Pre-Plot or Write?

She has several successful YA novels, a memoir, and an adult novel published by major publishing houses and a contract for the novel she's working on now. Having never considered theme in her writing and wanting to use theme to deepen her new story, she bought The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories. After filling out the exercises, she asked for a plot consultation to work further on theme and, for the first time, to pre-plot the character emotional development rather than see what happens writing by the seat-of-her-pants.

She's been pre-plotting for more than 6 months, working out the non-linear dramatic action plot, the magical realism plot, the historical plot. We spent two hours, brainstorming the thematic significance statement while concentrating primarily on the protagonist's character development.

After she better understands the role of the scenes that lead up to the crisis and following the biggest scene in the story so far, she hung up from the consultation with lots of ideas to incorporate and the energy to start writing. A couple of weeks later, she asks for more time together. By then, she's firmed up the themes and worked out more of the magical legacy for her new story.

At the end of our session together, rather than support her urge to continue working out the various plots and theme and character development, this time I encourage her to begin writing. At some point, she has to get out of her head planning and plotting and get into her body and write. Writing is where the magic happens. Getting close to the character in moment-by-moment scenes connects her better to the character development than merely thinking about what she'll do or not do. She's ready.

Her time to write is now.

Today I write. How about you?

*****SPECIALS*******

1) Track Your Plot at the Scene Level Webinar
Learn to Maximize the 7 essential plot elements in every scene (one of 7 essential plot elements in every scene is CONFLICT) from the comfort of your own home.

*****

Knowing what to write where in a story with a plot reinforces daily writing practice and allows for more productivity in your writing. Whether writing a first draft or revising, if you falter wondering what comes next in a story with a plot, follow the prompts inThe Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing.

Today, I write.

To familiarize yourself with the basic plot terms used here and in the PW Book of Prompts:
1) Watch the plot playlists on the Plot Whisperer Youtube channel.
2) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master
3) Fill out the exercises in The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories
4) Visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter
Plot Whisperer on Pinterest

What Happens After the Crisis (not to be confused with Climax) of Your Novel, Memoir, Screenplay?

The drama at the Crisis of her coming-of-age historical novel is exciting, life-or-death and edge-of-your-seat external action.
Check.
The action fits thematically with the character emotional development.
Check.
The character suffers at the Crisis.
Check.
In the simultaneous release of energy at the Crisis, the character sees herself and the world around her in a new and transformed way.
Check.

Trouble with the plot begins seconds after the Crisis. Immediately the character acts in a transformed way.
Why is that a plot problem?
Flipping the protagonist from the character she's been throughout the story in one scene to mature and a master over her fear in the next scene dilutes the moment of greatest intensity in the entire story so far.
Facing her fear and winning is her Climax.
She still has another quarter of her story to reach the true Climax of the story.

Plot Tips:
Rather than speed up the effects of the Crisis on the protagonist, allow the energy to subside a bit (the downward line on the Plot Planner).
Give the protagonist time.
Allowing her the time she needs to reflect on what she learns at the Crisis about herself (character emotional development plot) and about the dramatic action plot, too, gives more emphasis and reinforces the impact of the Crisis.
Show what she looks like and what she viscerally experiences as she practices and explores and ponders the deeper meaning of her life and all life in this unusual and unpredictable and capricious time as she stands between who she has always been and who she is becoming.

(Excerpt from The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories.)

*****SPECIALS*******

1) Track Your Plot at the Scene Level Webinar
Learn to Maximize the 7 essential plot elements in every scene (one of 7 essential plot elements in every scene is CONFLICT) from the comfort of your own home.

*****

Knowing what to write where in a story with a plot reinforces daily writing practice and allows for more productivity in your writing. Whether writing a first draft or revising, if you falter wondering what comes next in a story with a plot, follow the prompts inThe Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing.

Today, I write.

To familiarize yourself with the basic plot terms used here and in the PW Book of Prompts:
1) Watch the plot playlists on the Plot Whisperer Youtube channel.
2) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master
3) Fill out the exercises in The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories
4) Visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter
Plot Whisperer on Pinterest

Exploring Character Emotions and Your Own

I love mediating on signs from nature. Lately, along the river trail I often walk, ducks are flapping and quacking and pairing up. Ducks have to do with helping us untangle our own emotions and live with greater emotional grace and comfort.

Exploring the character emotional development at both the scene level and the overall story level allows for us as writers to explore our own emotions and the development of our emotional maturity both as writers and as people.

Let's face it -- writing brings up all kinds of emotions in us. Rather than shy away from these tricky and often dark emotions take time to find sustenance in all your emotions and learn how to infuse emotion into your stories. A character's emotional response "shows" the reader and audience how and how well the character controls her emotional responses.

Even if you have a character who displays tightly held emotions, hints through word choices and mood at the scene level reveal the degree of energy needed for the character to stay in control and points to the potential loss and destruction looming as she struggles to keep control of her emotions.

Your character may be able to close off her emotional side -- for a time. You, on the other hand, benefit from the degree of willingness you show to explore your own emotions and every other aspect of your life for the benefit of your writing.

*****

Knowing what to write where in a story with a plot allows for a more loving relationship with your writing. Whether writing a first draft or revising, if you falter wondering what comes next in a story with a plot, follow the prompts inThe Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing

Today, I write.

To familiarize yourself with the basic plot terms used here and in the PW Book of Prompts:

1) Watch the plot playlists on the Plot Whisperer Youtube channel.

2) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master

3) Fill out the exercises in The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories

4) Visit:

Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook

Plot Whisperer on Twitter

5th Annual International Plot Writing Month

Welcome to the 5th Annual International Plot Writing Month aka PostNaNoPlotPerfection and PlotWriMo.

