BEYOND CHARACTER, ACTION, AND THEME

When the Dramatic Action changes the Character Emotional Development at depth over time, a story becomes Thematically Significant. These three threads: Dramatic Action, Character Emotional Development and Thematic Significance, hold the core dynamic of plot.

But if one broadens the definition of plot to include it as a verb -- what a writer does in deliberately arranging scenes by cause and effect, then there are a multitude of story elements a writer is able to plot. An excellent source to plot out in your stories is the vast array of antagonists* (see below for a list of the Six Standard Antagonists).

Antagonists work well because Dramatic Action caused by an antagonist always creates conflict, tension, suspense and/or curiosity, thus placing those scenes above the line of your Plot Planner. (For more information on the development of a Plot Planner for your individual project, watch one of the Plot DVDs or read the second part of Blockbuster Plots Pure and Simple.)

Think of a story as the shifting of power back and forth between the protagonist and the antagonist. Or, in other words, the protagonist pushes toward something, while forces internal and external (the antagonists) attempt to thwart her progress. A story is the struggle between a protagonist who wants something enough to take action against all the antagonists or forces within and without who work against her. The Plot Planner is merely a line that separates the scenes into those where the energy or power is with the antagonist(s) (above the Plot Planner line) and those where the protagonist is in control or holds the power over the antagonist (below the Plot Planner line).

Scenes with conflict, tension, suspense and/or curiosity test the protagonist and show the reader or moviegoer what the character is made of. Since most people read and go to the movies 70% for the Character Emotional Development, it makes sense to employ as many antagonists as you need to in order to create heightened conflict, tension, suspense and curiosity.

Remember, not all antagonists are people.

A prime example is when the protagonist goes up against nature. Nature as an antagonist can be as monumental as a flood, a hurricane, or an earthquake. Nature can also work on a more subtle level by helping to create mood and add depth to the conflict, tension and suspense. Plot out these nature elements and you will be better able to control the effect intended in each and every scene, and in the overall story itself.

Nature unfolds according to the four seasons. The first of the 7 Essential Elements of Scene is to establish (explicit or implied) right up front in each scene the date and setting. This includes the time of the year, the day of the week, and the time of day. Each of these time factors of nature has the potential to create mood and/or conflict, tension and suspense.

For instance, dawn and dusk are often considered the "between times" when there is a thinning of the veils between the physical and the spiritual, the past and the future. These times often create a sense of poignancy, melancholy, or imbalance in people. Throw in the haunting cry of a mourning dove and the feeling intensifies.

The antagonist of nature often collides with the antagonist of society. For instance, if a character is facing the holidays at the end of the year alone, that scene has the potential to evoke loneliness in the reader or moviegoer in a way no other time of the year is able to without having to say or show anything more. This bleak feeling intensifies if the weather that year is exceptionally violent with torrential winds blowing and rain or snow falling, covering the land in ice.

Date night is customarily considered as Saturday night. What is worse for a character who is alone than to be thrust out on a Saturday night in a lonely city watching couples walk hand-in-hand?

By plotting out nature elements such as the time of the year, the weather, and/or seasons, a writer is better able to create more depth than if these elements play out as random occurrences. If you have not already done so, indicate on your Plot Planner scene-by-scene the time of the year or days of the week, and see what you find hidden there.

*The Six Standard Antagonists:
1) Protagonist against another person
2) Protagonist against nature
3) Protagonist against society
4) Protagonist against machine
5) Protagonist against God
6) Protagonist against him or herself

Cause and Effect in Plot

Without cause and effect there is no plot. Without cause and effect, events are simply episodic happenings.

Writers who write by the seat of their pants, or pantsers, versus plotters, those writers who pre-plot before and during writing, are able to craft entire stories through cause and effect.

This past weekend at the SCBWI retreat in Northern California, I met a classic pantser, Kathleen Duey an outrageously generous and creative and successful author of more than 50 books for children, middle graders, and young adults. She, and others like her, are able to write scene after scene by asking: because that happens in this scene, what does the character do next? Because of that, what does she after that?

I used to say simply, because that happens, what happens next? Kathleen's more focused strategy is even better. Because of what just happened in that scene, what does the character do next?

Not all scenes can be or need to be linked by cause and effect, but the more scenes that are causally driven, organically rising up from the action that takes place from one scene to the next, the better.

Donna Levin Interviews Me

I was introduced to plot in my very first writing workshop which I took from Donna Levin more than 15 years ago. Then she had long straight hair below her waist and was pregnant, intelligent, generous and kind. I left the workshop starry-eyed and inspired.

That we are both still writing and now both of us teaching gives me joy.

She recently interviewed me. Take a stroll over to her new site and say hi for me!

All Writers Need Plot

On my way to this weekend's SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) writers retreat, I stopped by my sister's house in Mill Valley. She then followed me to San Rafael and took me to Sol Food for lunch. Our waitress was a gorgeous, young woman who sported a tattoo that ran from her wrist to nearly the crook of her arm. The stick figure, obviously a girl by the triangle skirt she wore, had a star over her head and was a copy of the cover of Jerry Spinelli's book, Stargirl.

When asked, the waitress explained that the protagonist of the book was her best friend as a child (the book first came out in 2000). Her emotional affection even after all these years for the character in a 50 page book was a poignant reminder of the power of the work we put out into the world and a wonderful prelude to the retreat for children's writers.

Every genre of fiction and memoir writing needs a good plot. Thus, I have had the honor teaching plot at every kind of writers conference, chapter and branch meetings, and universities, and have found every group has its own special "vib".

Keep in mind the following are generalizations and are based on the writers who attend my plot workshops. Okay, okay. They are gross generalizations and are by no means meant to offend anyone!

1) RWA or Romance Writers of America writers as a whole are stylishly coiffured women, manicured and neatly dressed. They ask polite questions and withhold judgment.

2) Literary writers tend toward wearing black clothes and their hair long and straight. They often challenge ideas offered and have a tendency to frown.

3) Memoir writers are often rumpled and disheveled. They scribble notes and wear an air of expectancy.

4) Mystery writers are usually quiet, a bit solitary, and keep their ideas to themselves.

5) Fantasy writers wear whimsical and brightly colored clothes. They tend to laugh a lot.

