4th Annual Plot Writing Month ~~ Day Thirty-one

Today marks the final day of the 4th Annual International Plot Writing Month also known as PostNaNoPlotPerfection aka PlotWriMo for writers intent on crafting a story that is pleasing to the reader and perhaps on finding a bit of enlightenment along the way.

Thank you for visiting and following along. I'm pleased to hear the information has helped so many of you prepare for your next rewrite and that you're confident and ready to begin writing in the new year.

Tonight after all the festivities of saying goodbye to '11 and greeting '12, before you fall asleep, see yourself tomorrow going through each step of the writing ritual you imagined for yourself during yesterday's assignments. Really see yourself writing, for even longer than the time you scheduled. Ask the "powers that be" to help support your efforts in the morning and to show you in ways that only the great beyond is able to that you have been heard...

If you fell behind on the re"vision" of the overall plot arc of your novel, memoir, screenplay or simply wish to follow along with the International Plot Writing Month anytime of the year you wish, click HERE.

If you wish to deepen your understanding of the Universal Story and learn how it assists you in writing a novel, memoir, screenplay, click HERE.

If you wish to deepen your plot at the scene level, click HERE.

Continue to visit here for inspiration as I unwind from plot consultations and comment on the problems writers confront in their process and offer tips to keep going.

My intention is and always has been to help support writers to keep at the business of writing.

May all your dreams come true next year...

(***Click on the highlighted plot concepts for novel, memoir and screenplay examples and further explanations via video. Each time a concept is referenced you are directed to new information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay.)

To familiarize yourself with the Universal Story and the basic plot terms we use throughout December:

1) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master (Now also as a Kindle edition)

2) Watch the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. A directory of all the steps to the series is to the right of this post. 27-step tutorial on Youtube

3 Watch the Monday Morning Plot Book Group Series on YouTube. A directory the book examples and plot elements discussed is to the left of this post.

For additional tips and information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter

4th Annual Plot Writing Month ~~ Day Thirty

4th Annual International Plot Writing Month and 2011 are nearly spent.

6 Steps to complete today:

1) If you don't have one already, create a space devoted for your writing.

2) Organize your space. Purge and cleanse the space of everything but your manuscript and notes.

3) Hang your Plot Planner for easy viewing where you do your daily writing.

4) Create your writing schedule for the new year. Take out the 2012 calendar you bought.

Think long and hard about your daily life and obligations, and your personal best and most productive times of the day. Decide how many days a week you are willing to devote to your writing. Add an extra day to that.

Now mark on your calendar the days and time you will devote to your writing. If you have to, wake up an hour early or stay up an hour later than you are used to.

By scheduling in your writing time, you'll be more apt to stick to the schedule. Plus, when friends or family or work request/demand your time, you'll more easily be able to tell them the truth:
I have a pre-arranged appointment at that time. We'll have to come up with another time.

Without the pre-scheduled time, chances are much greater that you'll put yourself and your writing last, which invariably means you'll not get to it.

Don't despair if you find that honoring yourself and your writing time difficult at first. With practice, however, you'll find yourself joyfully committed to your writing time. An added bonus is that when the muse finds you consistently showing up, creativity will more readily be available to you. The habit itself creates miracles and mysteries.

5) Create a writing ritual for yourself. For instance, every morning at 4:30AM before I begin writing, I make myself a cup of green tea and drink a glass of water. From having done the same ritual everyday for so many years, my body knows immediately what I am up to and responds in kind.

6) If you're going to write during family time, consider creating some sort of signal so your family members know you're working and honor your time by not interrupting. Isabel Allende lights a candle and as long as the candle burns her family knows not to bother her. A dear friend hangs a sign indicating her "office hours" that day. So long as it's hanging on her writing studio door, her husband knows not to enter. The more seriously you take your writing time, the more seriously your family and friends will honor your writing time, too.

(***Click on the highlighted plot concepts for novel, memoir and screenplay examples and further explanations via video. Each time a concept is referenced you are directed to new information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay.)

To familiarize yourself with the Universal Story and the basic plot terms we use throughout December:

1) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master (Now also as a Kindle edition)

2) Watch the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. A directory of all the steps to the series is to the right of this post. 27-step tutorial on Youtube

3 Watch the Monday Morning Plot Book Group Series on YouTube. A directory the book examples and plot elements discussed is to the left of this post.

For additional tips and information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter

4th Annual Plot Writing Month ~~ Day Twenty~nine

We are in the final days of the 4th Annual International Plot Writing Month.

Today:

Cause and Effect

Using the master Plot Planner you created, now draw a line from one scene to the next when the scenes are linked by cause and effect. In other words, if the action in one scene causes the action in the next scene, draw a line to connect the two of them. Continue this way through every scene.

Where one scene does not cause the action in the next, do not connect the two scenes with a line. Leave the space between those two scenes blank.

Next, reread the hard copy of your manuscript.

Unlike earlier when I had you read your story all the way through in one sitting as a reader or as a member of the audience, this time, I want you to reread your story as many times as you need to until you have answered all the questions raised in each step throughout this re-vision process.

Don't get bogged down in criticism of your writing. Read all the way through just like you wrote it all the way through, one layer at a time.

Concentrate first on the foundation. Take notes directly on your manuscript about any any plot and structure issue that cropped up in any of the prior steps that you plan to address in the next draft you write.

Mark what works.

Insert PostIt notes on the Plot Planner about what needs rewriting. Make your notes detailed enough so when you reach them in your rewrite you remember what you were thinking.

Mark out with a big black X any and all words, paragraphs, and chapters you plan to delete in the next rewrite. Write ideas you wish to add or create in the next go round.

Keep your Plot Planner in front of you as you work your way through your manuscript.

Not until the plot and structure are completely in place do you turn your focus to dialogue, description, tone, authentic details in scene, character motivation, word choices.

In every draft you write, insert what you can about theme. By the last draft, the theme will have revealed itself and appears throughout your story.

(***Click on the highlighted plot concepts for novel, memoir and screenplay examples and further explanations via video. Each time a concept is referenced you are directed to new information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay.)

To familiarize yourself with the Universal Story and the basic plot terms we use throughout December:

1) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master (Now also as a Kindle edition)

2) Watch the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. A directory of all the steps to the series is to the right of this post. 27-step tutorial on Youtube

3 Watch the Monday Morning Plot Book Group Series on YouTube. A directory the book examples and plot elements discussed is to the left of this post.

For additional tips and information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter