Cate Morgan's Blog, page 6

Author’s Log: It’s A Good Thing I Planned This (#ROW80, #amwriting)

*looks up blearily*

*blinks*

*shuffles mountain of paper, index cards, diagrams, etc*

Is it already time to check in again? It can’t be, can it?

It is?

Bugger.

Okay. What am I doing again? I know I was doing something.

*shuffles a bit more*

Oh. Right.

I was drafting Blood & Steam 3, which is going well. Exciting, really, to be wrapping up the series with the youngest of the Carlisle clan. I’m still in Act I, but I am making progress. No, really. Promise.

Oh, and I was also planning DRAGON’S HEART in anticipation of NANOWRIMO next month, during which I hope to get a rough cut of the first half in the can. And THAT’S going well.

And, um, I am WAY overdue in getting my newsletter(s) out, but that is on the docket for this week. And then there’s my Halloween promotion coming up, wherein both Blood and Steam 2 and Waking Muse 2 will be free on Amazon for the day. Because Halloween.

Thankfully, I have a week off from the day job because…what is that big, red circle and urgent arrows point at it from all directions? Oh. Because it’s my anniversary. My thirteenth wedding anniversary, to be precise.

Did I already say “Bugger”?

Um, let’s move on to the goals, shall we? Ahem.

1. Finish Blood & Steam #3: In Progress

Drafting! See?! *typeity-typeity*

2. Finish Keepers #4: Deferred

I’ve parsed all the chapters out into separate Evernote files, because when I print in Evernote it condenses the pages down to only a few so that the task seems more manageable, and fits neatly into a three-ring binder I can carry with me in my Bag of Holding.

3. Finish Keepers: Origins 4: Deferred

As I go through my first revision pass of Keepers 4, I’ll get down the bones of Tess’ origin story and work on getting it completed.

Which just might leave time for bonus goals:

1. Complete rough draft of DRAGON’S HEART: In Pre-Production

I’ve got my chapter list; now I’m parsing them out into scenes and, thus, a To-Do list.

2. Complete rough draft of Sweet Home #1: In Progress

I’m about at the 10% mark on this one, so I should have plenty of time before release in February to get this up to scratch. I’m really enjoying the characters and the story, so I think my readers will, too.

3. Finish edits on MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER: Deferred

This is slated for the Thanksgiving to New Year’s project, when I am imbibing enough wine and food to not mind very much. I’ll also be sending a fresh round of queries this week, because I am a glutton for punishment.

I think that’s everything. Pretty sure, anyway.

Did I remember to feed the cats?

*facedesk*

Author’s Log: My Brain On Multi-Tasking (#ROW80, #amwriting)

It’s official: I’ve started drafting Blood & Steam 3.

*pauses for Mighty Cheer and relieved sighs of “FINALLY”*

Yeah, I know. Just imagine how it feels to be in my brain for more than a few seconds. It is Hamster Ball Roller Derby all up in here y’all. *ducks*

(Mental Note: Hamster Ball Roller Derby should totally be A Thing.)

Honestly, no one’s more excited than I am at this point, maybe not even my readers. Let’s hear it for Series Conclusion. I love the Carlisles and all, but my To Be Written queue is resembling a swaying Jenga tower more and more these days.

The other thing I worked on this week was a plot sketch/storyboard/outline for DRAGON’S HEART, in preparation for NANO next month. I’d like to see if I can get through the first half of a rough draft in November, and the second half in December. I’m also going to use this opportunity to solidify the process that’s actually working for me. I know I utilize a LOT of tools. I figure if I can work on Pre-Production items for even an hour a day, that will lead to writing better stories faster, and really get me into the groove. Especially now that 2015 is drawing to a close (and how the heck did THAT happen, I’d like to know?)

I’m ready for so much Win this quarter, guys. Organize! Optimize! And Other Things starting with “O”! As in OMG what did I DO to myself?!

