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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Editing Plot, Most Recent at Top [Help]

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1. Plot Structure, Tension, and Obstacles - #WriteTip

By: Sherry Soule, on 7/12/2015
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Plotting your Novel, Editing Plot, Add a tag

In order for the plot to be interesting and keep readers flipping the pages, you need some obstacles throughout the narrative. In a way, it is like problem solving or fitting the pieces of a complex puzzle together. Make sure your main character has a clear dramatic goal to reach, and then make it practically unattainable. That's how a lot of writers create a bestseller.

For example, the main character must solve a mystery or figure a way out of a bad situation (goal), but he has no idea how. The reader becomes intrigued because they’re curious as to the “how,” too.

How will Martha prove that aliens abducted her before her family commits her to psychiatric hospital?

How will Sara find her missing son before the kidnapper kills him?

How will John get to work on time in the heavy traffic after his boss warned him that he’d get fired if he were late again?

Now come the obstacles. Before these characters can move forward, something else is thrown into their path that hinders them from reaching their goal. These are obstacles, and they can big or small. Pour on the troubles, and readers will feel frustration along with the character as they set out on their journey and encounter each roadblock.

Martha can’t prove anything unless she faces her own fears and tries to make contact with the extraterrestrials.

Sara cannot save her son when no one believes her and the police claim he’s just a runaway.

John will not make to work on time now because of an accident.

I know some writers that like their characters so much that they don’t put up any roadblocks or give them any difficult situations to face. Please don’t do that. Make your characters suffer, even just a little. Not only does it make them more likeable, but also the reader will start to root for them. They’ll want to keep reading just to find out if Timmy is able to find his runaway dog, Fido, before the mean dogcatcher does.

To be honest, a story without any conflict or tension or opposing force is, well, boring. All great novels need to have some type of dilemma for the hero to overcome. (I find so many New Adult novels lacking any real conflict or tension.) Just think of every blockbuster movie ever made. The hero is not only on a journey to self-discovery, but bad things kept happening to him along the way. He might even feel like giving up at some point, but then something else occurs, which gives him a spark of renewed hope to keep going. And then he faces any new challenges head-on and starts to defeat the opposing force. Now, that’s good storytelling!

The phrase, “One step forward, two steps back,” applies to plot structure the same as it does in real life. Just when a person might think they’re moving forward, something happens to cause them to stumble backward. Whatever happens causes the person (character) hurt, tension, stress, or apprehension. The character must fight those setbacks. And the more a character wants something (goal), the harder they should fight to attain it. Don’t make it easy for them. Don't create passive characters without any goals or "wants" because those types are just boring.

The hero has to have major obstacles standing in the way of achieving his goal. Even if they’re small, annoying problems, it keeps him from doing whatever it is that he has set out to do.

He/she can’t drift through scenes without facing some problems, even his own inner-demons. Virtually every main character(s) must suffer from some type of moral dilemma or weakness (character ARC / flaw) besides all the obstacles that are tripping the MC up.

Let your hero make bad choices and then learn from them. Allow him a few mistakes that ruin his chances of obtaining a goal. Throw huge obstacles in front of him that cause tension and conflict within his world. Raise the stakes to avoid a "sagging middle" story.

There is no plot or story if the character doesn’t have any goals to achieve or obstacles to overcome.

Some plot devices used in books:
Striving toward a goal
Overcoming obstacles in pursuit of goal
Solving a mystery

Resolving a problem
Bringing order to chaos (return to equilibrium)

The Hero’s journey
Flight and pursuit
Coming of age (from innocence to experience)
Personal growth

Let’s say your hero is a cop who’s terrified of heights (flaw). Then add a scene where he has to climb a tall ladder to rescue a kitten from a high rooftop and he’s totally freaking out. Then add another scene where if he doesn’t scale a building (obstacle) to catch a bad-guy, then the guy who murdered his wife will go free. He has a major case of vertigo and he must find a way to overcome his phobia by the end of the story; however, obstacles like his fear of heights is standing in his way of getting justice (goal).

Or it could be as simple as your character desperately wants a job promotion to be able to pay the mortgage (goal) on his dream house after his wife loses her own job. But this other guy, a kiss-butt overachiever, in the office wants it, too. So the hero has to find ways to prove to his boss that he’s the right man for the job, but the butt-kisser keeps trying to sabotage (obstacles) all the hero’s good deeds at work.

All plots and good stories need tension, conflict, and an opposing force. The “opposing force’ doesn’t have to be a crazed mass murderer or an evil villain. It could even be nature, like a deadly tornado about to wipe out the hero’s hometown, or a 300-pound young woman trying to lose weight, but she lives in a world filled with chocolate.

She could be a college student trying to join an exclusive sorority to make her dad happy so he won’t cut her off financially, but she’s worried they’ll discover a dark secret she’s hiding.

Or maybe she’s a demon hunter with a fear of the dark and evil only comes out at night.

Or maybe the character just inherited a haunted house from her uncle and the ghost residing within the mansion wants to kill her.

Or even, a teen girl that is in love with a mysterious boy, but their relationship is forbidden by his family.

And once your character overcomes all those nasty issues and huge dilemmas, and finally obtains his or her goal, the reader will be satisfied and cheering him/her on.

So, PLEASE, because I need more amazing books to read, make your beloved characters undergo some form of torture or problems. The bigger, the better. The harder to overcome, the better. The more dire the situation, the better. Pile on the complications and turn your story into a page-turning, un-put-downable read!

