The process of writing a novel
Part 1

I start by plotting the story. This is going to be the first part of what I hope will end up being a nine-part series that covers the complete writing of the second book in the trilogy A Stag-Vixen Journey. The first book had the working title of First Tentative Steps. It was accepted by Deep Desires Press and should be out late 2022 or early 2023.

Start by Plotting

At the start of September of 2021, I finished First Tentative Steps and sent out queries. It was the second time to seek traditional publishing for the trilogy. I sat down using Plottr and laid out the full story.

I use the 7-Point-Plot structure to define the story.  It took several tries and, in the end, I had a full fifty six chapter to write.  Using plotter, I printed out a full list of all the characters, and the scenes that I needed to write.

Start by plotting the last chapter

It was counter intuitive at first, but in the 7-Point-Plot structure it is best to start at the end.  I laid out the final chapters and where each character was.  This gave me the end point of the story. It also showed me the end of the MC’s character arc. 

I did things differently in the first book. I had a general idea of where I was going, I set up all 7 points, and took off writing.  My target was 75,000 words and I finished the first book at 98,000.

Ooops!

Lot’s of editing later, I had it down to 78,000 words.  This book had to be different.  In taking my time to fight through three weeks of plotting, I found that starting with the final chapter, then moving to the opening makes sense.

Plotting Order

Searching for the 7-Point-Plot structure led me to this sequence at Master Class

1.    Resolution (how the story ends)

2.    Hook (how it begins)

3.    Midpoint (middle of the entire story)

4.    Plot Turn 1 (middle between the Hook and the Midpoint)

5.    Plot Turn 2 (middle between the Midpoint and the Resolution)

6.    Pinch 1 (middle between the first Plot Turn and the Midpoint)

7.    Pinch 2 (middle between the Midpoint and the second Plot Turn)

The sequence, as stated earlier is a bit counter intuitive until you do it once.  The hook of the story must be at the polar opposite of the story.  If I end happy, I start sad.  Simple!

The next step is to figure out where your character stops reacting and starts to act. The MC is probably still a bit clueless, but action must be taken. The first and second plot turns go next, and then to move the plot forward in the right direction, the first and second pinch points come last.

Character Arc as I start by plotting

The first novel was told mostly by the husband, Mike Abramson.  This book belongs to the wife in the story.  Defining Mike’s character arc took time.  The effort to develop an honest character arc for Helen Abramson was a challenge. 

The storyline is simple, the journey though, is fraught with perils.  Helen has to transit through a very difficult time in her life, and deal with long buried trauma.  Throughout the book, and through the plot, I put milestones for her to achieve on the road to completing her arc.  It was a difficult arc to create and keep the book interesting and moving.

If you start by plotting, then what?

The next segment in this 9-week journey covers taking everything from Plottr into my main writing tool: Scrivener 3 for Windows. 

Leave some comments about this section, and I hope to see you in the next part.