Which brings us rather nicely to:

 

Finish and release Blood & Steam 3: Drafting In Process! IN PROCESS!! ‘Nuff said, I think. :-D
Revise and complete Keepers of the Flame 4: In Revision As soon as Blood & Steam 3 is well under way (rough draft completed, put away to cool for a week or two), I’ll get to this one. I have A Plan!
Finish Keepers of the Flame: Origins 4: Deferred This one will come into play once Keepers 4 revisions are done. It should be ready in plenty of time to release next year. (Oh, hello, Hubris–nice to meet you.)

Bonus Things:

Finish edits on THE MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER: Deferred This one is going to be my Holidays project, I think. (Hey, some people bake and give Martha Stewart a run for her money. I do Revisions and plan future novels. FOR FUN.)


Complete a rough draft of DRAGON’S HEART: In Pre-Production Skipping through the plotting/outline process on this one. It’s nice to shift gears from Blood & Steam to this project, as this project’s been knocking around in my brain FOREVER. Like, back when I decided to take this whole writing gig more seriously than a hobby. Then MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER and Keepers of the Flame took up all my creative energy and DRAGON’S HEART got relegated to the trunk. I even finished a rough draft at some point, one so cumbersome even GRRM and Tolkien would have gone “Oh, I say. You are new at this, aren’t you?”


Complete a rough draft of Sweet Home #1: In Process This one is still ticking away in my brain, all compartmentalized and such so it doesn’t get anything on it from my other projects. The dialogue is especially snappy in this one, so I’m having fun letting my characters runaround, being clever at one another. Those few moments when I’m not cross-eyed and drooling from All The Things is dedicated to getting a few hundreds words down, but it WILL be done well in advance of release early next year (Oh, look–it’s Hubris again. Fancy meet you here.)

Okay, your turn–hit any milestones this week? What are you looking forward to writing in the coming days?

 

 

Author’s Log: Hitting the Big, Red Button (#amwriting, #ROW80)

Progress at last, fellow ROWers!

(Is that even a Thing? I think I just made that a Thing. Find your Tribe, right?)

(Anyway.)

I’ve still been overly busy at Ye Olde Daye Jobbe due to a seriously complicated case I’ve been slogging through these last couple of weeks, and October is one of our heavier months anyway, so I’m about to get busier.

HOWEVER. I now have a Save The Cat! Basic outline-looking thing for Blood & Steam #3. And a plot sketch. A fully detailed outline is in the works, which means I can begin drafting any day now.

In other words, I know The Story. Finally. Numfar! Do the Dance of Joy!

Thank you, Numfar.

I’m really happy with the way everything came together, to say the least. There will be Action and Adventure, as well as the usual amount of Carlisle Mayhem, which is always fun. No magic, but Steampunk tech and lots of humor, which is just as good. My favorite “invention” thus far is the hero’s boxing trainer machine, which has been designed to give a serious walloping unless one can get to the KO button (naturally, a Big, Red Button) on its chest.

Seriously, y’all. I’m already making Good Book Noise ™ , and I haven’t written a word yet. But I can already tell it’s going to be so. Danged. Good.

Other than this exciting bit of news, I thought I might try to get the first half of DRAGON’S HEART written during NANO, just so I can play with the other kiddies. That means finding the time to plan sometime this month. Now that I know what was holding me back (like seriously sucky opening scenes that just didn’t feel Right, if you know what I mean), and how to fix them (by bringing my Prologue POV forward into the mix), I think I’m right where I need to be. I always had the Story, I just couldn’t find the right entry point. Now I have that, I think I’m in fairly good shape. But to make sure, I’m going to outline the Unholy Beejeezus out of it. Because I’m paranoid that way.

Hey, Paranoia doesn’t actually mean you’re wrong.

I also learned a valuable lesson this week in terms of marketing and advertising, thanks to a blog post on Writer Unboxed. Granted, it was something I probably should have realized, being traditionally published, but for some reason it didn’t click.

And that is, that Book Promotion should start something like THREE MONTHS ahead of time. So I’ve got some research/recalibrating to do.