This blog post is awesome at explaining plot structure in more detail: http://www.writing-world.com/children/obstacles.shtml

If you have any questions pertaining to plot structure of a fiction novel, please leave a comment.

So, how do you torture your characters?

0 Comments on Plot Structure, Tension, and Obstacles - #WriteTip as of 7/12/2015 1:50:00 PM

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2. 6 Reasons Why You Lose a Reader or Why they Put a Book Down - #WriteTip #GetPublished #AmWriting

By: Sherry Soule, on 4/8/2015
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: First Chapters, Editing and Revision, Editing Plot, Edit your Writing 101, Pacing your Novel, Basic Rules on Writing, Biggest Mistakes Writers Make, Editing Introspection, Add a tag

Today’s post is form the perspective of a reader, and not a writer or editor. For the first time in my life, I have not finished more books than I’ve read over the last twelve months. But I’m not the type of reader that feels compelled to finish a book after I’ve started it, and I never feel guilty for not finishing a book.

Why waste my time on something that I’m not enjoying?

I could be developing ADD. I don’t usually have this issue. Normally, I read two to three books a month if not more.

Recently, I’ve been feeling somewhat burned out on the Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance genres, so I began reading more contemporary novels in both Young Adult and New Adult. I loved “Beautiful Disaster” by Jaimie McGuire and “Easy” by Tammara Webber. The only paranormal type books that I’m still loving are the Arcane Chronicles by Kresley Cole (this series is insanely good!) and C.C. Hunter’s Shadow Falls series.

Why did I DNF so many novels? Well, I personally felt like some of these wonderful stories were lacking in few areas. By lacking, I mean, not holding my interest. To be fair, most of these books were well-written by talented writers, but by page fifty or one hundred, I no longer cared how the story ended or about the characters. (BTW, the vast majority of the books I did DNF were NA novels.)

So I thought I’d share my views on what might turn some readers off. Maybe you’ve been querying literary agents and you've been repeatedly rejected, or you’re an indie or self-published author who is getting numerous bad reviews, or sales just aren’t taking off like you’d hoped on your newest release. Or perhaps you’re working on your current WIP and your CPs are telling you that the story is dragging in some places or the pacing is too slow. Whatever the reason, I hope these six reasons help to improve your awesome narrative.

First let me say this…

I get it. I really do. Your book is like your baby, and you love it and you’ve poured your sweat and blood and tears into it. But sometimes you need a take a step back and look at the writing from a reader’s perspective…

Reasons why a reader doesn't finish a book.

Reason 1:

The first half of the novel is mostly filled with introspection or backstory. Which means: pages upon pages of internal yakking without any action or dialogue.

Inner-monologue or internal exposition is one of the essential ingredients used to create a comprehensive story. Unfortunately, it’s all too often one of the most misused elements in storytelling. Since internal-monologue is slower and can be boring for the reader, find ways to bring it to life through Deep POV, action, and/or dialogue. Don’t let your character’s mental babble (long blocks of introspection) go on for pages at a time without a break by either dialogue or action.

Dialogue illustrates characterization quicker than any amount of exposition. If you disrupt the action and dialogue to include colossal chunks of detailed description or introspection, it will remove the reader from the story. These are some of the drawbacks of too much introspection, otherwise known as info-dumps, inner-monologue, internal dialogue, exposition, or author intrusion.

Yet, if I’m being honest, I have to admit that I’ve written a couple of bad novels. And had them published under a pen name many years ago. But that was long before I sharpened my writing skills and studied the art of fiction writing with a crazed intensity. I read articles on editing and revision, books on the craft, and studied style guides. I love learning new ways to improve my writing, so hopefully you gleam some insight from this post.

Reason 2:

The novel has some intriguing dialogue and action, but between it (or even worse, right in the middle!) the characters have long, bloated paragraphs or pages of internal-monologue. One book that I recently read by a bestselling author had her characters talking, and then suddenly in the middle of the conversation, the main character stopped yakking and had three pages of introspection. Three. Pages. Now picture this in real life, you’re having a conversation with someone and they abruptly stop talking and stare off into space for five to ten minutes.

Wouldn't you think that was odd?

When a writer does this, I always wonder what the other character is dong while these wordy internal-monologues are going on, and I find myself skimming over the wordy text to get back to the dialogue.

Too much introspection can hinder the flow of a scene and smack of author intrusion by yanking the reader out of the story. Especially, smack dab in the middle of dialogue. If you feel it is important, then please try to keep the exposition to no more than a few sentences or a very short paragraph.

Reason 3:

The story starts with a great “hook” and a compelling opener, and then the author pushes pause on the story to insert a flashback of backstory that goes on for pages. These scenes stop the action, can be puzzling to the reader, and prevent them from getting on with the plot, which is generally more attention-grabbing for them. I suggest that writers try to stay in the present moment.

And I recommend never including an info-dump of backstory in your first chapter. And never attempt to dump it in long speeches of dialogue, either. This is also a form of telling rather than showing the reader. And this applies to any flashbacks and memories and thoughts (thoughts = characters pondering stuff). Or having the character ask him/herself a lot of rhetorical questions within the first few pages. This is considered weak writing when a writer uses too many rhetorical questions to drive the narrative forward when that same forward motion could be achieved by just showing the conflict or doubt or confusion through deep POV.

