Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 68

February 2, 2019

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 48,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / Miscellaneous

Writing to market – Why It can backfire: @Peter_Rey_
Why & How to Build a Book Project Plan: by John Wagner-Stafford of @IngeniumBooks @IndieAuthorALLI

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize 2019 Opens at India’s Jaipur Festival: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Bart van Es’ Biography ‘The Cut Out Girl’ Named Costa Book of the Year: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Reactions as Man Booker Prize Loses Sponsorship from Man Group: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Wales’ International Dylan Thomas Prize Announces Its 2019 Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @dylanthomprize
‘Canada Reads’ 2019 Names Its Books and Their Celebrity Defenders: @Porter_Anderson @StandUpAli
London Book Fair 2019 Charity: BAFTA Kids Roadshow With Place2Be: @Porter_Anderson @BAFTA @Place2Be
British Book Awards Program Names More Than 65 Judges for 2019: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

How to Plan Your Novels for 2019: @KathyEdens1 @ProWritingAid
A Goal-Checking Trick for Plotting Your Novel: @Janice_Hardy
Easy Steps to Succeed in Book Writing Plan: by Kristen Ford @WritetoDone
February is Good for 28-day Challenges: @austinkleon

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration

Don’t discard. Keep all your pieces in play. @austinkleon
Writing and the Subconscious: Summoning Your Muse: @RuthHarrisBooks

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Quotes

Five Lessons from Legendary Writers: @DaveChesson

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

5 Groundbreaking Urban Fantasies With Unusual Settings: @mercedeslackey @tordotcom
7 Books That Helped 1 Writer Survive 2018: @gaileyfrey @tordotcom
Five Classic SF Novels of Anthropogenic Climate Change: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom
What Does Immersing Yourself in a Book Do To Your Brain? @MaryanneWolf_ @lithub
7 Anthologies to Broaden Your Perspective: @bookbento @jrc2666
Writing and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling: @GoIntoTheStory
8 Modern Classics Of Rural Noir: by Keith Scribner @CrimeReads
Tips for Starting a Book Club: @MaddieDayAuthor

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

Finding Time to Write: @DeannaCabinian

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

Time to Schedule Your Writing Life Tune-up: @annkroeker
How to Practise Mindfulness in Your Writing: by Lisa Ferland @IndieAuthorALLI
How to Create a Playlist on YouTube to Listen to When Writing: @lidywilks
Tales from an Idea Hoarder: @FinishedPages @womenonwriting
Did Hemingway say “write drunk, edit sober”? Nope—he preferred writing sober: @JessZafarris @WritersDigest
10 Tips to Help You Build a Writing Tribe: @_HannahHeath
Do We Actually Know What Shakespeare Looked Like? by James Hunt @mental_floss
7 Ways to Take Advantage of the Bullet Journal Method: by Alvin Ward @mental_floss
Morality and the Modern Writer: @ClareLangleyH @killzoneauthors
A Slow and Steady Writing Pace Leads to Published Books:
Should You Write What You Know? @TheRyanLanz
Want to Write Your Life Story But Don’t Care to publish? Consider Legacy Writing: @writingthrulife

Genres / Miscellaneous

Secrets of the War Genre: by Rachelle Ramirez @StoryGrid

Genres / Mystery

Technology as a Generational Disruptor in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg
Crime Writing: Details About a Cop’s Life to Make Your Novel More Realistic: @LeeLofland
The Delicate Art of Creating Misleading Crime Scenes in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg

Genres / Non-Fiction

Does Your Biography for Young People Have a Character Through-Line? @mbrockenbrough @scbwi
How Writers Use Curiosity, Creativity, and Craft to Write Good Nonfiction: @dhemley @NinaAmir

Genres / Screenwriting

5 Things Obi-Wan Kenobi Should Have Told Luke Skywalker (Instead of LIES): @use_theforce_em @tordotcom
Screenwriting: Anatomy of a Scene: Adding Layers in ‘All The President’s Men’: @swankmotron @scriptmag
How Much Creative Risk Should Screenwriters Take? by Alexander Robb @CreativeScreen
Script To Screen: “Lost In Translation”: @GoIntoTheStory
Great Scene: “Magnolia”: @GoIntoTheStory

Promo / Blogging

7 Ways To Make Your Blog Shine: @evy_mann
Is the New WordPress Format Stressing You Out? @Julie_Glover

Promo / Book Reviews

Running a Book Review Blog: @redhead5318 @jimchines

Promo / Book Signings and Launch parties

An Author Reports on Lessons Learned from a Recent Book Tour: https://t.co/6FL8IErBh1 and @BobEckstein @WritersDigest

Promo / Connecting with Readers

5 Tips for Collecting New Readers and Connections: @KatyKauffman28 @EdieMelson
Identifying Your Ideal Reader (Podcast): @valerie_francis @timgrahl

Promo / Crowdfunding

How to Crowdfund Your Writing With Patreon: @LucyASnyder @WritersDigest

Promo / Metadata

How to Choose Amazon Categories to Increase Your Sales: @TCKPublishing

Promo / Miscellaneous

Why Recommending (other) Books is an A-Game Book Promotion Strategy for 2019: @Bookgal
What Authors Should Know About MS Sway: @WordDreams

Promo / Platforms

Promoting Yourself as an Author: @metcalfwriter

Promo / Podcasts

How to be a Better Podcast Guest: @thDigitalReader

Publishing / Miscellaneous

Crafting an Anthology from Beginning to End (Podcast): @carodonahue @DIYMFA
Here are the Biggest Fiction Bestsellers of the Last 100 Years: @knownemily @lithub
Top Ten Reasons to be in an Anthology: @TheIWSG @AlexJCavanaugh
Creating Large Print Books: @Ellen__Jacobson
Industry Notes: NetGalley Advanced’ Publishers; ALTA Prize Submissions: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Five Tips to Promote Yourself as a Newbie Freelance Writer: by Abhishek Talreja @hopeclark

Publishing / News / Amazon

New Amazon Crossing Kids: Translating Picture Books Into English: @Porter_Anderson @KelseySkea @AmazonPub