So that was my week. On to updates on Project Insanity, aka All The Things:

Finish and release Blood & Steam 3: In Pre-Production

I get to start drafting THIS WEEK. As you can no doubt tell, I am sooper-dooper excited. So excited! *vibrates* It would be really easy to dive in right now, but I did that with Book 1 and ended up with a fun but seriously problematic story that cause me much grief in the revision/editorial process.
Revise and complete Keepers of the Flame 4: In Revision

This week I get to take my manuscript apart, scene by scene, and paste/parse it into Evernote so I can begin the process of rewriting. I’ll probably start with key scenes and fully rewrite them, sentence by sentence, before I do anything else. It’s been awhile since I’ve come anywhere near this story, so my perspective should be good and fresh.
Finish Keepers of the Flame: Origins 4: Not Started

This will come as I do revisions on Keepers 4, and I can the appropriate notes for the purposes of story continuity. From there I can sketch out the plot and write some kick-ass battle scenes. (Because nothing says “impending apocalypse” quite like sword fights with ravening demons.)

Once these three things are complete, and I can move on to the next three tasks on my list:

Finish edits on THE MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER: Not Started
Complete a rough draft of DRAGON’S HEART: In Process
Complete a rough draft of Sweet Home #1: In Process

Your turn–how did your first week of the round go? Hit any milestones?

 

Essentials of Scene (#IWSG)

To round out my Essentials series, I thought I’d get into the Essentials of Scene. And, just like a plot structure needs to have a beginning, middle, and end, so does a scene. And a scene sequence (at least for me) is what constitutes a chapter. But there are three elements to a scene, as well, and that’s what we’ll go into here

(On a personal note, when I’m really REALLY stuck, I spend about ten-fifteen minutes brainstorming each section before actually writing the scene, and it’s never let me down.)

 

Setting:

The thing about writing is that no matter how much material we end up gathering, we don’t end up using all of what we found. Hardly at all, sometimes. But what we discover during our pre-production phase still informs what we’re writing, whether we end up actually using it or not.

The same can be said for setting. The idea is to identify the five senses that will ground your reader in the scene, but in order to not overwhelm them we’re not going to use ALL of sense–only that worth noting. For example, if I’m in the cubical maze of my day job, my sense of smell is working at all times (unless allergies are in play), but I may not be consciously aware of what I’m smelling–until someone burns popcorn in the microwave. Oof.

Same thing here–write it all down, and then only use what you need, letting the rest inform your scene.

Time/Place
Temperature/Season
Lighting/Sounds/Smells

Now, finally, is there anything in setting that could be used or developed as a symbol for the theme of your story? Are there any images you want to try to nail down?

Dialogue:

There are two things to consider when writing dialogue: what characters are saying, and what they’re actually thinking. In other words, context and subtext. (Because there isn’t enough to think about when writing, right?)

Sometimes the subtext will come out in tone. Other times, it will leak out in action. “Fine” could mean they really are fine, feeling under the weather but don’t want to go into detail during a polite exchange, to being downright not fine, but trying to hide it.

Context: What is the conversation about? (i.e. What is being said?)
Subtext: What is being felt? And how are underlying emotions being hinted at, or subconsciously presenting themselves?

Action:

There are large and small actions in a scene, though there don’t always have to be both.

Large actions, though, are generally where the focus of motion comes from. Think of a TV show or movie where someone is driving car. Driving the car, the scene whizzing by the windows, is the large action. But what else is going on? Is someone fiddling with the radio? Reading a map? Sleeping? Those are small actions, contained within the larger one.

Say your characters are in a stationary place, though, like an office. Maybe the major action is a phone call. What is the character doing with their hands? Their feet? Maybe there’s something potentially symbolic happening out the window. Or maybe a plane is crashing, that that becomes the large action of the scene–how important is the phone call in the scope of the scene? Is it still a large action, or is it relegation to small? In other words, how pertinent is that phone call to the scene. Is it just filler dialogue while bigger things are happening? Or is it a character dealing with a spouse demanding a divorce? In the latter, the phone call is still the large action, and the plane crashing becomes a rather on the nose symbol.

