The book table of contents 3-level tree(part·chapter·section) and length allocation + chapter synopsisA skill that produces up to this. It receives the outputs of two skills, book-concept-planner (USP·market positioning) and book-target-reader (persona·JTBD·pain points), and automatically branches the table of contents to fit the persona journey. The table of contents is the book's skeleton — it must be finalized before writing the main text to guarantee both publisher approval and completeness.
1. Overview
A book table of contents is not a simple list of chapters. It simultaneously performs the following 4 functions.
| Function | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Promise | Shows in advance the results the reader will gain through the book |
| Journey | Designs in what order the reader reads and how they will change |
| Balance | Allocates length by chapter so one side does not become bloated |
| Verification | Makes it possible to check whether the USP·JTBD are well implemented just by looking at the table of contents |
If you write the main text without a table of contents, length explosion·logical leaps·persona driftoccur. The table of contents is also the first thing a publisher's editor looks at.
2. Trigger Keywords
Automatic invocation trigger (see frontmatter description). Slash invocation: /book-outline-designer.
3. Workflow (4 steps)
Step 1: Set the table of contents skeleton (3-level tree)
A book table of contents is designed with part → chapter → section 3 levels. Responsibilities of each level:
| Level | Definition | Length | Example (practical book·side-hustle book) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 부 (Part) | The book's large unit, a stage of the reader journey | 3-5 부 | Part 1 Mindset / Part 2 Practice / Part 3 Automation |
| 장 (Chapter) | A subunit of a part, completes one topic | 4-6 장/부 | Chapter 1 Types of side hustles / Chapter 2 Securing time / Chapter 3 First sales |
| Section | A subunit of a chapter, read in one breath | 3-6 sections/chapter | Section 1 Side hustle vs main job / Section 2 N-job trends / Section 3 Self-diagnosis |
5 principles for deciding the skeleton
- MECE principle — parts·chapters·sections are mutually non-overlapping and collectively exhaustive (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive)
- Persona journey flow — the reader moves naturally from the beginning to the end of the book
- USP distribution — the 3 USP axes are placed evenly across parts·chapters (one axis is not concentrated in only one chapter)
- Pain point prioritization — place urgent pains in earlier parts, potential pains later
- JTBD endpoint — The feeling that JTBD is completed in the final part/chapter (all three dimensions: functional, emotional, social)
Step 2: Allocating length (total pages → parts → chapters → sections)
Standard length by genre (based on 200-character manuscript paper)
| Genre | Total length | Length per part | Length per chapter | Length per section |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical books·Self-help | 250-350매 | 60-90매 | 12-20매 | 3-5매 |
| Humanities·General knowledge·Essays | 300-500매 | 80-120매 | 18-28매 | 4-7매 |
| Technical·Professional books·IT | 400-800매 | 100-200매 | 25-50매 | 6-12매 |
| Novels·Literature (full-length) | 500-1500매 | 120-400매 | 30-80매 | (No sections) |
Length allocation procedure
- Determine target total length — Tailored to publisher, genre, and persona reading time
- Decide proportion per part — Usually distributed evenly, but the introduction and conclusion are slightly lighter
- Decide proportion per chapter — Chapters with high pain point intensity are longer
- Set length per section — The persona's single-breath reading time (5-10 minutes per section for practical books)
Detect length overflow·shortage
- Overflow: If one chapter exceeds 1.5 times the standard → consider splitting the chapter into 2
- Shortage: If one chapter is less than 0.5 times the standard → merge with another chapter or handle as an appendix
- Balance: ±20% range recommended
Step 3: Writing chapter synopses
For each chapter, 5-element synopsis(about 200-400 characters) write:
| Element | Question | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | What pain point will the reader first encounter in this chapter? | 30-50자 |
| Promise | What will this chapter cover? | 50-80자 |
| Body summary | 3 key arguments·methods·cases | 80-150자 |
| Cases·Quotes | What evidence·interviews·data support it? | 30-60자 |
| Connection to next chapter | What question remains when this chapter ends? | 30-50자 |
Section-level synopsis (optional)
If the chapter synopsis is sufficient, sections can be just a one-line title + one-sentence core message. However, for publisher submission proposals, including section synopses is recommended.
Step 4: Flow verification (persona journey simulation)
Assume the persona follows the completed table of contents from beginning to end. 3 viewpointsverify from:
| Viewpoint | Verification question | Pass criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 1부 끝 | Are the persona's motivations for closing the book sufficiently blocked? | Persona interest·trust maintained at 60% or more by the end of Part 1 |
| Midpoint | Are more than half of the JTBD functional·emotional dimensions satisfied? | Confirm placement of core methodology·cases in mid chapters |
| Final part | Are all 3 JTBD dimensions (functional·emotional·social) completed? | Specify social JTBD (change in others' perception) in the final part/chapter |
If validation fails, return to Step 1 and redesign the table of contents.
