically work the same way as headings, but they’re for anywhere in your document. Have a specific scene you need to do more research on? You can bookmark it and jump back to it later.

Bookmark by going to the Insert menu and clicking Bookmark. Name your bookmark and voilà. You can delete them easily from the popup menu as well.

Find and Replace

CTRL+F brings up a simple search option to find words and phrases in your document. CTRL+H brings up the full gambit. From that dialogue box, you can search, replace certain words with others (i.e. Jennifer now becomes Julia all through the manuscript), and go to any page, section, heading, bookmark, etc. that you need to go to.

Microsoft Word is Great for Editing Your Book

Word has a ton of options for editing your story, including comments, tracking changes, and comparing documents. All of these are under the Review menu.

I use the comments feature to make notes to myself where I need to recheck facts or add description later. It’s easy to navigate through the comments with the search feature or the buttons under the Review menu. Don’t forget to remove them all before saving your document as a PDF or sending it off to an editor.

Tracking changes is awesome and a lot of editors (for short stories anyway) will use this feature to collaborate with you during the editing process. You can accept or reject changes or even revert back to the original.

Finally, make sure you have grammar and spellcheck on! Grammar check even allows you to check style issues (like how to use an ellipsis correctly) and passive voice. It’s invaluable.

Pro tip: To keep you on track while you’re writing, turn off some of the more fine-tuning features of grammar check. There’s nothing that will ruin your flow more than a bunch of underlining you feel like you need to take care of immediately. I recommend running the full check when you’re done (or at least done for the day).

Formatting Your Book in Microsoft Word

Make sure you’re familiar with standard manuscript format for novels and formatting short stories. Take a look at those links and follow their instructions. You don’t want to get rejected out of hand because you tried some weird formatting that’s hard to look at.

One of the biggest gripes I see from editors is writers using spaces to indent paragraphs. Don’t do this. It makes it super hard on them when they’re putting a book together. Instead, use the ruler in Word (under the View menu) or the paragraph settings (under the Home menu) to adjust your tabs. A half inch is standard.

Despite what most of us were taught in school, the standard is now one space after periods, not two. This is another sticking point with editors, so don’t do it. If you’re used to two, there’s a grammar check feature in Word you can turn on to highlight every time you use two spaces.

Finally, use the page break option to break for a new chapter, not enter or a million spaces. You can find the page break under the Insert menu.

Pro tip: When in doubt about your formatting, you can turn on the Show/Hide option under the Home menu (looks like a paragraph symbol) to see all your formatting symbols.

Now That You’ve Mastered Microsoft Word, Go Write Your Book

Don’t let choosing writing software stagnant your writing. Don’t overthink it. You don’t need to keep up with the Joneses with the latest writing technology that’s trotted out on tech forums and in writing chats.

The important thing about writing a book is actually writing it. No fancy book writing software is going to help you with that.

So get writing!

Ever used Word to write a book? Do you have any more tips for how to write a book using Word? Let me know in the comments!

No matter what level of experience you have as an author, you can always use a little help to get your manuscript off the ground. Book writing templates are tools that authors can leverage to fuel their progress: from brainstorming characters, to worldbuilding, to structuring a story, templates can help you make sure you start off on the right foot. 

The goal of using a template is not to make cookie-cutter novels, but rather to better shape your book idea into a unique story. If you’re keen to receive a little help, here are 10 different types of book writing templates you can use to sketch out your stories.

Download: Reedsy’s top writing templates

Sign up below to receive all ten book writing templates featured in this post (or continue reading to download individual templates).

Or if you’d like to build your story directly in a writing app, we recommend using the free Reedsy Book Editor. Simply create your account with one click below and start outlining with the pre-made story templates — right away!  

Developing an idea

The most fundamental type of book template concerns concept development. Think of book ideas as seeds: not all of them have the potential to become a great big oak — but some do. 

1. Book Development Template

To help you determine if your idea is ‘fertile’ enough, we’ve made a book development template designed to test the waters.

Our seven-part book development template will guide you step-by-step in nailing down your protagonist, supporting characters, antagonists, as well as your worldbuilding and plot structure. If that wasn’t enough, it will also help you pick your voice and point of view.

In other words, it will help you germinate that idea into a sapling that will eventually become your first draft. To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

Structuring your narrative

Once you have a great story idea, you need to actually put it down on paper (or in a book editor, but paper sounds better, doesn’t it?). Many authors write when  inspiration strikes, following their intuition for chapters on end without a plan. While this approach might be powerful to get things going, it can be useful to think about how to structure your novel early on in the writing process to avoid running into plot holes and writing yourself into a corner.  

Luckily, in literature there are a few common story structures every author can refer to when plotting, starting with the most popular of them all 一 the Three-Act structure. 

2. Three-Act Structure Template

Originally defined by Aristotle two thousands years ago, the Three-Act structure divides a story in a beginning, middle, and end. This method is one of the most commonly used when plotting novels, as it provides a basic skeleton for your story that ensures all your plot points are in place, building tension and stakes until the climax and resolution.