6) Screenwriters fidget and their eyes wander. They seem to prefer information flowing fast and furiously.

After this past weekend's retreat in San Rafael offered by SCBWI, I was again reminded of how special children's book writers are and how they belong in a class of their own.

This group of writers was similar to others in the SCBWI organization I have taught plot to in the past in that many of the writers who attended my plot workshop were elementary and secondary teachers, parents of young children, and/or employed in the creative arts. These writers, too, were similar in their unabashed warmth and enthusiasm and support of my plot ideas and me, even those more right-brained learners who struggled mightily with the concepts but never gave up.

I left the retreat yesterday wrapped in a feeling of joy and hope for the future. The stories these writers craft have the potential to do for young people what Jerry Spinelli did for our young waitress, provide a safe haven for those who feel painfully different, offer a feeling of hope for the future, and a sense of belonging in this great wide world of ours, one that is filled with as many different kinds of people as there are people.

Plot Planner

Plot your story using the universal story form for structure and impact.

A Plot Planner mimics the universal story and is the framework for developing a gripping story. Rather than creating a dry, episodic list of scenes to cover, arrange your story by cause and effect to best engage the reader.

Think of the Plot Planner as the route or map of the journey you envision for your story. When you first plan your plot, your route is likely to be sketchy with lots of gaps and dead ends. These gaps will smooth over and fill in as you come to know your story and characters better. Along your story's route, the plot elements of dramatic action, characters, and thematic significance will rise and fall, like waves cresting. The flow of these elements is like the flow of energy the Chinese call “qi” (pronounced “chi”). The qi is the mainstay of life force, inherently present in all things.

Within your story, the energy undulates. Although every story has its own energy, a universal pattern of energy rising and falling repeats itself. The greater your understanding of this stable format, the better able you are to determine where and when to allow the energy to crest, to make your story most compelling to the reader. Allow the energy of your story to direct the flow of your scenes. The closer you can re-create this pattern in your presentation to the reader, the stronger and more compelling your story. A plot planner helps you map your story's energy and direction.

DESCRIPTION

All great stories have a beginning, middle and end.

1. The Beginning

The beginning usually encompasses one quarter of the entire story. Most of us start out strong in the beginning, but struggle to keep the momentum going.

2. The Middle

The middle is the longest portion of the project – one half of the entire story. It commands the most scenes, and is where many writers fall short. When the allure of the beginning is over, the story starts getting messy. Writers often know the beginning and the end of their story, but bog down in creating the middle. Crisis is the meat of the middle.

Place crisis – the scene of greatest intensity and highest energy in your story thus far – around the three-quarter point in your story, when your audience needs a recharge to combat fatigue, frustration, and irritation. Crisis is where tension and conflict peak – it is a turning point in your story. Crisis is developed through the scenes to provide the greatest impact in the energy flow of your story.

The crisis is the false summit of your case, where the audience can perceive the true summit. Here, your story’s energy drops after the drama of the crisis, giving your audience the opportunity to rebuild energy in anticipation of reaching the climax.

3. The End

The final quarter of your presentation represents the end, which comprises three parts: the build-up to the climax, the climax itself, and the resolution. The build-up to the climax represents the steps you take to lead the reader to envision how the story should end. The climax is the point of highest drama in your story, the crowning moment when the thematic significance of your story becomes clear to the reader. The resolution is your opportunity to fully tie together that significance and make your story complete.

PLOT PLANNER BENEFITS

A Plot Planner helps you visualize your story. Use a Plot Planner to place your ideas and sequence your scenes to greatest effect. A plot planner allows you to experiment with changes in the storyline or presentation to evoke stronger reaction and interest from the reader, and gives you a sense for how the story may be paced. A plot planner also allows you to collaborate with others to generate ideas for better developing your story and to solidify your understanding of the story's core elements, and helps ensure that you understand the story you are presenting. Importantly, the plot planner enables you to keep the larger picture of your story in full view as you concentrate on creating the story’s individual parts, helping you maintain paramount focus on crafting a story that will convey your core message to reader or audience in a compelling way.

CONSTRUCTING A PLOT PLANNER

I recommend building your Plot Planner on big pieces of banner paper, running horizontally. It takes up quite a bit of space, but serves as a continual visual reminder of the entire project.

The Plot Planner is merely a line that separates scenes filled with conflict and excitement (above the plot planner line) from those that are passive, filled with summary and back story, or heavy with information (below the plot planner line). Scenes are where the story plays out, where the action happens moment-by-moment in your presentation.

The external dramatic action of stories told in scene and filled with conflict belongs above the line, like the white caps on the sea’s surface as a wave swells toward the shore. Scenes that show complications, conflicts, tension, dilemmas, and suspense belong above the line. Any scene that slows the story’s energy belongs below the line.

By placing ideas above and below the line, you create a visual map for analyzing critical story information, presentation flow, and weaknesses in your story’s overall sequence.

The Plot Planner line is not flat – it moves steadily higher, building your story slowly and methodically as tension increases. Each scene delivers more tension and conflict than the preceding scene, with intensity building to your story's climax.

When to Use a Flashback

Watch your delivery of backstory ~ the story of what, in the past, made the character who they are today (in story time).

Writers want to cram everything right up front.

"I know all their history, why would I want to withhold it from the reader?"
"I wrote it that way."
"It's the good part."

Writers spend lots of time imagining and writing every little detail about a character's past, be it for a child or an adult. So, of course, writers want to tell everything right away. Perhaps, in the process, even show off a bit how clever they are. Until, one understands how curiosity works.

Not telling everything makes the reader curious. Curiosity draws the reader deeper into the story world. The reader wants to fill in the "who," "what," "how" (the "where" and "when" have already been clearly established right up front to ground the reader). They keep reading. This is good.

Tell the reader only what they need to know to inform that particular scene. This is especially true in the Beginning (1/4 mark). During the first quarter of the project, the character can have a memory. But, if you feel you just must inject a full-blown flashback, where you take the reader back in time in scene, wait until the Middle.

(PLOT TIP: If you're absolutely sure you absolutely have to include the flashback, try using one when you're bogged down in the middle of the middle.)

