Teen Author Challenge, Week 6 – Plotting strategies, part two

Welcome to Week 6 of the Teen Author Challenge!

A quick note… I’m doing an impromptu Google Friend Connect giveaway. Since we’re nearing 100 after only a month, I thought it would be fun to celebrate the 100 milestone by giving away an ARC of The Cinderella Society as soon as we pass it. So if you haven’t Google Friended yet, be sure to do it now. The ARC will go to one of the friends listed when we reach 100. Someone’s gotta win, why not you?

And now, down to business.

This week, we’re going to continue our discussion of different plotting strategies that can help you get a handle on your creative process. But first, a bit of inspiration from the wonderful Alyson Noel.

Exclusive TAC Quote of the Week

“Getting published is hard—and staying published is hard too. And once you’ve gotten past the gate keepers there’s a whole new legion of people just waiting to reject you—foreign publishers, reviewers, Hollywood, it never ends. You’ll spend loads of time in front of your computer, declining invitations from family and friends so you can hang out with your characters a little longer, get that chapter just right, or meet a deadline. You’ll have great moments and not so great moments, triumphs and defeats (sometimes within the same day!). But if you’re driven to do it—and let’s face it, writers write, it’s what we do—then you’ll keep plugging away, reminding yourself that it only takes one ‘yes’ to get you where you want to be.”

~ Alyson Noël
Blue Moon (St. Martin’s Press, 7/09)
#1 New York Times bestseller

Teen Author Challenge, Week 6

Before we dive back into plotting, I want to reiterate the one essential truth that I mentioned last week:

There is no right or wrong way to write a book.

We’re talking about plotting techniques (and will get to the world of pantsing as well) simply to introduce you to the many different ways of getting ready to write. Last week, Sara Hantz talked about the well-known snowflake method. I also mentioned several other well-known plotting methods taught by some of the top writing/screenwriting coaches in the industry.

But you don’t have to use a famous plotting technique to be effective. Sometimes you get a tip from another writer or come up with something completely on your own. And sometimes it’s a combination of the two. This week, I’m delighted to bring you a great custom plotting technique from fellow Tenner C.J. Omololu. C.J. actually wrote an article about her plotting technique in the Summer 2009 issue of Once Upon a Time magazine. She graciously agreed to summarize her process for you here as well. (Thanks, C.J.!)

How to Write a Book – Nine Steps for Plotting Fiction

Okay, maybe this should be called “How I Write a Book”. I love books on writing – my two favorites are On Writing by Stephen King and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I’m always fascinated by the process that each writer goes through when they write and by seeing how other people work, I have pulled together a process that has worked pretty well for me over the past few years.

Among writers of middle grade and young adult novels, the age-old question is do you outline or let it fly? I used to be a die-hard let-it-flyer, rejecting the notion of plotting out a book because it killed the creative spirit. In my mind, outliners didn’t give their muse room to roam, to let the story unfold in front of them and missed the thrilling experience of letting the characters drive your story, often to places that you’d never thought about before. And then, I got an agent.

One of the brilliant things about my agent is that while she is very nice, she is also direct. After we signed together, one of her first comments about a current work in progress was “you’ve got a nice situation here—where’s the plot”? In my love for my characters and their issues, I’d forgotten to actually have enough motivation, desire and action to move the story forward. Not only did this waste time and cause a lot of rewriting, but it often results in the “muddle middles” where you know how the story is going to end, but you have no idea how you are going to get there.

I spend a lot of time on the message boards at www.verlakay.com. One of the threads on the message boards one day was about plotting, and someone had posted an idea about plotting fiction in nine easy steps. I tried it, and it worked really well for me because it is a nice balance between a full outline and letting the creativity flow. Without further ado, and with a heavy nod to the brilliant writers on www.verlakay.com, I present to you my version of the Nine Steps for Plotting Fiction.

First, get a piece of paper. I like something large, like 11×14 so you have a little room to write. Fold it in thirds lengthwise and in thirds widthwise. Open it up and you will have nine equal squares. These squares may or may not represent chapters, depending on the length of your story. They can just as easily represent sections of the book as the arc of your story builds. You will number the squares 1-9, and put the following in each numbered square:

Square #1. Trigger
This is the reason that you are writing the book in the first place. What sets the story in motion and why should the reader spend time with your work? Think long and hard about what the trigger really is, with not a lot of backstory or lead-in. Your triggering event should happen very early in the book – the first sentence isn’t too soon.

