Fill-in-the-Blank Plotting - A Guide to Outlining a Novel

by Linda George

Paperback, 2009

Status

Available

Genres

Business

Fiction

Collection

Pamela Sage Dodson and Peter M. Dodson Collection

Publication

Crickhollow Books (2009), 76 pages

Description

This book combines the two most reliable story structures: the Hero¿s Journey and the Three-Act Structure, and shows writers how to merge them to create a powerful plot. For those of us who have to work hard at turning our ideas into a workable story, here is a helping hand. Linda George¿s method for outlining allows flexibility and ¿eureka¿ moments, while providing a reliable way to develop scenes, characters, turning points, and other dramatic elements to strengthen your novel. In this book, Linda shares her two plotting boards, presents the twelve steps of the Hero¿s Journey, and shows in detail how the Journey fits into the classic Three-Act Structure. A fill-in-the-blank method may sound formulaic, but proves to be a wonderful platform for creativity ¿ a sturdy trellis for the climbing vines of your story. LINDA GEORGE is a teacher, author of a number of nonfiction books, and a novelist. She lives in West Texas.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member JudyCroome

A useful and practical workbook on how to plot a story by combining two different story structures (The hero's journey and the 3 act play). Well set out and easy to read, this book makes plotting seem easy. Gives excellent breakdown of classic novels (Gone with the Wind, Treasure Island) so that

the plotting method described is clearly demonstrated.

I liked the way the book stayed focused on the task at hand (showing us how to plot.) I find outlining/plotting the worst part of writing, but this book has broken plotting down into clear and manageable steps.

Show Less

1 more

LibraryThing member anneearney

A slim book explaining how to use both the hero's journey and three-act structure to plot a novel. Explained in easy-to-understand terms, with just enough guidance and examples to make it sound easy. I intend to try out this method on the book I've just started. I'm already a fan of plotting,

having used a multi-page plot for my last book, and I like the idea of using time-tested structures to create the next one. I'll update this as the book progresses and I see how it works and how it compares to the last method I used, which was much less structured.

Show Less

Fewer