1st Writers Plot Retreat -- Photos

Writers Plot Retreat took place in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California
Easy access to San Jose airport

Click for information on the next Plot Retreat, this time for 5 days: November 3 - 7, 2010

Gorgeous private home on 25 acres of redwood forest

Ten writers worked on Plot and Structure

Our canine companions

We ate food worthy of a 5-Star Resort

A spot with your name is waiting for you

Testimonials, and more photos of the 1st ever Writers Plot Retreat

Click for information on the next Plot Retreat, this time for 5 days: November 3 - 7, 2010

What Now?

Q: I'm done! Too exhausted to type more. What now?

A: Congratulations! 

I'm so impressed with how you kept your head down and your spirits high throughout the writing of the first draft of your story. You did it in two months. You are amazing!

You're on a high. The best way to protect yourself from a letdown is to know that what goes up must come down and take care of yourself. Sleep, eat well, take long walks  -- preferably to all the locations in your story: the cemetery, the martial arts studio, the school, the church. Wander and sleep and straighten up your writing area, purge and organize notes but whatever you do DO NOT READ your manuscript for at least a week to 10 days. 

I apologize for the caps but I cannot stress the importance of this element enough. You need a bit of distance and objectivity before reading your story.

DO NOT READ your manuscript for at least a week to 10 days.

Oops, there I go again. Just wanting to make sure you understand the importance.

DO NOT READ your manuscript for at least a week to 10 days.

Okay, enough is enough.

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Feel the accomplishment in the depth of your being. You did it!! You wrote a novel from the beginning to the end. You did that. Feel it. Wallow in the good feelings. Be here now.

In a week, you begin the shift from writing the first draft to preparing for the next one.

For now, you are on safely ensconced on the threshold between two worlds. Revel in the splendor of yourself!!!!

Antagonists in Stories and in Life

We make up stories in our minds about events in our lives. Are the stories real? Real only to us and only as far as our perception is capable of seeing at the time.  The stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the world around us have a direct impact on how we react to new events in our lives.

That is the only explanation I have for why one writer is slain by the antagonists that pop up in the middle of her writing journey. While, another writer faced with the exact same problems is able to effortlessly make her way forward. 

Or, perhaps, the answer lies in the understanding one has of the task itself.

The writer who is slain may have heard rumors about the meddlesome, messy, sagging middle but when confronted with the reality of writing her way through the middle, takes the challenge personally, surrenders all her power and gives up (either for the day or for months or even years).

Another writer has researched not only the setting and authentic details needed for her story but also the craft of writing itself enough to understand that the antagonists that arise in the middle are not to be feared or felled by or taken personally but part of the process itself. 

I'm not explaining myself well here and the reason could be because this more informed writer is an anomaly to me. She has only been writing for two years and is well beyond the halfway point to creating a compelling novel. Though slowed down by the antagonists in the middle, rather than create resistance by judging herself as the problem and throwing herself against the wall or curling up in a ball for years before seeking help, she reaches out almost immediately and is now off and flying again.

Replace the story you tell yourself about writing the middle of your novel, memoir, screenplay from one of threat and opposition to a story of strength and determination. Antagonists are self-created and have power over you only so long as you give away your own personal power first.

Fiction Author Reaches Climax of Her Book

In plot consultations with writers, I often see how the writing of a protagonist's transformative journey in a novel, screenplay or memoir mirrors the writer's own personal transformative writing journey.

A few weeks back, I wrote about a client struggling to bring her protagonist to the Climax of her book. My impressions were that perhaps the writer's problem came from not having truly reached the end of her own transformative journey enough to grasp her own personal power in life and thus is having difficulty showing her protagonist in her true power at the end.

This week, I am pleased to report about another writer who after twelve years and lots of incarnations of his story has reached the true authentic ending to his book.

In those twelve years of struggle to find the right balance, the writer often despaired. He would write all the way to the end, send out query letters and sample chapters only to be rejected. Though he always received encouraging words about his writing, he always reacted to the rejection the same. He would beat himself up and, believing himself not worthy of success, quit. Each time, after he pulled himself out of the garbage bin he inevitably threw himself into, he would write another draft and send out more queries. This process repeated itself for years. The toll it took on his spirit and his body was devastating. 

Finally, he undertook his own personal transformative journey. In so doing, he became clear enough to find the true story. In so doing, he found a new depth to his beliefs and his story.

Now, in retrospect, it is clear to see that if his earlier passionate dream to be published had come true, the book he holds today would have been a fraction of what it shows itself to be. 

Perhaps the lesson to take away from this is the belief that until the manifestation of the thread of a dream is right and the story what it is meant to be, do not take things personally. See it as a process. Be patient. Continue to show up and write. And, at the same time, continue to challenge yourself as a person and to grow into who know you are meant to be. Find where you are on the universal story and push yourself deeper. Find your true strength and trust that when you are ready, the ending will appear. 

Honor the process.

Children's Picture Books and Plot

Uma Krishnaswami, former child writer who now writes for children, and teaches writing in the MFA/Writing for Children and Young Adults program, Vermont College of Fine Arts,  asked me to take part in her blog book tour for her newly released picture book for children: Out of the Way! Out of the Way! and illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy.

Uma knows what I do with plot. We have worked together in the past and she interviewed me for her blog Writing with Broken Tusk a few months ago.

After receiving Uma's book from her publisher, I read her engaging picture book. Then I read it again. Then, several times more. 

I couldn't find the plot. 

Rather than admit my failure to her, I asked Uma to tell me a bit about her process when it comes to the plot and structure of her picture books. 

Uma: I never begin by thinking of picture book structure, but without it, I'd never finish. 

My first step is often to write the draft once through, however it shows up in my mind. Most often, it shows up as a big mess: snatches of words, a rhythmic beat or two, something visual, the beginning and middle and end all tangled up together, the wrong things highlighted, the important things shadowed. I write it anyway, trying to be uncritical at that point.

Then I break it up into scenes on a rough storyboard, with the lines scribbled in and a stick-figure sketch of what I think the scene is. I should state for the record that I can't draw to save my life, but I do it anyway just to force my mind into visual mode, so I don't get carried away in the lovely drift of words that often waits in the wings to tempt me. 