Publishing / News / Data

Scholastic’s New ‘Kids & Family Reading’ Report: Reading Aloud Is Up: @Porter_Anderson @pamallyn

Publishing / News / International Publishing

Russian Booksellers Say Online Retail Competition Is Gaining Fast: by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectives
Issues and Debate at India’s 2019 Jaipur Bookmark Program: Freedom to Publish: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying

The Querying Process Tool Kit: @Scott_Thought

Publishing / Process / Book Design

5 Tips to Improve Your Next Novel Cover: @jkcheney

Publishing / Process / Formatting

Paperback Formatting for Beginners: by Nils Ödlund @mythicscribes

Publishing / Process / Legalities

Knowing Right and Wrong — Copyright: by David Kudler @JFbookman

Publishing / Process / Translation

American Library Association: ‘Fox on the Swing’ Wins the Batchelder Award for Translation: @Porter_Anderson

Writing Craft / Beginnings

Five Essentials for an Opening Scene: by Rachel Meyer @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Characters / Arc

Do all Protagonists need a character arc? @GoIntoTheStory

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

150+ Useful Character Quirks (Plus a Few Clichés to Avoid): @ReedsyHQ
Fight, Flight, or Freeze? Psyche 101 for Writers: @beccapuglisi

Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion

Infusing Emotion into Fiction: @charissaweaks

Writing Craft / Dialogue

9 Tension-Building Elements For Character Dialogue: @beccapuglisi

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

Racing the Wind with The Black Stallion: by Judith Tarr @tordotcom

Writing Craft / Literary Devices

How to Develop Your Novel’s Theme: @Janice_Hardy
Introduction to Metaphors: How To Use Metaphors Correctly: @TCKPublishing

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Story Grid Genre: What You Need to Know Write Better Stories: @DavidHSafford @write_practice
Five Dualities That Can Replace Good and Evil: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting

Complex Story? Use a Crime Wall: @ATwistofNoir @JamiGold
1,462 Basic Plot Types: @writing_tips

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research

Research: Advanced Life Support for Writers: @DanKoboldt

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats

The Princess Bride Beat Sheet: @NaomiBeaty

Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar

Grammar Purity is One Big Ponzi Scheme: @GrammarUnder @lithub
‘Stationery’ Versus ‘Stationary’: @GrammarGirl

Writing Craft / Revision

Tips for Revising Your Novel: @SnowflakeGuy
How to Self-Edit a Manuscript for Language: @JeriWB
How to Edit Your Character: @tishmartin1416

Writing Craft / Scenes

How To Structure a Scene: @themaltesetiger

Writing Craft / Tropes

Character Type: Martyr: @GoIntoTheStory

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on February 02, 2019 21:04

January 31, 2019

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

One cool thing about blogging for over ten years is that a lot of the posts form a sort of unexpected diary. I was glancing over some older posts and came across this one from 2010. My son and daughter would have been 13 and 9 when I wrote it. I spoke of our bike ride on a nearby greenway and how we were biking so erratically (my daughter was still on a little kid bike) that a jogger kept passing us over and over again. He was going slow and steady and despite our occasional bursts of speed, kept overtaking us.

I made the observation that this was how my writing life worked. I didn’t go fast enough to get burned out but I didn’t go slow enough to get overwhelmed with the length of the project.

When I’ve spoken in front of groups, I’m frequently asked how many books a year I write. My answer is 3 1/2 (when I first started writing it was far fewer than that…the majority of my books have been written in the last 5 years). They always think this sounds impressive until I tell them that my goal each day is 3 pages. It’s funny how it sounds much less-impressive when you break it down.

I think the danger of writing a lot of books can be, depending on the writer, the burnout that can follow. I’ve been burned out before, even writing at my pace, and it wasn’t fun. I felt like I was just going through the motions.

One reason I enjoy this slower, steadier pace is because I’m a fan of breaking down everything from writing to promo to cleaning out a project into smaller tasks. I stay motivated when I have a string of small successes every day and when I meet my smaller, reasonable goals.

There are a lot of writers that are meeting really impressive word count goals every day and are able to maintain it for years. I can understand their reasoning: they know that they will likely make more money if they publish more books. My income at this point is pretty steady…an amount that I can count on. But it took me a long while to get here.

The important thing is to find your pace. Only you know how much is going on in your life at one time. Make sure that whatever goals you set for yourself are attainable and make you comfortable. When I had a toddler in the house, my goal was 1 page a day (written during Elmo’s World on repeat). Don’t let anyone think that you’re writing too fast or too slow. And, if your circumstances change (you have more time or less time), then be sure to adjust your goals accordingly.

For more about setting writing goals, see this post by Janice Hardy.

What is your natural writing pace like? What types of goals are you setting for this year?

A Slow and Steady Writing Pace Leads to Published Books:
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Published on January 31, 2019 21:02

January 27, 2019

Fight, Flight, or Freeze? Psyche 101 for Writers

by Becca Puglisi, @beccapuglisi

Fight or flight.

I think we’ve all heard this phrase. It refers to the way each person is hard-wired to respond to real or perceived danger. Psychologists have recently added another option, giving us three ways we might respond to threats: we fight back, we flee, or we freeze up. This happens in life-or-death situations, but it also occurs on a smaller scale whenever we feel endangered:

At the mall, when you see someone who mistreated you in the past
At work, when the boss criticizes your work
At a party, when a friendly conversation takes an uncomfortable turn
At school, when you hear an ugly rumor someone has started about you

So whether the situation is potentially fatal or just a little threatening, you’re going to respond in one of those three ways. What does that look like? Here are few possibilities that cover a range of intensity:

Fight Responses

Confronting the offending party

Invading their personal space

Verbally or physically attacking the person

Seeking revenge

Flight Responses

Subtly changing the subject during a conversation

Avoiding certain people, places, or topics

Literally fleeing—moving away from the source of one’s discomfort

Laughing it off; acting like there is no threat

Freeze Responses

Not answering when one is addressed

Stumbling to a halt

Feeling paralyzed, as if one is physically unable to move

Squeezing the eyes shut and going still

This is obviously just a sampling; more responses can be found for specific emotions in the Second Edition of The Emotion Thesaurus.

