A Pantser's Plotting Plan

Laurie here! Hello from my editing cave :) Nice to see you. Today, I'm revisiting one of my favorite posts -- the first time this pantser ever attempted plotting. As I do final revisions on my third manuscript, I can safely tell you I will NEVER write a book without a plan again. Weeding through all of this is not for the faint of heart. So I hope you enjoy! And I hope you do as I say, not as I do... :)

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I am not a plotter. This is no secret if you know me or have read any of my blog posts. My stories start with characters, and the plot comes along as I go. In the past, I’ve maintained that plotting stifles creativity in my case. But I want to go on record and amend this statement.

It’s all the time wasted banging my head on the keyboard wondering what to write next that stifles my creativity.

For the first time in the history of my life, I’ve discovered a plotting book that doesn’t make my eyes glaze over after the first chapter. In fact, I'm almost finished!

It’s well-written, informative, and doesn’t have the confusing code language some of the other ones seem to have. The focus of Jordan Rosenfeld's Make a Scene is building a story intentionally based on each scene. Stories tend to come to me in glimpses anyway -- kind of like movie clips -- so this approach works. But the key I need to work on is developing a framework so I don’t have to do so much editing and reworking after my first draft. I need the puzzle box with the big picture to help me piece it together, so that if and when I become a published author, I can deliver my finished product in a timely manner with as little stress possible. :)

Author friend Jessica Patch recommended this book to me, and I’m so glad. As you can see from the notebook above, I’ve been going all Hermione Granger on it with several pages of notes over the holidays. I’ll be sharing much more about what I’m learning later, but for starters, this is my tentative plan for how I’m going to plot my current manuscript:

Character studies. I wrote an entire blog post on what goes into this process for me not too long ago, but to sum up, I learn about their quirks, deepest desires, the ways they sabotage themselves, and what sets them apart as people I’d enjoy talking to over a slice of pizza.

Plot threads. Hopefully in the above step, I’ve learned at least the gist of what my main characters will learn and how they’ll grow throughout the story (the heart of the manuscript!). So my next step is to write out a shortish sort of synopsis for each of my storylines -- as much as I know about them already, anyway.

For example, continuing the theme of Pepper’s post yesterday, if I were doing this for the Lord of the Rings series, I’d have one “synopsis” for the ring’s journey from Bag End to Mordor, one for Aragorn’s ascent to king, one for the Battle of Helm’s Deep, one for Aragorn and Arwen’s love story, etc.

It sounds complicated, but it really helps. I think having a map like this up front will show me what to focus on and how to most effectively strengthen each plotline (and consequently each main character's journey) in relation to the others.

Scenes. From there, I can separate the sequential events of the synopsis into bullet points and then imagine specific scenes to flesh out these bullet points and further my story. For this step, I will likely stick to my pantser roots and write as I go. But having the map shaped in the previous steps will help me keep my characters on track and hopefully give me purpose for each writing session. I can’t emphasize how much the Make a Scene book has helped me in terms of being intentional/impactful with each scene!

So that’s the tentative plan for how this pantser is going to try her hand at plotting. I have all the essentials to make this work.

Now to stop planning and WRITE. Hopefully word count will be spared, the delete button will get a rest, and any unnecessary *facepalm* moments will be avoided.

Are you a plotter, pantser, or as Casey calls it, a hybrid "plotster"? Any tips or tricks that have worked for you?

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business called 1624 Communications. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a two-time Genesis Award winner, and the runner-up in the 2015 Lone Star Contest's Inspirational category. Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

A Panster's Guide to Plotting Your Premise

Last week, my pastor said something that really stuck with me. "Don't eat your seeds."

Matthew 13:3-9 says that Jesus, "told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”


Many of us have a tendency to take the seeds God has given us and eat them, or save them, or hide them, rather than investing them in good soil. Even if they do get planted, they may get thrown along the wayside or cast into the scorching sun.

Not only are these "seeds" relevant to our personal spiritual walks, but they're also relevant to our writing.

God has given each of us concepts, creativity, and dreams that function as seeds for our stories. Ever get a brilliant idea just before you sleep into the realm of sleep each night? That's a seed. Keep a notepad (or your phone) on your nightstand and write it down. Same goes for inspiration that strikes you at the oddest times. I can't tell you how many random "notes" I've made to myself on my phone while sitting in church or the line at the mall.

Sometimes we get lackadaisical about what God's telling us. I don't know about you, but if I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, more times than not, I'm going to go back to sleep and assume the idea will still be there in the morning. Thing is, sometimes it isn't. 

The seeds God has given us for our books are precious and ought to be treated with care. We shouldn't toss them around so carelessly if we truly want them to take root and become fruitful.