An info-dump of backstory is one of the worst offenses you can make as a writer in your first two or three chapters. (Hence, the phrase info-dump, because you’re dumping information on the page in long blocks of text.) Introspection and backstory should be elegantly woven into the storyline much later. Don’t ramble on for long paragraphs at a time, or try to force it into becoming dialogue. It’s considered weak writing because it’s jarring for the reader. Often times, info-dumps yank the reader out of the story because it reminds the reader that they’re reading and the author has intruded. A concise paragraph placed throughout the narrative is fine.

Reason 4:

“Slow writing with a lot of description puts me off very quickly. I like a first chapter that moves quickly and draws me in so I’m immediately hooked.” —Andrea Hurst, Andrea Hurst Literary Management

A few polls taken on goodreads state that the number one reason that readers will put a book down is because it is too slow or they found the plot boring. There is a great post on this here to read after you finish my ~~rant~~, er, post.

Now, I don’t need heart-pounding action in every scene, but some books have no forward movement.

A major issue might be as simple as nothing much happens within the first four or five chapters. I’m not saying you have to include car chases or a bloody murder scene, but something DIFFERENT must occur. By this, I mean some event, big or small, must happen that changes the protagonist’s normal world. It could be the loss of a job, they meet a werewolf walking through the park, they accidentally lose the church fund raiser money, their car is stolen, someone dies, they witness "something" they shouldn't hear or see, they find an ominous note left on their doorstep, or anything that upsets the main character's normal world.

Or you have major events unfolding, but your characters are just drifting through scenes without any real involvement or connection to what’s going on. They become omnipresent narrators by telling the reader what is happening to other characters or themselves, but this old-fashioned method only reminds readers that they're reading a story.

Most writing advice will state that a writer should dump their character(s) into the midst of some horrible dilemma.

Whether you want your manuscript to stay clear of the slush pile and gain an agent’s interest or entice a reader to flip the page of your self-published novel, as the writer your job is to keep the reader interested and turning pages. Period.

You’re probably wondering how to get readers to instantly connect with your characters if they don’t know more about their backstory or history.

Don’t worry about that in the first few chapters, and learn to trust your readers. If you’ve began your novel at a crucial point in the character(s) lives where they’re caught in some type of conflict or danger or the inciting incident, then the reader is going to connect with them right away and be eager to find out what happens next. The reader will have a natural curiosity in finding out how the characters resolve their differences, stop the antihero, tackle their fears, or overcome adversity.

Reason 5:

Readers cannot relate to your character(s) or don't sympathize with them. Most readers need someone to root for in a story. If your main characters come across as too unlikable, you've got a major problem. They can be grumpy people, but give them at least one nice character trait. For example: your main character is a bitter, angry old man who hates everyone and is rude to every person he meets, but he adores his cat. See? He has one nice quality.

Or another reason could be that readers find your characters hard-to-believe or just don’t care about them. Obviously not every character is going to have an outstanding starring role in your manuscript, but the central character (s) and antagonist must be the type of people we’d care about.

Give readers at least one reason to hope the character might get a happy ending or please give them some redeeming qualities.

A short time ago, I read a book about a verbally abusive and physically violent heroine who attacked the love interest with cruel insults, name-calling, and brutal assaults. She was not very likable, and the other main character just put up with her vicious attacks because he claimed he was a gentlemen. I felt so sorry for him! But wondered why he put up with the heroine who was such a douchecanoe. So in a way, he seemed weak to me and unlikeable, too. The only reason I read over half of the book was because the protagonist had a big secret she was hiding, which helped keep my interest but once it was revealed, I stopped reading. It tried to explain her motives for the violent behavior, but to me it felt too shallow.

Reason 6:

Another reason might be that your main character is lacking any goals, wants, or needs. These I feel are essential to any storyline. The character must “want” something. For example a better job, a way out of an abusive marriage, a mystery to solve, a villain to overcome, a fresh start on life, a murder to plot, a curse to break, a way to survive in a war or zombie apocalypse, or even have them crave a late-night snack.

Give them a “want,” and then pile on a ton of obstacles in their way of achieving this “need.” You don’t have to go big with the problems; even simple ones can be interesting and/or funny. But give your characters some type of internal want that seems unachievable.

I like reading about characters that have real motives that propel the plot forward. So please give your character's a "goal."

In my current WIP, the heroine's goal (want) is to join a sorority, but there are not enough major obstacles in her way, even while she is trying to survive rush week. It was hard to hear, but three of my CPs said they liked the main character, but felt like nothing much was happening to push the plot forward and the storyline was kind of boring. And they were right.

The first half of my manuscript needs a major rewrite. I need to redefine my heroine's core "needs" and cut back on the introspection. I guess that is why so many writers say that first and second drafts suck. But with more revision, all writers can change their ugly babies into beauty-pageant cuties!

Anyhoo, I sincerely hope this post inspires you to polish your WIP, or helps to make your revisions less painful.

I’m sure there are lots of valid reasons for not finishing a book, so please add yours in the comments.

Why do you put a book down?

0 Comments on 6 Reasons Why You Lose a Reader or Why they Put a Book Down - #WriteTip #GetPublished #AmWriting as of 4/8/2015 3:22:00 PM

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3. 6 Reasons Why You Lose a Reader or Why they Put a Book Down - #WriteTip #GetPublished #AmWriting

By: Sherry Soule, on 2/25/2015
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: First Chapters, Editing and Revision, Editing Plot, Edit your Writing 101, Pacing your Novel, Basic Rules on Writing, Biggest Mistakes Writers Make, Editing Introspection, Add a tag

Why waste my time on something that I’m not enjoying?

I could be developing ADD. I don’t usually have this issue. Normally, I read two to three books a month if not more.

