Your Top Picks for Plotting Resources
(2 min read)
Are you on #TeamPlotter or #TeamPantser? Or somewhere in-between? Folks either love plotting or seem to find it constraining their creativity. There are a few authors that tread the middle ground, tapping into bits of both worlds. (#TeamPlantser)
Plotting seems to be quite a personal thing for authors. Some love the make elaborate spreadsheets, tabbed for scenes, character attributes, arcs, etc. Some jot a few notes on a piece of paper or spread sticky notes over their walls.
With so many resources available, I recently asked plotters to chime in on their top plotting resources and why they like them. Here is what they said:
- Take Off Your Pants! by Libbie Hawker
- Great title, plus helps with character arcs and pacing, while still allowing some flexibility for pantsers.
- Novel Writing Step by Step (Evan Marshall)
- Sets specific goals for plotting, and is very helpful when something in your plot is not quite working right.
- Save the Cat! Writes a Novel (by Jessica Brody)
- This well-known resource takes the story beats from screenwriting and applies them to writing novels.
- Story Genius, by Lisa Cron: Using brain science to create page turning scenes, this resource not only walks through the ‘why’, but gives a step-by-step walk through for logical approaches to creates scenes that tap into the psyche behind readers.
Obviously, this is not an in-depth review, but a starting place for you to dive into plotting resources, with some tried and true offerings.
Do you have a favorite plotting resource? What works for you? Leave a comment and share your resources.
Happy Plotting (or not)!
Miffie