Since I mostly write for the US market, I use a format of roughly 15 spreads, or 14 and a single which is what you have to work with. I rewrite, this time with approximate page breaks. Then I keep repeating the process until I've got something that seems to have some energy. 

When it's time to send it out to an editor, I take out all the page breaks and send it in traditional manuscript format, double-spaced with 1 inch margins. But by then I have enough on the page that there is some sort of arc forming and a solid unifying throughline in place. This is the first time I let myself begin to think of theme, by asking the question, "What's this story really about?" If I ask that too early the story curls up its toes and refuses to cooperate. But if I never ask it, I won't ever be able to see the bigger picture.

Somewhere along the way, my goal is to gain clearer vision: to see what's missing, and where excess words are getting in the way. I can also see where I have too much going on, or too little. Because the editing for this book simplified the storyline, I was able to get rid of a few extra scenes where I'd really overplotted, and then it fit nicely into the 12 spread/24 page container we needed.

I do believe that picture books can teach us a lot about story structure. I sometimes use picture books like The Stray Dog by Marc Simont or Waiting for Mama by Tae-Jun Lee, in a talk about crafting scenes in a novel. A finely crafted picture book has the art of the scene nailed, in my opinion, just in a very different idiom from the ones novelists tend to use. Studying picture books liberates us from the tyranny of the word so we can look at the bones of a story more clearly.

##

Wow! Uma is one terrific writer. I love the beauty of her language and the images her words evoke:  "If I ask that too early the story curls up its toes and refuses to cooperate." "Studying picture books liberates us from the tyranny of the word so we can look at the bones of a story more clearly."

I am no expert on children's picture books. Though all the picture books for children I have read and the children's literature I continue to analyze for plot workshops for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) confirm what I already know about the universal story. 

I mulled over Uma's story for so long, I missed the blog tour day assigned to me.

Finally, however, the time spent pondering the plot of Uma's picture book Out of the Way! Out of the Way! and reading about her process paid off with a new slant on one of my trusted and deeply valued plot lines = thematic significance. I've gotten some heat over the years for including thematic significance as one of the three major plot lines in stories: 

• Dramatic action plot
  
• Character emotional development plot 
  
• Thematic significance plot 
  

Thanks to Uma's picture book, I feel even more strongly about the validity of including theme. 

I typically see these three plot lines as intertwining and supporting each other for the ultimate character transformation. I live by the belief that when a character is changed at depth over time by the dramatic action over time, a story means something. 

In Uma's story, the three plot lines do intertwine. Rather than individually and distinctively separate, the three meld into one sweeping thematic significance plot that also encompasses cultural and industrial and environmental elements.

Dramatic action plot is physical and concrete. 

Character emotional development is emotional and sensory. 

Thematic significance plot is cerebral and abstract. 

To give justice to Uma's story, I had to surrender my lust for literal character transformation and dig a bit deeper.  

Uma uses theme like an abstract art form. 

Thank you, Uma, for the opportunity to develop an even deeper appreciation for the value of theme in all genres and stories.

Plot in Children's Picture Books

Today is my turn to blog about a new picture book: Out of the Way! Out of the Way! by Uma Krishnaswami and illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy.

Uma's story set off a series of questions in my own mind in regards to plot. Plot is what I do and the fact I have not yet answered the questions and thus not found my angle for my blog post gives me pause. My apologies.

The opportunity to explore plot based on her picture book compels me to explore the possibilities. That necessitates that Uma and I communicate a bit first which throws my piece of her tour off the timeline. To read Uma's beautifully written generosity and patience, go to: Writing with a Broken Tusk.

We're going to work together on a couple of questions I have and I’ll have a post ready for you on Monday.

My apologies to any of you coming here to learn more about Out of the Way! Out of the Way!

Thank you for your patience.

Writer's Courage

Over the past six or so years of providing plot consultations to writers, I rarely have had a cancelation. When one happens, the occurrence tends to give me pause. When it happens twice with the same writer, I can't help but speculate why. Always, my imagination settles on one degree or another of writer's fear.

Years ago, I heard Maya Angelou say that a character trait most important in life is courage. 

This is so true for both the protagonist of a story and for the writer, too. Having worked with writers of all genres and all ages, I appreciate and honor the courage and fortitude it takes to continue to keep at it, to keep showing up, to face antagonist after antagonist, pick yourself and your characters off the ground over and over again, dust yourselves off, and start again, to believe in yourself and your story and the transformative nature of creating something out of nothing.

Here's hoping the writer in question remembers there is nothing to fear in life but fear itself... Naw... How about this? I'm not that scary. The process is intense but truly is nothing to fear. 

Like your protagonist, face your greatest antagonist / fear and you, too, become the star of your own life.

Plot Trick: Showing Character Emotion, Not Telling

A plot trick to connect readers to your stories? Rather than tell how a character feels, the trick is to find unique ways to show in scene the character's emotional reaction to the dramatic action. 

This weekend at my first ever Writers Plot Retreat, I had a glimpse into why this trick of writing your characters showing authentic emotions is a tough one to master.

In preparation for the retreat, I created an intricate Plot Planner based on our time frame and the number of plot consultations per each writer. 

Thursday afternoon, everyone arrived and settled, I pointed out the highlights of our event on my tricky Writers Plot Retreat Plot Planner.

The peak that most interested, or so I thought and soon came to understand scared, everyone loomed on Saturday afternoon. Having organized the retreat around the Universal Story, I explained to the writers the Crisis. If there was to be a melt-down, this is where it most likely would occur. Little did I know how much suspense and tension that foreshadowing instilled.

As pre-plotted, we left the Beginning (1/4), introductory phase at the end of Day One, everyone dazed from the splendor of the setting, meeting each other, and the over-abundance of amazing food and drink, laughter and goodwill. Well-feted, we slept.

My mission for the plot retreat was for each writer to create a mini-Plot Planner for their story, followed by making a full-length one, too. A couple of writers came with new story ideas to plan and plot. Others were bogged down and stalled out in the Middle of their first draft and came with the goal of revving back up and forging ahead. A few prepared for major rewrites. One had a completed story ready for the final, final check.

After I had checked out everyone's mini-Plot Planner for the five major scenes in their stories, our host once again overwhelmed our senses with a fragrant, delectable dinner. Full from the mountain air, expansive views, like-minded people, and general feeling of gratitude for the good fortune of being together, we once again bedded down for the night.

