Fiction Notes

Tag: how to plot

  • Why I LOVE Cliches and Tropes

    I confess: I love a good cliche or trope. A cliche is a phrase or expression that has been used so often that it is no longer original or interesting. A trope is a common or overused theme or device, as in the usual horror movie tropes. I’m in the middle of plotting a massive […]

  • Storytelling: One Surprising Approach to Plotting

    Plotting is probably the hardest thing I do. I can explain to you 29 different plot templates. And I often write about plotting a novel. Theory, I know. And I know that I can plot a story pretty well. It’s just HARD. The problem is that there are a series of inter-connected scenes which build […]

  • Thanks, Optimus Prime: What the Transformers Can Teach Us About Plot

    I am writing a science-fiction trilogy and I’d like it to have general appeal to kids and teens. So, recently, I went to see the new Transformers 4: Age of Extinction to see what I could learn. Here’s one of the official movie trailers. If you can’t see this video, click here. Transformer’s Major Plot […]

  • Plotting is Like a Jigsaw Puzzle

    I always find that plotting a novel or longer story is like a jigsaw puzzle. How do you work a jigsaw puzzle? People have different strategies. Some like to find all the straight edges and get the borders in place. Others like to find a strong bit of color and start putting together an interesting […]

  • Plot & Character

    I’m starting a series of posts about plot this week – as requested. Thanks for popping in or sending me emails with your preference! Plot and Character are Intertwined Before I start talking about plot, I have to say something about characters, the people who will be DOING and REACTING to the plot. Obviously, they […]