When you’re plotting it’s easy to become intrigued with a minor character, or a series of incidents. Glance at the template, and you’ll get back on track.
If you’re an outliner, you can brainstorm from the template. You’ll know what you need to cover in your novel’s plot. Just keep adding characters and obstacles — these will create a subplot or two. But don’t create so many “add ons” that you get confused. Keep the focus on your main character and his problems.
The template’s perfect for pantsers, so pants away. You can confidently head off into the wild lands of your imagination, using the basic template as a guide.