Plot Planning for Novels
After abandoning my third rewrite of my novel, I decided the time had come for some serious plot planning. Here’s what worked for me.
Writing Assistance? Even the FBI Will Help!
Being a newbie author, I needed all types of special assistance. To my surprise, I found nearly everyone I asked willing to help, even the FBI.
My Plot Development Tool: Scenes in Swimlanes
I experimented with a number of plot development tools and techniques, but none of them worked well for me. So I created my own using a spreadsheet. I call it Scenes in Swimlanes.
Start at the End
When my pantser ways led me to discard a month’s worth of writing, I experienced writer’s block. This is how I overcame it.
Pantser to Plotter
My brother wrote, “I’m a pantser. My guess is that you’re a plotter.” He was only partly right. Things aren’t always black or white.