To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

By dissecting the story in three parts of equal importance, you’ll be able to create a strong narrative that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. You can print out the template or edit it online 一 for each section you’ll be asked to write a synopsis of what happens in the story, and a specific example of it. 

3. Hero’s Journey Template

Another, more hands-on take on the Three-Act structure is the Hero’s Journey, which focuses on the transformation of a single protagonist. Divided in twelve distinct phases, it helps you deconstruct your protagonist’s journey, from the initial call to adventure to the return home as a changed person.   

Our template will help you write down a short synopsis about important story elements, such as: 

• The ordinary world where it all starts;
• The call to adventure and refusal of it;
• Mentors, enemies, and allies on the hero’s journey;
• The moments of greatest fear and reward;
• The lesson to bring home, and more.

These timeless elements have been used in countless stories, from Biblical tales to Star Wars, and will give you creative freedom while ensuring your narrative stays on track. To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

4. Save the Cat Beat Sheet

If you have trouble figuring out your list of scenes, you can get more granular with the Save the Cat template, which tells you exactly what should happen on what page. Originally developed for screenwriters, it has been widely adopted by novelists to plan their stories with theme, character development, and pacing in mind.

The Save the Cat template builds upon the classic Three-Act structure, but further dividing a story into 15 beats that tell you when the inciting accident, subplots, and other key elements should happen. In our template, you can simply enter your target word count and it’ll tell you exactly when and for how long each beat should last, so that your story doesn’t lag in places where it should be motoring along.

To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

Outlining your story

Once you have defined your larger story structure and developed your idea, you can use a book template to go in scene by scene and keep track of the main plot and subplots, and how they fit into your book’s overall timeline.

5. Book Outline Template

Save it in your Google Sheets, edit it, move scenes around, and tweak it until you’re satisfied with the narrative flow.   

Depending on your preference, our book outline templates includes three exercises that can help you create:

• A basic story outline that includes all of the main variables;
• A plot-driven outline that tracks your main plots and subplots by chapter; and
• A simple scene list that defines each scene’s purpose in the story arc.

To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

Building the world of your book

Apart from large-picture templates, some templates can help with specific aspects of your stories, like creating a fictional world from scratch 一 from your world’s history, to geography, to technology and more. 

6. Worldbuilding Template

If you’re a fantasy or sci-fi writer, or you simply want to go deep with your worldbuilding, use our 7-part template to establish aspects such as: 

• Name and location;
• Geography;
• People and language;
• Social systems (religion, history, etc.);
• Technology and magic; and
• Economy and politics.

If you struggle to piece together all of your world’s features, this template is for you 一 print it out and spend some time with it. This will help you map the environment to the point where it feels like a real place, and you can better communicate it to your readers. To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

Creating compelling characters

Since characters are the heart of any story, it’s important to sculpt them to the smallest detail. To help you create remarkable characters, we made two separate templates: one to thoroughly define who they are, and one to test their boundaries in hypothetical scenarios. 

7. Character Profile Template

Similarly to building a world from scratch, developing an identity is not an easy task. After all, think about yourself: how long did it take you to become the person you are today? As many years as you’re old. So, how do you replicate that same process not just for one, but multiple protagonists 一 so that they feel like someone you could bump into in real life? Well, you can start by creating a detailed profile. 

For each major character in your novel, you can print and fill out our character profile template. It will guide you step-by-step in detailing your character’s features, such as: 

• Basic information (i.e. age, occupation);
• Physical appearance;
• Personal relationships;
• Family history;
• Major life events;
• Psychological traits; and 
• Their hopes and dreams. 

The template may start with superficial traits such as appearances, but then it urges you to also look beneath the skin. So, take the time to ponder over each of the sections to give yourself the chance to create truly compelling characters that readers will resonate with. 

To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

8. Character Questionnaire 

Once you have your multi-dimensional character, a fun exercise is to test how they would respond in different situations. For example, what would they do if a person they don’t want to see walks into the bar they’re at? Or what if they won the lottery? You will be surprised at how much you can learn about your character this way, and even if these situations may not feature in your book, your deep understanding of your character will translate into your writing.

To download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates.

Formatting your manuscript to professional standards

Not all book templates concern the writing aspect of authorship. Some are just useful to format your manuscript in a way that adheres to industry standards before you send out your query letters. 

9. Manuscript Format Template

While content matters more than how it’s presented, literary agents and publishers still expect you to present a professionally formatted manuscript. To help you not stand out for the wrong reason, you can use Reedsy’s manuscript format template. 

You just need to download a copy and edit it, either by writing directly in it, or copy-pasting (without formatting) the content of your novel.  Again, if you want to download this specific template, insert your email below — or sign up above to receive all templates. 

10. Children’s Book Manuscript Template

If you’re writing a children’s book, there are slightly different formatting rules you need to be aware of 一 for example if you’re writing in verse or adding illustration notes. Whether you’re submitting to traditional publishers or self-publishing your children’s book, you can use our template to get professional results. Again, you’ll just need to download a copy and edit it without changing the formatting. 

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We hope that these templates will help you quickly test your story idea, and develop it into a solid draft. They’ll hopefully serve as the framework for your wild imagination. It’s time to get writing.