With the “An Alternate History Outline - Not Your Great-Great Grandfather’s Civil War” outline, you’ll gain the opportunity to write a story that will explore a richly imagined alternate history filled with divergent events, unique challenges, and the profound impact of choices made in an altered historical context.

Granted, this is simply an example outline. Note, that your alternate history story need not include the elements concerning The Civil War adventure, a romance and a grief arc, as I’ve included here. Your alternate history story may look entirely different from what I’ve outlined here, and that’s okay, as I simply provided this outline in order to give you an idea of what an alternate history story might look like.

Note: This is a rare one, in that I’ve created a three-in-one outline with this one. It contains an alternate history outline, a romance outline and a grief outline.

Now, without further ado, let’s dive in.

An Alternate History Outline - Not Your Great-Great Grandfather’s Civil War:

A War-Torn Prelude:

Paint a vivid picture of the divided America during the Civil War era. Highlight the deep-rooted tensions and suffering caused by the war, as well as the suffering experienced by the soldiers, civilians and slaves on both sides and emphasize the urgency of the situation.

Sorcery’s Subtle Shift:

Explore a “what if” scenario, the divergence point where history takes an alternate path. What if a secret society of magicians wields a secret, yet significant influence over The American Civil War? This is the core premise of the story, steering it in unexpected directions.

A Clandestine Cabal:

Detail the existence of the secret magical society. Explain how it’s comprised of individuals from both the North and South, who share a common goal, that is to harness the magical energy generated by the war for their own, as of now, hidden agendas.

A Romance - A Romantic Opening:

This is where the protagonist and the love interest are shown doing their own thing. This should not be confused with the meet cute. They may be shown in the same place, doing the same things, but they don’t know each other yet and they haven’t met yet either.

An Inward Tempest:

Dive into the protagonist’s internal conflict as they somehow become acutely aware of the magical society’s secret significant influence, thus causing them to experience a moral dilemma and emotional turmoil regarding the sudden discovery. Dive into the internal conflict experienced by the protagonist. Explore their moral dilemma and emotional struggle, torn between loyalty to the society, that before now, they viewed as benevolent, and a desire for peace.

A Romance - A Wartime Meet Cute:

This is where the protagonist and the love interest meet or are brought together on the page at the same time to set off the story. In a rom com, a meet cute sometimes involves humor or a screwball situation, but it doesn’t have to be that. It could be intense or scary. This meeting is the event that sets our characters off in the direction of falling in love, even if they hate each other at this point. If the characters already know each other, there is something different in this meeting than in all their previous meetings.

A Secret Rendezvous with a Rebel Mage:

Introduce a charismatic Southern mage (Northern aligned) who mysteriously arrived from the future, who becomes an unexpected ally to the protagonist. A mage who is morally dedicated to ending the war, stopping the malevolent mages from seizing power, and bringing about peace through good, natural magic. Highlight their charisma and conviction towards their mission.

A Romance - A Magical Resistance:

The first response to the meet cute is nearly always resistance or a butting of heads between the love interest. “The idea of a fake engagement is a terrible idea.” or “We can’t be in the same room together. How will we be able to share the only car left to rent to get to the conference?” However, the resistance isn’t always from dislike. In a friends-to-lovers situation, often the resistance is trying to avoid revealing their true feelings. Sometimes, the meet-cute is friendly and there is an attraction between the lovebirds, yet there is still resistance. This response is rooted in their goals and/or inner conflicts. Sometimes there is an attempt to avoid each other which brings us to the next beat.

The Enchanted Underground:

Explain how the protagonist and the Southern mage collaborate with other like-minded individuals in order to create a magical version of the Underground Railroad and describe the spells and magical abilities they employ to aid all of the runaway slaves and all of the formerly Southern aligned soldiers in their bid for freedom.

A Romance - Amidst the War, We’re Stuck Together:

Right now, the protagonist and the love interest are without a choice or reluctantly agreeing to a situation that puts them together. Snow storms and stuck elevators would be a situation in which they’re stuck without a choice. Working in the same company or living in the same building would also fit this. A fake relationship or temporary partnership would involve a reluctant agreement. This beat is important because our lovebirds need to be together in order to fall in love.