Or, maybe, they’re both large actions. Maybe the crashing plane contains the spouse’s lover of the past year, who is now on their way to be with them forever. For a given value of “forever”, of course, given the crashing.

Large: What action is the focus of the scene?
Small: What’s going on in the background? Is it pertinent to the story or scene, or is it ancillary?

In the draft I’m working on now the small action is the act of driving, as my main character engages in a one-sided dialogue with her violin. (Because some people talk to their instruments, okay? Don’t judge.) The large action, however, is that her jeep breaks down, forcing her to stop in a small town where she then meets the hero for the first time. The driving, while being the focus of motion, is relegated to small action because her vehicle blows out and this is the action most pertinent to the story.

So that’s it–the Essentials of Scene. Hopefully, this helps my fellow scribes when it comes to breaking a scene down into its component bits (as this can often help identify where is scene is going wrong).

Check out my other posts in this series:

Essentials of Character

Essentials of Plot

Author’s Log: Goalin’, Goalin’ Goalin’ (#amwriting, #ROW80)

Goalin’, Goalin’ Goalin’

Keep those Goals a-ROWin’

Man, my brain is swollen,

ROW-hide!

Yeah, okay. So my song parody skills lack the delightful bite of, say, Weird Al or Doctor Demento. Sadly, this is how my brain actually works when it’s buzzing with All The Things.

So let’s get right down to it, shall we? I mean, before Bugs Bunny shows up in drag, or something.

All The Things:

Finish and release Blood & Steam 3: In Pre-Production
Revise and complete Keepers of the Flame 4: In Revision
Finish Keepers of the Flame: Origins 4: Not Started
Finish edits on THE MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER: Not Started
Complete a rough draft of DRAGON’S HEART: In Process
Complete a rough draft of Sweet Home #1: In Process

My really big, OMG-gotta-get-it-done-goal, of course is Blood & Steam 3, since it’s due out at the end of December. This is going to have to take priority over EVERYTHING else. Because deadline.

If I get the first three goals done by the end of the year/round, I’ll be really happy. Everything else is bonus, at this point.

Your turn! What’s in YOUR goal-wallet?

(Sorry. It’s been that kind of couple of weeks.)

 

 

Author’s Log: Steamin’ Right Along (#amwriting, #ROW80)

GREAT GOOGLY-MOOGLY, Y’ALL! It’s been–(*dons accountant’s visor* *calculates badly*) a week in a half since last I updated. Yikes!! o_O

But. BUT. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut. (Heh-heh. “Butt”.)

(Ahem.)

Blood & Steam #2 is now officially out in the wild. Like, on time and EVERYTHING. *proud*

I’m now slightly twitchy as I waft slowly down on the combination of dissipating caffeine fumes and abject relief, and am trying to remember how to breathe.

Things have been unbelievable, OMG busy busy busy at the day job, so maintaining a healthy diet and sleep schedule has been more than difficult. But now, hopefully, I should be back to normal.

For a given value of “normal”, of course.

The other news item is I got my edits back from The Pink Hammer (now re-monikered The Pink Jedi by moi) on THE MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER. So that will be my end-of-the-year bonus project, at which point I’ll start re-querying. And, if that doesn’t work, I’ll go ahead and self-pub that sumbisch.

Sweet Home #1 is staring at me like a puckish feline, waiting to be finished, but that’s not due to be released until early next year and I really REALLY need to get going on Blood & Steam #3.

Because December will be here before I know it. And then I’ll be RIGHT BACK where I was these last couple of weeks. And then someone’s gonna have to peel me from ceiling, and, well. We all know how that’s gonna go.

So this is me, staring down the twin barrels of 4th Quarter 2015, and something just went “click”.

Bring it on, 4th quarter. Bring it on.