From the success of the day before, everyone jumped into the creation of their full-sized Plot Planners. I passed out butcher paper, felt-tipped pens, and sticky notes. Before long, all the long, open surfaces of the main portion of the house were papered with Plot Planners of all colors and lengths and dreams.

The consultations went smoothly. The Crisis point came and went without a peep. 

Not until yesterday, our final morning together, did I have a clue that, in fact, the day before at the exact moment of the Crisis point, most of the writers were experiencing melt-downs to varying degrees.

My only excuse for having missed all the outward signs are three:

1. The writers did very little to show their external discomfort
   
2. My primary focus was on the writers' stories and their Plot Planners
   
3. I had eyes only for the breakthroughs and the eye-popping enthusiasm over the new relationship developing between writer and writing project.
   

What the lesson taught me is how often we mask our feelings, likely, I believe, due to the false belief that we are the only ones. There is a universality when it comes to the insecurity and uncertainty we each have in creating something out of nothing. Rather than share the fear, we mask and protect ourselves.

Now in retrospect, I remember the sweat on one writer's forehead, the tremble in the voices of other writers' dismissing their project's potential, how one writer kept her eyes downcast as she spoke about her story, and another gave excuses for herself and her story.

The day before, I had shared a technique I use to teach kids how to switch from telling emotion to showing. When working at the children's shelter, I ask kids to act out an emotion jotted on a slip of paper. The other children cannot tell the emotion they see demonstrated. Instead, they must point out the external signs they see that show the emotion or feelings through body language, facial expressions, dialogue, tone and mood. 

I recommended the writers keep a notepad and pen with them at all times in coffee shops, at the beach, waiting at bus stops to jot down not only the traditional snippets of overhead dialogue but to note the behaviors that indicate emotion in the passer-bys.

The two stately Weimaraners on hand for the retreat had no trouble showing their feelings right up front: enlarged pupils = intense focus, wagging tails = confidence, tucked tails = insecurity, rigid bodies = alert, yawning = nervousness, etc.

People? Not always so straight-forward.

What I learned about writers showing emotion at the retreat, or I simply remembered what I already knew and had forgotten, is that often the expression of deep emotion is barely discernible but, always, the feelings are there.

(To each of you who took part in the plot retreat, thank you for taking the leap with me. I had a ball falling in love with the perfection of you...)

Energetic Markers in Universal Story

In preparing for my first ever Writers Plot Retreat in the redwoods on Thursday through Sunday (don't expect another post for a few days), I marvel again at how consistent the Energetic Markers arrive in the Universal Story for romance novels, to screenplays, to mysteries, young adult, memoirs, middle grade and yes, even picture books.

For instance: The Cay by Theodore Taylor.

Like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee where the plotline dealing with Boo breaks off after the End of the Beginning and does not come back until the End, The Cay has an almost independent plotline running through the Middle (1/2) with the Beginning (1/4) linked back to the End (/14).

The End of the Beginning of The Cay is when Phillip is blind. The antagonists in the Middle are Phillip's prejudice of Timothy, blindness, a deserted island, fear, feeling sorry for himself, the weather and Malaria. Phillip's allies in the Middle are Timothy and Stew Cat.

In the Middle of The Cay, Phillip must maneuver, with the help of Timothy through a survival course, the Unusual World of living on an island blind.

The Crisis of the subplot on the island occurs about Halfway through the entire story. Phillip climbs a palm tree blind, makes it about 10 feet and then freezes. Comes back down and he feels Timothy's disappointment. This scene serves two plotlines:  

1) His personal Crisis point in the subplot 

2) The Halfway point in the overall story for a reason to recommit to the adventure, in this case, survival

The Climax of the subplot on the island comes when Phillip attempts the climb again, makes it all the way up, picks two coconuts, comes down and asks Timothy, "Are you still black?" showing Phillip has both overcome is fear and his prejudice.

The Crisis for the dramatic action plot of the overall story comes at exactly the 3/4 mark when a hurricane hits the island.

The Climax comes when Phillip himself is able to signal the plane.

In Resolution, he is rescued.

Anyway, my point is that the End of the Beginning, the Halfway marker, the Crisis(es) and Climax(es) all hit exactly where they "should".

And, that's only two of so many examples.

I keep throwing the concepts out there because they're helpful and valid. Something worth learning for your own stories.

You Promised to Write Your Story Today

Dear Linda,
I don't know if you really promised me but I have down today is the day you planned earlier in the week to devote to your book.

Before you tick off all reasons hanging out needing to to be done first, take a deep breath.

Close your eyes.

Enter into the belief that today is for your plot, your story, yourself (so long as the time spent on yourself is good for your story, too).

It's like giving yourself your own special day with a focus on devoting yourself to your writing.

Sounds pretty decadent, doesn't it?

Only it's not. Watch all the dancing toward and away (resistance) from this. Writing is hard work so long as resistance is involved or the belief of not being good enough, not enough time, what's the point?

The key is to continue putting words down on paper.

Open word.doc.

Off with email.

Internet turned off.

Over and out...

What Do You Stand to Lose?

I've fallen into the habit of asking writers to fill out the Character Emotional Development Plot Profile for themselves as well as for their protagonist. One question more than all others reveals depth of passion.

QUESTION: What do you stand to lose if you do not accomplish your writing goal?

WRITERS' ANSWERS:

I've lost my way and haven't been able to find it again

The evil voices will be proven correct

Sanity

My story will not make it into the world

Self-respect

Me

My self-esteem

A sense of accomplishment before the real deadline

Self-fulfillment

Peace of mind

In the work I do with writers, I offer guidance about plot and structure and meaning in relationship to the protagonist's ultimate transformation. I also strive to provide insight into the writer's journey.

Writing is a solitary activity and can make you feel cut-off and separate and alone. Until, that is, you attend your first writers conference, join a critique group, form a writing group, read blogs like this one. 

Everyone who creates something out of nothing questions themselves. Who am I to write?

All writers revise endlessly.

No one knows what they truly are writing about. 

Every writer is shy about the choices they make. 

