It's that time again: crisp air, crackling creative energy, long-buried ideas rising in the mist... and one very spooky blank page. 👻
If you’re prepping for a new project (say… in November?), drafting a wildly ambitious novel (50k words, mayhap?), thinking about a devastating one-shot, or finally giving voice to a character that’s been scratching at the back of your brain and refusing to leave—now’s the perfect time to gather your thoughts. Like a big pile of crunchy leaves.
This month, you’ll find three new templates in Ellipsus to help you move from nebulous idea to narrative… before you write your first line.
Project Compass Template
Okay, so you have big plans, a few favorite tropes, a cursed family tree to untangle, a whole lot of vibes… but no place to put them (yet). This template is here to help you make your way through your story’s uncharted territory, toward your creative north star. What are you writing? Why now? Who’s at the center? What questions are guiding you on the journey? It’s your space to articulate what matters most so you can move forward with more clarity (or at least better-organized chaos).
Backstory Planning Template
All stories begin before page one. When the world feels alive—a age-old war, the remnants of a past relationship, the lore of a vanished bloodline—the real magic happens. This template will help you explore the spaces where past and plot connect: the formative events that shape your characters and define their world. Use it to plan what the reader knows early, what stays hidden until the big reveal, and what belongs only in your notes (or your 56-page appendix).
Creative Goals Template
A good story happens as you write it. Prepping for a new project can feel overwhelming, but this journal-style template gives you a place to track rogue ideas, discoveries, surprises, and small-but-mighty victories with a weekly check-in format. What are your creative goals? What feels exciting (or hard—and how to work through it)? What milestones matter to you? No pressure… just a little of structure for writing your way out of the messy middle.
Ready to start?
You can get all three templates by creating a new document on your dash (just click + New, and From Template). We hope these give you a whole lot of fresh momentum! And keep an eye out—more templates are on the way to help you plan, plot (without crying), and build the universe your story deserves.
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