*falls over*

 

1. Blood & Steam #3: Complete Pre-Production.

I’m STILL teasing out the story on this one, so I’m working through my workbook, figuring out my characters, and, thus, the plot. I want to start drafting on this ASAP.

2. Sweet Home #1: Finish Drafting.

This one fell by the way side a bit while I hacked and slashed my way through Blood & Steam 2, but now I can get back into it. So glad this one is planned out so extensively–hopefully I can rip through a rough draft fairly quickly.

3. Optimize!

I’ve slowly, but surely, been updating all my front/back matter, my website, and adding links for my newsletter as well as for leaving reviews. It’s slow-going, as I keep finding things to do better and update, but hopefully I’ll end up with a Scrivener template that will basically be a plug-and-play, write the story, revise/edit it, and upload it once the links are inserted.

Because boy-howdy is this a ton of work! *cross-eyed* *drool*

I’m also employing a service called Gumroad, so readers can download my books directly from my site.

So, what have you guys been up to while I’ve been on unofficial, whoopsy-haitus? Fill me in! :-D

 

PRE-LAUNCH BOOK GIVEAWAY (And Jokes Worse Than Bad Eggs) (#steampunk #freebook)

Welp, THE MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES OF BECCA CARLISLE is due out on 9/29. (Eep!)

I’ve got a lot to do until then, so while you’re waiting for Launch Day (Get it? Air ships? Launch? No?) (*gently nudges dead joke under rug*) why not get caught up on the Story Thus Far with a FREE DOWNLOAD of Book 1?

He Took Her Family. She’ll Go to the Ends of the Earth to Get Them Back.

FREE SEPT 21-22

DOWNLOAD NOW

Author’s Log: The Ballad of Nellie Bly (#amwriting, #ROW80)

Back in 1889, an investigative journalist by the name of Nellie Bly travelled around the world in 72 days in honor of Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days. This was also smack dab in the middle of the golden age of the American railroads.

Put these two things together with airships and the youngest Carlisle sister and a story begins to form. But it’s only the beginning–a premise, if you will. Put this together with characters–including an antagonist who’s a little too close to home for one of them–and a race for supremacy between air travel and railways, and there’s nearly enough to tease out a plot.

So that’s where Book 3 of my Blood & Steam series stands as of now. The next step is to go through my research and highlight information that might prove pertinent to the story. Even if I don’t end up using a particular tidbit, it will still inform the rest.

This is what happens when I jack up my knee in the middle of a workout and am forced to slow down. My brain perks right up and gets to work, now that it’s not focusing on other things. And it came from character–my hero comes from a wealthy family in San Francisco whose money comes from railroad money. And, on her return journey to New York, Nellie Bly stepped foot back in the States in–you guessed it–San Francisco. Conspiracy theory, anyone? :-D

So between that and some nifty drafting on Sweet Home #1 I had a busy week. Revisions on Blood & Steam #2 are also going well, though I’ve already come across one or two things I need to clarify, plot-wise. I should have the final book uploaded in a couple of weeks.

Project Insanity

Project Insanity is my mad scheme to publish one novella per month for the next FIVE years, beginning in 2016 (which means I have to draft like a banshee NOW). Behold, as I apply lightning to The Monster of my Production Schedule, and probably fall flat on my face whilst so doing. Let the games begin!

*dons fez*

*blows noisemaker*

​Blood & Steam #2 (Drafted!)

Sweet Home #1 (In Production)

Blood & Steam #3 (In Pre-Production)

Sanity Check

1.  Draft Sweet Home #1: In Process

Oh, this is going to be a fun one. I’m loving these characters, especially my heroine. She’s sassy, talks to her violin (who she’s named Lola), and makes references to cheesy eighties movies (the best kind). It also took her all of ten minutes to get the hero all turned about so he doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going–and enjoying it.

2. Revise Blood & Steam #2: In Process

I think I might have too much mention of Acacia (my heroine from Book 1) in the second installment, especially seeing as she comes on for a supporting role in Act III. (I can’t help–Cass is just WAY too much fun, and she kind takes over everything, even when she’s not there.)