My greatest hope for you is to remember we all start a story the same--one word on the page at a time and to encourage you to feel your way to how this next author answers when asked the same question: 

What do you stand to lose if you are unsuccessful at achieving your writing goal?

Not a thing. Everything is as it should be...

Plot Whisperer Blog Makes Its TV Debut

A View From the Bay, a San Francisco KGO / ABC television show recently aired the first segment of five on How to Start Your Own Blog in 5 Minutes with website and blog expert Linda Lee

When asked what a successful blog looks like, Linda showed a screenshot of Plot Whisperer: What a thrill to see the blog on television! Thank you, Linda, for thinking enough of my blog to highlight it in such a visual way and to so many.

To watch the segment, go to: View From the Bay

Having recently learned Writers Digest listed Plot Whisperer as a top 15 Writing Advice blog in the country, the excitement continues to build.

To learn more about blogging through short 3 minute free videos and frequently asked questions with absolutely no hype, visit Linda Lee's blogs: Ask her a question and she'll likely make a free video as answer.
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To Those Who Never Make it to the End

My last post was a bit harsh. I take it back. It is not necessary for a writer to have to go through all that.

In my own defense, my purpose here is to support writers achieve their dreams of completing a worthy project. So what about all those half-written stories that end up in the trash bin or at the bottom of a cabinet drawer? Not reaching it, our dreams hound us relentlessly. We never truly forget that which we long for. 

People who have faced death say they do not think about the work they missed at the end but of family and friends. Really? Don't you think for even a moment your story might flash before your face and ask, what if? 

How does a resistant writer make it all the way to the end?

I wish I could say with grace and splendor but my way is messier. Commit to your own hero's journey as your protagonist embarks on hers. 

Learn as much about yourself through the process as you learn about your character. 

Recognize the similarities. 

Invite in the antagonists. 

Ask for answers.

Push yourself.

See what happens.

Climax

The final 1/4 of a story carefully builds in tension with several "above-the-line" scenes that culminate at the Climax with an ultimate emotional release.

Each culminating ending scene builds in energy to the next scene. Thanks to the earlier Crisis (at around the 3/4 mark of the story), the protagonist becomes more and more conscious of her flaws and strengths and of the world around her. No longer bogged down by fear or pity, she shows through dramatic action the release of pent-up feelings, of tension and of the past. Having died to her old personality, she embraces new ideas with the ultimate expression of mastery at the Climax. 

The relationship between a girl and her father represents a universal archetype. Can a writer who has not resolved her own personal issues with her father write the end of a story about a daughter and her father with truth and emotion?  

Yes, I believe she can. But... not necessarily in the first, or second, or even third drafts. The section of the story she will find the most difficult to write is the final 1/4 of the story.

If the writer's own feelings about her father are bogged down with self-pity, the story is likely to end angry and unresolved. If the writer fears her own pent-up feelings, the story is likely to end superficially and in cliche. 

Until the writer honestly accepts her own truth , she will struggle. To accept new ideas, she herself must first die to her old personality. Then, she can fully allow her protagonist a free rein to embrace all possibilities and ultimately discover the unexpected. 

Hero's Journey: Protagonist vs Writer

I'm on the edge of my seat. Will she or won't she?

I left her last time right after she had written the Crisis. Euphoric for having faced every one of her own demons in order to send her protagonist to death -- metaphorically speaking, of course. Still, she wrote it and survived. An embarrassing mass of slop? Likely. All that matters now is getting the scenes written. Before we hang up last time, I gently coax her to face what is coming. She hears my words but does turn around and thus has no idea of the size of the mountain behind her still left to scale.

This time, when she calls, I hear it the minute she speaks. For the first time since we started working together and at the base of Climax Mountain, she hits a wall. Her voice has no energy. She sounds wary. Shell-shocked. Numb and filled with disbelief.

I scramble to assess the damage and uncover something quite unexpected.

From the time she left the middle of the Middle, I worried about her writing the scenes leading up to the Crisis around the 3/4 mark and the Crisis itself. I never even considered her real demons would hit at the End on the way up to the Climax. 

Both the protagonist and the writer are drug addicts. The protagonist is killing herself because of her addiction. The writer is in recovery. Not, however, for long. "Two years," she told me. "This time." Having fought my own addictions, I shiver when I hear the second part of her answer. It implies there could be a next time.

Of course, the protagonist has to hit rock bottom at the Crisis. The fact the writer survived the writing of it herself is a tribute to her heart and her spirit.

Now what I think is happening is that because the writer herself has not experienced her own personal transformation fully nor seized her own personal power, she can't quite see the way for the protagonist here at the beginning of the End. 

I encourage her to let the protagonist do what she needs to do (the writer knows exactly what she wants to happen at the Climax and thus has only to get her there for now).

Let go of trying to get in the character's head and body. Write purely action now.

Ask the protagonist to reveal herself to you through her fledgling actions as the powerhouse she can and must be.

Then let her loose, sit back and watch what comes...

Like I said, I'm on the edge of my seat.

Mock Plot Consultation

Radio Show today, Tuesday, May 18th at 11AM PST

For the first hour, I plan to do a "mock" 1 hour plot consultation with our host and friend-- Kim McMillon on one of her children's books she's preparing for publication.

Second hour, Teresa LeYung Ryan helps Kim identify the core issues of her story and link her name to mission statements for publicity and marketing purposes.

In case you'd like to see who you'll be listening to, here are the three of us several years ago at BEA in NYC:

Stop by for a listen today at 11AM PST

Writers Sanctuary

Happy Birthday Blockbuster Plots

Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple (BBP) turns six years old today!

Never I will forget the many times I limped from my writing cave, whining that I need more time, the book isn't good enough, I'm not good enough. Over and over again, my very supportive, finger-pointing husband banished me back to my cave to finish.

BBP had many editors, one of whom is the famed Melanie Rigney and one-time editor of Writers Digest. Even so, the first printing was filled with typos. I didn't even see them. The moment I held the bright red ball of light in my hands, I was... geez, every adjective I reach for is so cliched and unfitting for the actual moment of sublime contentment, awe, love, excitement...

That night I interviewed bestselling mystery writer Laurie R. King with my red book beside me. Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple rarely left my side that first year.

