Samantha: Welcome to Plot Ebb and Flow. This is my first time hosting a workshop, so go easy on me. I’m here to help in any way I can when it comes to working out a plot for your novel.8:00 PM
Hanney: oh, white and shiny8:00 PM
Samantha: Yep.8:01 PM
Hanney: I'm sure you'll do fine....and I'm looking forward to it!8:01 PM
Samantha8:01 PM
For this workshop, you may used this worksheet to help organize your thoughts, or you can just use it as a template:
drive.google.com/file/d/0B4aCWQ0...
housekat: yay....prepare to be annoyed by me big grin8:01 PM
Samantha: Annoy me!8:01 PM
housekat: hahahaha8:02 PM
housekat: i've never been a behaved student8:02 PM
Hanney: oh, love the worksheets!8:02 PM
Samantha: You can thank Kitty whenever you see her. She provided them.8:02 PM
Kate answered: Definitely8:03 PM
Samantha: For me, when it comes to writing a novel, I have problems with the beginning and ending of the story. Unless I get writer’s block, the middle usually flows easily. What are some of the hardest things for you when it comes to dealing with your plot?8:04 PM
housekat: skipping parts...like how a character got from A to B...8:05 PM
Samantha: Ahhh, transitions.8:05 PM
Nell answered: Definitely8:05 PM
housekat: it's in my head...somehow, i assume that everyone can read my mind8:05 PM
Nell joined the chat8:06 PM
Samantha: Hi Nell8:06 PM
housekat: hi Nell8:06 PM
krazikrys was timed out8:06 PM
Hanney: beginning and end are the hardest, but sometimes writing the middle isn't easy either as I usually prefer to write in order and often work towards a catch-scene that has been in my mind to write from the very beginning, like a goal (it's usually the climax)8:06 PM
Anais: beginnings are my best parts, middles are ok but ive yet to end8:06 PM
housekat: the ending is tough too8:06 PM
Samantha: I'm like that too, Hanney. I like to write very linear.8:06 PM
DreamWriter: beginnings and transitions/keeping track of continuity (I tend to write in "snapshots")8:06 PM
Nell: Hey everyone.8:06 PM
DreamWriter: so non-linear8:06 PM
Kate left this message:8:07 PM
I get stuck in the middle, when things seem to get boring.
Samantha: You need to begin strong and end strong. Those are what readers tend to remember the most.8:07 PM
Samantha: Kate, you need to join the chat. There should be a button for it.8:07 PM
housekat: yeah, writing filler is boring and i lose interest8:07 PM
Kate joined the chat8:07 PM
Samantha: That's how I feel about beginnings. All of that background information that is oh so important.8:08 PM
Samantha: Welcome, Kate.8:08 PM
Anais: ive learned to start in the action. its keeping it up that kills me8:08 PM
Kate: Thanks.8:08 PM
housekat: transitioning from flashback to present day8:09 PM
housekat: i have lots of problems big grin8:09 PM
Samantha: Those are all common problems for writers.8:09 PM
Samantha: Now, some of the pressure of Nanowrimo can be taken off of your shoulders, when you already have some key details worked out. Now remember, nothing is set in stone.8:09 PM
Samantha: In my first nanowrimo, about halfway through the month, my mc turned out to be a seer and there wasn’t supposed to be anything supernatural about the story. I was just forced to go with the flow.8:09 PM
Hanney: I'm debating trying Mel's idea of writing the different scenes/chapters/whatever and putting them in order later...and maybe in the process I'll actually come up with a beginning and end...LOL8:10 PM
Samantha: Well, Hanney, maybe the first sprint will help you then.8:10 PM
Hanney: LOL, Sam...sounds like it got to be a cool story, though8:10 PM
housekat: that's another problem: not enough 'patches'8:11 PM
Samantha: Never finished it. By the end of November, I kind of hated it.8:11 PM
Kate: I haven't written sci-fi in nearly 20 years, except for parodies. I'm worried about world-building inconsistencies in the middle.8:11 PM
Samantha: Okay, we’re going to do some work sprints, where you’ll answer very important questions about your novel.8:11 PM
housekat: whoo hoo!8:11 PM
Samantha: The first sprint is for 15 minutes. Describe your story by writing down the beginning, middle, and end.8:12 PM
