STORY OUTLINE CREATOR
Find your story's
true north
Pick a structure, answer the guiding questions,
and walk away with an outline you'll actually use
HOW IT WORKS
Here's how it works
No learning curve, no setup. Open the app and go
Pick a structure
The Hero's Journey, Save the Cat!, Kishōtenketsu, and dozens more. Or start from scratch.
Answer the guiding questions
Every stage has prompts to keep you moving — like "What event changes everything for your hero?"
Export and write
Export to Markdown, Word, or JSON. Then close Plot Compass and go write.
YOU'RE NEVER STARING AT A BLANK PAGE
Every stage comes with guiding questions
Every stage has prompts — like "What does your protagonist stand to lose?" — to help you think through your story. Answer the questions, and your outline fills itself in.
- Questions are tailored to each structure, not generic
- Your notes sit right next to the questions
LEARN FROM THE GREATS
See how famous stories used each structure
See how The Hobbit maps to the Hero's Journey, or how My Neighbor Totoro fits Kishōtenketsu. Use them as references or hide them — up to you.
YOUR OUTLINE, YOUR FORMAT
Export and go write
When your outline is done, take it with you. No subscription, no proprietary format.
- Markdown, Word (.docx), or JSON
- Unlimited exports, always free
- Drop your outline into Scrivener, Google Docs, or wherever you work
NARRATIVE STRUCTURES
21 proven story structures and more to come
From mythic archetypes to commercial screenwriting beats —
pick one that fits your story, or start from scratch
Hero's Journey
Story Circle
Save the Cat!
Seven-Point Story Structure
Kishōtenketsu
Three-Act Structure
Freytag's Pyramid
The Story Spine
THE PHILOSOPHY
Built on three principles
Plot Compass is step zero — the part before the writing starts. You outline, then you go write
Speed over bloat
Pick a structure, answer the prompts, and export. Every minute in the outlining tool is a minute not spent on your actual story.
Free means free
No subscriptions, no feature gates, no upgrade-to-unlock. It costs almost nothing to run, so there's no reason to charge.
Your ideas stay yours
Outlines are stored locally on your device by default. If you use cloud sync, optional end-to-end encryption means nobody can read your work — not even us.
FAQ
Common questions.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Guest mode saves everything locally on your device. Accounts are optional — just for cloud sync and cross-device access.
What are guiding questions?
Prompts at every stage to help you think through your story — questions like "What event disrupts your hero's normal life?" or "What does your protagonist stand to lose?"
What narrative structures are included?
Lots, and more get added. The Three-Act Structure, Hero's Journey, Save the Cat!, Kishōtenketsu, Freytag's Pyramid, Story Circle, and others. You can also create your own.
Can I export my outlines?
Yes — Markdown, Word (.docx), and JSON. Free and unlimited.
Is my data safe?
In guest mode, outlines stay on your device. With cloud sync, you can turn on end-to-end encryption — nobody can read your content, not even us.
Who built this?
A writer, not a dev company. It started as a personal tool, then opened up. No VC funding, no growth targets, no incentive to make the product worse.
READY?
Find your starting point
No account needed. Open the app, pick a structure, and start outlining.
Start outlining