So I’m going to have to weed some of that out, in case it negates some of Becca’s own brand of awesome. There’s definitely some sibling rivalry going on there, but Becca needs to triumph on her own terms instead of letting Cass fix everything. She needs to be the star of her own story, dammit.

3. Plan Blood & Steam #3: In Process

Now that I have characters and a premise, I need a plot. One involving at least one explosion, for preference. Because explosions are fun.

4. Optimize!

I’ve only got one new cover left to complete, but I’m still working on updated front and back matter for all my self-published stuff. My website  updates are coming along, though I think I might be updating my theme at some point.

I’m also working on new cover copies and getting those updated everywhere as well.

That’s the list for me–what you are guys up to?

Author’s Log: When The Going Gets Tough…(#amwriting, #ROW80)

…The Tough Get Planning.

So I’m a couple of weeks behind on my Production Schedule due to Allergies and Other Reasons. However, my new schedule does give me a little leeway in case I need some catch up time, so I’m glad I planned ahead for that.

Still, September is going to be a busy, busy month, y’all. In anticipation of All The Crazy, with a Side Order of Sauce, I’ve recalibrated my goal tracking a bit to make it easier to keep a handle on everything (if not a straight jacket).

The Biggest News is that I’m planning on released Blood & Steam #2 at the end of the month. I’m deep, deep into revisions while also working on Cover Copy and finishing Cover Art. I’ve also done a new cover for the first book–as much as I likes the previous one, I don’t feel like it’s conveying the right message. The right message being “Steampunk Goodness all up in these here pages, yo.”

Plus, I sent MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER over to The Pinkest of Hammers (whom I am coming to refer to as the Pink Jedi of late) to see where I’m going wrong with the characters. Am highly anticipating her response, and much in the way of work when I receive it. *bites nails*

I’m scheduled to start drafting Sweet Home #1 on Monday. And I still need to work out an actual, er, plot to Blood & Steam #3. And then I have to get back to the Keepers of the Flame series. And I’m in the middle of a website refresh.

And and and…All the Things. You know how that goes.

Project Insanity (Sept 2015)

Project Insanity is my mad scheme to publish one novella per month for the next FIVE years, beginning in 2016 (which means I have to draft like a banshee NOW). Behold, as I apply lightning to The Monster of my Production Schedule, and probably fall flat on my face whilst so doing. Let the games begin!

*dons fez*

*blows noisemaker*

Blood & Steam #2: In Post-Production

Blood & Steam #3: In Pre-Production

Sweet  Home #1: Drafting

Keepers of the Flame #4: Begin Post-Production

Keepers of the Flame #5: Begin Pre-Production

Sanity Check

Complete Blood & Steam #2: In Revision/Post Production

Act I revision pass is complete. Bring on Act II! Also, I’ve begun my initial designs for the cover art, and am jotting down ideas for the jacket copy/blurb.

2. Draft Sweet Home #1: Scheduled

I am plotted, outlined, and generally ready to go. My main character’s name changed (again), and I’ve tightened the story considerably. I have my scene list/story board. Bring on the draft! *flexes* *hurts self*

3. Begin Blood & Steam #3: Scheduled

I’m working on characters now. Lucia was easy, of course, as she’s already been introduced in previous books. And I think her best friend will be of Chinese extraction rather than her romantic interest. I think he’s going to be a studious engineer by the name of Henry. That sorta feels right to me.

4. Optimize! In Process

Redo Front/Back Matter and Cover Copy for Keepers: Origins
Finish new Cover Art for Waking Muse #2
Finish new Cover Art for Blood & Steam #1

 

The Essentials Of Plot (#IWSG)

Or, Plotting for Pansters

So I’ve been engaged quite a bit in the trenches of Plotty-Plotness (i.e., the Plot Mire) of late, what with Project Insanity keeping me so busy and all. The key, I’ve found, is to (heh) have key scenes or sequences at least percolating in the back of your mind for each plot point.