Reasons why a reader doesn't finish a book.

Reason 1:

The first half of the novel is mostly filled with introspection or backstory. Which means: pages upon pages of internal yakking without any action or dialogue.

Reason 2:

Wouldn't you think that was odd?

Reason 3:

Reason 4:

Now, I don’t need heart-pounding action in every scene, but some books have no forward movement.

Most writing advice will state that a writer should dump their character(s) into the midst of some horrible dilemma.

You’re probably wondering how to get readers to instantly connect with your characters if they don’t know more about their backstory or history.

Reason 5:

Give readers at least one reason to hope the character might get a happy ending or please give them some redeeming qualities.

Reason 6:

I’m sure there are lots of valid reasons for not finishing a book, so please add yours in the comments. Why do you put a book down?

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0 Comments on 6 Reasons Why You Lose a Reader or Why they Put a Book Down - #WriteTip #GetPublished #AmWriting as of 2/25/2015 1:29:00 PM

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4. Straight Road To Plotting Your Novel - #WriteTip

By: Sherry Soule, on 12/4/2014
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Plotting your Novel, Editing Plot, Add a tag

Today I want to talk about plot. Most successful novels all pretty much follow the same basic plot structure to give their audience a satisfying read.

Every novel should contain at least most of the basic plot points listed below to ensure that the story progresses at a good pace and entertains the reader.

I find that a lot of unpublished writers or newbies do not even try to include plot points and their novels read as if the narrator is just drifting through scenes without any direction or clear goal or character / story arc.

Nobody likes to be bound by rules. I hate following rules. But the rules of basic scene structure will help you excel at meeting the goals of storytelling. They will keep you moving the story forward, not backward, to show not tell, and entertain, not bore your reader.

If your goal is to hook an agent and get a six-figure publishing deal, then I strongly suggest first doing a chapter-by-chapter outline of your finished manuscript or your current WIP.

Does it follow a straight road from beginning to end?

Or does it meander off the road without any solid structure?

I have always been more a pantser, with some clear ideas on how I want the storyline to progress and usually how it will end. But “writing-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” means that you have to go back after one or two drafts and do a LOT of rewriting. Rarely does this type of writing follow a direct road from start to finish. My own storylines (main plot) tend to meander away from the plotting road, with stops along the way (scenes) that do not further the storyline or character arc. And I end up doing months of revisions. Not fun.

As some of you know, I am a freelance editor and I edit a lot of fiction manuscripts, and I also have CPs (critique partners) where I critique their work, and I find that most of them take the meandering road. Which means there is no clear-cut story arc or plot development.

This post today is to offer some of the wisdom that I’ve gleamed from other writers, books, and plot outlines, which I sincerely hope will help you to polish your current WIP (work-in-progress) into an awesome, page-turning read by following a straight road to plotting success!

Blake Snyder wrote and developed a great beat sheet for movies, which novelists can use, too. Based on his beat sheet, another helpful beat sheet for novels was tweaked and assembled by author, Jami Gold (http://jamigold.com) with a hat tip to Elizabeth Davis's Blake Snyder/Save the Cat Beat Sheet (www.lizwritesbooks.com). You can download these awesome beat sheets here: http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/

I’ll also use these plot points to some degree in this post. But first off, you need to be sure that your story is going in the right direction by answering all of these questions about either your finished novel or your WIP:

What is the story arc (theme)?

Do the scenes have multiple reasons for being in the story (character development and plot point, etc.)?

Does each scene have an arc (emotional and story-wise)?

Do the scenes start and stop at the right points for that arc?

Is the Goal/Motivation/Conflict clear for every scene and character?

Do all the main and major secondary characters have arcs?

Are the characters’ motivations appropriate and deep enough?

Are the main characters likable and sympathetic?

Is there tension on every page?

Are they unanswered questions in each chapter?

What are the 4 or 5 big moments that have occurred? (Are there at least 2 complications for each moment?)

Next, I’ll share what I do to make sure that my storyline stays on track by using a simple chapter-by-chapter questionnaire, with an example from the second novel in my YA series, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM:

Chapter One

Scene / Date / Time of day:

Luna Pizza – Saturday, Sept 10 evening

James dies after lycan attack

Drive to Ravenhurst with Ari, get attacked by wolf, and see spooky raven

MC (main character) goal in this scene:

Help boy and seek answers to wolf attack to protect others

Obstacles/Conflict:

MC is unsure of herself and scared of new threat in town

What’s at stake?

Others in town could be hurt or killed by animals if MC doesn’t find a way to stop them

Important Information Learned:

James bitten by wolf and ends up in a mysterious coma

Shiloh is embarrassed by her scarred arm and has demon blood inside her

Description / setup of Whispering Pines

Snapshot of MC’s life

Overall scene Goal:

Establish main villain / threat

Introduction of Main Characters

First Inciting Incident

Set the tone, mood, type, and scope of the storyline. World Building: A "before" snapshot: Show MC normal world and usual routine.

What questions were left unanswered? What new ones were created?

Where did the wolves come from? Why are they attacking innocent people? Why are people going into mysterious comas after being bitten? What can the MC do to solve the mystery without being killed herself?

Okay, now you have an idea on how to go through your own MS (manuscript) and do a chapter-by-chapter outline of every scene in your novel. If you cannot answer these simple questions for each scene and/or chapter, then perhaps that particular scene needs to be cut from the narrative. In, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM, I did end up cutting three scenes that did nothing to push the story forward, because they meandered off the straight plotting road.