Because this is how we react to real or perceived danger as human beings, it’s important to know which way are characters will lean. Figuring out their fight, flight, or freeze tendency early on can help in a number of ways.

It Provides Characterization

While every character’s specific response to threats is going to be unique, they will each have a general tendency toward one of the three Fs. We need to know these tendencies so we can write our cast members consistently. This is especially important for main characters—protagonists, villains, love interests, etc.—because they’ll have more screen time; more things will be happening to them, providing more opportunities for reactions.

So before you start writing, ask yourself: Is this character more likely to fight, flee, or freeze in a threatening situation? When that scenario arises in the story, you’ll know their general kind of response. Then you can individualize the reaction to fit your character.

It Can Serve Your Story

Threatening scenarios—even small-scale ones—are tension builders, so hopefully you’ll include many of them in your story. But sometimes you’re looking for a certain kind of response: you need someone to run away or do nothing (avoiding the problem and allowing it to worsen) or go on the attack (causing more problems and making things more difficult).

If you’ve done your research and it’s time to start writing scenes, you can then conduct a casting call: use the characters who will serve your story best in that moment. If a scene needs conflict but your protagonist tends to shy away from trouble, team them up with a friend, co-worker, or rival who is impulsive or thrives on confrontation. If you don’t want to kill the tension by resolving a problem too quickly, pair a fighter with someone who’s reluctant to face conflict.

Each scene needs different things. The more you know about your characters beforehand, the better equipped you‘ll be to figure out who should be involved in various parts of the story.

It Provides a Clue to Hidden Emotion

Let’s face it: none of us are 100% honest. We temper our words to accommodate the people around us. We hide our true opinions. We only show “safe” emotions—the ones that don’t make us feel vulnerable in the moment. This leads to us often hiding what we really feel.

Characters should do the same. When they feel threatened or vulnerable, they’ll try to hide that by conveying a false emotion.

Writing hidden emotion can be tricky because you have to show the false emotion to the rest of the cast while revealing the real emotion to the reader. There are a number of ways to effectively get this information across, and one of them is through the fight-flight-or-freeze response. Consider the following example from The Emotional Wound Thesaurus:

Sara poured sugar in her coffee and stirred, the clink of the spoon melodic against the cozy murmur of voices from neighboring tables. Sunlit, with a breeze coming off the water, the outdoor café was so peaceful this time of day—before the high school kids took it over.

“I like this place,” Mom said, blowing on her tea. “It reminds me of where I used to go as a girl.”

Sara smiled and leaned back, the wooden seat slats warming her skin. “The place with the éclairs?”

“Mmmm. That’s the one.” Mom took a sip, then her eyebrows shot up. “Oh, a friend of yours showed up at Mass on Sunday. Annemarie? Marybeth?” She shook her head. “Something with two names.”

Sara jerked, dousing her hand in hot coffee. She set the cup down with a clatter and shrugged. Don’t know who you mean.

“My memory these days—I swear.” Mom sighed. “She said you worked together last summer during your internship.”

Sara met her mother’s gaze, which showed curiosity instead of the horror that would be there if she knew the truth.

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” Sara grabbed the check. “’I’ll get this. Hey, how’s your yoga class going?”

Here we see signs of a flight response. When Sara’s mom mentions the girl from her past, Sara immediately goes on high alert. She doesn’t show this; overtly, she acts as if nothing has changed. So how do we know she’s upset? She gives the barest reaction possible: a shrug. No verbal reply at all. You can almost hear Sara silently begging her mom to let it go. When she doesn’t, Sara’s flight response escalates in the form of her wrapping up their outing and changing the subject.

There are other clues that Sara is hiding her emotion, such as the initial involuntary jerk, the clarity of her thoughts, and the overall change in mood (from a calm, casual lunch date to one charged with tension). When you combine her flight response with these other signals, it becomes clear that she’s not being forthright.

As you can see, the fight-flight-or-freeze response is rooted in real-life behavior, and knowing which tendency is most likely for our characters can add a sense of realism and authenticity to our writing. So let me encourage you to take the time to figure this out, and you’ll reap the benefits in stronger characterization, well-balanced scenes, and deeper, more layered emotional responses.

Which tendencies do you see with your current cast? A mix is typically a good idea, adding variety and allowing you to plug each character into different scenes to achieve the best result.

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and author of bestselling books for writers—including her latest publication: a second edition of The Emotion Thesaurus, an updated and expanded version of the original volume. Her books are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

Fight or Flight Responses for Characterization (by @BeccaPuglisi ):
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Published on January 27, 2019 21:01

January 26, 2019

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous

The Editor Behind the Curtain: Inside the Publishing Process: @AlexanderField @WritersDigest
Writing for Audiobook: by Juliet Marillier @WriterUnboxed
Lessons Learned from Having Sold 1000 Books: @NatRusso
Will your novel sell? @lisapoisso
How to Make the Most of Multiple Writing Projects: @RosanneBane

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

London Book Fair Announces Programming for March’s Book and Screen Week: @Porter_Anderson @Lucy_Worsley @TheYoungOscar @james_runcie
Bookselling Without Borders and Tišma Prize Open for Submissions: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
UK’s Society of Authors Announces Seven Translation Prize Shortlists: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
London Book Fair’s Quantum Conference Plans Film and Television Focus: @Porter_Anderson @stephenpub @raffers
The UK’s Bestselling 2018 Authors Feted at London’s ‘Nielsen Honors’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
CONTEC Mexico Conference: Book Sales, Distribution, Innovation: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Istanbul International Literary Festival 2019 Opens Applications for Fellows: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Rights Roundup: On the Run-Up to Guest of Honor Norway at Frankfurter Buchmesse: @Porter_Anderson

Conferences and Events / NaNoWriMo

A Non-Snarky Guide to Getting Your NaNoWriMo Draft into Shape: @AnnieNeugebauer @LitReactor

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on January 26, 2019 21:01

January 24, 2019

A Few Tools for Focusing

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I thought I’d share a few tools that I’ve recently come across that might help writers stay focused and motivated.

