Building a Better Novel Part 3: Plot Construction

[Gamal]

This is the third essay in my discussion of plot development. I hope you find it useful.

Building the Better Novel, Part Three: Plot Construction

http://bit.ly/1227mBR

Have fun.
Gamal

[Debra]

Thank you!

[Gamal]

Thank you for reading Ms. Debra. I hope some of it is helpful to you. :)

[Michael]

Another good post. It's interesting, if you do it this way, then you can go back and twist the plot. Put in a major curveball. Then you could follow it out with each of the characters that you care about.

I'll come back to these as I write.

[Khara]

That's a very interesting way of doing things. I wish I had the patience to do all that first. I'm one of those writers that, when the inspiration hits I run to my computer or notebook and write. Now, like you said, I'm stuck with writer's block or wrote myself into a place I can't seem to get out of. Any suggestions for that? I know where I want the story to go, I'm just having difficulty getting it there. *sadface*

[Gamal]

Michael wrote: "Another good post. It's interesting, if you do it this way, then you can go back and twist the plot. Put in a major curveball. Then you could follow it out with each of the characters that you c..."

You're right Michael. Adding or adjusting elements at the plot stage is easier than adding it in after the actual writing begins. That is where the Lego analogy works best.

I hope something I wrote helps your process.

Have fun.
Gamal

[Gamal]

Khara wrote: "That's a very interesting way of doing things. I wish I had the patience to do all that first. I'm one of those writers that, when the inspiration hits I run to my computer or notebook and write. N..."

Sorry you're having trouble Khara. It sounds like your issue is similar to getting lost in a car; you started down a road with a destination in mind but you got lost along the way.

My suggestion is to backtrack in your story to that point where you might have "made a wrong turn" in the journey and then move from that point towards your ending. The wrong turn might just be a few pages back or it might be near the beginning of your story. Only you will know for sure. The good news is that some of the things you wrote after the wrong turn can still be usable when you get on the right track, as long as they don't lead you astray again.

Does that make sense?

Good luck.
Gamal

[Michael]

Good advice! I benefitted too.