Square #2. Characterization
Some writers argue that character is more important that plot. This may or may not be true, but you need to have strong characters in order for your reader to want to keep reading your book. You have to make them care. This box is where you explore the character of your protagonist. Why is this character in the story and how does the triggering event affect him or her? Again, don’t rely on a lot of backstory here—simply the reaction to the trigger can tell a lot about the character.

Square #3. First Turning Point
Because of the trigger and the strong characterization of the protagonist, the reader is engaged in the story. Now you throw in a twist. This can be positive or negative, but should lay the groundwork for the negative turning point you are going to put in square number six. You will notice on your paper, square three is touching square six. This is because what happens in this square affects what comes in the later square.

Square #4. Exposition
You can slow it down a little here and give the reader a breather. Now is the time to fill them in on anything else that is important. Notice that this box is underneath square one—you can now give the reader some information on the triggering event. It also touches box seven, so you should also give hints about how the antagonist will win (temporarily). This may include a character flaw, a relationship with another character or some history that will contribute to the story in the future.

Square #5. Connections
You will see that this box is the very center of the story and it must connect all the squares that touch it (that’s all of them). This box should build upon the things you introduced in boxes two and four and can also give the impression of a false resolution to the problem before you move on to the craziness that is box six. Make sure you have included some foreshadowing of the revelation that will come in box eight. This is the most difficult box to write, but it is also the most important.

Square #6. Negative Turning Point
This is where all heck breaks loose. Bad stuff happens and it looks like all is lost. Of course, box nine will turn that all around, but the reader won’t know that at this point.

Square #7. Antagonist Wins
Building on box six, it looks like the bad guy is going to triumph here. Make sure you use the characterization in box two and the story from box four as you write how your main character deals with this defeat.

Square #8. Revelation
The big “a ha!” moment. The revelation for the main character will turn everything around. The main character will connect the pieces of the story, overcome the obstacles you have laid out in boxes six and seven and use the information in box five in their understanding.

Square #9. Protagonist Wins
Box six is turned on its head and the character uses the revelation in box eight in order to triumph over their obstacles. Congratulations – you now have well rounded characters in a plot that moves the reader along to a satisfying conclusion!

Like all good “how-tos”, your mileage may vary when using this plotting tool. For me, it is a great way to lay out the plot points while still giving your characters freedom to evolve and develop. I find that just having a few sentences that lay out what comes ahead causes much less pain when it comes to writing the middle part of the book.

~ C.J. Omololu
Dirty Little Secrets
(Walker, February 2010)

Your Weekly Challenge

Grab a piece of paper, fold it into nine squares, and give this method a quick try. Since you don’t know if this method will work for you, don’t spend more than five minutes on any block at first. That means in just 45 minutes you’ll have walked through C.J.’s entire process at least on a first pass.

If this method resonates with you, go back through and spend as much time on the squares as you want and consider it a major win that you’ve found something that might work for you! If this method doesn’t resonate with you (remember, every writer works differently!), take the best parts of what you came up with and jot them down in your Teen Author Challenge notebook. It’s a win because you came up with ideas you can use for your own personal plotting or pantsing method plus you’ll have discovered more about what does and doesn’t work for you from a plotting perspective.

For this week’s participation, comment on whether this process worked for you or not. Sharing something cool that you discovered about your character or the story along the way gets you an extra entry into the Teen Author Challenge monthly giveaway!

The Teen Author Challenge Contest

Throughout the year-long Teen Author Challenge (TAC ends June 2010!), I’ll be giving away a book of the winner’s choice from my personal writing shelf. Why am I doing this? Because becoming a skilled writer has two important parts: learning about your craft and practicing your craft. That’s why active participation in each weekly challenge is so important!

So what can you win? Books to choose from include:

1. The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
2. Your Novel Proposal: From Creation to Contract by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook
3. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall
4. The Career Novelist by Donald Maass
5. Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
6. Mastering Point of View by Sherri Szeman
7. Creating Characters Kids Will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin
8. Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
9. Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon

Everyone who participates via the comments on the Teen Author Challenge posts will be entered into this monthly contest.

Go forth and be creative!

Entry Filed under: Paying It Forward,Teen Author Challenge