First off is a free timer. I’ve mentioned here many times (including here and here) how helpful I find timers for nearly every task that I do. It somehow helps to get through a task when you know that it will be over quickly. It can also help me stay on track because I won’t allow myself to be distracted by anything else until the timer goes off. I’m a particular fan of the Pomodoro Technique (see more about it on the creator’s site here) , so when I found this free timer that aligns with the approach, I was excited to use it. The timer is also customizable.

Next off is a new twist on an old idea. It’s called a to-don’t list. I first found out about it when reading this article from Emily Price on Lifehacker. The idea is to stay focused by no allowing yourself to be distracted by your usual suspects…looking at Facebook or checking emails or Twitter, for example. You could use this in correlation with a timer, knowing that when the timer goes off, you can reward yourself on your break by checking in online.

The third is a tool that I haven’t tried myself (I’m more of a solo writer and not a gamer), but which I found interesting. It’s called 4 the Words and it’s set up like a game for reaching word counts. You win points for meeting writing challenges involving word counts. A caveat that it’s $4 a month, but there is a 30 day free trial where you could see if it’s helpful.

For a free year-long challenge, check out author and illustrator Debbie Ohi’s Daily Words Challenge. You can even collect badges. :) And it’s much more gently-paced than NaNoWriMo because you can set your own goals.

For other lists of tools to help with focusing, writing, or editing your work, see these posts:

67 Top Tools for Writers and Bloggers by Mary Jaksch of Write to Done

Top 10 Online Tools for Writers by Ali Hale of Daily Writing Tips

What helps you stay focused on your writing?

Tools for Keeping Focused as a Writer:
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Published on January 24, 2019 21:02

January 20, 2019

Your “Easy As Pie” Guide to Subplots + Giveaway (Part 3 of 3)

by H.R. D’Costa, @scribesworld

Oh, no.

You just took a look at your outline or draft.

It’s definitely too short.

Or, in a different scenario, it’s long enough.

But, unfortunately, it’s rather bland. It lacks texture and variety.

Who are you gonna call to fix it?

Not the Ghostbusters.

Not a developmental editor. (Save that for a more dire writing emergency.)

Because, you see, you can fix this easily on your own.

All you need to do is to weave a subplot (or two) alongside your main plot.

Your page count will expand, and at the same time, your story will become more textured.

This three-part series on subplots will help you get there. Here’s a quick overview:

In Part 1, we covered 5 uses for subplots. (Definitely read this if you’re struggling to come up with content for your subplot.)
In Part 2, we covered how to structure your subplot—plus the golden rule to follow regarding subplots.
In Part 3, we’ll cover how to weave subplots into your story as well as conduct a subplot “safety check.” (You’re reading Part 3 right now.)

Note: These subplot tips have been adapted from my writing guide Sparkling Story Drafts, which will help you write cleaner rough drafts, reduce your revision time, and get a crazy-good story onto the marketplace—faster. To learn how you could win a paperback copy, see the end of this post.

And now let’s get to today’s tips (served a la mode or not, your choice*)…

3 Approaches to Incorporating Subplots into Your Story

All right. You’ve figured out the content of your subplot.

You’ve also figured out three plot points (or beats) for your subplot. Remember, three is the bare minimum. Your subplot is probably going to require more than that.

Finally, you’ve followed the golden rule regarding subplots: you’ve created an intersection between your subplot and the main plot.

Now that you know how the two connect, what’s left?

Just one more thing: incorporating your subplot into your story. There are different approaches you can take. Here are three that might be helpful for you.

Use color-coded index cards. Basically, you write out all the plot points of your story (main plot + subplots) on index cards (one plot point per card).

But you’ll use different colored cards for your subplot to track its flow. (If you only have white index cards, you can achieve the same effect by marking subplot index cards with sticky notes. Or, you could use a different colored pen to mark the plot points for the subplot.)

I love index cards because they’re tactile and flexible. So this is the method I use. But there are others…

Create a subplot subway map. Here, you map out the beats of your subplot like they’re stops on a subway line. When you do this, the intersection between your subplot and the main plot might look like a major transportation hub!

I learned about this method from Gabriela Pereira of diyMFA.com. For a full explanation that uses The Hunger Games as an example, click here. (A sample subplot map is included.)

Sketch out your subplot on one page. This method comes courtesy of our very own blog host, Elizabeth Spann Craig. Sometimes, she’ll write out a subplot as if it’s “a short story with its own little arcs of plot or character development.”

After that, she’ll splice up the subplot and weave those pieces into her draft. (If you’re a pantser, this approach might work best for you.) For more details, read this.

Pointers on How to Distribute Your Subplot Material

As you’re weaving your subplot into your story (using index cards, etc.), you might wonder how to space out your subplot material.

How long should you focus on the main plot, before taking a break to explore a subplot?

Here are two rules of thumb:

When you’ve lingered so long in your main plot that it’s starting to feel monotonous, that’s a good time to branch out into a subplot.
Cut away to a subplot when doing so increases the tension. (For an example, watch Silence of the Lambs. Study when the film cuts away to the subplot involving the senator’s kidnapped daughter.)

For more tips, read author Elizabeth Sims’s article on this topic. She provides seven options for weaving subplots into the main plot.

Option #1 is the “isolated chunk.” Essentially, you stuff the content of your subplot into a single chunk of your story (perhaps a chapter).

I just wanted to offer a quick word of caution about this option. Now, it can work. Look at the subplot involving Murron that’s compressed into the first act of Braveheart. Also, as Sims observes, the isolated chunk is used to good effect in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

But if you use this option, you incur a major risk. Your story might feel episodic.

Maybe, like Mark Twain, you’re okay with that. If not, slice your isolated chunk into smaller pieces, and use one of the approaches described above to weave these pieces into your story.