4. 4 Genre Presets (Automatic Branching)
4-1. Practical Books·Self-Development
| Dimension | Branch |
|---|---|
| Table of Contents Pattern | "Mindset → Practice → Automation·Expansion" 3-part structure |
| Number of Parts | 3-4부 |
| Length per Chapter | 12-20 sheets (200-character manuscript paper) |
| Section Length | 3-5 sheets (5-10 minute read) |
| Structure within Sections | Q&A·Practice Boxes·Checklists Recommended |
| Visual Materials | Charts·Infographics (2-4 per chapter) |
| Appendix | Templates·Checklists·30-Day Challenge Chart |
4-2. Humanities·Liberal Arts·Essays
| Dimension | Branch |
|---|---|
| Table of Contents Pattern | "Observation → Reflection → Proposal" 3 parts or chronological·by topic |
| Number of Parts | 3-5부 |
| Length per Chapter | 18-28매 |
| Section Length | 4-7매 |
| Structure within Sections | Narrative flow·Quotations·Footnotes Use |
| Visual Materials | Few (photos·illustrations only) |
| Appendix | References·Index |
4-3. Technical·Professional Books·IT Introductory Books
| Dimension | Branch |
|---|---|
| Table of Contents Pattern | "Basics → Core Features → Practical Projects → Advanced" 4-part structure |
| Number of Parts | 4-6부 |
| Length per Chapter | 25-50 sheets (including code·charts) |
| Section Length | 6-12매 |
| Structure within Sections | Concept explanation → Code examples → Follow-along → Summary |
| Visual Materials | Charts·Code·Screenshots (3-6 per section) |
| Appendix | Environment setup guide·Glossary·Full code GitHub |
4-4. Novels·Literature
| Dimension | Branch |
|---|---|
| Table of Contents Pattern | Parts or chapters only, no sections (maintain narrative flow) |
| Number of Chapters | 10-30 chapters (for full-length works) |
| Length per Chapter | 30-80 sheets (varies by point of view·conflict) |
| Synopsis | 3-act structure (setup·development·conclusion) or 5-act·7-act structure |
| Character Cards | Separate cards for 3-7 main characters |
| Point of View Changes | Specify first-person/third-person·omniscient/limited point of view |
5. Output Format (Table of Contents Tree + Synopsis Table)
# 도서 목차 — [가제]
## 메타 정보
- 장르: ___
- 총 분량: ___ 매 (200자 기준)
- 부 개수: ___
- 장 개수: ___
- 꼭지 개수: ___ (실용서·기술서만)
- 예상 독서 시간: ___ 시간
## 1. 전체 목차 트리
### 프롤로그 (___ 매)
[프롤로그 주제 1줄]
### 1부. [부 제목] (___ 매)
#### 1장. [장 제목] (___ 매)
- 1꼭지. [꼭지 제목] (___ 매)
- 2꼭지. [꼭지 제목] (___ 매)
- 3꼭지. [꼭지 제목] (___ 매)
#### 2장. [장 제목] (___ 매)
- 1꼭지. ...
- 2꼭지. ...
### 2부. [부 제목] (___ 매)
...
### 에필로그 (___ 매)
[에필로그 주제 1줄]
## 2. 챕터 시놉시스 (장 단위)
### 1장. [장 제목]
- **도입**: ___
- **약속**: ___
- **본문 요약**: ___
- **사례·인용**: ___
- **다음 장 연결**: ___
(2장, 3장, ... 동일 구조)
## 3. 페르소나 여정 검증
| 시점 | 검증 결과 | 통과? |
|------|----------|:----:|
| 1부 끝 | 흥미·신뢰 ___% 유지 | ✅/❌ |
| 중반 | JTBD 기능·감정 ___% 충족 | ✅/❌ |
| 마지막 부 | JTBD 3차원 모두 도달 | ✅/❌ |
## 4. 분량 균형 검증
| 부 | 표준 대비 | 비고 |
|----|----------|------|
| 1부 | ___% | 정상/폭주/부족 |
| 2부 | ___% | ___ |
| ... |
## 5. 부록·추가 자료
- 부록 A: ___ (템플릿·체크리스트 등)
- 부록 B: ___
- 참고 자료: GitHub·웹사이트·다운로드 링크
6. Usage Examples
Example 1 — Practical Books·Self-Development (Side Hustle Book)
book-concept-planner와 book-target-reader 결과 입력.
"30일 챌린지로 시작하는 부업" 책 목차 설계해줘.
총 분량 300매, 3부 구조 권장.
→ Step 1 Skeleton: Part 1 Mindset (80 sheets) / Part 2 Practice (140 sheets) / Part 3 Automation (80 sheets)
→ Step 2 Length: Average 100 sheets per part, 15 sheets per chapter, 4 sheets per section
→ Step 3 Synopsis: Write a 5-element synopsis for each of the 12 chapters
→ Step 4 Verification: Part 1 ending confidence 70% · mid-section JTBD 60% · final social JTBD ✅
→ Output: Table of contents tree + synopsis table
Example 2 — IT Primer (12 chapters · 600 pages)
"Next.js 15 + shadcn/ui 실전 가이드" 목차 설계해줘.
주니어 3년차 백엔드 개발자 페르소나, 12 챕터·600매 기준.