So the question is, how do we plant these seeds?


Little anecdote from my own writing journey. I was trained to write by a bunch of brilliant postmodernists. I was taught that over planning and plotting could stifle creativity and keep a story from taking on new directions and depths that come through writing. I think there's certainly some wisdom to this approach. After all, you don't want your book to become formulaic, and you don't want to reject new ideas just because they come in the "editing" rather than the "plotting" stage.  Some of the best ideas and poignant moments aren't discovered until the book is almost complete and you've really come to know your characters in a deep way.

However, using this approach as an overarching strategy presents a problem--a very big one--that I soon discovered as I "panstered" my way through four books. And the problem is this. Writing is frustrating, and too much responsibility falls on editing's shoulders.

You need a premise, a seed, a core idea to drive every scene and every character in your story. Now, this seed can be developed. It should take on roots and leaves and flower throughout the course of your writing. But don't make things harder on yourself by looking for the seeds only after you've finished your book. Doing so leads to so much unnecessary editing!

Think of the books you've read that have really stuck with you or touched you in an emotional way. Most likely, they presented a concept or demonstration of character growth that was both vibrant and relatable, and you saw a bit of yourself in the character's journey. That didn't happen by mistake. That happened because an author was willing to invest for thought into cultivating seeds before planting them.

Now, I'm not saying you have to plot out your whole novel. I still have enough "pantster" in me to tremble a little when I think of a task so daunting, and I know that personally, my writing would end up stifled if I put too many restrictions on it. 

But I do want to challenge you today to take time mulling over and praying over the seeds--the core concepts of your story--and ask God where He wants to plant them. If you know the major questions and themes driving your story--where your characters are going to fail and succeed, what they're going to fear, their dreams, etc.--then you can craft each scene, symbol, and supporting character accordingly. Not only will this make editing easier, but your first draft will also be a lot less painful to write, knowing each scene is already infused with purpose and meaning.





I want to hear from you all! Are you usually a pantster or a plotter? How can both camps approach the process of planning their premise (albeit a little differently)?

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

Backing Up Backstory

Someone may read the following texts between my crit partner, Ashley, and me and think we have some warped sense of gossip...

Maybe Grace's real mom went to them when she was pregnant, but they had high hopes for their son and pushed her away without telling him it was his baby?

Ohhh, or maybe the other way around-- maybe he knows but they don't and he's trying to keep them from finding out?

And it gets even worse a few days later....

I think this is sounding fabulous so far!!! I don't know if you need the miscarriage though... Maybe he just has a niece or nephew and when his brother does (committing a crime?) he doesn't want the shame/guilt/punishment to affect the kid?

 Ooh, maybe he felt it as a child...and he wants to break the cycle??

 

When you have a story brewing, I have learned as I delve into a new story recently, that sketching out the backstory of my characters has proven ESSENTIAL to getting my story off on the right foot. Sure, I may not want to dump all the back story in the first chapter...or the first five chapters...a sprinkling is more intriguing anyway...BUT, as the writer, having my backstory laid out as reference, is a tool of many uses...this much-proclaimed pantster admits!

How many times have you written or read (eek!) a story and suddenly the character is dealing with an emotion, a situation, a spiritual thread that flies in from out of nowhere and yanks you right out of the pov into  "Ah, the author needed some spice here"...or..."Perhaps the writer accidently edited the necessary backstory right out of the chapter before." 

As a writer, if we don't have the backstory hashed out from the beginning, then we might find ourselves hopping over tall obstacles of inconsistency or unbelievability.

Take your backstory tool out of the "low priority" drawer, and discover how useful it is as you begin your novel's journey:

1. A writer who has a solid backstory in mind writes three dimensional characters right off the bat.

If you have a sketch of the hopes, desires, disappointments, struggles, situations, that your character has encountered, then when you start her pov, she is "in" her own skin, with all her baggage prodding your fingers to type out her story and give her:

• emotional depth

• spiritual height (or lack thereof...room for growth)

• situational width (how does she react within her surroundings, with others). 

2. A writer not only brings to life a three dimensional character when they have the backstory laid out in their mind, but they write a character whose feelings and actions are validated because of their backstory.

If a writer has a good sense of where their character came from, then they are able to steer the character's emotions in a way that is backed up by their back story. If a character is defensive in a seemingly neutral situation, but has no backstory discovered to later validate that reaction, then it will strip away believability of the character, or cause the future reader to think they've missed something.

Every reaction and emotion needs a raison d'etre. There are two places we see it as writers/readers:

• In the active scene on page--in the moment.

• In the foundation laid through backstory (even if it's revealed later on. That emotion/reaction "backs up" the backstory once it's revealed. It gives the reader the "ah ha" feeling of...ooooh, that's why she was like that!)