Time for a Subplot “Safety Check”

No matter which approach to incorporation you choose, there are a few things to look out for when you’re reviewing your subplot in your outline or rough draft. Think of this as a subplot “safety check.”

For each of your subplots, ask yourself these three questions:

Does my subplot intersect with the main plot?
Has my subplot taken over the main plot? (Remember the subplot is supposed to be subordinate to the main plot!)
Have I resolved this subplot?

Let’s dwell on that last item for a second. Sometimes, you’ll forget to resolve a subplot because you’ve lost track of your plot threads.

But in other cases, forgetting to resolve a subplot can indicate a deeper problem: you have mixed views on the content of your subplot. For example, your subplot may espouse a theme you might not agree with.

Make sure to address this source of ambivalence before you send your story out into the world.

* * *

There you have it. We’ve reached the end of this “easy as pie” guide to subplots. Now you know what purposes (besides as a stall tactic) subplots can be used for, how to structure your subplot, and how to incorporate it into your story.

To get a 1-page subplot worksheet that’ll help you keep tabs of all of these details (including the subplot “safety check” questions), sign up here.

I hope this guide helps you develop your subplots in such a way that readers will not only devour your story but, having finished it, draw one conclusion…

YUM!

* For the record, I’m all for the a la mode :)

Win a Paperback Copy of Sparkling Story Drafts

Three different opportunities to win—here’s opportunity #3!

For every post in this series, you have a chance to win a paperback copy of Sparkling Story Drafts ($24.99), which will help you write cleaner rough drafts, reduce your revision time, and get a crazy-good story onto the marketplace—faster.

For a chance to win today, answer this question in the comments: Besides subplots, what plotting or craft issue is frustrating you the most right now (e.g. getting your story started, making your protagonist likeable, etc.)?

Elizabeth will randomly select a winner from the comments by Wednesday, January 23.

Note: This giveaway is only open to residents of North America, South America, Europe, and the UK.

Good luck and happy writing!

Author Bio

A graduate of Brown University, H. R. D’Costa (a.k.a. HRD) almost became a lawyer. Twice. But then she realized that although she wanted to be a lawyer, she needed to be a writer. So she dedicated herself to studying films, screenplays, and novels in order to understand why some stories were gripping…while others were easy to walk away from.

Ultimately, she shared her discoveries in eight writing guides, including Sizzling Story Outlines: How to Outline Your Screenplay or Novel, Always Know “What Happens Next,” and Finish Your Rough Draft Without Freaking Out and Story Stakes: Your #1 Writing Skills Strategy to Produce a Page-Turner that Transforms Readers into Raving Fans of Your Screenplay or Novel , which one Amazon reviewer described as “a must-have in your top 10 books on writing.”

For practical, actionable writing tips designed to help you keep readers glued to your pages, visit her website scribemeetsworld.com, which is also home to the Ultimate Story Structure Worksheet (downloaded over 37,000 times by writers from around the world). Get it here.

Lattice-style pie by Dilyara Garifullina; Book with sprig by Florencia Viadana

Index cards by Kevin Wen; Subway map by Ray Weitzenberg; both licensed via CC by 2.0

3 Ways to Weave Subplots Into Your Story from @scribesworld + giveaway:
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Published on January 20, 2019 21:02

January 19, 2019

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous

Every Commercial Writer is His or Her Own Small Business: by John Gilstrap @killzoneauthors
Industry Notes: Europa Editions’ New Imprint; Chicago Press’ Buys Council Oak: @Porter_Anderson
Freedom And Long Term Business Thinking: @yarostarak @thecreativepenn

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

China’s OpenBook ‘Reading X’ Conference: Reader Engagement and Content Development: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
London Book Fair Names Its 2019 ‘Author of the Day’ Lineup @Porter_Anderson @holly_bourneYA @pubperspectives
Joyce Carol Oates Is Named the 2019 Jerusalem Prize Winner: @Porter_Anderson @JoyceCarolOates

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

A Prescription for Writers: 3 Steps to Achieving Your Writing Goals: by Beth Ricanati @WritersDigest

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

Why We (Still) Love Crime and Comic Book Heroes: @megfuzzle @CrimeReads
Read Like a Writer: Second Person Narrative Voice in Claudia Rankine’s “Citizen: An American Lyric”: @charlottedonlon @tspoetry
Four Places to Start with the Work of Ray Bradbury: @Ian_SMC @tordotcom
Tired of Series? Try These 10 Standalone Fantasy Novels: @coolcurrybooks @tordotcom
When Technology Betrays Us: 5 Classic Thrillers: @ezekiel_boone @CrimeReads
14 Literary Podcasts That Aren’t Hosted by Three White Guys: by Frances Yackel @ElectricLit
The Crime Fiction of Galway: by Paul French @CrimeReads
Beyond Crazy Rich Asians: A Look at Humorous Fiction: by Terri Frank @DIYMFA

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

If I Have Time to Brush My Teeth, I Have Time to Write: @GwenHuber

Creativity and Inspiration / Success

Why The More Successful Writers Fail The Most: @Bang2write
The 10-Step Checklist to Writing an Above-Average Novel: @KMWeiland

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

What It’s Like to Be a Writer with Anxiety: @losapala
An Incomplete List of the Non-Book Things You Can Get at the Library: @Kristen_Arnett @lithub
Writing: 5 Places to Write When You’re Fed Up with Working at Home: @helenahalme @IndieAuthorALLI
A Librarian’s Resolutions for the New Year : @Kristen_Arnett @lithub
On Writerly Jealousy: @egabbert @parisreview
Build Your Writing Community After You’ve Published in a Lit Mag: by Rachel Thompson
The Book Lover’s Guide to Volunteering: by Katie Yee @lithub
Transformative Journaling and Why it’s Different from Regular Journaling: @cbramkamp
How to Restore Your Love of Writing: @colleen_m_story
Words You Need To Redefine as a Writer: @TheLeighShulman @WomenWriters
What 1 Writer learned about writing two novels at the same time: by Diane Tibert
Artists Should Think Twice Before ‘Tidying Up’: @austinkleon
“What I Wish I’d Known When I Started Writing”: @jamesscottbell
The Novelist Who Works as a “Seasonal Associate” at Amazon: by Heike Geissler @lithub

