The Plot Of The Book – How To Write A Plot
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 at
11:53 pm
How to write the plot of the book. The plot of any story is very important – become a successful writer by getting that plot right.
‘A writer’s material is what he cares about.’
Tagged with: how to write a manuscript plot
Filed under: Uncategorized
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
When I first started writing I grilled myself as well. I still do so on every school paper I get and I still edit a chapter once I’m done with it.
However when I’m writing, I don’t think about grammar or spelling at all. If I spell it right the first time, great, if I don’t and I don’t pick it up automatically, whatever. I’ll fix it later. I follow some basic grammar rules (New paragraphs for new speaker and when I darn well feel like it 🙂 Adding punctuation, just things that come as I write). If it doesn’t come, oh well, I’ll catch it on the rebound.
When I have to leave it alone I only read the paragraph above before diving in again or I’ll grill it to death.
After, and ONLY after I finish that chapter and set up for the next one with a new sentence waiting for me. Then I read through it as an AUTHOR, with everything I know and fix up grammar and spelling errors in one, count ’em, ONE read through. Then I save it (I work on computer mostly) and start on the new chapter.
Editing wrecks the flow, if you don’t have a stable basis for transitioning from chapter to chapter (say the last tidbit isn’t all that exciting,) and you mercilessly edit it or you completely grill it to death even with a good transition and ideas, the inspiration dies.
You have spent so much time trying to fix the unnoticable, you are tired of the idea because it isn’t going anywhere very fast. Stop grilling it! Don’t put yourself in the place of the reader until the entire thing is done, even if that is a daunting task (I know, I’ve done it before and am getting ready to put thirty chapters on the fire, all about ten pages each…).
In turn, just work now, scan through if you want to be meticulous and keep going. Let the creativity flow unaltered, unclogged with the vicious editing we attempt to do. Write first, ask questions later.
How can I stop being this way when I write after a long time?
I write in bits and spurts throughout a year, be it a short story, novella, or somesuch, but what I struggle with the most is to move on with my stories. For example, the other day I started working on a manuscript that I’ve been planning for almost two years now. I have the whole plot written down on paper, just so I know where it’s going; I keep assuring myself that it’s all going to be fine, and then when I wrote the prologue…all I did was stare at it. I edited it. I edited some more. I sent it to my friends for their honest input. I edited again. I got so hung up about the prologue, that I actually memorized it! And by memorizing it, the words all lost their meaning. And then I give up. I can’t move on. If I write the first chapter, I know I’ll be doing the same thing; I will perfect the crap out of it until I can move on.
Only until recently this has started bugging me so much, because I just can’t write anymore! The inspiration is there, I’m ready to write, but when I do, I just marvel at what I’ve written and I do nothing else. I feel if I don’t perfect it as I go along, I will explode. How can I stop this? Does this ever happen to anyone?
If you started writing it the September before last, ie. September 2007, than you couldn’t have began before Twilight came out. It came out 2 years prior to you even beginning your manuscript. I’m not trying to be nasty, just stating a fact. If there are no vampires than it can’t be that similar. I say continue.
Plot holes, consistent characterization, excess verbiage, passive voice, adverbs, places where you’re not clear about what’s happening…
Things that bug. If it’s niggling at you, chances are something is wrong with it. It helps to read it out loud. It also helps if you’ve got people you can trust to tell you where it sucks rather than stroke your ego. Extra eyes, I swear by them.
Good luck with the synopsis; I wish I could help you with that. They are EVIL.
Agents and publishers are not interested in unfinished manuscripts. When your book(s) is done, it must be polished and as error-free as you can possibly make it. This takes a lot of rewriting and editing, and some time before you have a manuscript ready to be submitted anywhere. If you are serious about pursuing publication, you will take the time necessary to make something worth publishing. Good luck!
Does anyone write coverage for incoming novel manuscripts? Is it paid work?
I recently graduated with a degree in creative writing from a top five program. I’m living in Boston, really need a pay-the-rent job and the idea of working for a publishing company or an agent has always appealed to me. I’ve copy edited a manuscript and compiled an index while working as a teaching and research assistant, and wouldn’t mind doing so again, but I had a more intriguing thought. In the movie industry young screenwriters often get hired to read screenplay submissions and write coverage of them – plot summaries, whether they deserve further consideration or not, that sort of thing. The same thing must exist in the novel world, right? But where and how would you find it? If not, what might I look into for an entry level, post-college, pay-the-rent job in the publishing or literary agent world?
my book is way too similar too twilight?
i wrote out the plot for my manuscript september before last, and have only recently really got back into writing it, having had writers block. but, when i wasn’t writing, i read the twilight series, and this has been influencing my book, and ive been told by people i should change my plot because its too much like twilight! i wrote that before twilight was even out. i just need to ask, do you think i should change my plot, and how can i avoid sounding too much like a spin off of twilight. (btw, there are no vamps in this book)
no nasty comments please!
How do you get an agent to read your manuscript?
I am in the process of writing two books and have finished a few chapters each. (I tried focusing on only one, but found when plots jump into my head for the other I’ve got to write it right away.)
Anyhoos, I’d like to see if anyone would be interested or if its rubbish. I like it, but that goes without saying. 🙂
Need info. on how to self-edit a manuscript, and also how to write a professional synopsis?
When self-editing a novel, what kind of “problems” should I look for? Of course the usual such as grammar, but besides grammar and punctuation, what else should I look for when editing? Plot holes? Etc.
Also need info. on how to write a professional synopsis as I’m currently 2 chapters (approx. 40-50 pages) away from completion of my novel “Thaw”.
Yes that position does exist in the novel world right and it is called Editor. Most editing houses have a lot of levels of editor so they may have positions available. You’d need good writing skills and good business skills to know what is and isn’t going to sell in the market.