Writing Tips for Novelists - Plotting
Sharing these tips on plotting a novel:
• A blueprint for the whole book;a basic notion of the course the lead character (protagonist) will take to achieve story goal
• Love for a person or desire to attain a goal drives most plots; hatred & anger drive most of the rest
• Prolong outcomes – frustrate characters; keep reader in suspense
• Plot is the journey of the protagonist towards transformation; the protagonist must take natural, logical steps to try and solve his struggle
• Must provide forward movement to the story and build momentum; don’t flip backward; unmet desire & escalating tension moves a story forward; repetitive events are the enemy of escalation
• Breaks down into sections, each with own goal
• Sections interlock in a chain of action/reaction sections
• Other VP characters will have their own sections in which they will set short-term goals in pursuit of their own story goals
• Add an intertwined subplot for the lead & other VP characters and their story goals - related to main story goal
• If the lead has a romantic involvement then that is the lead’s subplot
• In the subplot, bring from the previous action section (if there is one) only how the character would feel (but a VP character’s life may have moved on backstage since his/her previous section & may or may not affect behaviour on stage)
• If a character failure from an action section was especially devastating or momentous go to reaction section next
• Failure must be the natural consequence of the VP character’s actions and never involve coincidence; swift and sudden for full dramatic impact
• How the character handles frustration will determine major elements of the plot
• Don’t go too long without picking up any one story goal in the subplots; rotate to include all
• At the end, the protagonist will generally experience physical renewal, psychological understanding, emotional healing or a spiritual awakening; the change marks the resolution of the crisis and change to the old way of life forever
• Stay clear of tired plots; story should be one that only you can tell, as only you can tell it.
• A blueprint for the whole book;a basic notion of the course the lead character (protagonist) will take to achieve story goal
• Love for a person or desire to attain a goal drives most plots; hatred & anger drive most of the rest
• Prolong outcomes – frustrate characters; keep reader in suspense
• Plot is the journey of the protagonist towards transformation; the protagonist must take natural, logical steps to try and solve his struggle
• Must provide forward movement to the story and build momentum; don’t flip backward; unmet desire & escalating tension moves a story forward; repetitive events are the enemy of escalation
• Breaks down into sections, each with own goal
• Sections interlock in a chain of action/reaction sections
• Other VP characters will have their own sections in which they will set short-term goals in pursuit of their own story goals
• Add an intertwined subplot for the lead & other VP characters and their story goals - related to main story goal
• If the lead has a romantic involvement then that is the lead’s subplot
• In the subplot, bring from the previous action section (if there is one) only how the character would feel (but a VP character’s life may have moved on backstage since his/her previous section & may or may not affect behaviour on stage)
• If a character failure from an action section was especially devastating or momentous go to reaction section next
• Failure must be the natural consequence of the VP character’s actions and never involve coincidence; swift and sudden for full dramatic impact
• How the character handles frustration will determine major elements of the plot
• Don’t go too long without picking up any one story goal in the subplots; rotate to include all
• At the end, the protagonist will generally experience physical renewal, psychological understanding, emotional healing or a spiritual awakening; the change marks the resolution of the crisis and change to the old way of life forever
• Stay clear of tired plots; story should be one that only you can tell, as only you can tell it.
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