Fill-in-the-Blank Plotting: A Guide to Outlining a Novel Using the Hero s Journey and Three-Act Structure

by Linda George

Fill-in-the-Blank Plotting combines the two most reliable story structures -- the Hero's Journey and the Three-Act Structure -- and shows writers how to merge them to create a powerful plot. Some writers are lucky. Plots pop into their heads, fully formed and ready for the page. This book is for the rest of us. This book combines the two most reliable story the Hero's Journey and the Three-Act Structure, and shows writers how to merge them to create a powerful plot. For those of us who have to work hard at turning our ideas into a workable story, here is a helping hand. Linda George's method for outlining allows flexibility and ''eureka'' moments, while providing a reliable way to develop scenes, characters, turning points, and other dramatic elements to strengthen your novel. In this book, Linda shares her two plotting boards, presents the twelve steps of the Hero's Journey, and shows in detail how the Journey fits into the classic Three-Act Structure. A fill-in-the-blank method may sound formulaic, but proves to be a wonderful platform for creativity -- a sturdy trellis for the climbing vines of your story.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

71 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Linda George is the author of five published novels and, with her husband and co-author, 68 published nonfiction books for children and teens. She became a professional freelance writer after taking the basic course from the Institute of Children’s Literature. Her first three sales were made while taking that course. Writing novels was a logical next step.

In 1990, her picture book, The Hallelujah Corncobs, was published, followed by her first novel in 1998, Gabriel’s Heart, under the pseudonym Madeline George, for Harlequin Historicals.

In 1996, Capstone Press had assigned her 12 books on snakes, a book about koalas, 4 books on working dogs, and 4 books on extreme sports, while Children’s Press had requested a book about the history of Alcatraz. Next came books on Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho for the America the Beautiful series. Nonfiction assignments poured in to the point that her husband, Charles, joined her in 1997 to be able to meet the demand.

68 nonfiction books later, they decided to retire from writing the labor-intensive books, leaving Linda free to return to her first love of writing—romance novels—in 2013.

Having dealt with numerous publishers and editors, Linda decided she wanted more control over her novels. The explosion of books being published for Kindle led her to choose Kindle Direct Publishing instead of having to wait years to have a book slotted with a traditional publisher. At last, her lifelong dream of writing one book after another and seeing them published in a timely manner was possible.

Kiss Me, Chloe is the first novel in the Kiss Me Series, which already has half a dozen books planned. And Linda has another series planned, called Forget Me Not, to follow the Kiss Me Series.

Check the blog on Linda’s website, www.LindaGeorge.net, for news about each new title, and for notifications for the five days of free downloads on Amazon Kindle when each new book is released. If you like Linda’s books, please add a positive review to the book’s page on Amazon.com.

Also on the website, you’ll find information about Charles and Linda’s nonfiction books and her previous novels, with links to Amazon for purchase and review.

Reviews

[Anne Marsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love books about writing craft. When I have a book of my own due to my editor, I love craft books even more because they become a lifeline in a sea of panic. The title of Linda George's book is absolutely fabulous and promises the lifeline of all lifelines. She also does a lovely job of listing the twelve steps in the hero's journey and mapping them to the three act structure. But that's all she does. I already have Joseph Campbell's book and there are any number of websites that recreate the twelve steps in a nice, tidy list. Ditto on the three act structure. Romance (which I write) also only merits a one sentence: if you're writing a romance, this (stage 9) is where the first love scene should occur. Perhaps George doesn't write or read romance as broadly as she should, because many of the more successful romances I've read don't wait until the middle of the book for the hero and the heroine to get into bed together. My bigger disappointment, though, was that George's plotting suggestions were driven by a Treasure Island example and focused on a very physical, adventurous set of actions and reactions... although she mentions the need for the character to grow emotionally and how his world will never be the same again, there is almost no focus on the emotional journey of the hero.

[Anne Earney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slim book explaining how to use both the hero's journey and three-act structure to plot a novel. Explained in easy-to-understand terms, with just enough guidance and examples to make it sound easy. I intend to try out this method on the book I've just started. I'm already a fan of plotting, having used a multi-page plot for my last book, and I like the idea of using time-tested structures to create the next one. I'll update this as the book progresses and I see how it works and how it compares to the last method I used, which was much less structured.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not a thorough treatise on plotting but it is the book you want by your side AS YOU WRITE; the book that will be dog-eared, highlighted and chewed on. Essentially, it combines two of the major plot theories: The Hero's Journey and the 3 Act Structure. As someone who once thought that outlining and planning a novel was counterproductive to the organic process of writing, I now find myself with a hero who wakes up halfway through the first act with absolutely no direction to go. I feel like this book is the one that will push my main character out of bed and into the world.

[Judy Croome · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful and practical workbook on how to plot a story by combining two different story structures (The hero's journey and the 3 act play).

Well set out and easy to read, this book makes plotting seem easy. Gives excellent breakdown of classic novels (Gone with the Wind, Treasure Island) so that the plotting method described is clearly demonstrated.

I liked the way the book stayed focused on the task at hand (showing us how to plot.) I find outlining/plotting the worst part of writing, but this book has broken plotting down into clear and manageable steps.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

a quick and easy guide book on the nuts and bolts of plotting a story. It blends "the heroes journey" and three act play together and uses the classic story "Treasure Island" to illustrate that concept. A Very short book- but effective for what it is... a cookbook to plotting this type of story.

[Alicia Gregoire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was easy to understand. Everything made sense. It's short enough that you can read in one sitting. I plan to go back to it a few times as I work on my various projects.

[Amber Lemus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It makes outlining a novel very simple and fun. It has improved my writing a lot!

This book is a must have for every author.

[Darren Sapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise, yet valuable tool for organizing your novel.