Today begins a month-long opportunity to refine the plot arc of your novel, memoir, and screenplay.

If you participated in NaNoWriMo 2012, congratulations. You've done what many people talk and dream of doing -- you have written an entire story from beginning to end.

If you recently resurrected a writing project you let languish for years, congratulations for believing again in your dreams.

Now comes time to craft your novel, memoir, screenplay into a coherent piece worthy of publication.

Everyday this month, stand back from your words to see the bigger picture of your story through the Universal Story. Analyze what you've written and brainstorm for an effortless rewrite in January '13. (This also works for writers without a first draft. Whether you merely have an idea for a story, a few chapters or scenes, just tweak the assignments to make them work for wherever you are in the process.)

No writing required.

Following are a few caveats for our month together:

1) Do NOT show anyone what you've written so far. The first draft of any writing project is considered the generative phase. At the end of the generative phase, you often hold a manuscript full of holes and missteps, confusion and chaos. This is part of the process in that editing and/or an unbridled internal critic in the generative phase risks stifling the muse, which often results in stagnation.

Your first draft is a fragile thread of a dream. You know what you want to convey, well, maybe and sort of. Few writers can adequately communicate a complete vision in the first draft of a story, especially when writing by the seat of your pants. Allow others to read your writing now and you risk losing energy for your story and becoming overwhelmed by the task ahead of you.

2) Do NOT read what you've written. I know, I know. You're anxious to read your hard work. However, the longer you give yourself before actually reading your first draft, the better. If you read your manuscript now, you're still close enough to the work that you'll automatically fill in the gaps. Give yourself distance first. This allows you to read your work more objectively later.

3) Believe that the plot problems you may confront during December can be solved.

Let's get started!

By now, you know who the protagonist of your story is. Stories are about character transformation. Women often write stories with multiple characters, all of whom are changed in one degree or another by the dramatic action in the story. The character who is most transformed by the dramatic action in your story is your protagonist.

Fill out the following for your protagonist. (If you've filled out a character profile(s) previously, do not refer back to that version. Start fresh and then compare.) If you have written a story with multiple viewpoint characters or strong secondary characters fill out the following for those characters as well. If the major antagonist(s) in your story is a person, fill out the following for that character, too. (If you filled out this profile(s) at an earlier point in your writing, do it again now without referring to the earlier form(s))

CHARACTER EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROFILE

Character’s name:

Dramatic Action Plot
Overall story goal:
What stands in her way:
What does she stand to lose:

Character Emotional Development Plot
Flaw:
Strength:
Hates:
Loves:
Fears:
Dream:
Secret:

(Click on green highlighted

plot concepts for 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.)

Good luck! And remember, as tempting as it is, do NOT read your first draft. That will come later. For now, use what you know about your characters to fill out the form.

****Play along in the PlotWriMo Contest and win your choice of plot books in the Plot Whisperer series****

Coming Soon! 
The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing. Available for pre-order now. Ships 12/12.

To familiarize yourself with the Universal Story and the basic plot terms we'll be using throughout December:

1) Watch the plot playlists on the Plot Whisperer Youtube channel.

2) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master

3) Fill out the exercises in The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories 

4) Visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers

Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter

Depicting Character Emotion

To depict character emotion beyond the cliches -- slamming things down and shouting when angry, dancing and singing when joyful -- takes having felt the emotion yourself as a writer or the intuitive ability to detect the subtle exaggeration of common external behaviors that signal deeper emotion.

We are not always encouraged to acknowledge our true emotions -- especially so, women, or so I wonder. Women of a certain generation, mine, were taught to be the peacemakers at all cost, to sweep the raw, edgy emotions out of sight of others which also became more comfortable for ourselves, too.

No wonder many of us have difficulty showing authentic human emotions in our characters in true and fresh ways. 

Subsequent generations have been encouraged to explore feelings and express them more honestly. I wonder if that is true and makes it any easier to conjure up unique shows of emotion??

The little notebook and pencil you carry with you everywhere comes in handy to record people's show of emotion -- both authentic and inauthentic emotions.  

(NOTE: Steps #7 in the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay?

should be up later today)

How Many Plot-lines Does Your Story Have?

After nearly 10 years of providing Plot Consultations to writers all over the world, I have come to appreciate the varied ways writers approach the writing process and write. Last week and this, I have had the honor of working with a writer with a unique approach.

He has at least five plot lines going on (nothing unusual there):

• Character Emotional Development = inner
  
• Dramatic Action = murder mystery = outer
  
• Thematic Significance
  
• Orphan story
  
• Romance 

I first consulted with this writer nearly a year and a half ago. Then, he had a strong character emotional development or internal plot line with very little in terms of the external murder mystery plot. Since then, he has worked non-stop developing well-thought out plot lines for each of the elements most important to his story. For each of the six suspects, he developed complex back stories, motives, and alibis. The pre-work he has done is awe-inspiring.

So why come to me? He needed help weaving all the plot lines together into a suspenseful and exciting, poignant and emotional story.

His Plot Planner is likely the longest one I have ever created for another writer -- my personal Plot Planners always tend to be on the loooong side.

This writer has a two-week vacation coming up in a week. With the plan in front of him, he has only to write each next scene as they appear on the Plot Planner. No need to use his linear, logical, critical side of his brain at all. He's done all that.

Now is the time to write.

Simply write what is in front of him.

Get a first draft on the page.

Let it rest.

Rewrite at least once.

Then send out to the waiting agent and editor....

Sounds like heaven to me.

Inspired process. True dedication. Professional approach. Amazing story.

I wish him all the success in the world!!

(For any of you curious about how I come by putting the puzzle pieces together:
Jigsaw Puzzles, Not Everyone Likes Them )

(For a bit about how to create your own Plot Planner with multiple plot lines:
Plot Writing )