Now expand the idea to a paragraph
Describe the plot, conflict, and denouement of the novel. That's about five or six sentences.
Decide on the number of conflicts, since the structure of "premise - conflict development - climax - denouement" should be established at this level of drafting.
If you're a first-time author and working with the method, it's best to limit yourself to one conflict. At the end of step two, you should have a paragraph that briefly explains the essence of the story.