How To Plot Your Novel

Ever had a great story idea but start writing and it falls flat/you're constantly making revisions or changing directions or you're struggling to get your head around the story? Plotting is the map to help you navigate as you write your story.

Includes catered lunch (please enter any dietary requirements on form)

This one-day workshop will give you the practical tools to help you with the most essential elements of plotting:

• character driven plots
• goal, motivation and conflict
• character journey/growth
• pacing - reflection, action, dialogue
• whose point of view to use in a scene
• the importance of emotion
• the importance of hooks
• dribbling in backstory rather than an information dump
• secondary characters
• creating questions for readers and answering those questions

The first part of the day will cover theory, and the second part will be focused on exercises to flesh out the bones of your story to help make it compelling. This will involve a storyboard approach to:

• give you an overall picture and streamline your plotting
• shape the story through connecting scenes/chapters
• keep track of all the threads
• identify holes and tighten plot structure
  

About Alyssa Montgomery

Alyssa is a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary romance published by Escape Publishing, Harlequin Enterprises Australia. She also writes medieval romance as Alyssa James.