Happy summer, dear readers,
Summer’s bounty grows in the garden much like the story I’m plotting for the next NaNoWriMo. I’ve always written as a Pantserand thought just this once to write on the Plotted side of the margin. How hard can it be? Harder than this writer thought! I’m getting too caught up in the research.
One of my writery friends suggested Planninginstead of Plotting. She said to start with the ordinary world and write to the Inciting Incident. This should reveal their exterior and internal desires. From there, the character has to hit the Point of no Return. There has to be a battle of some sort where my character shifts from victim to warrior. Then a more difficult conflict leads to the Dark moment where my character triumphs, and returns to life as usual once again.
I’m not convinced planning is the way to go either. Planning sounds very complicated.
“Betty, planning is easier than you realize. A planned plot is much like you battling the weeds sprouting in the vegetable garden. Your external desire is to have bushels of bounty, but internally you want to have the best garden in the neighborhood. You would hit the point of no return when you buy weed barrier instead of that cute fabric at Joanne’s you were eyeing for new curtains.”
“That would be a tough choice. I’ve saved all winter by coupon clipping for that yellow chintz material,” I say.
“That’s why it’s called the Point of No Return. Your choice is difficult and changes your course of action. After securing weed guard along the rows, you consider yourself victorious. Then the unexpected happens—a rabbit eats the tops off all the vegetables. You wouldn’t get any yield, and instead would become the worst gardener. After repairing the fence hole, and still no sprouts, the neighboring gardeners hears the news and offers you some plants from their gardens. You all have a bountiful harvest and you made the decision to stop being a garden snob.
“I am not a garden snob!” After a moment’s thought, “Maybe a little bit.”
However, the story of my life, as my writer friend surmised, sounds like a terrific way to plan a novel. I’ll get to it right after I check the garden fence for holes.
Happy Writing!