plotting

I’m currently in the revision stages of my first novel. To help with the process, I’m using K.M. Weiland’s book 5 Secrets of Story Structure.

Maybe you’ve never read anything about structure. Lots on plot, but little, if anything about structure.

Structure is essential. So is plot. And they are different things!

Definitions of Structure and Plot

Structure is the orderly arrangement of story material for the benefit of the audience.

Plot is about elements, those things that go into the mix of making a good story even better.

Structure is about timing—where in the mix those elements go. ~James Scott Bell, Plot & Structure

In 5 Secrets of Story Structure, Weiland provides that timing and a whole lot more.

I read her book early last year, and as I read through the draft of my novel, I realized several things weren’t quite right. So I hunted through my kindle for her book and started reading again.

Chapter 1 “How to Structure Your Novel – in 5 Minutes!” discusses the first, second, and third acts of your story and the plot points that belong in each act.

The following chapters expand on the…

• Inciting event
• Key event
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd plot points
• Pinch points
• Moment of Truth
• Climax, and
• Resolution.

Because this book is about structure and not plot, Weiland explains the timing of these events, the point in the story where they should occur.

For example

The First Plot Point always ends the First Act. Optimally, it should be placed at the 25% mark. ~K.M. Weiland, 5 Secrets of Story Structure

I’ve read a lot of books on the craft, but this was the first time I’d seen anything that gave actual numbers about where these events occur.

I immediately added my word counts from plot point to plot point to see how my story fell out. I was pleasantly surprised to discover, most were occurring in the right place. But I also discovered my story lacked some of the events Weiland lists.

Another item Weiland covers that I’d never read about was how the character behaves in the first half of the story and how that behavior changes at the midpoint.

Writers are often voracious readers. You might discover, like me, that you are instinctively including all these events and even putting them in the right places. All the same, this is a valuable resource that can help you write a stronger story, one that will sell well.

If you’re a Scrivener user, be sure to check out the template “Story Structure.” You can use it like you would any other template. It’s based on Weiland’s story structure and provides all the important elements and more to guide you through writing your novel.

Where to Get the Book

You can get the book free from Weiland’s website. As of this date (2-17-2020) the book is also free on kindle.