Genres / Horror

8 Conventions For Horror Writers in 2019: @GiveMeYourTeeth

Genres / Memoir

Writing through Trauma: Two Published Memoirists Share Their Experiences with Writing and Finishing Their Books: @writeabook

Genres / Mystery

Crime Fiction Writing: Using Lands and Grooves to Solve Murders: @LeeLofland
Crime Fiction: Murders That Take Place at the Office: @mkinberg
Crime Fiction: When Characters Have (Perhaps Unjustified) Faith in the Accused: @mkinberg

Genres / Science Fiction

SF Novels That Get Special Relativity All Wrong: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom

Genres / Screenwriting

7 Ways Star Wars Resistance Can Up the Ante Going Forward: @use_theforce_em @tordotcom
Screenwriting: Great Scene: “Rocky”: How budget issues helped to create the memorable ice rink scene: @GoIntoTheStory

Promo / Ads

Clever Ways Authors Are Using BookBub Ads: @CarlynAtBookBub @DavidGaughran

Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting

Employ These Powerful Verbs in Your Leadership or Author Bio: @LisaTener

Promo / Book Reviews

Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs: @DaveChesson
5 Tough Tips for Surviving (and Triumphing Over) Bad Book Reviews: @austencats @WritersDigest

Promo / Connecting with Readers

How to Keep Your Audience Happy: @kikimojo

Promo / Miscellaneous

9 Ways to Share Your Favorite Books With Fans: by Audrey Derobert @BookBub
How To Psychologically Enhance Your Author Bio: @DaveChesson
How to Market Your Book: Beginners’ Self-Publishing Salon: @JyotsnaR @StonehamPress @IndieAuthorALLI
9 Book Marketing Tips Even Introverts Can Use: @Bookgal
5 No Good Reasons Authors Resist Marketing: @SmartAuthors @BadRedheadMedia

Promo / Platforms

How to Use Top Book Blogs to Build Your Author Brand: @DaveChesson @BookWorksNYC

Promo / Speaking

Tips for Public Speaking: @YvonneOrtega1 @EdieMelson

Promo / Video

Before You Shoot Your Next Video: 3 Tips for Speaking on Camera: @gigirosenberg

Promo / Websites

Create Your Author/ Artist Website: @JAZarins @WritersRumpus
Make Your Children’s Writing Website Focused: @KarenCV

Publishing / Miscellaneous

A Publisher Might Approach YOU: Four Stupid Mistakes to Avoid: @KJKabza @sfwa
UK Publishers’ 2018 Diversity Report: ‘More Needs To Be Done’: @Porter_Anderson
How to Get Included in a Short Story Anthology: @TimOMaraAuthor @CareerAuthors
Richard Charkin: ‘Try Another Word’: by Richard Charkin @pubperspectives
New Translated YA Book Shortlist from GLLI; New Translators’ Grants From SCBWI: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Blockchain in Publishing: Modeling the Future at Access Copyright: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Why (and When) Word Count Matters: @victoria_grif7

Publishing / News / Amazon

‘They Own the System’: Amazon Rewrites Book Industry by Marching Into Publishing: @JeffreyT1 @WSJ

Publishing / News / Data

American Publishers’ StatShot Report: Double-Digit Trade Growth in November: @pubperspectives @Porter_Anderson

Publishing / News / International Publishing

“Having attracted Nobel Prize-winner Wole Soyinka to the Pula Book Fair, Zagreb’s Ivan Sršen talks of promise in Croatia’s young editors”: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectives
De Marque Is French Canada’s Largest Library Ebook Lender: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Author Organizations Allege Copyright Infringement by the Internet Archive: @Porter_Anderson @mariraz
RightsTech’s Paul Sweeting on Europe’s Summit for Publishing and ‘Related Sectors’: @Porter_Anderson @themediawonk

Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing

Resource for Writers: A Self-Publishing Podcast: @ReedsyHQ @TheIWSG

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches

How to Pitch a Picture Book: Breaking Into a Growing, Competitive Market: @lara_perkins @WritersDigest

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying

How to query a literary agent: @Catkcho @CBGBooks
Comp Titles in a Query and How to Use Them: @Kid_Lit

Publishing / Process / Book Design

The Joys of Designing a Debut Writer’s Book: @sarahmay_w @lithub

Publishing / Process / Legalities

Copyright Tips for Songs and Recipes: @SusanSpann

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

Catastrophe Theory and Characters: @DonMaass @WriterUnboxed
Taking Character Relationships to the Next Level: @AngelaAckerman @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Dialogue

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Tips and Exercises: @ReedsyHQ

Writing Craft / Diversity

Tackling The “Struggle Novel” as an Outsider: from Writing With Color

Writing Craft / Drafts

Famous Rules for Writers – Heinlein’s Rules -How many drafts are too many? @Peter_Rey_

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

7 Crucial Things to Know Before You Start Writing a Book: @LisaTener
Getting the Details Right: @davidfarland
How Online Confessional Columns Are Reinventing the Diary Book: by Luna Adler @ElectricLit
How to Spot Bad Writing Advice: 6 Red Flags: by Bucket Siler
When Is It Appropriate to Dispel the Mystery? by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Tips for Writing Sibling Relationships: from Just a Writing Aid
Want to Improve Your Writing? Change Your Thinking: @Janice_Hardy

Writing Craft / POV

Create Emotional Connections With Readers Using Deep Point Of View: @LisaHallWilson

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Naming

How to Give Your Characters Unforgettable Names: @EmmanuelNataf @ReedsyHQ @ElectricLit

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting

5 Uses for Subplots (and a Giveaway for a Marvelous Resource for Writers): @scribesworld
How to Structure Your Subplot by @ScribesWorld +Giveaway of Writing Resource:
How to Plan a Story in Scenes: 5 Steps: @nownovel

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research

Erroneous Code in Fiction: @KJHarrowick @DanKoboldt

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept

The Secret to Writing a Great Book: Start With a Great Idea: @JeffGoins

Writing Craft / Special Needs

Writing With—And About—Invisible Disabilities: @TeacherPatti @WomenWriters

Writing Craft / Subtext

Subtext for Writers: What Lies Beneath: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelson

Writing Craft / Word Crafting

Subtlety in Word Choices: @FaeRowen
What is anaphora and how can you use it in fiction writing? @LouiseHarnby

Writing Tools / Books

6 Must-read Craft Books for Genre Fiction Writers: @DanKoboldt @DonMaass @JaneFriedman

Writing Tools / Resources

100 Best Writing Websites: 2019 Edition: @danasitar @thewritelife
10 Sites with Literary Agent Advice & Resources: @WritersDigest @JessZafarris

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on January 19, 2019 21:01

January 17, 2019

Your “Easy As Pie” Guide to Subplots + Giveaway (Part 2 of 3)

by H.R. D’Costa, @scribesworld

Ah, subplots.

Once you get a handle on them, you’ll solve a huge problem.

You’ll be able to get your novel to the right length—without stretching your main plot too thin.

And while that’s a big benefit, it’s not the only one. Subplots can jazz up your story in multiple ways. We talked about that in Part 1 of this series.

Speaking of…

…here’s a quick overview of each part in this “easy as pie” guide to subplots.

In Part 1, we covered 5 uses for subplots.
In Part 2, we’ll cover how to structure your subplot—plus the golden rule to follow regarding subplots. (You’re reading Part 2 right now.)
In Part 3 (forthcoming), we’ll cover how to weave subplots into your story as well as conduct a subplot “safety check.”

Note: These subplot tips have been adapted from my writing guide Sparkling Story Drafts , which will help you write cleaner rough drafts, reduce your revision time, and get a crazy-good story onto the marketplace—faster. To learn how you could win a paperback copy, see the end of this post.

And now—fresh from the oven; mmmm!—today’s batch of tips…

How to Structure Your Subplot

Good news: the structure of your subplot doesn’t have to be extensive.

After all, it’s a subplot!

Structuring it should be fairly easy. First think about the story structure commonly found in main plots, and adapt it as you see fit. (This will usually entail some kind of “reduction.”)

If structuring the main plot is still a hazy area for you, consult this article on the essential plot points in a script outline. (Rest assured, these plot points work for novels, too!)

If you’re writing a cozy mystery, you might also find Elizabeth’s master outline to be helpful to work from. You can find it here.

While we’re on the topic of outlines…if you’re a “plotter” who outlines your story before you write, you’re probably totally onboard with sketching out the beats of your subplot in advance.

If you’re a “pantser,” who writes by the seat of your pants, without an outline, then sketching out your subplot in advance might make you feel uncomfortable. It might take away from your fun. In that case, use these tips retroactively, to evaluate the subplots in your rough draft.

Okay, with that plotter vs. pantser caveat out of the way, let’s get back to basic guidelines. At the very least, you’ll need three plot points for your subplot:

One to establish the subplot.
One to develop the subplot.
One to resolve the subplot.

To get a subplot worksheet that’ll help you keep track of your subplot plot points (plus more!), sign up here.

When you’re structuring your subplot (especially how you resolve it), there’s something you need to keep at the back of your mind…

The Golden Rule to Follow with Regard to Subplots

Remember how, in Part 1 of this series, I said that subplots provide a break from the main plot?

It’s no surprise, then, that subplots often exist parallel to the main plot, not really connecting to it.

As a result, if you’re not careful, your subplot can dangle from your story like a loose thread in a poorly made sweater.

Which means it’s going to feel extraneous.

It’s going to feel like filler.

To prevent this from happening, follow one golden rule:

Your subplot must intersect with the main plot.

Don’t just take it from me. Take it from literary agent Evan Marshall. As he explains in The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing:

The subplots and story lines that don’t work never really connect to the lead’s main story line. The reader patiently follows these threads, trusting they’ll converge at some point—but they never do…Don’t make this mistake; remember that readers assume from the very existence of a subordinate story line that it will fit somehow into the lead’s…story goal.

One word of caution: thematic intersections aren’t sufficient (even if you’re using your subplot to elucidate theme). Sorry theme aficionados :(

To truly be effective and possess the convergence that Marshall talks about, your subplot should affect the outcome of the main plot.

For example (as mentioned in Part 1 of this series), the subplot involving Kevin and Old Man Marley gives Home Alone its heart.

But this subplot does more than that.

That’s because, by rescuing Kevin from the burglars at the end of the film, Marley directly impacts the main plot.

Note: It’s usually not a good idea for your protagonist to be rescued at the end of your story. Why not? Getting rescued puts your protagonist in a passive position, which is generally undesirable. (See points #4 and #5 in this article by Michael Hauge.)

When this happens at the end of your story, it can undermine your entire climax. However, Home Alone is one of those exceptions that work.

That said, there are two structural spots when it’s usual for your protagonist to be in a passive position. One is at the inciting incident. In fact, passivity is one of its tell-tale signs.

The other is at the trough. This is my term for the setback (or series of setbacks) the protagonist encounters at the end of Act Two. (You may have heard the trough referred to as the “all is lost” or black moment.)

At the trough, your protagonist will often be stuck in a dicey situation. This is where subplots really come in handy.

Your subplot can contain the perfect resource to extricate your protagonist, so he’s free to participate in the climax.

This is a great way to create an intersection between a subplot and the main plot. Plus, because your subplot has been woven into your story from the outset (see Part 3 of this series for tips on how to do that), your protagonist’s extrication won’t seem contrived.

On the other hand, without the subplot, your protagonist’s extrication may come across as a deus ex machina—a plot device that annoys audiences to no end.

With a subplot in place, you avoid all this. (For the record, you can also avoid the dreaded deus ex machina through planting a well-timed setup.)

If creating intersections is a place where you get stuck, check out chapter 30 of Sparkling Story Drafts. I’ll walk you through examples, step by step. Don’t forget, we’re giving away copies of Sparkling Story Drafts. Details below…

Win a Paperback Copy of Sparkling Story Drafts

Three different opportunities to win—here’s opportunity #2!