→ Step 1 Skeleton: Part 1 Basics (2 chapters) · Part 2 Core Features (4 chapters) · Part 3 Practical Projects (4 chapters) · Part 4 Advanced (2 chapters)
→ Step 2 Length: 50 pages per chapter, 6-10 code examples/chapter
→ Step 3 Synopsis: Each of the 12 chapters follows a concept · code · follow-along · summary flow
→ Step 4 Verification: After Part 1, understanding React differences · mid-section full-stack confidence · final career-change confidence ✅
Example 3 — Humanities · Essay (Working mom in her 40s)
"엄마이지만 나로 살기" 에세이집 목차 설계해줘.
400매·서사 흐름·민음사 투고 목표.
→ Humanities preset automatically applied → "Observation → Reflection → Proposal" 3 parts → chapter-based without subsections (12-15 chapters)
7. Korean Publisher Table of Contents Conventions
Preferred Table of Contents Formats by Publisher (Reference)
| Publisher | Genre | Table of Contents Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Hanbit Media | IT | 4-part structure, 25-50 pages per chapter, rich in code and diagrams, GitHub appendix |
| Insight | IT translations | Respects original structure + supplementary notes for Korean readers |
| Gilbut | Practical · IT primer | 3-part structure, Q&A and hands-on boxes, short subsections |
| Woongjin Knowledge House | Practical · Self-help | Mindset → Practice → Automation 3 parts, infographics |
| Dasan Books | Self-help | Long introduction, abundant examples |
| Minumsa | Literature · Humanities | Chapter-based, uses poetry and quotations |
| Munhakdongne | Literature · Essay | Free format, author's individuality prioritized |
| Changbi | Humanities · Children's | Social perspective, abundant footnotes |
KPIPA Standard (Korea Publishing Industry Promotion Agency)
- Standard length: based on 200-character manuscript paper (converted to word count according to publisher format)
- ISBN supplementary code: apply to publisher after table of contents is finalized
- Fixed Book Price System: new releases fixed price for 18 months + up to 10% discount + 5% points
8. Precautions
Avoiding Table of Contents Pitfalls
| Pitfall | How to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Table of contents = listing chapters | Apply 3 levels of part · chapter · subsection + 5 principles (MECE · journey · USP distribution · pain-first · JTBD arrival) |
| Length explosion | Split when a chapter exceeds 1.5x the standard. Balance ±20% |
| USP concentrated on one side | Verify that the 3 USP axes are distributed across parts |
| JTBD not reached | Specify social JTBD in the final part (name change · relationship change) |
| Persona deviation | Must pass 4-stage verification (end of Part 1 · mid-section · final) |
| Ignoring publisher format | After analyzing 5 recent titles from the submitting publisher, tailor the format |
Persona input consistency
- Verify that the book-concept-planner's 3 USP axes are distributed across the parts and chapters of the table of contents
- Verify that the book-target-reader's 3 JTBD dimensions are all completed in the final part
- Verify that the book-target-reader pain point matrix places urgent pains in the earlier parts
Source policy
- Direct quotation of reference materials outside the vault is prohibited
- Extract only insights and frameworks; metaphors and example expressions are written in-house
- For Korean publisher table of contents analysis, cite after directly checking 5 actual recent titles
9. Related skills
Before (previous step)
book-concept-planner— USP and market positioningbook-target-reader— Persona, JTBD, pain points
After (chaining)
book-author-bio— Author bio (define author credibility signals after the table of contents is finalized)book-proposal-writer— Proposal for publisher submission (including table of contents + synopsis)book-chapter-writer— Writing the main body chapters (repeat per subsection)
Alternative
moai-consultant:consult-strategy— Business and service structure design (not a book)moai-marketer:content-blog— Blog series structure (less than book length)
Post (review — regular chain)
moai-writer:korean-spell-check— Korean spellingmoai-coworker:ai-slop-reviewer— AI slop review (required)moai-writer:korean-humanize— Precise polishing to remove AI tells (required)
The table of contents tree and length allocation are data outputs, but the **chapter synopsis (5-element description)** is prose. The synopsis prose uses the regular chain **
book-outline-designer → moai-coworker:ai-slop-reviewer → moai-writer:korean-humanize** to finish.
10. Sources
External official sources (as of 2026)
| Material | URL | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| KPIPA | https://www.kpipa.or.kr | Publishing statistics, standard formats, length guides |
| Kyobo Book Centre bestsellers | https://www.kyobobook.co.kr | Table of contents analysis of bestsellers by genre |
| Aladin book DB | https://www.aladin.co.kr | Tables of contents and ISBNs by publisher |
| Hanbit Media new releases corner | https://www.hanbit.co.kr | IT publisher table of contents format |
| Minumsa new releases | https://www.minumsa.com | Literature and humanities table of contents format |
Vault references (concepts and frameworks only)
Extract insights related to "table of contents, structure, narrative flow, MECE" from the GOOS Obsidian vault (applying the MECE principle from the 3 steps of strategic planning insight derivation). Original metaphors and expressions are not used as-is.
Version history
- v2.9.0 (2026-05-17): New skill introduced. The 3rd workflow of the moai-coworker plugin. 3-level tree (part, chapter, subsection) + length allocation + 4-step verification + 4 genre presets.