 

3. This leads me to my last point: Well thought-out backstory gives your writing a power boost when you get to the black moment...or any powerful moment, really. 

You will have a better idea as to what will really devastate your character (muwahahaha). You will stay true to your overall theme throughout the writing process if you know your backstory and allow it to give you advantage in the "what happens next and why does it happen?" Your plot will begin to unfold in an intelligent way, as a series of intertwined events that lead up to the big one, with the backstory backing it all up.

Bottom line: Get that backstory firmed up before you decide to pour out your story. It will save you a ton of rewrites and give you the fuel you need to craft your story world. No matter if you are a pantster or plotter, when it comes to back story hash it out. Because that's where the first breath of life should stir from your characters....

It's where their first breath was stirred, after all!

How do you develop your character's backstory? Conversationally? Grids? Worksheets? 

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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

The Confession of a Blank Canvas to a Toolbox Guru

On Flickr by Zen

 You've set up your file with the grid in place. Your layers are labeled in a long list on the right side  your screen...their order intelligently determined. The Opacity is set at 84% on Layer Back Story, and 20% on Layer Character Motive. Each color is balanced to perfectly portray your image...ahem... your setting. And you've plugged in coordinates after coordinates to get it just right.

You open the Text tool and find your font, and place it in the corner at the top of your "canvas" and title it:

Novel 1: Outline Complete

Then click on the menu, scroll down to "Sharpen", and witness your story shine EXACTLY how you expected it to...with your coordinates and layers cheering you on as you type,

"Complete Manuscript" on page 353, just as you had plugged into your outline.

You are probably chuckling at my exaggeration of a Plotter...or a Toolbox Guru to fit the above Photo editing software illustration...but, oh you Plotter-- is it true?? Does it make you tingly to think about outlining each chapter, every plot twist, and thoroughly knowing your character (after all you've interviewed her, her grandma, sister, mom, and coworker) before she's even entered Chapter One, Scene One? If you do just a little bit...do you know how much you are envied? By me?

Let me give you insight into what I refer to as A Blank Canvas...thanks to my dear Alley Cat, Pepper, who helped me realize this post after an amusing conversation about our "different", non-plotter way of tackling a book.

We take a blank page. A canvas, if you will,

     and...

G    A    S   P...

      we...

  t-y-p-e. 

Oooooh, does that scare all you plotters out there? Sometimes, I feel like I should hang my head in shame. How can I not fill out page upon page with each plot point, each chapter, each twist, each drama, each whatever-you-call-it, and build that foundation before I start on my first bedazzling sentence (well...in this fashion of mine (and Pep's, because I must have a partner in crime in this confession...) our first bedazzling sentence is just that, our first...because we might go through twenty different first sentences before we come up with the one that is just right).

On Flickr by Diamond Farah

Do not fear. Or don't think that us Blank Canvas'rs, (I really don't like the implications of being considered blank or a canvas...but for lack of a better term since I am a procrastinator and it is very late...hm...that may have something to do with being a Blank Canvas'r....) please don't think we will never complete a novel successfully...ha! The thing with the Canvas'r  is, we take each brush stroke and begin to "sketch" what we've daydreamed in our mind, or roughly mapped out on an old Hershey's bar wrapper. And if our paintbrush decides to flick a new splatter over here and deepen a motive over there, then we begin to add a new color and take our story in the direction of the paint. We allow the art of writing to create the story on the page...right then and there.

I firmly believe that it really comes down to the way we are wired. There is no right or wrong in this...actually, for the Canvas'r, we might have to go through a little more touch up before adding our signature in the bottom corner...because, after all, the journey's been long and our paintbrush has a mind, or two, of its own!

"To thine own self be true." -William Shakespeare

God is so great. He allows each of us to do His work in a way unique to our gift and our style. Whether you resonate more with the Toolbox Guru, developing a solid outline, a plotted story that takes you from point A to point B just as you had decided in Phase 1,
or
you breathe a sigh of relief that there are actually nuts like me (ahem, and Pepper...and Amy, so I have heard ;)), just like you, who really don't mind crafting the story like a lump of clay--slowly forming the piece without really knowing what fabulous curve or interesting texture you'll create until you're just at that part....

No matter which of these you are...or if you fall somewhere in the middle... trust that the journey is yours, and if you stay true to who you are, equip yourself with the knowledge of the craft, prepare yourself with either the grid or the paintbrush, and listen to your heart and the story, then your confession as a Blank Canvas OR a Toolbox Guru will become a proud proclamation that you are using your gift exactly the way in which He designed for YOU!

So...which one are you???

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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.