Remember: Every scene must involve the goal and motivation of the main character. Whether it’s your hero, heroine, or villain, their goals and motivations drive the story.

Now I will include a basic plot structure and what each point means below for you to use to ensure that you stay on the plotting road and don't meander from the storyline:

(First half of the story) Part 1 Theme / Opening Scene / The Set Up:

Introduce MC, hook the reader, and setup First Plot Point; major goal is to establish empathy (not necessarily likability) for the MC. The definition of the setup is just that—it “sets up” the opening scene by giving a snapshot that allows what will take place in the following scene to be clear to the reader. Your setup should contain at least a hint of the trouble to come, either directly or indirectly.

(Should include all) OPENING (1) the inciting incident; (2) the story-worthy problem; (3) the initial surface problem; (4) the setup; (5) brief backstory; (6) a stellar opening sentence; (7) setting; and (8) foreshadowing

(Every novel must have this) Inciting Incident:

The event that creates the character’s initial surface problem and introduces inklings of the story-worthy problem. In essence, this is the “action” part of the story, the part that is plot-based. This event happens to the protagonist, and then the writer shows what hero tries to do to resolve it, and so on. Consider it the driving force behind the main plot as it ultimately becomes what the protagonist must reconcile by the end of the story.

Hook Moment:

Opening scene or sequence of story; protagonist must be introduced within first 1-3 scenes. And include the new problem that occurs as a direct result of the inciting incident. And while it may seem at first glance that solving this problem is what the story is really all about, it’s not. It is about solving the deeper, more complicated story-worthy problem that is slowly revealed as the story progresses. *Optional -Add "Save the Cat" moment for hero likability.

First Plot Point:

Something that creates a question the reader wants an answer to or an itch that needs to be scratched; doesn't need context with protagonist's needs or stakes. Foreshadowing is hinting at the action or obstacles to come. Hints about upcoming perils to create a page-turning read.

Part 2 (second half of the story) The Response / Emotional Heart:

The MC's reaction to the new goal/stakes/obstacles revealed by the Inciting Incident; the MC doesn't need to be heroic yet (retreats/regroups/doomed attempts/reminders of antagonistic forces at work). Response: The hero/heroine responds to plot point. This response can be a refusal, shock, denial, fear, etc.

Heart of the Story:

*Optional* "The promise of the premise" / the heart of the story. This act has been called the emotional heart of the story. Make sure that the emotional /growth arc is clear here. During this time of safety or rest, the protagonist's focus should be on making a decision - one that forces them to weigh on pervious events - and what they anticipate will come in the third act.

First Pinch Point:

Reminder of the story's antagonistic forces, not filtered by narrative or MC's description, but directly visible to the reader. For example, it has to be something bad that the reader gets to see happen, showing us how bad the bad guy really is, raising the stakes. *Show don't tell

Midpoint:

Middle of Story; stakes are raised; fun and games over. And here, the hero and/or the reader receive some new bit of information. It’s pretty important, though—this is the kind of revelation that changes how the reader views the story world, changing the context for all the scenes that come after it.

Part 3 (last section of the story) The Attack:

The attack – New information/awareness causes the MC to change course in how to approach the obstacles; the hero is now empowered with information on how to proceed, not merely reacting anymore; MC also ramps up battle with own inner demons. MC's not going to operate on the bad guy’s terms anymore—she/he’s taking matters into her own hands, and she/he’s decided to go after the bad guy. She/he’s fighting back!

Second Pinch Point:

Another crisis point in the story: Include brief scene as an example, or a reminder, showing the nature and implications of the antagonistic force, that is not filtered by the hero’s experience. Reader/MC sees it in a direct form. A show of how truly evil the bad guy really is. (The simpler and more direct the scene is, the more effective it is.)

(Key ingredient to any good story) All Hope Is Lost:

A slower paced, all-hope-is-lost scene or chapter before the Second Plot Point. MC needs to discover that the problem is even bigger than they thought – and preferably, that there is even more at risk than they imagined. MC has lost everything. This moment should be the MC's darkest moment - the portion of the story that takes your protagonist to the darkest place in your pages. *Make it appear to the reader that things just couldn't get any worse.

Second Plot Point:

Here we get our last bit of new information in the story. This last revelation is often the key to solving the mystery or fixing the problem—it’s the last piece of info the hero needs to make his world right. This comes 75% of the way into the story. This is the huge crisis moment, the event that changes everything. After this point in time, no new characters or information may be allowed into the story. *This info or scene changes everything!

Part 4- The Resolution:

1. End with CLIMAX - Wrap-up story. Solve Mystery. Expose bad guys. 2. Disclose MC’s Growth ARC. 3. Tie up any loose ends or dangling subplots. Show how much change has occurred in MC’s personal beliefs and their world. 4. If possible, bring the book full-circle by mirroring that first opening scene, circumstance, or setting in the closing pages.

Well, that wraps up my advice on plotting your novel into a story that maps out a road to success.

How do you plot your novel?

What tips do you use to ensure that your storyline doesn’t meander off the plotting road map?

More online tips:

Plot Revision for Novel Writers

Revising Plot–Scene by Scene

Write & Rewrite: Plot

Revision Tips, part One–Using Your Plot Diagrams as Working Drawings

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5. Plotter or Pantser? Author Julie Cohen - #WriteTip

By: Sherry Soule, on 11/8/2014
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Editing Plot, Plotter vs Pantser, Add a tag

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m both. I like to have a general sense of where I’m going, but I also like to improvise. I find that I don’t really enjoy having the entire book planned out before I write it, because I like the sense of discovery as I write. On the other hand, if I really have no idea where I’m going, I am stuck and I have to spend some time brainstorming, mind-mapping, and planning what’s going to happen before I can start writing again. I generally follow a process of planning the first few chapters, winging it for a little while, then stopping and planning for a bit before winging it again. I find I need to stop and collect my thoughts and think the ending through before I actually write it.

