Fiction Mind Map for Plot and Characters
See how a novel breaks into plot, characters, setting and themes, then build your own map from your chapters or outline.
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CogniGuide at a glance
- What you get
- Interactive mind maps of the main ideas and how they connect. Free: overview maps (detailed maps on your first 3 creations). Plus: detailed maps with supporting concepts.
- Exports
- Your first PDF or PNG export is free; Plus exports anytime.
- Price
- Free plan: 5 creations a week, up to 3 a day. Plus: $9.99/month or $99.90/year (USD; local prices at checkout).
- Sign-up
- A free account is required before you create anything (Google or email). No credit card.
- What you can upload
- PDF, Word (.docx), PowerPoint (.pptx), plain text or Markdown, and images (PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF), or type a topic. One file per creation on the free plan; several at once on Plus.
How it compares: vs Knowt · vs Quizlet · vs NotebookLM · vs Mapify
Build a Fiction Map From Your Story
Upload a draft, outline or notes, and the AI turns them into a branching map you can edit.
Map from your own pages
Upload a DOCX, PDF or text file of your draft or outline, and the AI extracts the story's main parts.
Plot and character branches
Expand any node to explore a character's arc, a subplot or a scene's conflict in more detail.
Quiz and flashcards
Turn the map into a quiz to test your plot knowledge, or make flashcards from the same notes.
How to Make a Fiction Mind Map
Three steps from a rough draft to a clear map of your story.
- 1
Add your story notes
Upload a draft, outline or chapter summaries, or type the working title and premise.
- 2
AI builds the map
The AI organizes the story into plot, characters, setting and theme branches you can expand.
- 3
Revise, quiz or export
Edit nodes, expand scenes, test your plot knowledge, then export as PNG or PDF.
Fiction Mind Maps for Plot and Character
A fiction mind map is a visual diagram of a story. The central node is the novel or story, and the main branches are usually the plot structure, the characters, the setting and the themes. Each branch then splits into scenes, arcs and details. Writers and readers use it to see how the story hangs together before drafting or revising.
- Plot structure: setup, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution
- Characters: protagonist, antagonist, supporting cast and their arcs
- Setting: time, place and the world rules that shape events
- Themes: central ideas and the scenes that develop them
- Subplots: secondary storylines and how they link to the main plot
Use the map to check pacing, spot gaps in character arcs and plan revisions. CogniGuide can build a personalized fiction map from your own draft or outline in minutes.
Explore related topics
Fiction Mind Map Questions
Common questions about story maps and how CogniGuide builds them.
What are the main parts of a story?
Most stories have a setting, characters, a conflict, a sequence of events that builds to a climax, and a resolution. Themes run through all of these. A mind map shows how each part connects to the others.
What is a plot arc in fiction?
A plot arc is the shape of the story over time: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Many writers map it to check pacing and tension across chapters.
Which files can I upload to make a fiction map?
You can upload a PDF, Word (DOCX) or PowerPoint (PPTX) file, a text or Markdown file, or an image of notes. You can also type a title and premise instead.
Can I turn my story map into a quiz?
Yes. CogniGuide can turn a mind map into a quiz to test your knowledge of the plot and characters, and the same notes can become flashcards.