Fiction Writing - Plotting the heck out of your Novel

Dear potential author,

Plotting the heck out of your Novel is what makes it either good or bad.  Writers/authors like J.K. Rowling’s, Amanda Hockings, Stephenie Meyer, and E.L. James have found the right combinations of ‘plotifying’ their novels.

What is a plot?

A plot is a story in short.  J  I can see a few frowns right now.  A plot is an intricate design of emotions, events, and situations woven together to create a journey on which the character and reader travel together.

Basic plot elements

Basic plot elements consists of the following:

·         Happy ending

·         Unhappy ending

Types of plots

There are seven types of plots to consider when starting a novel.  Blow I list the seven types of plots which will be the main driving factor behind the character.

·         Man vs Man

·         Man vs himself

·         Man vs nature/environment

·         Man vs beast

·         Man vs technology/machine

·         Man vs god/religion/culture/politics

·         Man vs supernatural

Sub plotting

Many sub plots exist.  Combining the right plot with sub plots are vital to make your novel shine.  Below is a list of sub plots.

     ·         Adventure

·         Comedy

     ·         Coming of age (maturing)

     ·        Conquest (phobia, belief, beast, nature)

     ·         Escape

      ·         Love (love triangle, forbidden love, unrequited love)

     ·         Metamorphoses (becoming something else – e.g beast)

     ·         Quest/mission

     ·         Revenge

     ·         Riddle

     ·         Rivalry (sibling, love, business, territories)

     ·         Satire

     ·         Temptation

     ·         Tragedy (death, illness, disaster)

     ·         Transformation

Mixing plots

Creating the perfect mix of plots to drive your novel is a bit like creating a recipe from scratch.  I would suggest that you find the best sellers in the gender you intend to write.  Study them with pen and paper making notes as you read.  See what works.  Find your voice in it.

Timeless plots

Plots that have stood the test of time are the following:

·         Good vs Evil

·         Love conquers all

These two plots features in almost every novel.  They are timeless and has added spice to great novels.

Plot example

 Jane left home when she was young because:

       A.       She wanted to escape

       B.      She wanted to explore (adventure)

       C.      The person she loved has chosen someone else

Years later

Jane returns home:

A.      A family member died

      B.      The love of her life is single again

      C.      Her business rival is interested in the family business.

Plotifying your novel or short story will give it that edge it needs to become great.

Until we meet again,

Just Write

Fiction Wring - Location

Dear potential author,

Location. Location. LOCATION! Just like in the property market the location of your novel is set to take place somewhere. Don’t underestimate the location of the story. E.g. If your story takes place in the desert. Things like clothing, climate, housing, environment and behaviour plays a big role in the novel as the location of the story dictates to the characters what to do.

Location file

Keeping notes, web pages, and images in one place is always a good idea. It does not matter if it is physical or digital notes. A fact sheet is a short reference to keep you on tract. Will help prevent mistakes when you are writing about your location.

Historical location

When writing a historical novel. For Pete’s sake, do your research. Consider things like electricity, running water, etc.

Fictional Worlds

This is by far the easiest to write about as only you know what it looks like. Creating a fictional world is great fun.

Mixed Worlds

Creating a mixed world where the fictional world fuse with the physical world we live in can be tricky. It takes careful planning in fusing the worlds together so as to not make it seem like a patchwork quilt.

Future Worlds

The same applied for the future as the past. If you write about a real place, make sure that you at least did some research on the location, its people, and cultural practises.

As you can see. The location is almost as important as the characters in the book itself. The location has its own role to play in creating an amazing journey.

Until we meet again,

Just Write