PLOTTING:

1. PLOTTING: ARE YOU MAKING A PLAN? OR FLYING BY THE OF YOUR PANTS?

2. WHO’S DOING IT and WHEN?

3. WHY PLOT YOUR BOOK?

4. Advice From a Nationally Published Author “I never used to outline. I'd just sort of dive in with a clear idea of how I wanted things to end and a general ideaof what happened in between. But with this series, my editor wanted an outline before I started into the next book. “I wrote the second book shortly after contracting with [my editor], and I just wrote it. LOTS of rewriting for that book after she finally got it. For me, the advantage of the outline is making sure we are on the same page before I commit several months to a project. Book 3 is going much, much more smoothly because of the outline. “I'm not sure how things operate in the LDS market [as far as] outlines and proposals [go]. But in the national market, if your editor wants to continue working with you, [a project is] almost always sold on the basis of your outlined proposal and sometimes a partial writing sample.”

5. TECHNIQUES Pantser: Inspiration only. Mental plotting Note cards to organize main ideas. Phasing outline, organizing main points or phrases in a computerized list. Diagrams, (such as the snowflake method). Excel spreadsheet. Online tool such as Freemind, etc. Programs such as Scrivener

6. What plotting techniques do current authors prefer? 15 respondents indicated they used other techniques and tools, including Scrivener, or a combination of tools.

7. Holly Lisle’s Note Carding Who are the primary viewpoint characters in the book? How long do you want the book to be? How long do you want each scene to be? Number of scenes/viewpoint characters Divvy up scene count Make sets of character cards Jot down a plot idea for each character and card As you get a few things on paper, you’ll find that you start having ideas for other characters. And a rough idea for the story itself will start forming, too — what it’s about, where it could start, how it could finish. Shuffle cards into a general plot Type into an outline Begin writing. http://hollylisle.com/notecarding-plotting-under-pressure/

8. BirgitteNeccesary’s “Quick Outline Tool,” a three-act, five-stage rudimentary plotting map ACT I – 25% of the scenes 0-10% Stage I – Setup 10% Plot Point #1/Inciting event: (The things that sets the hero on the path to trouble) 10%-25% Stage II – New Situation 25% Plot Point #2/Change of Plans: (First major event that upsets the status quo). Act I Climax: (The event that makes it impossible to turn back now) ACT II – 50% of the scenes 25%-50% Stage III – Seeming progress 50% Plot Point #3/Point of no return: (Learns the full scope of the problem) Midpoint Climax: (Introduces a twist or unexpected event) 50%-75% Stage IV – Complications and higher stakes 75% Plot Point #4/Major Set back Act II Climax: (Increase the stakes and decreases the hero’s abilities) ACT III – 25% of the scenes 75%-90% Stage V – Final Push (Crisis. Things can’t continue as they are.) 90%-99% Plot Point #5 Climax (The action the protagonist takes to resolve problem) 99%-100% Aftermath/Wrap Up: (Ties up loose ends and foreshadows the future) http://www.necessarywriters.com/?p=518

9. Author/Editor Lazette Gifford’s PHASING OUTLINE Phases are key phrases that will bring the next set of lines -- the next action -- into focus. Shorter sections of scenes, clues to dialogue, a little bit of description, or a set of actions... anything that will make the story move another few hundred words. Usually a 'phase' will only run from twenty to fifty words in the outline. Ex: Tristan in the room aboard the ship, resting, thinking about going home, feeling the world changing. It feels like traveling between realities, without any of the work. (28 words) Divide the phases up by days to give yourself a set number to do. Dayphase need did difference 1 1 200 221 21 . . . . . . . . . . 15 196 200 215 5 197 200 250 50 http://fmwriters.com/Visionback/Issue%2015/phase.htm

10. Randy Ingermanson’s“Snow Flake Model” http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php Step 1) Write a one-sentence summary of your novel, (around 15 words) . Something like this: This sentence is the hook that will sell your book to your editor, to your committee, to the sales force, to bookstore owners, and ultimately to readers. Step 2) Expand that sentence to a full paragraph describing the story setup, major disasters, and ending of the novel, (3 disasters and an ending) Step 3) For each of your major characters, take an hour and write a one-page summary sheet that includes the character's name, motivation, goals, conflict, epiphany, and a one-paragraph summary of the character's storyline Step 4) Expand each sentence of your summary paragraph into a full paragraph. All but the last paragraph should end in a disaster. The final paragraph should tell how the book ends. Step 5) Write up a one-page description of each major character and a half-page description of the other important characters, etc.

11. Krista Heiser’s Imaginary Outlinehttp://fmwriters.com/Visionback/Issue%2015/imaginary.htm Novels are plotted, characters are created, and scenes are developed well before I ever put finger to keyboard. I know the beginning and the end. I can even begin writing at this developmental stage, although I'll admit there are times when the middle remains vague until I'm well into the story. I'll admit the first time I had to provide an outline -- approximately 30 scenes for the novel I planned to write -- I nearly pulled my hair out. However, knowing how terrible I would look if I were bald, I resisted the urge and persevered. I muddled my way through the outline until I had something workable. In all honesty, it took far more effort to define the outline on paper than it did to store it haphazardly in my mental filing cabinets. While the outline in my mind was workable, it was patchy at best. Writing the scenes down really forced me to weigh the impact and significance they would have on the story. At first, I felt trapped like being stuck on the interstate with no exits in sight. Once I had struggled past this initial panic, I began to feel a sense of confidence. I could gauge my progress simply by glancing at the roadmap and watching the little towns pass one by one. So what happens when the writing wants to deviate from the straight and narrow interstate? I've discovered it's all right to take a shortcut, or even the scenic route. Some of the best road trips I've taken over the years are those where we've gotten off the interstate and seen a bit of the country. In writing, as long as the story's central conflict remains firmly in mind, taking the unplanned exit ramp can be surprisingly rewarding.

