The Importance of Plot Connections!
Greetings and Salutations Scribblers!
Today we’re chatting about plotting your novel, the mistakes I see the most often with newer, less experienced writers, and how you can avoid those pitfalls.
First, there are a few different methods you can use to structure the plot of your story. Some people use the three act structure, so you have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Other people like to use a four act structure, so you have a beginning, middle part A, middle part B, and then an end. Both are great ways to think about events and how you want them to occur in your novel.
We’ve talked about the four act structure in another video and for me, it’s the one I love the most. It really helps me to keep the focus of the story through the murky middle. Another method a lot of writers like to use is the Save the Cat beatsheet. This really breaks down the plot into its elements–think about the plot diagrams your grade school teacher might have made you fill out.
I recommend trying them all out and seeing which you like best or creating your own unique or hybrid version of plotting. Whatever works for you!
No matter what you choose, you’re going to create a series of events and situations your protagonist is going to work through.
And this is where I see newer writers making the biggest plotting mistake–it took me three manuscripts to figure it out! We lay out our plot and it’s full of exciting, emotional, tense conflict and action. We have arguments, heists, a break up, but there’s still something missing.
And that missing element is the thread that ties all of those moments together. Part of the reason it took me so long to get on board with this was because I was low-key frustrated when I’d watch a TV show or read a book and things were connected. It’s usually how the same side characters show up in the most convenient ways. Was it really a coincidence or was it just bad writing?
It was NOT bad writing. It was the author being VERY intentional about the set up and maintaining that thread of keeping everything connected. This was something I had to learn regarding story structure and now, as I read early manuscripts as an editor, I see other writers making the same mistake.
The second mistake I see newer writers making is having a string of REALLY cool moments that don’t actually affect or influence each other. Sometimes it resembles a bit of a quest where the characters travel to one location and do X, then they’re told to go to the next place and they deal with a whole new problem.
You want all of your events to be connected and to build off of one another. One of my favorite examples of this is the CW show The 100. Every decision those characters make is setting up for their next conflict whether it’s the main plot or a subplot. Everything is interrelated and oftentimes, their solution to the problem at hand almost immediately creates a new, escalated problem for them to deal with.
Okay, so how can you avoid these pitfalls in your writing?
My first piece of advice is to not worry about it too much when you’re drafting. As the first version of your story, just let it be what it’s going to be. Feel free to make some minor adjustments or make notes as you go through, but don’t let your focus on making sure everything lines up get in the way of getting words down.
Secondly, You’re going to want to look at how everything links up early in the revisions stage because it’s a structural edit. I like to use a reverse outline to look at how everything is interconnected. If you’re more of a visual person, you could make a classic murder board and have some fun with it!
But go back and look at each plot event. Who’s involved? How does the character solve it and what new complication does their solution bring? How can you streamline it or alter their actions so that there’s a stronger connection? Can you combine any moments into one?
My third piece of advice is to reuse those characters! Don’t introduce someone just for one scene. Let that character show up a few times–again, it’s a matter of streamlining. When I draft, I tend to create too many characters and then I have to slowly combine them until I have that web of connections that readers find so intriguing.
Because readers do like those things! I know I started out thinking it was just bad writing, but once I learned, I realized it was actually following the rules of a story and creating a stronger sense of engagement for the reader. Our brains like repeating patterns, so use that!
As the author, it is going to feel as though it’s a bit convenient or too much of a coincidence, but that’s because we’re so close to the story. I’ve actually had some bigger breakthroughs on plot things when I use a character more–it allows me to share more of the behind the scenes as I flesh out their involvement in the story and it’s a subtle way to bring that onto the page. Which means the reader is getting more information and context through the subtext which means they’re going to be more engaged with the characters and story.
To review, make sure everything connects–you want there to be a link back to every character, every moment, every problem and solution. Try to do this in the early revision stage by using a reverse outline to identify how each plot beat builds on the previous one and by streamlining events and characters. Paying attention to these details means higher engagement from the reader and it’ll allow you to develop your story more deeply than you originally imagined.
We’ll see you next time, happy writing scribblers!
As always, your mileage may vary! If you have any tips for recognizing burnout before it takes over completely, please drop those in the comments below.
Consisting of five sections, this course will include strategies for revising characters, plot, pacing, and worlding building. It also includes resources for copyediting and for gaining insight into your manuscripts theme and purpose
