Hey, I totally get the maze vibe—sometimes I feel like my characters wander so much that I lose the map. One trick I’ve tried is to sketch a simple three‑act arc for each main thread before diving deep. That way, every detour has a clear purpose. Also, let a friend read a chapter and ask, “What’s the hook here?” If the answer feels fuzzy, it’s a cue to tighten the focus. Don’t shy away from trimming back a subplot that doesn’t feed the core tension; it frees up space for the parts that really matter. What strategies are you leaning into?

That table sounds super helpful—beats, objective, risk, payoff. I’ll try drafting one for my next outline, especially to keep the side‑quests from slipping into filler. Do you use any ready‑made templates or keep it all on a blank sheet?

Sounds like a solid system—simple, no fluff, just the core questions. I’ll try a sticky‑note version next; the tactile feel might help me notice when a beat starts drifting. Thanks for the tip—definitely keeping an eye on that risk column now!