Why do you prefer one to the other?

If I could write completely by the seat of my pants, I would, because it’s much more fun. On the other hand, there’s something very satisfying about watching a plan come together and I enjoy writing foreshadowing, dramatic irony, and setting up a good juicy plot point too.

Can you describe your outlining process?

Normally I scribble down lots of ideas on index cards or Post-Its; this means I can order and re-order events, and discard some and add others. I like to use different colored Post-Its for different story threads. Then I stick them down, on paper, sometimes on the wall, or on a calendar if dates are important. Normally, I do this for about a third of the book at a time, though sometimes I don’t bother to do it at all and once or twice, I’ve had to do it for the entire book beforehand. Every book is different, and I try to allow myself the flexibility to plan, or not plan, as much as I feel I need to.

Sometimes, I write myself a draft synopsis. Sometimes, I don’t. I do as much outlining as I think will be useful at the time, unless I have to produce a detailed outline in order to sell a story to my publisher.

What is the benefit of outlining your plot?

You know that it’s properly structured and that it will hang together. Also, agents and editors like it. Having a good synopsis means that they have a selling tool to produce for publishers and marketing.

Can writers be both a plotter and a pantser?

Definitely. I am. Having written novels from 30,000 to 160,000 words long, I find that with shorter books, I don’t need to plot anything out, but with longer books, I do. Anything longer than about 75,000 words will require me to do some plotting at some stage.

Do you consider yourself a Linear or Non-linear writer? And why?

Linear. I usually need to write chronologically or at least in the order that the story will be presented to the reader. However, in the revision stage I often chop and change events around.

What do you consider a downside of plot outlining?

The down side is that you can lose that exciting feeling of discovery, and feel that your writing isn’t being as flexible as it could be.

Do you do some “pantsing” for certain scenes and “plot” outlines for others?

Yes, definitely. Quite a bit of the time, I’ll just sail into a scene, discovering exactly what will happen as I go. I find this can be very rewarding because your mind and your characters come up with things you never thought of beforehand. However, with a very important scene, especially the ones with lots of characters or where several plot elements intersect; I’ll plan out the scene before I write it. Even the simplest scenes have an emotional momentum, though, and quite often, I’ll sketch out this momentum before I write the scene, just as a word or two.

How much time and research do you do before starting the actual writing of the novel?

It depends on the novel. I do need to have the concept and major themes very clear in my head before starting a book, and that can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to three months to figure out. Generally I’ll do adequate research so that I have a working knowledge of my subject, but I don’t like to do the bulk of my research before I start writing, because I don’t want to be distracted by unnecessary information.

What is your process for exploring your characters?

I do a lot of free-writing, and sometimes I fill out character questionnaires or biographies. Generally, I think a lot about them before writing and whilst writing, though I find that they evolve a lot once they’re on the page.

What is one writing book that you highly recommend?

On Writing by Stephen King

Do you write a synopsis for each book before you write it? Does your publisher/editor request a synopsis?

I’m very lucky in that my publishers have generally only wanted a blurb or a short spoken discussion about my novels before I start writing them. But because I was changing publishers, I did have to write a full synopsis and sample chapters for my latest novel, DEAR THING. This was quite difficult for me to do but in the end, it was time well spent because by the time I came to write the novel, I had a really good idea of its structure, tone, and characters.

Where during the writing process do you find your “voice” for that particular novel?

From the first sentence. That’s not to say it doesn’t have to be revised, mind you.

While you might start with an issue or theme in mind, themes will also develop or emerge as you write, so how important do you think “theme” is to your writing process?

I always, always identify my theme before I start to write. It keeps me focused and it helps me come up with plotlines, character arcs, settings, language—almost everything. I usually have one or two words as my theme, which I write somewhere prominent, so I can see them constantly as I write. They’re big, loose themes that give me a lot of room for exploration: for my next release, DEAR THING, the theme is ‘parenthood’, and for my current WIP, the theme is ‘What is love?’

Last question: In your opinion, does every story need a character ARC?

In the kind of fiction I write, character arc is the story. It’s all about how a person changes as they act and react to events. Although I might not know the plot of my story before I begin, I always know the character arc.

In other types or genres of fiction, character arc might be less important. Though I have to say that personally, I like it when characters grow and change. That’s why, for example, I’ve loved the latest Bond films and Nolan’s Batman trilogy, because these are films that could be thrill-seeking action adventures, but instead create compelling character arcs for their protagonists.

Fun Bonus Questions

What book are you currently reading?

I just finished Elijah’s Mermaid by Essie Fox, a lush, dark, twisty Victorian novel, and I’ve just started A Portrait of the Brain by Adam Zeman, which is a non-fiction popular science book.

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

The Princess Bride is my favorite-ever movie. On TV right now I’m a big fan of The Hour, which is a 1950s-set BBC drama series.

Laptop or desktop?

I am a junkie for iMac desktops. I had one of the early orange ones, then a gorgeous white one, and I’ve got a 2011 silver and black one now.