Gettysburg’s Mystical Turn:

Provide vivid details of the magical intervention at the Battle of Gettysburg. Describe the protagonist’s, the Southern Mage’s and other allies’ use of magic to change the course of the battle, hastening the Union’s victory, thereby accelerating the end of the war.

A Romance - We’re Fighting the War and the Attraction:

The protagonist and the love interest enter this phase fully intending to keep their walls up. They’re focused on their goals and not letting the other person get in their way. If they don’t get along, there is usually banter and arguing. If they do get along, there is usually inner dialogue about how they can’t fall for the other.

The Secret Society’s Sinister Schemes:

Highlight the escalating tensions between the protagonist and the magical society, as the leaders help the Southern line intensify their efforts to prolong the war. Meanwhile, the leaders begin to perceive the protagonist and the Southern Mage as a threat to their ultimate goal.

A Romance - The Waning Resistance:

As the protagonist and the love interest spend time together, their initial impressions start to change. This is especially true in an enemies-to-lovers story. But even when they get along (friends to lovers), time together shifts their feelings or heightens them (in the case of unrequited love). In this section, they begin to entertain the possibility of a relationship, physically and/or emotionally. Note that kissing and even sex may have already occurred (in the case of a non-sweet book), but this is where the wall of resistance wanes.

Antietam’s Altered Agenda:

Detail the protagonist and the Southern mage’s attempt to prevent the devastatingly bloody Battle of Antietam, by revealing the magical society’s involvement to to both the Union and Confederacy, leading to a potential cease-fire.

A Romance - A Shared Desire:

Resistance is futile as desire leads the protagonist and the love interest to consider giving into a relationship. Note this doesn’t have to be sensual desire. In sweet romance, this is simply moving away from resistance towards considering a relationship.

A Father’s Dark Betrayal:

Explore the moment of betrayal when the father of the protagonist secretly aligns himself with those within the magical society whose goals are aligned with the South, after losing the war, we’re hoping to restart hostilities, leading to the protagonist’s capture and leaving the Southern mage assumed dead. This throws the protagonist into a harrowing, life altering ordeal that accompanies severe consequences and life-altering personal sacrifices.

The Mourning Path - The Precipice:

The precipice is where you’re standing as you learn about the death of someone dear to you. It is a place filled with so many different emotions that you hardly know who you are, much less begin to process them.

A Romance - The Ut-Oh Moment:

I don’t know where the term pinch point came from, but I much prefer Ut-Oh. This is a situation in which an antagonist or conflict appears to remind the protagonist and the love interest what’s at stake. This first one should be on the smaller side. It’s like a tap on the shoulder reminding one (or they both can have an ut-oh) what can happen.

The Mourning Path - Loss/Hurt:

Whether it’s a close friend, spouse, partner, parent, child, or other relative, the pain one feels immediately after the death of a loved one can feel overwhelming. You may experience waves of intense and very difficult emotions, ranging from profound sadness, emptiness, and despair to shock and numbness.

A Gift From the Magi:

Explain how the protagonist escapes with the aid of the still alive Southern mage, both embarking on a journey of redemption and self-discovery as they seek to make amends for their previous actions and find a powerful enchantment that the Southern mage claims will change everything.

The Mourning Path - Shock:

Shock is typically experienced as one of the first stages in the grief process, and eventually it wears off. For some, shock recedes very quickly. For others, shock lasts for hours or days. Everyone is different and there is no right or wrong way to experience shock.

A Romance - Imagining the Happily Ever After:

Despite the ut-oh, the protagonist and the love interest are drawing ever closer. They’re rethinking goals and concerns. They believe they can overcome the conflicts, but selfishly. They want their cake and to eat it too, but they haven’t grown enough yet, so they’re susceptible to their inner demons (conflict) and the antagonist and their minions.

