Hi everyone I started a short story but came up with little nuggets of ideas that would be more ideal in a novel. I wanted to ask someone who has written or is writing a novel how they manage to plot the whole thing through. (If you haven't worked it out by now, this question is for Plotters) I read from the internet that some authors like to find out their inciting incident, mid-point, climax, and their major plot turns before they write. What about you? What is your method?
My novel came to me as I drifted to sleep one night - the end, and why. So for me I have the beginning and end. The middle is being done by knowing that I must weave into it many sections of twists and turns that keeps the reader interesting and showing them in such a way as they both relate to it, and feel it.
Easier said than done, but when I watch a movie, television, or read stories I watch and analyze the hows and whys of what works and doesn’t. I then build on what I have seen and where I want to go to make my story not only different, but better (if possible).
Interesting characters that are different
Situations to add emotion
Show the read by prose what is … , don’t tell them
And don’t try to make it perfect the first time around; just write it, later you can perfect it.
Best wishes.
The method I've used depends on having ideas for the beginning and end of a story. Basically, I write chapter headings 1-30 and write down one idea or scene against each. That's the basic plot which is why you need start and finish points. Take as much time as you want because you'll build the novel on this framework.
I tend to take a couple of weeks at least, but I break each chapter idea into a further three scenes and each of these into three again. It might sound over complicated but it means if I can write a page on each of my final scenes (300 words) I'll end up with 30 chapters of approximately 3000 words - a 90k novel.
This is over-simplified, of course. Plot ideas will change as you write, but a 1-30 plan like this is easy to amend. It's worked twice for me so far.
Thank you for the advice Kareen, I have made a note of it and will surely try out your method if I ever get past the idea stage haha