Plotting Help (Free of Charge!)

[Folith-Feolin]

@whalekeeper

otherworldlyHistorian and I are brothers.

[hybridlore]

Hey guys!! So I was brainstorming a lot yesterday, and I think I figured out a plot for my WIP, but I’m still not sure about the ending or even the middle.

I don’t even remember who saw my last post about it, lol except for @kyronthearcanin, @smiley, @esther-c and @euodia-vision … (Sorry to whoever I’m forgetting 😰)

So basically, I fixed a few things I wanted to change and now… Idk what to do for the ending, because it seems like all the action is in the first act and that’s … not great.

Here’s my super basic outline xD

Protagonist helps the rebels and they frame her. She tries to convince the authorities she is the assassin because the rebels have her brother, but an apprentice enforcer doesn’t believe her. He helps her escape, somehow she gets reunited with her brother. (Maybe then she leaves the colony to find her dad?)

I guess I feel better about the beginning, and then the end is just … 🤔 And now I’m wondering if it would be better as a short story, and not a novel.

What do you guys think?? Any ideas on different endings, or things that can happen to make it more interesting?

Thanks! 🙂

(More tags!) @freedomwriter76 @godlyfantasy12 @whalekeeper @anyone-else

There is always light behind the clouds.
- Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

[Whaley]

@hybridlore

Archaeology is part of it. But I think I have a better idea for how to go about this, so thank you anyway 😛

Ah, interesting story idea. Could you give me a little more context? Why are there rebels, and why did she help them? Why did they turn against her? Why does this apprentice help her, if there’s a possibility she’s an assassin?

@folith-feolin

Right, that’s what I thought. Cool.

KaPeefers 'til we're old and gray...

[hybridlore]

@whalekeeper

Oh no problem!! Glad you found an idea 😁

Ok, this might turn into a rant xD

I haven’t really figured out who the rebels are yet, but I can share my ideas 😉

Soo right now I’m thinking one of her coworkers got into their like, circle, and they want to pull off an assassination because they hate the leader of the colony. Or one of the leaders, idk. Honestly, it doesn’t have to be an assassination but Idk what I would have them do otherwise, probably some sort of theft lol.

So then anyway, her coworker shows up at her house and asks her to join, because they need another partner. But she says no, and then one of the other rebels threatens her brother because he’s sick of looking for other people .. ? Again not really sure about some parts lol. They could bribe the main character.

Then she agrees to help, but she’s not going to kill anyone. So she gets into the building (probably by going undercover, or climbing something … idk) and then helps her coworker and his friends get in, they pull off whatever they’re doing, and then leave … without her.

Here’s where I have a lot of ideas but nothing in the outline 😅 I’m thinking she probably has like some kind of equipment that makes her seem guilty, and then a radio to talk to the others. So then she tells him to come back for her, and he tells her if she doesn’t turn herself in, her brother will get hurt.

Then idk what happens after that, I know she’ll do it lol but then my ideas kind of ran out … yesterday I wanted to use something like I had in the outline, and I still might, but it just seems kind of like … slow. Like any ideas on how to make the ending more interesting and have more action?

Sorry that really was a rant XDXD Hope you don’t mind reading all that!!

There is always light behind the clouds.
- Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

[hybridlore]

Also I’m not really sure how to bring theme into all this 😅 So if anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear them!

There is always light behind the clouds.
- Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

[Karissa Chmil]

*casually comments because this will be helpful later xD*

Honestly, besides Abbie Emmons and StoryEmbers, the thing that’s been the most helpful in plotting is a whiteboard. XD At our current house we have a huge whiteboard on the wall, and being able to fill it with all the plot points and character arc beats and random notes is spectacular. *happy sigh*

wonder | beauty | truth | love

[Esther]

@hybridlore

I like the development you have so far. As of now, I don’t have many ideas, but I’ll give you some either on Monday or Tuesday. 😊

Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende

[hybridlore]

@esther-c @karissa-chmil

Thanks!! 🙂 Honestly it’s changed a bit already xD I’m not really set on anything, right now I might just have the story be some sort of heist/plot instead

I really like the characters and the arcs I have already, I’m just struggling to figure out the plot so it matches xD But hopefully I’ll figure it out soon!

There is always light behind the clouds.
- Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

[Whaley]

Hey y’all! I’ve discovered the power of bullet points XD I’mma just share how I do it, if anyone else is having trouble.

So what really helps, is to get down into the nitty-gritty of each individual character’s plot. Like, down to the very slivers of development. Here is a random example…

• Jack decides he wants to rule the seas.
• Jack decides he needs a pirate ship.
• He brags about the pirate ship he will get.
• He researches ships AFTER bragging about it.
• He discovers they don’t sell pirate ships on Amazon.
• Jack is depressed.

Getting down into the tiny details really helps. Especially if you underline the main points of the entire thing, and look at it with a bird’s eye view.

When I say tiny details, I mean the subplots that are kind of squished into one big plot. Like – “we need to save the world by getting the superweapon – the superweapon is hidden in a maze – oh no, one of our team members is trapped in the maze” etc.

Building off Brandon Sanderson, every charrie’s story is filled with promises. When Jack decide he is going to rule the seas, we are essentially promising the reader he will get to do so – or, if he is self-centered and vain, the reader is promised that he will at least try his best. You’re supposed to fulfill those promises with smaller check boxes, all pointed towards the hero’s goal.

I know it’s a tiny tip, and EVERYONE has heard this tip, but it’s super cool.

KaPeefers 'til we're old and gray...

[Whaley]

Like, it’s so simple, I love it XD

KaPeefers 'til we're old and gray...

[Euodia]

@whalekeeper

I have actually never heard this tip before, so THANKS FOR SHARING! That is VERY helpful.

I rolled the log over and underneath was a tiny little stick and I was like, "That log had a child

[Keilah H.]

@whalekeeper LOL I’m laughing so hard about that plot you have.

Maybe it doesn’t help that I’m listening to funny music while reading it, but still.

Where'd I get ya this time? The liver? The kidney? I'm runnin' outta places to put holes in ya.

[Whaley]

@euodia-vision

Of course!!! Also, I really, REALLY recommend Brandon Sanderson’s plot lectures on YouTube. He has the most advanced advice I’ve ever heard, and I am still digesting it all XD The promise concept (that I mentioned above) is a bit of what his lectures aim for.

@keilah-h

MwA-HA-hA-Ha-HAaAa

This is called a comedic tragedy. 😈 It is a favorite genre of mine to write in.

KaPeefers 'til we're old and gray...

[Euodia]

@whalekeeper

Oooh, okay, thanks for the tip. I’ll have to look into it. 😊

I rolled the log over and underneath was a tiny little stick and I was like, "That log had a child

[Keilah H.]

@whalekeeper lol!

Where'd I get ya this time? The liver? The kidney? I'm runnin' outta places to put holes in ya.

[Author]

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