Writing Tips

by Nancy Kress

by Nancy Kress

Highly recommended book for story writers!

Plotting Templates

My student may be here for a tip or two about how to get started in Nanowrimo Month. Here is my favorite outline for beginning a story, taken from a workshop leader, but which one I can't remember.

Can you fill in the blanks with your story and follow a similar story arc? Yes, it's that simple in the beginning!

Blake Snyder SAVE THE CAT Story Beats:

 1. Opening Image

2. Theme States

3. Set-up

4. Catalyst

5. Debate

6. Break into Two

7. B Story

8. Fun and Games

9. Midpoint

10. Bad Guys Close In

11. All is Lost

12. Dark Night of the Soul

13. Break into 3

14. Finale

15. Final Image

Hero’s Journey Story Beats (McKee, Hauge/Vogler)

  1. The Ordinary World

2. Call to Adventure/ the thing that changes everything

3. Um, no/Refusal of the Call

4. Meet the Mentor

5. Crossing the first Threshold

6. Training Sequence/Tests, Allies, Enemies

7. Throwing Stones/It gets harder

8. The Ordeal (crisis)

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)

10. The Road Back (to the Ordinary World)

11. Resurrection (3^rd Threshold) (Climax)

12. Return with the Elixar