The Mourning Path - Numbness:

Some of us feel sad when someone dies. Some of us feel angry. But some of us feel nothing at all. Emotional numbness can be linked with a type of grief called ‘inhibited grief,’ which is characterized by suppressed emotions.

President Lincoln’s Mystic Shield:

Describe the use of the newly acquired powerful enchantment to save President Abraham Lincoln from being assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Highlight the significance of this act, as it alters the course of history once again, underscoring the significance of the protagonist and the Southern Mage’s original mission.

The Mourning Path - Denial:

Denial is the refusal to accept the facts of the loss, either consciously or unconsciously. If dealing with death is personal, there is a refusal to take necessary steps to prepare for death, such as a will.

A Romance - The Happily Ever After is Within Reach:

This is the famous honeymoon moment, but alas, the protagonist and the love interest still haven’t dealt with the tension and the conflicts that avidly threaten their burgeoning love.

The Mourning Path - Emotional Outbursts:

You’re definitely upset, but more often than not, you’re not upset at who you think you’re upset at. Grief and emotional outbursts tend to walk hand in hand.

A Sorcerous Showdown:

Create a dramatic climax with the epic showdown between the protagonist, the Southern Mage, and the Southern aligned leaders of the magical society, featuring intense magical battles, dramatic ideological conflicts and the ultimate triumph of the protagonist and the Southern Mage.

The Mourning Path - Anger:

Many people do in fact feel angry when someone we love dies. Angry at being abandoned, angry at the extent of the pain, angry that our life is changed, angry that managing grief feels difficult, and angry that the world suddenly feels different—empty, unsafe, or lonely. Swallowed feelings don’t disappear.

A Romance - Doubts and Fears:

Personal fears and conflicts are creating doubt in the protagonist and love interest’s feelings for one another. Fears and inner conflicts cause the protagonist and the love interest to slow things down.

The Mourning Path - Fear:

If you search fear symptoms on the internet, you get a list of very similar feelings in both grief and fear. Grief feels like fear because it leaves you reeling in uncertainty. If you think about it, most of the things that we think give us a sense of certainty in our lives, do not. We assume that if we live right, eat right, take care of ourselves, and are loving and thoughtful, we will be rewarded and those we love will be kept safe. When the worst happens, we then question who we are, and where is God? What do I do? Where do I turn next? How do I move forward? Do I even want to move at all? Nothing makes sense and caring about anything seems fruitless. We don’t feel safe in our own skin. And we don’t know whom we can trust.

Unveiling the Arcane Veneer:

Reveal the true nature and history of the entirety of the magical society, and how their power is finally broken, shedding light on their true motivations and the depths of their former influence.

The Mourning Path - Searching:

It’s hard to explain this “searching” to people who haven’t experienced it because it isn’t just a matter of looking around for the person and finding they’re not there. Instead, searching, in this context, means doing all sorts of things to try and repair the physical attachment - like seeking out sights, sounds, smells, people, and places that remind you of the person. Sometimes you get so close that for a split second, you honestly think you’ve managed to cross the void. But then, once again, your loved one is gone. It’s like they’ve picked up the phone, said “hello”, and the signal cuts out.

A Romance - Ut-Oh Part Deux:

This ut-oh is a bigger one than the last. It’s a whack on the head, reminding the protagonist and the love interest of everything they could lose by abandoning their goal. For example, a CEO falling for his admin might get a talking to from a board member about the possibility of being forced out for having a relationship with an insubordinate and putting the company at risk for a lawsuit. The first ut-oh caused hesitation, but this one makes them stop in their tracks and rethink the situation, and what they’re willing to risk. Remember, they haven’t grown so, their thinking tends to be based in their fears.

The Mourning Path - Disorganization:

Just from a superficial point of view, the face of a grieving person can be pretty damn messy – bloodshot eyes, runny, red nose, puffy eyelids, red nose and other outward appearances that we might want to hide. Grief can also throw other physical aspects out of whack. An example: The house is in complete disarray.

The Slow Reconstruction of Hope:

Explore the aftermath of the magical society’s ultimate defeat, the conclusion of the war and the efforts made to slowly begin to rebuild a war-torn nation, with the protagonist and the Southern Mage playing vital roles in aiding the post-war reconstruction.

