NaNoWriMo Prep – Plot

K. L. Small

My NaNoWriMo Prep includes spending time defining the plot and the sequence of events for a writing project.

Plotter or Pantser?

I’m a confirmed plotter. Some individuals write by “the seat of their pants” and are called pantsers. That’s very spontaneous, if you can do it. I need the roadmap a detailed plot provides.

The main benefit of being a plotter is I have a good sense of where my story is going. In fact, on past projects I’ve been able to skip around to write scenes I was really excited about, and then came back later to fill in some scenes that perhaps were more challenging.

Save the Cat Approach

Save the Cat Writes a Novel provides a three Act format with detailed parts called beats. The NaNoWriMo site includes a resource tool for the Save the Cat approach.

In Act 1 the reader meets the main character and sees a bit of that character’s life before the inciting incident, which is called the Catalyst. This is the event that triggers a need for the character to change. This is followed by a debate, when the main character has to make a decision to deal with the catalyst situation.

Act 2 is the middle of the book, it includes “fun and games” as the character advances in meeting the challenge posed by the inciting incident. There’s a midpoint, and then things go bad and then even worse. Dark night is dangerous for the main character.

Act 3 leads into the confrontation/battle/showdown that ultimately results in the resolution. This is what is often called the climax of the story. The curtain goes down on a final image of the main character changed as a result of the previous activities.

NaNoWriMo Prep – My Plot

My NaNoWriMo project includes three main characters, and each has a story line that earns its own Save the Cat beat sheets. My plot weaves their story lines together. Here’s a sneak peak at Act 1:

Plot 1 – A retired teacher languishes in a senior home without a purpose anymore. Until one day, she receives a Poison Pen letter.

Plot 2 – A hard-working professional deals with clients and a rocky mother/daughter relationship. Until one day, she is laid off due to a business merger/acquisition.

Plot 3 – A high school student gets involved in a Sophomore Fun Day prank. It’s all fun, until she gets caught and faces juvenile detention.

Three characters and three story lines– all woven together with some subplot stories and minor characters involved. You’ll have to read the finished book to find out what happens.

Scrivener

Scrivener is a computer tool for writers. It allows you to create virtual note cards. Note cards and the prose associated with each note card can be moved around without having to copy and paste. With the multiple story lines involved in my project, that’s a great feature.

At this point, all three plots are loaded in Scrivener. They currently appear as separate story lines. Eventually, I will rearrange the scenes to integrate the separate plots into a single story.

NaNoWriMo Prep – Word Count

With NaNoWriMo starting on November 1, the final aspect of this NaNoWriMo Prep series will focus on tracking word count.

In closing, the NaNoWriMo Prep series includes several posts about my steps. You can read them in any order: