How to Plot a Novel (Or Not)

Currently, the major goal of my writing life is to finish a draft of my third novel, tentatively titled Lightning Strikes. To do that, I need to develop and stick to a writing schedule, and I know I’ve talked about that at nauseum.

Luckily for me, NaNoWriMo is “write” around the corner (haha, get it?). NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month and it takes place every November. There’s plenty of information on the website as well as tools to prepare and participate in the event. I cannot recommend this website enough especially if, like me, you’re struggling to develop a writing schedule.

In the past, I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo here and there, but this time around, I want to be seriously dedicated and finish my work in progress. The website offers weekly tips and tools throughout October to be ready to hit the ground writing (see what I did there?) in November. In what I’m taking to be as an epically positive sign from the universe, this week’s information is focused on how to Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline, which is exactly where I am in my work in progress.

I have about half of it written, but want to make sure the scenes I have done connect in a coherent and engaging way, and that they lead me to the climax of my story seamlessly. I have index cards with scenes on them that I can move around, and I have a running list of scenes, which might be all the planning I need. But the website offers a fun, quick quiz to help you determine what kind of plotter you are.

A Pantser, A Plotter, Or A Plantser http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w27/chihhang/RelatedImages.jpg

In the writing world, there are three kinds of planners. Pantsers are the type of writers who like to fly by the seat of their pants and write without a roadmap. Stephen King (my idol) once said his story ideas were strings he’d simply follow into dark holes. I’m not really like that; scenes comes together for me organically, like once I sit and get going, I can write it out. But whole stories have never fallen into my lap. I need to have some kind of direction before I sit down at my writing desk.

So then there are plotters, which are the type of writers who meticulously plan and outline their stories before they begin writing. This is more my speed, but let it be clear that I would never ever use the word meticulous to describe my outlining. I think of my plot outline as a living, breathing document capable of growth and change. I don’t like to be caged in any way while writing. I have a destination in mind, but how I get there is completely up to me.

Finally, there are plantsers, which are writers in between the two categories and that’s where I fall. Knowing what works best for you and embracing it, instead of trying to do what other novelists do (because there’s no one way to be a writer, which is as freeing as it is frustrating) can decrease anxiety and increase focus, which really ramps up productivity and creativity. So take the quiz and comment with your plotting style!

Pick the Plot For You

Based on your results from the quiz, you can pick between several different plot templates: The “Jot, Bin, Pants” Method, The Plot Rollercoaster (I use this one with my Creative Writing students; a little simplistic but great for visual learners, I think), The 9-Step Plot Dot, The Save the Cat! Beat Sheet, and Katytastic’s 3 Act/9 Block/27 Chapter Outline. Based on my quiz results, it was recommended that I use The 9-Step Plot Dot.

That template basically prompts the writer to develop the major plot points in conjunction with The Hero’s Journey. I like it, especially since I want my audience to sympathize with Duke and consider him the hero of the story (tragic though he may be). But I also think I’m farther along in my the plotting process and using this template would really just have me repeating work.

What I’m struggling with right now is flashbacks. There are important events that happen outside my narrative, that happen before my work in progress’s opening scene. They’re crucial to character development and theme development, but I don’t want to use too many of them as that can muddy a story. So what’s a writer to do?

Dos and Don’ts of Backstory

Again, in a serendipitous turn of events, Writer’s Digest sent out an email highlighting this article, “12 Dos and Don’ts of Revealing Critical Backstory in a Novel” by Jenna Kernan. The best-selling author breaks down how to “reveal the past for the biggest punch in the present.” She came up with six Dos and six Don’ts to help guide writers along this somewhat treacherous and tricky path.

Don’t relate more than the briefest backstory in the first chapter.
I honestly think I have my first chapter written and I’m proud of myself; there’s only two lines that hint at backstory. That early in the narrative, I just want to hook and tease my readers to get them to keep turning pages. I will admit that in chapter two, there is a flashback.Do avoid dropping a block of backstory as introspection, where the protagonist is deep in thought.
I was guilty of this. In a very early draft of the opening scene, I had Duke just sitting on the beach and thinking about his life. This is an easy, albeit lazy, way of including backstory. The goal should always be to engage and entertain the reader, but I also think just getting it down is important, too. Maybe use introspection to flesh out the backstory for yourself, and then revise it to make it more for the reader than the writer.Don’t forget that introspection is only one way to introduce backstory.
This is so hard for me to remember, honestly.Do use actions to present core beliefs forged in the past.
This is an invaluable tip for determining what backstory to include and what to leave out. I’ve been able to narrow down my backstory points to only three: when Duke is struck by lightning, when Uncle Rick dies, when Duke gets in the car accident.Don’t skimp on the use of discourse to reveal backstory.
This has been really freeing for me. Having characters tell their own stories through dialogue really helps to create a feeling of intimacy among the reader and the characters. My two previous novels have been more genre fiction, but this story has more weight to it, so I need my readers to care deeply and intimately know these characters, so using discourse has been really helpful for working towards that goal. Do show a character holds a certain mistaken core belief because of a past trauma or life-shaping event.
This is why including Duke’s car accident is so important. That adds more to his characterization more so than anything else in his past, including the lightning strike.Don’t make the backstory more compelling than the forward story.
Lightning strikes, car accidents, funerals…this tip might be harder to follow than I realize. Do consider using a flashback for a longer backstory incident which relates to the forward narrative.
I think the backstory points I mentioned earlier will all be flashbacks because they are long and can organically come from the forward narrative. That being said, I might have to rework how Duke’s lightning strike is revealed and place it at a different point in the narrative.Don’t create details which do not affect the narrative or aren’t needed to understand the story or your protagonist’s motivations or beliefs.
I was gutted when Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald suggested I remove the detail that Duke wears a vial of sea salt around his neck. I thought it could be a MacGuffin and I was attached to it because it was one of the first things I decided about Duke. If I do put it back in, it would affect the narrative in some way. Hmm…Do relate backstory naturally, avoiding contrived reveals.
This is my fear about the way I reveal the lightning strike. Duke’s working in his garage and finds some reminders of that day. It seems a little clunky and, originally, I had him relate the events to Aurora, his best friend, but I also feel like she would already know that. I think the only reason I haven’t finished my plot is because of little questions like these that might force scenes to be rearranged.Don’t let anyone tell you backstory shouldn’t be in your story.
Enough said.Just be conscientious.
Kit de Waal told me that even thinking about these things makes me a better writer. I scoffed at first, but I really do think it’s true. Just being mindful of elements of the craft puts a writer ahead of the curve.October to November

My goal is to have my plot mostly finalized by Halloween and dive into NaNoWriMo on November 1st. I want to finish my work in progress, so I have a goal of 50,000 words for the month. It’s a lofty goal, sure, but I’m excited to get started.

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? Comment below and let me know!

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