The Mourning Path - Panic:

Grief can make us feel like we’ve lost our sense of safety and control. It’s natural to feel panic or worried about what might happen next or even to worry that we might lose someone else in the future.

A Romance - The Retreat:

After the big ut-oh, the protagonist, the love interest or perhaps both pulls away. They don’t want to risk their heart and their goal, and they decide to choose the goal instead. The other character may notice this distance and pull away as well.

The Mourning Path - The Valley:

The valley is where you’re sitting when you’re neck deep in the grief after losing someone dear to you. You can’t see a way out of it, and in most cases you have no interest in leaving in the first place.

America’s Altered Aura:

Paint a compelling picture of a transformed America following The Civil War, shaped not only by historical events, too by highlighting the societal, political, and cultural changes brought about by the actions of the protagonist, the Southern Mage, their allies and the presence of good magic.

The Mourning Path - Loneliness:

Loneliness is a natural part of grief, and it is one of the more trying aspects of accepting a loss. When a loved one dies, a hole is left that no one and nothing else can fill. It is as if no one else can know or understand. The intense and mixed feelings of grief can lead to separation and isolation from others.

A Romance - The Black Moment:

This is where the shit hits the fan for the protagonist and the love interest. Everything that could go wrong, does go wrong. Done well, your readers are weeping or worried (in the case of a suspense). If motivations aren’t strong or if the stakes are weak, a black moment can feel predicable or worse, it can annoy readers. The black moment must feel believable and make sense. Something as little as a miscommunication isn’t enough for a black moment. This moment needs to feel like the end of the road for our budding couple.

The Mourning Path - Guilt:

Guilt can be a common yet complex emotion in grief. The truth is that we can feel guilty about so many things. Guilt does not always have to be rational to be real. That means even when we realize our guilt is not based on reality, we still may experience it.

The Price of Magical Penance:

Delve into the personal sacrifices made by key individuals throughout the protagonist and the Southern Mage’s journey for peace and justice, exploring the emotional toll of their choices on their lives and relationships. Delve into the personal sacrifices made by the protagonist and the Southern mage throughout their journey and explore the emotional toll of their choices, as well.

The Mourning Path - Isolation:

Experiencing grief can be an isolating experience for many people. The only person who can truly understand your loss is you; nobody else knew your loved one in the same way you did, and no one knew them in the exact way you did.

A Romance - Permeated In Misery:

This is the aftermath of the black moment. Initially, the protagonist, the love interest or perhaps both, convinced they’re right, go off in an attempt to regain their past normal life.  The problem is that they can’t go back. The more they try, the more miserable they feel. They should live in this moment a little bit. Too often, writers rush to relieve the agony of the black moment, but you should bring home how much they’ve lost by not choosing to change, by not choosing love. I want to point out here that characters don’t have to give up their goal for love.

The Mourning Path - Depression:

The depression associated with grief is like being in an ongoing, heightened state of mourning that keeps you from healing. Signs and symptoms of complicated grief may include: Intense sorrow, pain and rumination over the loss of your loved one. Focus on little else but your loved one’s death. Extreme focus on reminders of the loved one or excessive avoidance of reminders. Intense and persistent longing or pining for the deceased. Problems accepting the death. Numbness or detachment. Bitterness about your loss. Feeling that life holds no meaning or purpose. Lack of trust in others. Inability to enjoy life or think back on positive experiences with your loved one. Complicated grief also may be indicated if you continue to: Have trouble carrying out normal routines. Isolate from others and withdraw from social activities. Experience depression, deep sadness, guilt or self-blame. Believe that you did something wrong or could have prevented the death. Feel life isn’t worth living without your loved one. Wish you had died along with your loved one.

A Legacy in Flux:

Examine the enduring effects of the actions of the protagonist, the Southern mage and their allies on future generations and explore the nation’s new historical narrative, with the protagonist, the Southern Mage and their allies’ intertwined relationships and stories becoming an integral part of the broader historical tapestry.