Who is your fictional character crush? (Movie, TV show, literary)

My most long-running literary crush is Sherlock Holmes. I fell in love with him when I was eleven and I am still utterly, utterly obsessed. I belong to the Sherlock Holmes Society and I nourish a deep crush on both Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr.

Where can potential readers find you online?

Official Website

Blog

Twitter @julie_cohen

Author Bio:

Julie Cohen grew up in Maine and studied English at Brown University and Cambridge University. She moved to the UK to research fairies in Victorian children’s literature at the University of Reading and this was followed by a career teaching English at secondary level. She has written fourteen books under her own name and several more under pseudonyms, for a variety of publishers; they have been translated into fifteen languages and have sold three-quarter of a million copies worldwide. She now writes full time and is a popular speaker and teacher of creative writing. She lives with her husband and their son in Berkshire, England.

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6. TOP TEN PLOTTING PROBLEMS

By: Sherry Soule, on 11/3/2014
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: plotting, Plotting your Novel, Editing Plot, Add a tag

Guest Post by Alicia Rasley

NOTE FROM SHERRY:While not all of these issues will apply to your own storyline, they are wonderful points to keep in mind while revising or plotting your fiction novel. I came across this helpful post while trying to fix some major pacing issues in my current WIP, and I wanted to share it to inspire you, too. ;-)

10. Backstory Blunders:

The past is prologue, for sure, but you can tell too much too soon, if everything about the characters' past is explained right upfront in chapter one.

9. Boring Beginnings:

If you have to rely on your readers' patience while you get the story set up, you're likely to lose most of them. Start where the protagonist's problem starts, or just before that, and feed in the backstory later. This is the MTV era—people don't like to wait. Be especially wary of books that start with the protagonist on a journey, thinking about what awaits her at the destination. Editors frequently mention that as an example of a boring opening. It helps to decide what your major story questions are and make sure those are posed in the first few chapters— at least one should be posed in Chapter One.

8. Limping to a Conclusion:

You don't want the reader to think you ended the book just because you ran out of paper. Make the ending a conclusive one, reinforcing the themes of the book and the progress of the protagonist.

7. Sagging Middle:

The middle has to do more than just fill up the space between beginning and end. It should be a time of "rising conflict" where the protagonist is tested up to (and perhaps beyond) the limits of his ability— a time to develop the internal and external conflicts and show how they influence the protagonist's actions. It should set up the great crisis/climax/resolution that will bring the novel to a close.

So when you're starting the middle, think of how the protagonist can be challenged. What external plot events can make his internal conflict impossible to ignore any longer? How can that internal conflict impede his/her progress towards the goal? If there's an antagonist, how does the antagonist's reaction affect the protagonist's progress?

6. Tumors and Parasites (The cast of thousands):

Secondary characters are distinguished from major characters— the protagonist(s) and the antagonist usually— by their lack of a story journey. That is, they exist to make things happen in the plot, but their own conflicts and issues shouldn't be part of the story. (If they're that interesting, let them star in the sequel.) Every person with a story journey (described progress towards a significant change in their life) dilutes the impact of the major characters' journey.

In some books (family sagas, for example), this can work. But in most protagonist-centered popular fiction, tracking the secondary characters' lives and loves is going to waste time and confuse the reader. Watch out for long passages in a secondary character's viewpoint, which dwell on his problems and not on the protagonist. And keep count of how many subplots you've got—make sure each one supports the main plot in some way.

5. Plodding Pacing:

Pacing is primarily a function of how many cause-effect related events happen in the book. But that doesn't mean that effective pacing depends on shoving a lot of events into the story. Selection is key. What events are essential? What supporting events are needed to set up those essential events (aka "turning points")?

Are all the events of the plot related causally—that is, does the discovery of the letter in chapter 2 set up the release of the imprisoned protagonist in Chapter 4, and eventually the capture of the villain in the climax? Make sure every scene has at least one event that affects the main plot—that way the readers can't skip without missing something important.

4. What a Coincidence:

Coincidence is fun in real life. But it's death to good fiction. Fiction is about cause and effect, and there's no cause and effect when the central elements of your plot happen by coincidence. It's often hard, however, to identify coincidence in your own story, so be ruthless. Look at the chain of events. Which would be unlikely to happen unless you the author made it happen? How likely is it that in a city of seven million, your judge protagonist would just happen to get the embezzling case of the man she thinks was responsible for the hit-and-run killing of her mother? Not very.

To fix coincidence without losing the event, make it happen because of character decision and action, and watch your characters grow into strength and purpose. That judge doesn't just happen to get the case; she seeks it, determined to avenge her mother's death. Now that's a lot more fun than coincidence, because the conflict is now not just an accident, but the result of this character's need for vengeance over justice.

3. Conflicts about Conflict:

Conflict is the fuel that powers the plot and forces the characters into action. Without it, you might have a nice slice of life portrait, or a great character sketch... but you don't really have a story. Problem is, conflict is volatile, and many of us avoid it in our plotting as we avoid it in our lives. But just as children need discipline to grow, characters need adversity to change. And fiction is, at base, about change. Popular fiction is usually about change in the protagonist. No one changes without a good reason to change— that's where conflict comes in.

Quite simply, you have an authorial duty to provide conflict for your characters so that they will learn to change— and that means determining how they need to change. Linking conflict to character change will revitalize your story, and avoid the problems of serial conflict (where what looks like the book conflict wraps up in Chapter 3, to be replaced by another conflict) and incoherent conflict (where the conflict has nothing to do with who this character is or what she needs).