For a chance to win today, answer this question in the comments: For you personally, what’s your biggest challenge regarding subplots?

Can’t think of anything offhand? No problem. Here are two alternate questions: (1) Has a subplot in a story ever annoyed you—and if so, why? or (2) What’s your favorite example of a subplot intersection?

Elizabeth will randomly select a winner from the comments by Wednesday, January 23.

Note: This giveaway is only open to residents of North America, South America, Europe, and the UK.

Good luck and happy writing!

Author Bio

Ultimately, she shared her discoveries in eight writing guides, including Sizzling Story Outlines: How to Outline Your Screenplay or Novel, Always Know “What Happens Next,” and Finish Your Rough Draft Without Freaking Out and Story Stakes: Your #1 Writing Skills Strategy to Produce a Page-Turner that Transforms Readers into Raving Fans of Your Screenplay or Novel, which one Amazon reviewer described as “a must-have in your top 10 books on writing.”

Lattice-style pie by Dilyara Garifullina; Gold light by Maxime Valcarce

How to Structure Your Subplot by @ScribesWorld +giveaway :
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Published on January 17, 2019 21:02

January 13, 2019

Your “Easy As Pie” Guide to Subplots + Giveaway (Part 1 of 3)

by H.R. D’Costa, @scribesworld

Have you ever tried to make a pie crust from scratch?

In my experience, when you press the dough into the pie pan, there’ll be areas where the dough is thick and knobby, almost like the hills of a tea plantation…

…and there’ll be areas where the dough is thin.

So, so thin.

Working with the main plot of your novel can be like that.

There’s only so much of it to go around.

After a certain point, if you try to extract more out of it, you’ll stretch it too thin. You’ll end up with plot points that are bland and repetitious.

Savvy writers recognize this.

They don’t try to extract more than their main plot can give.

Instead, they take a break from the main plot. Like bakers who take scraps of dough to fill in holes in a pie crust, these writers fill their pages with other material.

This is where subplots—secondary stories that are subordinate to the main plot—come in. (Sometimes, a subplot is referred to as the B-story, while the main plot is referred to as the A-story.)

Subplots are one of the best ways to get your novel to the right length, without stretching your main plot too thin.

Of course, you can’t be obvious about it. Then your subplots will feel like filler—and your readers will get bored and start skipping pages.

Not good.

However, readers will be less likely to deem your subplot a stall tactic (even though that’s exactly what it may be)—if you integrate it skillfully into your story.

That’s what this “easy as pie” guide to subplots is all about. With it, you should pick up some tips so that your subplots enhance—rather than detract from—the main plot.

The guide is divided into three parts. Below is a quick overview:

In Part 1, we’ll cover 5 uses for subplots (you’re reading Part 1 now).
In Part 2 (forthcoming), we’ll cover how to structure your subplots (plus the golden rule to follow regarding subplots).
In Part 3 (forthcoming), we’ll cover how to weave subplots into your story as well as conduct a subplot “safety check.”

Ready? Grab a fork, and let’s dig in!

5 Uses for Subplots

If your subplot has an additional function—if it’s not just a stall tactic—then it’s more likely to feel integral to your story…

…and less likely to feel like filler.

Makes sense, right?

So now it’s time to figure out what kind of contribution you want your subplot to make.

Because subplots are flexible, you have multiple options at your disposal. Below are 5 suggestions to get you started.

Use a subplot to:

Elucidate theme or convey character arc. One of my favorite examples is from What Women Want. I love how the subplot between Nick and his daughter demonstrates how much Nick has changed.

Speaking of change…

…in a post on working with theme, Elizabeth mentions exploring “whether the victim in the book had really changed his stripes before he was murdered (as he swore he had).”

Sounds like great subplot material to me!

Increase emotional involvement by highlighting the stakes. Think of the senator’s kidnapped daughter in Silence of the Lambs.

Increase emotional involvement in a subtler fashion by gracing a story with heart. While the hijinks of Home Alone are fun, the heartwarming relationship between Kevin and Old Man Marley elevates the film into something more.

Update readers about reoccurring characters in a series. Fans of a series don’t just invest in the protagonist of the series. They also invest in the supporting cast.

A subplot can provide a great opportunity for fans to reconnect with the characters they love.

Quick tip: to create this kind of subplot, pick a series trope that involves a reoccurring character and build your subplot from there.

Conceal a clue or create red herrings and plot twists. A subplot built around a romance with a new lover yields plot twists in The Verdict, The Devil Wears Prada, and The Dark Knight Rises.

To get a subplot worksheet that conveniently lists all of these uses (plus more!), sign up here.

By the way, there’s nothing wrong with combining multiple functions under the same subplot. In fact, this approach can give your story greater depth and focus, preventing it from turning into one big sprawl.

Now that you’ve sorted out the content of your subplot, it’s time to reflect on its structure. That’s what we’ll cover in Part 2 of this subplot series. Stay tuned!

Win a Paperback Copy of Sparkling Story Drafts

Three different opportunities to win—here’s opportunity #1!

For a chance to win today, answer this question in the comments: Have you ever used a subplot for one of the purposes listed in this article? If not, what purpose did you use your subplot for?

Elizabeth will randomly select a winner from the comments by Wednesday, January 23.

Note: This giveaway is only open to residents of North America, South America, Europe, and the UK.

Good luck and happy writing!

Author Bio

Ultimately, she shared her discoveries in eight writing guides, including Sizzling Story Outlines: How to Outline Your Screenplay or Novel, Always Know “What Happens Next,” and Finish Your Rough Draft Without Freaking Out and Story Stakes: Your #1 Writing Skills Strategy to Produce a Page-Turner that Transforms Readers into Raving Fans of Your Screenplay or Novel, which one Amazon reviewer described as “a must-have in your top 10 books on writing.”

5 Uses for Subplots from @scribesworld:
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Lattice-style pie by Dilyara Garifullina; Evergreen wreath by Erwan Hesry

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Published on January 13, 2019 21:02