12. My Excel Spreadsheet • EXCEL FACT TIMETABLE FOR "DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT“ • Date Event Source • Francis Scott Key Bio Info http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/star/flag.pdf p 55-57 • Joshua Barney bio info Tidewater Timecapsule p 56 • Dudley/ Lachine http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/people/finan.html • 1811 George IV appointed Prince Regent • 1811- 1813 Smith's move to West Lebanon, New Hampshire. • Hyrum attended Moor's • charity school in Hanover, Old Mormon Palmyra • July 1812 and on 65 Privateers add to the seven frigates and • handful of lesser vessels in US Navy TIDEWATER TIME CAPSULE, p. 52 • 14 Sept 1812 Moscow residents burn 30,000 homes • under Bonaparte seigehttp://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/star/flag.pdf p. 20

13. Scrivener http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php They have plenty of good, online tutorials and a free trial offer.

14. “BEAT SHEET for NOVELS” based on Blake Snyder’s “Beat Sheet for Writing Screenplays” from “Save the Cat.” http://www.blakesnyder.com/category/beat-sheet/ Also, Check out Jami Gold’s blog at http://jamigold.com

15. Toy Story 3 Save the Cat! Beat Sheet By Save the Cat! Press The 15 beats to the Disney Pixar hit are provided by Master Cat! Ben Frahm. Printed with the Permission of Blake Snyder Enterprises, LLC. Opening Image (1) We’re reintroduced to all of our favorite characters, Woody, Buzz, and friends, in an action-packed, train-robbery, chase sequence. We’re dropped into this world quickly… and it’s not until after we have some fun and adventure… that we quickly PULL BACK and: Realize… we’re remembering a PLAY EPISODE that Andy had years ago. REVEAL: We’re watching a VCR recording of Andy as a young child… when he loved nothing more than to play with his favorite toys. This nostalgic moment seems like so long ago, and our toy characters long for this attention that they once had. Theme State (5) Woody tells Buzz that they belong to Andy and that they will always be his friends. They must go to college with him, and never lose this bond of loyalty and friendship that they have with their owner. Set-Up (1-10) Andy is going to college in only a few days, and per his MOTHER’S request, he must organize all of the “old stuff” in his room into 3 piles: 1.) Stuff that should go to the attic in storage; 2.) Stuff that is no longer needed and should be tossed in the garbage; 3.) And lastly, “stuff” that will go to college with Andy in a few days. Our toys are panicked. Why doesn’t Andy care about us anymore? Why doesn’t he want to play with us anymore? (http://www.writersstore.com/toy-story-3-save-the-cat-beat-sheet/ )

16. Rachel Aaron’s Triangle MetricHow I Went From Writing 2,000 Words a Day to 10,000 Words a Day (These three principles can be applied to any technique you care to use.)

17. KNOWLEDGE Of the three sides of the triangle, I consider knowledge to be the most important. This step alone more than doubled my word count. If you only want to try one change at a time, this is the one I recommend the most. Dedicate five minutes (sometimes more, never less) and write out a quick description (about 3 pages) of what you’re going to write. It doesn’t have to even be a paragraph, just a list of this happens then this then this. Try working out the back and forth exchanges of an argument between characters, blocking out fights, writing up fast descriptions. This simple change, these five stupid minutes, boosted my word count enormously. I went from writing 2k a day to writing 5k a day within a week without increasing my 5 hour writing block. Some days I even finished early.

18. TIME Keep a spreadsheet of writing session start and stop times, length, location, and word count Determine your most efficient writing time and circumstances (are you sharper in the morning or in the evening? Does having the Internet accessible help or hinder your efficiency? Do you write more effectively at home or somewhere else?

19. ENTHUSIASM “Every day, while I was writing out my little description of what I was going to write for the knowledge component of the triangle, I would play the scene through in my mind and try to get excited about it. I'd look for all the cool little hooks, the parts that interested me most. If I couldn't find anything to get excited over, then I would change the scene, or get rid of it entirely. I decided then and there that, no matter how useful a scene might be for my plot, boring scenes had no place in my novels. Summary: The sections of your book you love most are the easiest to write If a section drags as you write it, it will likely bore readers who read it Take time to beef those sections up—Boost the cool parts and add hooks, action, conflict, anything to add zest to the rest. If you have scenes that bore the writer, no one else will want to read them. This is your novel, after all. If you don't love it, no one will.

20. “KNOW THYSELF” Plotting proves an aid to efficiency and effectiveness in writing The key is finding tools that fit your style Don’t be afraid to try new things Don’t feel like a failure if some tools fail If you feel hemmed in, begin broadly, plot the basics, and then fill in Don’t be afraid to divert from the plan.