I am going to be completely honest with you, I hate outlining. I've always been awful at it and tend to see it as confining, unfortunately I am also a hypocrite and so highly recommend it for anyone who is struggling with where their story is going.

Start with the base of your plot. There are eight basic plot types that you can find in almost any type of literature, and of course your novel doesn't have to fit into any of these categories. However, it can also be a combination of several. 

1. Protagonist vs. Antagonist - This one is pretty self-explanatory. Your Protagonist against a malevolent person or organization.   
2. Rags to Riches - Your Protagonist rises from despair and obscurity to wealth, love, and status. 
3. the Journey - Your Protagonist takes a life altering journey.
4. the Quest - Something has gone terribly wrong! Your Protagonist must complete their goal at all costs.
5. Comedy - This light-hearted story often has an upbeat ending. Mainly featuring a Protagonist that is either humorous, or slightly oblivious.  
6. Tragedy - Your Protagonist's mistakes and flaws lead them, and others, to ruin. Sometimes the Protagonist dies, other times they lose everything that is dear to them. 
7. Transformation - Your Protagonist undergoes a life changing experience, often times sending them on the run.
8. Survival - Normally with few to no other characters, survival is difficult to write and requires a very specific, Laura Croft, type of character. 

Now that you've decided what plot types are closest to yours lets move onto your story structure.

Set up: The beginning 

Approximately the first fourth of your story is set up. Introducing characters, plot, world, conflict, etc... Here's a few basic elements that are often included in the beginning chapters.

• Theme
• Inciting incident
• Call to adventure
• Sliver of backstory
• Fateful decision

Adventure begins: The middle, part 1

The second fourth of your story is the beginning of the true adventure, at this point there is  no way your main character can turn back to the life they left behind. 

• Thrust into new world or environment 
• More information! How the world works
• How big is the threat? 
• New characters! Friends and enemies. 
• Foreshadowing 

Things get serious: The middle, part 2

The third fourth of your story is where the main bulk of all your character's pain culminates. 

• All is lost
• Darkest hour
• False victory/defeat
• Loss of a friend?

Resolution: The end

The final fourth of your story is where you decide who lives, who dies, and who tells their story. 

• Regroup
• Who still fights?
• Into battle
• Return to normal
• Theme revisited

Now remember, these are all simply suggestions. I never ever want to give you guys the impression that bloggers are the supreme know-it-all's. We simply tell you what works for us. Your story can follow whatever outline, plot, or lack thereof you want it to. It's your story, so go tell it.