The Mourning Path - The Hard Climb Out:

The hard climb out is when you start to look past the grief that has all but consumed you and you start to look at what life means and what life looks like beyond that grief.

A Romance - The Ah-Ha Moment:

This is when the protagonist, the love interest or perhaps both realize their fears and inner conflicts getting in their way, and accept that they love the other person. This is where the real growth takes place. In order for the past problems (conflicts and ut-ohs) not to cause problems in the future, the protagonist and the love interest need to grow into new people.

The Mourning Path - Loss Adjustment:

You know that you’ve reached this stage when you can do the following: Recognize the loss. React to the separation. Recollect and re-experience. Relinquish old attachments. Readjust and reinvest in life.

Dawn of a New Era:

Begin the conclusion of the story with a vision of a united, transformed America after the war and new revelations about the magical society.

The Mourning Path - Recovery Guilt:

In recovery guilt, grievers tend to look at other people who have been grieving a similar loss or perhaps even the same loss, and sense that they are coping too well.

A Romance - The Grand Gesture:

This is when either the protagonist or the love interest reaches out, putting all on the line for the other person. It’s different from earlier attempts that played it safe. Here, they’re vulnerable.

The Mourning Path - Re-Entry Troubles:

Once the effort is made to get back into the normal routine, the pain of loss makes it difficult to be as trusting and open as before the loss. Suspicion must be battled constantly. Friends and families are tested again and again.

A Magical America:

Detail how the presence of good magic continues to shape the nation’s destiny in the years following the Civil War. Describe the emergence of new mages, practices and magical institutions.

The Mourning Path - New Relationships:

It’s not always easy to understand that it is possible to love and miss someone, while having room to be happy and involved with new people and new relationships.

A Romance - Happily Ever After:

The happily ever after scene is when the the protagonist or the love interest is also vulnerable and they come together with new understanding and a commitment to each other.

The Mourning Path - New Patterns:

Most of our habituated behavior serves us well. Checking for traffic, when crossing a street, keeps us safe. Brushing our teeth and washing our hands promotes better health. The list is endless. Once that belief system and our habits are established, we follow them without a second thought. The fact is that these habits become such an integral part of who we are, that anything that doesn’t fall within them tends to receive an automatic critical response from us. This is all about changing old habits on how to deal with emotionally painful events and creating new ones that help you move through and beyond them. It’s about helping you discover those things that are incomplete in relationships and finding a way to let go of those painful feelings that you have stuffed inside. It’s not about forgetting the past, but rather being able to effectively deal with it.

Global Ripples of Enchantment:

Hint at the international repercussions of this new, magical America, suggesting that the impact extends well beyond its borders and now influences global events.

The Mourning Path - Hope:

Gradually, the pain subsides and the world becomes bearable again. Hope sneaks through the cracks in the walls built up as protection against hurt. Energy is regained. The process of rebuilding seems possible.

Achieving an Ethical Arcane Balance:

Raise thought-provoking questions about the ethical use of magic in a post-war world, exploring all of the challenges, dilemmas and unintended consequences faced as individuals seek to maintain a delicate balance.

The Mourning Path - Affirmations:

The loss is accepted without bitterness. Death begins to give way to new life. Purpose is regained. A new, different reality is where life is to be lived.

Uncharted Mystical Realms:

Mention some of the lingering, unsolved magical mysteries, thus preserving the enigmatic nature of the magical world.

The Mourning Path - Helping Others:

When someone in your life is dealing with a loss, you now intrinsically understand just what to expect as they go through the grieving process and you can help them get through it.

Reflecting on Magical History:

Contemplate broader themes of power, responsibility, and the role of individuals in shaping history, offering insights into the complex interplay of magic and humanity.

New Magical, Enigmatic Horizons:

Finally, end with some surprising revelations or hints at new magical adventures, leaving a sense of wonder and curiosity about what the future holds for the protagonist, the Southern mage and this new magical America, leaving the door unlocked for new adventures.

How do you feel about this crazy outline? Would you use it or use something similar to it? Drop me a comment down below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.