The heavily flawed first printing sold out quickly, thank goodness. I continue to edit and change and add big and little issues in every printing since then. (My deep desire is to write a 2nd edition...)

My gift to you for visiting this blog is just to say keep at it. Whether your first attempt or hundredth story, there is nothing like finishing and seeing your words in print and receiving reactions from readers, satisfied and otherwise... And, even more profound? You'll be transformed in the process...

(Oh, and in honor of the august occasion, I'm discounting all the Blockbuster Plot tools for writers. The deals are up on Blockbuster Plots for Writers.)

Beginnings and Endings

Beginnings hook readers. Endings create fans.

The other night when talking about readers with a writer friend, she interrupted to comment that she did not believe many writers consider their ultimate readers when writing a story. She went on to say that most writers she knows spend most of their time perfecting the beginning and usually peter out at the end.

The next day I received an email from a mighty disappointed agent friend who had just finished a 400 page manuscript she was SO hopeful for and realized "in the last 60 pages or so there must be a book in there, somewhere," but not in the shape she needs it to be.

How many of you do endings well? Not just with your stories but in other aspects of your life, too. Ending a relationship. The end of a visit. The end of any phase. Often, we just let things peter out...

All that to say, a friend and prolific writer, Penny Warner, has a terrific blog post about beginnings. Check it out. (NOTE: I just realized all the mystery writers who make up The Lady Killers are blogging about beginning. Penny's post is on May 12th)

Great Cause

New York Times bestseller romance writer Brenda Novak is at it again. For the sixth year, Brenda is raising money at her Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research. Her youngest son was diagnosed with Type 1 at five years old. Last year she raised nearly $280,000 and is hoping to break that record this year. If successful, her grand total will reach over $1 million toward finding a cure through the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami. All cash donations are tax deductible.

The list of prizes and offerings is astounding, and not just for writers. Although many of the items for bid are specifically for writers, anyone will like the gift certificates to Macy's or to win an iPad or a trip to paradise. Check out some of the big ones at: Brenda's website

I heard about the event several years ago. Ever since, I have donated plot consultations, books and eBooks in honor of family and dear friends who suffer from diabetes.

If you'd like to bid on a Plot Consultation or a Romance Writers Plot eBook, join the fun!

1st Romance Writers Plot ebook

2nd Romance Writers Plot ebook (this item is a one-day bid only on the 26th)

1st Plot Consultation Session

2nd Plot Consultation Session

(PS: The plot interview I did with Brenda is coming out in this month's Plot Tips eZine that I am committed to getting out by next Wednesday. I will get it out. I will get it out. I will...)(PPS: To sign-up for the free monthly Plot Tips eZine.)

A Balanced Relationship with Your Writing

One of the most exciting aspects of writing is what we learn about ourselves in the process.

I work primarily with fiction writers, memoirists and screenwriters. I also support non-fiction writers through the process of finishing. Though the writer I post about today is non-fiction, her problem and her solution fit for any writer, fiction and non-fiction.

I've been working with this writer for months. Throughout that entire time, she has had tremendous resistance to actually sitting down and writing her project. Only by checking in weekly for a pep-talk and ongoing help with structure and accountability does she find the strength to continue.

Having never considered herself a writer, she is fraught with uncertainty and insecurity around the act of writing. She is confident when in her role as an expert in her field. When discussing her writing project, her voice turns unsteady and her resolve fragile.  

She refuses to succumb to her fears and doubts and continues to show up for her writing. In the process, she has been transformed. An epiphany hits. With insight into the parts she wants to write and those parts she feels she "should" include, she forms a new relationship with her book. Now that she sees the book in new ways, new energy flows, allowing her to take true ownership of the project, helping her to narrow and refine her focus in her work and thus narrow and redefine the book.

With the relationship in balance -- you being true to who you are and the book reflecting that -- the more effortless the completion...

Deepest Gratitude

For the second year running, Plot Whisperer blog is awarded 101 Best Websites for Writers by Writers Digest magazine -- quite a thrill.

Last year, we fit in Publishing Resources which resulted in a shift in my own personal take on this blog. In order to be published, writers need a solid structure and sound plot for their novels, memoirs, and screenplays. I got it....

To read more: Best Websites for Writers by Writer's Digest 

This year, we fall under Writing Advice. I am in the company of 16 other blogs/websites. Having been chosen out of more than 3500 nominations is a high honor indeed.

Thank you Writers Digest for the help you offer writers everywhere. Thank you for finding Plot Whisperer a "valuable website for the writing life." Thank you for believing I am "always inspiring." Ha! No, really. Thank you. You make me feel like an insider. For one who routinely hovers on the sidelines, I am honored. Your recognition fuels my passion to keep at this plot and structure work I do with writers.

Thank you writers and reader for following this blog, commenting, and sharing your success stories along the way.

Deepest gratitude to you...

Love Letter to a Writer

Dear Writer,

You have passed into the Middle of your journey with this project. The moment you began writing, you entered the exotic new world of writing. Yes, you've written before now but that was before you had a plot, let alone several, and a plan. You left behind the uncertainty, the blind pursuit of a dream. 

Now, you know where you are going and why. 

Promise me something.

Promise me you'll steer clear of your own ego in this brave new world you've entered. An ego wants something. 

See yourself as the creator of this story = ego and imbalance. 

See yourself as the conduit = cooperation and balance. 

Guide the story along the parameters you have planned. Do not let your analytical mind offer suggestions, changes, improvements. Over the past weeks, your analytical mind has served you well as you plotted and planned, schemed and researched. The moment you crossed the threshold into writing, your analytic mind shape-shifted from ally to antagonist. Always the Middle is fraught with antagonists as a way to test you, distract you, interfere with your success.

Don't get slowed down. Stay in the moment of the writing itself. Your story lives within you. Write with it rather than about it. 

Lots of surprises await both your story and you. 

Enjoy the process,

Martha aka Plot Whisperer

Moves a Character Makes at the Climax

Interesting dilemma in a recent plot consultation -- the protagonist (a 12 year-old in a middle grade fantasy novel) kills the evil queen, her mother, at the Climax. 

Now, before you react, let me explain. Turns out in the Resolution the woman she kills is not actually her mother. Whew! Still, the reveal comes too late to justify the killing as the story is written now. 

