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It's early October and already writers look to the future in anticipation of writing 50,000 words of their novel during the month of November.

Lots of writers will jump into the writing frenzy last minute and by-the-seat-of-their-pants with or without a plot idea. Other writers will spend this month dreaming. Writers who love to to organize their lives for the greatest efficiency and less stress will spend October pre-plotting. Then there are writers who take things slowly and methodically, needing to consider all their options and their willingness to subject themselves to the overstimulation, disliking conflict and even a bit shy about committing to the challenge.

I, for one, love pre-plotting. No writing required. Stand back and imagine the big picture thematically, dramatically and emotionally. Plot ideas on a Plot Planner. Add pictures of characters and settings and details that stimulate your senses and energy to write about them.

Pre-plotting feels like an artistic pursuit compared to the grueling challenge if you do decide to write 50,000 words next month. A warm-up and lovely way to ease into the creative process. Showing up without any pressure of word count or deadlines. Simply time spent with the muse and plotting out what comes to you.

Today I write, and I pre-plot.

If you'd like pre-plotting ideas and how to write a fast first draft:

1) Join me October 9th for How to Pre-Plot and Complete a Novel or Memoir in a Month: The Benefits of Writing a Fast Draft from Beginning to End 

2) Re-read the The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master book and follow the instructions how to pre-plot your story

3) Complete all the exercises and fill in all the templates (plot planners included) in The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories 

4) Forget next month for now and enjoy this month writing or revising what you're currently working on and take with you into next month The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing for daily prompts to guide you how to write a story with a plot from beginning to end.
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If you simply want to continue writing and revising and are looking for plot help:
Read my Plot Whisperer books for writers

Watch Plot Video Workshops Series:

• PlotWriMo: Revise Your Novel in a Month ~~ View your story in an entirely new light. Recharge your energy and enthusiasm for your writing. 8 videos (5.5 hours)+ 30 exercises
• How to Write a Sell a Picture Book with a Plot ~~ Picture books are without subplots allowing the primary plot lines to shine through. 7 videos + 28 exercises

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Sounds like the difference between those of us who jump right in and write and those who plan and pre-plot first -- pantser or plotter?

The moment words appear on the page, differences cease to exist -- all writers transcend time and space. Whether you're writing to escape your real life, to feel a sense of control over some aspect of your life, resolve bad feelings, define your beliefs, find meaning in some bad or sad or negative experience, share your passion, follow your heart writing becomes a Zen-like practice of calm and centering, balance and order, belief and trust, openness and heart.

In our fast-paced, crowded lives, one writer snatches waiting moments to connect to her writing while another methodically removes all interferences each for the express purpose of letting minds wander and daydream and of repetitiously writing one word after another.

Whatever best serves you, writing scenes at the same time in the same place every day or here and there and everywhere you can manage, keep going. Finish the draft you're writing all the way to the end. Then comes the fun part -- standing back from all those words and revising them into a satisfying and coherent story. That comes later. For now...

Today I write!
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Take the PlotWriMo Pre-Challenge:


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PLOT WORKSHOPS and RETREATS

A PATH to PUBLISHING
Pre-orders now available for an entirely new support system based on PlotWriMo for writers ready to Revise Your Novel in a Month.
WRITER PATH PLOT and SCENE RETREATS in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. May 30 – June 1 Your story deserves to be told. Your writer’s soul needs to be nourished. Learn to identify and write the key scenes that build a page-turning story, master crucial scene types and go deeper into your plot by applying the three key layers that run through all great fiction: action, emotion and theme. Reserve your spot now for the 1st Annual Writer Path Retreat Spring 2014. WriterPath.com

For more: Read my Plot Whisperer and Blockbuster Plots books for writers.

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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 an 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 story with very little in terms of the 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!!

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(NOTE: I know I said I'd address more about theme, but received the following question. Will continue theme discussion next time.)

Question:

I've been working through my scene tracker and planned 20 chapters, each with 3 scenes or a total of 60 scenes. I divided plot into the first 1/4 or 5 chapters, the next 1/2 15 chapters, and the final 1/4 or 5 chapters.

Last evening as I was writing I realized each scene would have to be about 1,000 words to get to 60,000 and right now they are only about 600. What is a good average for scenes? Are my scenes too word light (Oh no!)?

Thanks so much! I appreciate your thoughts!

Answer:

Sounds like you've done lots of pre-plotting, analyzing and preparing for this new story of yours. Congratulations!! 

Now it's time to forget about the structure and write. Well, that's not entirely true. Don't forget about all the work you've done. Use your guidelines as support as you write your way through the scenes, but don't get bogged down by the pre-plotting.

Some of us benefit from having a road map before setting off on a journey (new story). However, it's also nice to be able to wander off once in awhile if so inspired. So, it depends on if you're writing for fun and for the experience and the learning and the exploring OR if you're writing under a deadline. Under a deadline, keep to the pre-plot work to keep your writing on track. 

The scenes in the first draft generally grow in subsequent drafts as you add more elements -- authentic and thematic details, more emotion, deeper character development, snappier action.

Write your first draft all the way through without going back and without worrying about how long the scenes end up being. Once you reach the end, you'll have plenty of time to analyze what you have and make decisions for the next draft.

Great good luck!!!!

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National Novel Writing Month is fast approaching. In preparation for the big event, I'm working with several writers who plan to write the first draft of their novel in a month. A couple of the writers are veterans to the event and eager to utilize their time more efficiently than they have in past years. The other writers are undertaking the challenge for the first time.

As the official NaNoWriMo site explains: "National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30."

This approach works best for "pantsers" or those writers who prefer to write by the seat-of-your-pants, in other words, to work things out on the page with little or no pre-plotting. Typically, these writers allow their characters the freedom to determine the direction and flow of the story. These writers are often more right-brained, creative types who abhor structure and plot (well, maybe not abhor and definitely not all of them, but I've been slammed by enough stanch "pantsers" who believe their way is the only way and that the work I do stifles the creative process -- which it might true for them, but not for all writers -- that I'm a bit touchy about the subject!)

Left-brained or more analytical writers find NaNoWriMo only works for them if they put a bit of time and thought into what they hope to write before jumping into the actual writing.

For any of you who wish to take take part in NaNoWriMo and wish to prepare ahead a time in order to make the most of the upcoming month, I recommend that you create a Plot Planner or a Scene Tracker template now for the project you wish to produce then.

Both templates -- Plot Planner for the overall story plot, and the Scene Tracker, for plot at the scene level -- allow writers to stand back from their projects in order to see the entire story as a whole. As writers we spend the majority of our time at the word level. Many writers end up drowning in their words or stuck down a dead-end dark and scary alleyway with no direction out. A Plot Planner is like a road map to help guide you on your journey throughout the story.

Yes, you have to be flexible and toss the pre-plotting if/when the characters bully you into taking a different route. However, many writers find the pre-planning structural support comforting and allows them to persevere all the way to the glorious end.

Are you a "pantser" or a "plotter'? Are you going to participate in this year's NaNoWriMo??

Great good luck to all of you who are...... Read the rest of this post

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