Of course, the really awesome thing about having your key scenes/sequences planned ahead of time when you’re writing novellas, is that, by the end, you HAVE your novella at least outlined. Apparently that’s cheating or something, but hey–whatever makes the job easier, right? Work smarter, not harder I say.

I’m a visual-type person, so I like to sketch it out on white board or piece of paper until I have a plot sketch in seven or so parts:

Here’s a hint: watch a favorite movie on Netflix or via DVD on a computer, where you get the little progress bar down at the bottom. Every time something important happens, check your progress bar to see where you are in the movie.

1. SETUP (0-10%)

This is where you establish all the musts of story: character, world, tone, and lines of conflict. (I think of each line of conflict as individual plot lines, growing hotter the further along the story gets).

Personally, I like to have an opening scene or sequence that will end up mirroring my ending scene/sequence in terms of imagery, to create resonance with my reader. I also like to bring my protagonist around full circle in some way.

2. INCITING INCIDENT (10%)

This is The Moment, the one that starts everything in motion–the Lighting of the Fuse. Character arc and conflict all get kicked into motion up a rising, building hill toward Midpoint. Think of one of those Mayan pyramid thingies, with the steps built into it all the way to the tippy top.

3. PLOT POINT 1: (25%)

This is a turning point, usually one of failure for your protagonist. Either something they thought isn’t true, or wasn’t what they imagined to begin with. Or it’s the first fight of the story against a lesser bad guy, and the protagonist either loses, or wins but at a tremendous cost.

In my fantasy novel THE MISTREL’S DAUGHTER, my hero’s hometown is attacked for the first time, and though they get out of it, my hero’s secrets begin to unravel and there’s a cost to the town, who’ve been at peace for pretty much forever. And everyone knows the enemy will be coming back sooner rather than later.

4. MIDPOINT (50%)

EVERYTHING CHANGES.

It really doesn’t get much easier than that, but let’s go a bit further. Go back to the Mayan pyramids. Your hero’s been climbing the steps to the top. He reaches it.

Suddenly, the entire view changes. He can everything around him in a grand vista, including everything behind him, and everything ahead. (Although–and this is important–he might be missing a few essential bits of information because of the canopy of trees below–like, say, tigers or hostile natives).

But it is the point where the hero makes a decision, and stops fumbling around so much. He comes up with A Plan. It’s a good Plan.

Alas, pride often comes before the Fall. Or, in this case:

5. PLOT POINT 2 (75%)

My excellent editor the Pink Hammer calls this point the Doomstick. Because the hero’s Grand Master Plan is doomed to fail to a certain extent, if not entirely. Usually because there’s something he’s missing, such as forgetting that the antagonist has been doing a fair amount of planning himself. And since he has quite a bit more information than the hero, well…

Ah. THERE’S the Doomstick. We were wondering when it was going to come along to muck things up.

In THE MINSTREL’S DAUGHTER, my hero goes to face the Big Bad in single combat, only to be taken prisoner instead. Because Big Bads don’t tend to have an awful lot of honor or integrity, don’tcha know. They don’t tend to play by the Rules.

6. CLIMAX (90%)

The hero has gotten up off the ground, dusted himself off, and is now speeding toward that inevitable, exciting conclusion. There are no other choices to be made–it’s down to him or the antagonist, with probably just a little bit a fate thrown in for good measure. Hopefully, the Big Bad (or, least, the Big Conflict) has been sorted here. This is the Final Battle.

7. CATHARSIS/CONCLUSION (100%)

This is where the little plot threads fully tie off (unless you’re writing a series, and there’s One Big Conflict you’re carrying across multiple books). Everyone gets their feelings out, the pressure has been relieved in some significant way. It’s time to look to the future, to Life After The Story.

And there you have it, folks–a plot structure breakdown, point by point. But don’t take my word for it–to take a look at book or movie you know well, take it apart, and see how it works! :-)