This age-group, heck, any age group, for the protagonist to do such a deed, the mother must be evil incarnate -- which the queen is though not necessarily shown enough throughout the story as it's written now -- and even then, I believe it is a tough sell for middle-grads readers, or at least their gatekeeper -- parents, teacher, etc.

Not even Luke Skywalker is able in the end to kill his own father -- Darth Vader -- in the Star Wars films.

The archetype of the Mother needs to stay pure. The woman she has become can be hated -- yes? -- but...

The Climax is the crowning glory of the story. The reader has been reading for pages and pages. This is the scene they will likely remember. To have such controversy at that moment can work in adult fiction, but in middle grade fiction... 

Plot Interview

Uma Krishnaswami is a former child writer who now writes for children, and teaches writing in the MFA/Writing for Children and Young Adults program, Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Her blog name says it all: Writing with a Broken Tusk

She interviewed me.

Check it out.

Thanks, Uma.

A Shortcut for Writers on a Spiritual Path

The fear you greet at every major threshold of your life is simply based on a fantasy of a danger that has not happened. Rather than stay frozen on the future, get out of your head. Stay in your body. Seize this moment and write something, anything. Keep moving. Write through the fear. 

Today, detach from the outcome and concentrate on putting one world after another on the page. Forget the duality of good versus bad. Marvel at the miracle of words appearing out of nowhere and you writing them on the page.

Replace fear with blind trust that you will be supported and that all is well.

Make the act of writing or whatever you do an act of love...

Ascent to the Climax for Writer and Protagonist

I have the great pleasure of working with a writer who is as fascinating and inspiring as his story. 

The inspiration for his story hit about 15 years ago. He's been writing off and on. Well, more off than on... plagued with negative beliefs and internal antagonists and fear of the great unknown.

He signed up for on-going plot consultations and started showing up for himself. He crossed the threshold from the Beginning not only of his writer's journey into the Middle but also on the the story he wanted to craft, he moved from a few scenes in the Beginning to an actual writing discipline (meaning he shows up for his writing for a specific daily word count).

Next big step was writing the Crisis. That he did this week. He faced his greatest fear along with his protagonist. In so doing, both he and his character died to who they have always been. Truly. I hear the change in the energy of his voice. I sense the change in his focus and consistency by his success.

Starting today, he and his protagonist walk into who they are meant to be. 

He makes the ascent to the Climax for both himself and his protagonist. A time of great transformation. 

The true celebration is still several weeks away. Not until he finishes this first draft and his protagonist prevails in the Climax has he accomplished what he set out to do 15 years ago.

His journey and his progress thus far is huge. He and all of you out there living a writer's life are why I do what I do. As a writer crafts a story, you reinvent and revitalize your own life. Mine, too... Thank you....

Definition of Plot for Writers

Plot integrates dramatic action, a character’s emotional development, and thematic significance in a story. 

In other words, when the dramatic action changes the protagonist at depth over time, the story becomes thematically significant.

Here is a writer’s definition of plot:

Plot is a series of

scenes

deliberately arranged by

cause and effect

to create

dramatic action

 filled with

conflict, tension, suspense, and/or curiosity

 to further the

character’s emotional development

and provide

thematic significance.

 

So, what does that mean?

A.     Scenes

Plot is a series of scenes that show outward action.  Scenes are in the now, the physical, moment-by-moment.  Action is a scene marker, as is dialogue.  Think of each scene as its own little story.

 

B.    Cause and Effect

Plot is a series of scenes deliberately arranged by cause and effect.  Cause and effect means that each scene comes directly from the preceding scene.  One scene causes the next, creating a satisfying story for audiences because each scene is organic. From the seeds you plant in the first scene, the next scene emerges.

 

C.    Dramatic Action

Plot is a series of scenes deliberately arranged by cause and effect to create dramatic action.  Dramatic action means that the scenes played out moment-by-moment through action and dialogue include conflict.

 

D.   Conflict, Tension, and Suspense

Plot is a series of scenes deliberately arranged by cause and effect to create dramatic action filled with conflict, tension, and suspense. Story is conflict shown in scene. Conflict, tension, and suspense force the audience members to the edge of their seats. Conflict, tension, and suspense are built through setbacks, not through good news.

 

E.    Character’s Emotional Development

Plot is a series of scenes deliberately arranged by cause and effect to create dramatic action filled with conflict, tension, and suspense to further the character’s emotional development. More than anything else, readers identify most with the characters.  Characters in a story allow you to tell the story through their eyes and hearts, help advance your story's s plot and theme.

We connect to one another through emotion. A character able to “show” an emotional response to the conflict and action engages the reader, while a character who merely “tells” how she feels about what happened is boring and often unbelievable. A character’s action or behavioral response to conflict, during the event itself and later, in relating the conflict, is most compelling to an audience.  Your audience needs to understand and care about your characters who represent the heart of your story.  Emotional meaning always comes from your characters.

 

F.    Thematic Significance

Plot is a series of scenes deliberately arranged by cause and effect to create dramatic action filled with conflict, tension, and suspense to further the character’s emotional development and create thematic significance.  Thematic significance ties your entire story together. It is the main thrust of your presentation and what you hope to prove through your story.  The theme is the why: what you want your audience to take away after having read your story. The deeper meaning of the story becomes the thematic significance of the story itself. 

Universal Story and Plot

I bow down to the writer's spirit in each of us -- the spirit of perseverance and for continuing against all odds and against all conventional reason.

A writer on her third major rewrite finds the Universal Story defines the linear plot and structure of her intuitive and otherwise random story. Now that she has the logical, sequential order of the scenes in place and objectively knows where the story is going, she can forget about the bigger picture and subjectively concentrate on writing each scene one word at a time. 

This is not necessarily easy for a random, intuitive and subjective writer. Classically favoring "right-brain" thinking, for her to focus in on the parts does not come naturally. However, as long as she stays at the concrete level (a strength) of the scenes and words, she'll be fine. 

I especially love it when writers like her reach the Middle because the scenes there take place in an exotic world of her own making. Thus, she can craft those scenes in her truly authentic voice and style and can follow the energy. Here, time does not have to travel in a linear fashion, the exotic world can be anything she wants it to be, as random, intuitive and subjective as she desires.