Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published
While worded in various ways, many of my readers stated they struggle with structuring their book, aka developing a plot. So, let’s take a look. (I’ll cover structuring nonfiction next month.)
I’ve written various posts on this topic throughout the years, and you’ll find links to several of those posts listed at the end. Why say it all again?
To start, every novel must have these items…
[Read more…] about Structuring Your Book
Updated October 12, 2020
Last time we looked at scenes and how to build them.
Most writers don’t have trouble writing scenes, and moving from scene to scene can be accomplished with as simple a statement as “Later that day…” However, there are times when you want to provide your reader with more. The sequel is your answer.
Moving from scene to sequel is much easier than jumping that ditch above. But first let’s define what a sequel is because I’m not talking about book 2 of a series.
[Read more…] about How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 3: Moving from Scene to SequelUpdated September 14, 2020.
In my last post we looked at plot. Today we’ll look at working with scenes.
What goes into a scene? All the same things that go into plot.
Think of a scene like a mini plot. The character(s) has a goal, which represents a small step in achieving the story goal. In each scene the character meets with conflict and setbacks.
The key to remember about scenes is that they occur now. It’s moment-by-moment action playing out on the page.
“Here’s today’s mail, Miss Clark.”
Startled by the voice, I jerked in my chair. “Joey, one of these days I’m going to end up with coffee in my lap.” I turned from the computer and reached for the letters. “Do you sneak in here on purpose?”
“No, ma’am, I’d never intentionally try to scare you.”
This example shows the action playing out moment by moment.
[Read more…] about How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 2Updated August 2020
Many fiction writers struggle with what plot is and how to develop it, including me. We envision the end product and wonder how we’re going to get there.
Some writers develop their plot through first writing outlines (called plotters); some write by the seat of their pants (called pantsers). But much like a chef, our work has basic elements. The chef has meat, veggies, fruit, dairy, and spices. He combines these to create a delectable, unforgettable dish.
The writer has characters, goals, conflict, and setbacks, and blends them to create a riveting (best-selling, we hope) novel.
At its very basic, plot is characters attempting to reach goals, but who meet with conflict and setbacks along the way. Whether you are a writer who works with or without an outline, if these elements are missing from your manuscript, you do not have a story. So let’s look at how these elements fit together to build a plot.
[Read more…] about How do Plot and Scene Work Together? Part 1
All great fiction writing has more than 4 important elements; however, in my opinion, there are 4 that are the driving force behind your story.
Any avid reader can quickly identify when a book is going to be great or not. They may not be able to tell you the elements that are or aren’t there, but they’ve learned to recognize what a story needs for it to be a page turner.
Today’s post looks at those 4 foundational building blocks of fiction writing. [Read more…] about The 4 Most Important Elements in Fiction Writing
This month’s last post on plotting concerns the major plot events, or building blocks, of your story.
Most writers understand all fiction has a climatic scene, aka the climax. They also know it occurs very near the end of the story.
However, many writers miss several other plot events essential to their story. [Read more…] about The Major Plot Events of a Novel and When They Occur
In last week’s “To Plot a Story,” guest Deborah Lyn Stanley stated, “A one-sentence premise is essential to a strong story.”
Many writers may not understand what a premise is or how to arrive at that one-sentence, so let’s take a look at it today.
In almost all of the books I have on the craft of writing, discussion of premise is missing, or perhaps they use different terminology. So is it any wonder when I ask writers what is the premise of their book, they answer with a blank stare. [Read more…] about Story Premise: What it is and how to develop it
Today’s guest post is from writer, artist, and editor Deborah Lyn Stanley. She is a retired project manager who now devotes her time to writing, art and care-giving mentally impaired seniors. She has published a collection of 24 artists’ interviews titled the Artists Interview Series. The series published as monthly articles for an online news network, can also be found on her web-blog: Deborah Lyn Stanley – Writers Blog. Her “How-To” articles have appeared in magazines. [Read more…] about To Plot a Story – Guest Post by Deborah Lyn Stanley