A5 Novel Planner: Half Letter Inserts From First Idea to Query

This A5 novel planner holds 24 undated insert pages for A5 or Half Letter ring binders and discbound planners, and print-and-cut A4 and Letter versions are included too. It carries a book all the way from its first spark to querying, with character profiles, a nine-beat plot structure, a chapter outline, scene cards, a word count tracker and a revision checklist.

The download gives you two ready page sizes, plus cut-sheet layouts that place a pair of pages on everyday paper. It is an instant PDF download, so nothing is posted to you.

How the A5 novel planner moves your book forward

Pin down your premise and logline first. Next, shape your lead over a facing pair of pages: desire versus need, fear, the hidden secret and an arc in three stages. Three cards for side characters and a full villain page round out the cast.

The plot spread guides you through nine beats across three acts, opening hook to closing image, and the chapter outline fits 17 chapters with viewpoint, length and a done box. Cut out the scene cards, three to a page, and rearrange them on your desk. A 100-square tracker and a session log make your progress easy to see, and once the draft is finished, a six-part revision checklist and a submissions and publishing page see you through the last stretch.

Who these novel inserts are for

• Writers who use an A5 6-ring binder, a half letter binder or a junior discbound planner and want their whole book plan together
• Debut novelists looking for a clear route from idea to a complete draft
• Plotters who enjoy mapping beats, chapters and scenes before drafting
• Anyone joining a writing month or challenge who wants to log daily word counts

Design and printing details

• Calm, minimal styling: white pages with soft blush pink touches that are gentle on ink
• Roomy margins, so a home printer never trims your content
• Portrait A5 (148 x 210 mm) and Half Letter (5.5 x 8.5 in), with extra sheets laid out for A4 and US Letter
• No dates, so start a new book whenever inspiration strikes and reprint the chapter outline, scene cards and writing log as needed
• Mirrored margins: odd pages bind on the left and even pages on the right with 14 mm, while the outer edge keeps 8 mm
• Line spacing of 6.5 mm or more and type no smaller than 8.5 pt for comfortable small-format writing
• A dashed middle line and small tick marks on the cut sheets, so one slice gives two pages
• Clip it to a board, slot it in rings or have a copy shop spiral bind it

Inside the A5 novel planner: 24 pages

1. 1Cover showing the contents, with lines for the author and the day you begin
2. 2Book idea and premise: your what if question, the one-line premise, where the spark came from, why this story matters to you, comparable books, what sets yours apart and pictures already in your head
3. 3Story overview: working title, standalone or series, genre and subgenre, readership, viewpoint, tense, target length and deadline, a logline formula, theme and words for tone
4. 4Main character, left half of the spread: name, age, role and occupation, a mood board frame, looks, temperament, desire, need, deepest fear and hidden secret
5. 5Main character, right half: strengths, flaws, voice, habits and quirks, an arc in three stages (beginning, turning point, ending) and backstory
6. 6Supporting cast: three cards, each with name, role, tie to the hero, desires, appearance and voice, and how they block the way
7. 7Antagonist: role, hold over the hero, goals, why they believe they are right, tactics, weak spot, how they reflect the hero, three big confrontations and their fate
8. 8Relationships map: a central circle ringed by six name circles, plus five lines to note who is linked, how and how that shifts
9. 9World-building: era and location, atmosphere, rules, power and society, history and legends, customs and beliefs, everyday life and invented words and names
10. 10Settings and places: a dot grid area to sketch a map and four place cards covering name, appearance, sounds and smells, and why it matters
11. 11Book outline: your story in three sentences, beginning, middle and end, subplots and clues to seed
12. 12Plot structure, left half: act one (opening hook, inciting incident, first turning point) and the first part of act two (rising stakes, midpoint)
13. 13Plot structure, right half: all is lost, act three (climax, resolution, final image) and pacing notes
14. 14Chapter outline: 17 lines for chapter, events, viewpoint, word count and a done box, plus chapters you might move, merge or cut
15. 15Scene cards, three to a page: scene, chapter, viewpoint, setting, goal, conflict, outcome, mood shift and notes
16. 16Research notes: questions to answer, facts and details worth keeping, people to talk to, places to see and a six-line sources grid
17. 17Writing log: 16 lines for date, chapter or scene, time spent, words and running total, then what helped and where to pick up next time
18. 18Word count tracker: a 100-square grid to color, your goal, words per square, a start date and rewards at 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent
19. 19Goals and motivation: why this book matters, this month's aim, the end goal, your writing routine and ideas for stuck days
20. 20Revision checklist, left half: big picture, characters, scenes and pacing
21. 21Revision checklist, right half: line edits, final polish, feedback and notes for the next draft
22. 22Querying and publishing: an eight-line submissions grid, a query package checklist and a self-publishing checklist
23. 23Story notes on 22 lines
24. 24Dot grid notes

Files in your download

• A5 PDF, 148 x 210 mm, 24 pages
• Half Letter PDF, 5.5 x 8.5 in, 24 pages
• A4 print-and-cut PDF: 12 landscape sheets, each holding two A5 pages
• US Letter print-and-cut PDF: 12 landscape sheets, each holding two half letter pages
• Read Me First PDF with printing, cutting and hole punching help and a page finder

How to download and print

• Check out with PayPal, a debit or credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your download page opens as soon as the payment goes through.
• We email the same private download links to you, so you can download your files again later.
• Open the PDF in a free reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and print at 100% or Actual size.
• Print only the pages you need, as often as you like, for your own personal use.

Before you buy

• These PDFs are made for paper. They are not a hyperlinked digital planner, though most note taking apps will let you import and write on them.
• You receive files only. Nothing is mailed.
• Printed colors can differ slightly from what your screen shows.
• For your own personal use. Sharing, reselling or redistributing the files is not allowed.
• Because it is a digital product it cannot be returned, but if a file will not open or print, email us and we will sort it out quickly.
• Ring spacing is not the same across brands, so we left off punch marks. Use your own A5 6-hole, junior or disc punch along the wide inner margin.

How this was made

Designed and written by PetiteDiary. AI tools helped draft parts of the text, and some background scenes in the preview images were created with AI. Every page was designed, reviewed and checked before release.

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