2. Structural Weaknesses:

Many a good story is sunk by a weak structure: a hidden protagonist (the readers can't tell early whose story this is), meandering setups, mis-presented conflict, rushed climaxes, incoherence between the protagonist and the plot (the main character doesn't have much to do with the main plot, or this person would never do what the plot requires him to do).

Much of this derives from a misunderstanding of the purpose of structure. It's not a prison, chaining you to a "formula,” it's a map to help you and your readers explore the issues you're developing with this story. Learning structure can teach you when to modify it and when to branch out on your own.

The key to structure, in my opinion, is understanding the concept of the story questions—the question or problem your opening poses, and the events which combine to create the answer.

1. Whose Story Is This, Anyway?

The Plight of the Protagonist: The biggest single plot problem I see in my judging, editing, and critiquing is actually a character problem: the passive or under-motivated protagonist— that is, a protagonist who is not truly involved in causing the plot to unfold.

Beware of the victim-protagonist (bad things happen to him, and he suffers a lot), the passive protagonist (he witnesses the plot events, but he doesn't participate), the bumbling protagonist (he acts, but stupidly, without learning from his mistakes). The central character doesn't have to be likeable (though it helps) or (god forbid) without faults, but he does have to be motivated enough to act and encounter obstacles and change in response to plot events.

Ideally, the protagonist should be involved in nearly every event, and his decisions and actions should drive the plot.

You might make a list of all the major plot events, and beside each note the protagonist's contribution. Is each action, decision, or choice motivated? (The motivation doesn't have to be laudable, but should derive from who he is and what he wants.) Does each action have some effect on the plot? And finally, does each action-event dynamic contribute to an ultimate change in the protagonist?

Here's a final thought that might help you plot:

One primary purpose of the plot is to force the protagonist to change, usually by recognizing and overcoming some internal conflict. Know your character, and you'll figure out your plot. Conversely, know your plot, and you'll find the character that needs that sequence of events for internal growth.

Alicia Rasleyis an award-winning author of Regency-set novels. She teaches fiction writing online in workshops around the country and at universities.

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7. Plotter or Pantser? #WriteTip

By: Sherry Soule, on 12/1/2012
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: plotting, Editing Plot, Add a tag

Plotter- those who plot things out with a detailed synopsis or outline.

Pantser- those who write by the seat of their pants.

There have been numerous discussions on the big debate of panster vs. plotter.

A panster is someone who “writes by the seat of their pants.” True pansters don’t take the time to write detailed plot outlines. They let the characters drive the narrative, and discover the story as it unfolds. Pansters will uncover their characters weaknesses, traits, quirks, and personalities as they write. But pansters will often write themselves into corners, because they don’t bother adding the basic elements that every story needs to have a solid character ARC, including the key structural beats that work as the connective tissue between scenes, so they end up having to do a lot of rewrites.

In contrast, plotters know exactly where the story is going. Some plot out every scene, and others will plot out the general storyline and all major plot and pinch points. There are many graphs, spreadsheets, questionnaires, and worksheets that plotters can use to achieve their in-dept formula.

One major thing plotters have that most pantsers don’t, is that they tend to know their characters. Plotters have their characters’ personalities written out, their backstories fleshed out, they know all their likes and dislikes, fears and weaknesses, and even their character quirks. For the average plotter, all that’s left to do is write the actual narrative.

Yes, I admit to being a "pantser". But I'm so sick of doing months of rewrites. My last developmental editor, the brilliant Rochelle French (an editor for En tangled Publi shing) gave me some solid advise on plotting that I took to heart. Was it hard to hear that my story was good, but my plot was a hot mess? You betcha. Now, I'm trying to incorporate some plotting into my pantsing. I am also using as a guideline Save the Cat Beat Sheet Spreadsheet for Novels created by Liz (last name?) to make sure my storyline is basically staying on track.

After reading K. M. Weiland's book, "OUTLINING YOUR NOVEL" which is one the best books on writing I've ever read (it covers a vast number of writing subjects that can immensely improve anyone's writing), I've decided to explore these very diverse writing techniques, and see how other successful writers mange the writing process. I will be posting interviews on this controversial topic over the next couple of months. I sincerely hope these "Q and A"s enlighten us all and help to enhance our skills as writers.

How do you write? Are you a logical and detailed plotter or an emotional and creative pantser? Or do you fall somewhere in between?

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8. How To Write Horror: Writing Tips for Dark Fiction

By: Sherry Soule, on 11/19/2011
Blog: Dark Angel Fiction Writing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Editing Plot, Add a tag

Learn Special Tricks and Techniques for Writing a Horror Novel

By Ashley Sinatra

Have you ever read a book that makes you fear your own shadow?

Have you read through words that are so intense that the hair on your back stands up?

Wouldn't you love to write a book that makes other people feel the exact same way?

Please prepare to use these writing tools by grabbing a pen and getting ready to start writing something so scary that you will even scare yourself.

To write a horror story:

1. Write about what scares you: One of the most important writing tips for a horror story is that you cannot produce a good horror book or short story if you are not willing to confront your own fears. Writing horror means you must be willing to dig deep down inside of yourself. You also have to force yourself to daydream and imagine yourself in a scary situation. If you allow yourself to be the main character, then you will make that character appear more real because you are pouring your fears, anxiety and emotions into her. Some of the best novels are real life horror stories so if you have a scary event or situation that has happened to you, then write about it.

2. Study the craft: If you have the desire and drive to write

1 Comments on How To Write Horror: Writing Tips for Dark Fiction, last added: 11/19/2011

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