Cloud: back8:12 PM
Cloud: big grin8:12 PM
Samantha: Write as little or as much as you want, depending on what you already know about your plot.8:12 PM
Samantha: WB, Cloud8:12 PM
Samantha: If it's okay with everyone, we'll go at :15. Any objections?8:13 PM
Hanney: what if I don't know the beginning? only the past/flashbacks, not the beginning8:13 PM
Samantha: Then write that down. Some of that past might make a good beginning point, or a Prologue.8:14 PM
Samantha: Ready8:15 PM
Samantha: Set8:15 PM
Samantha: Go For 158:15 PM
Samantha closed the chat8:15 PM
Samantha opened the chat8:30 PM
Samantha: STOP8:30 PM
Samantha: Does anyone want to share anything? Are there any questions about your beginning, middle, or end? Maybe someone else in the room can help you work out an issue.8:30 PM
Anais: i have a beginning and an end, but no idea how to really fill in the middle8:31 PM
Anais: i know general things that'll happen though8:31 PM
Samantha: You could try Mel's quilting method. That might help you fill in the middle.8:31 PM
Samantha: I've done it actually8:31 PM
housekat: how do i determine what's middle and what's end?8:32 PM
Anais: thats where the general things come in to play big grin8:32 PM
Cloud: what's building to climax and what's resolution8:32 PM
Samantha: The end is after the climax, so if the most exciting thing in your novel already happened, you should be closing in on the end.8:32 PM
Samantha: Resolution is when the problem is fixed, if it is going to be fixed in that novel. It might only be book 1.8:33 PM
housekat: i dunno that i have a climax8:33 PM
Samantha: Everyone has a climax. You just haven't discovered yours, yet.8:34 PM
Cloud: some stories have multiple ones.8:34 PM
Samantha: If you still have some problems that haven't been resolved, you're still in the middle, Kat.8:34 PM
housekat: i don't even know what the problem(s) is/are yet8:34 PM
Samantha: That's one of the questions a sprint is going to cover.8:35 PM
Kate: I think my climax is too close to the end.8:36 PM
Samantha: That might be, but it might not. It depends on the story. When you get to that point, you'll have details filled in between the climax and end, and it should distance the two a bit.8:38 PM
housekat: i did the quilting thing and don't even have 15 patches8:38 PM
Samantha: Trying being more general in your plot when you do quilting. Think about what you'd like to happen.8:39 PM
Samantha: Not just things that have to happen8:39 PM
Samantha: Now, the second sprint is for 10 minutes. Where does your story start? What characters are there? What is the setting? What is happening?8:40 PM
Samantha: Write as much as you can about the opening setting and characters.8:40 PM
Kate changed name to OldPoetsSoul8:41 PM
Samantha: We'll go at :458:41 PM
Cloud: yeah think of random stuff. it's okay if it doesn't stick, but you never know what you can learn from random. smile8:41 PM
housekat: like what?8:42 PM
Samantha: Okay, we'll hold off on the sprint.8:43 PM
Samantha: What's the basic plot?8:44 PM
Cloud: anything!8:44 PM
Cloud: dates. thinking in a notebook.8:44 PM
Cloud: dinner8:44 PM
Cloud: at the gym.8:44 PM
Samantha: airplane crash?8:44 PM
Samantha: something that adds drama is a surefire way to get words.8:44 PM
housekat: i just need somewhere for my mind to go8:45 PM
Dani Moth joined the chat8:45 PM
Samantha: Hi Dani8:46 PM
housekat: they're at a recovery/rehab center8:46 PM
Dani Moth: Hey big grin8:46 PM
housekat: hi dani8:46 PM
Samantha: Okay, maybe you MC has a panic attack.8:46 PM
Samantha: Maybe she gets into a forbidden relationship with one of the workers?8:46 PM
housekat: hmmm8:47 PM
Samantha: Maybe family visits and there's tension there?8:47 PM
housekat: i like that idea8:47 PM
Samantha: Or maybe she's lonely because her family doesn't visits and others have family.8:47 PM
Cloud: a relapse!8:47 PM
Cloud: hallucinations?8:47 PM
Samantha: There's a bunch of things you can do with that kind of setting.8:47 PM
housekat: that'll come later8:47 PM
Cloud: from withdrawing/recovering8:47 PM
Cloud: you can layer those in. wink8:48 PM
housekat: now i got some more ideas...thanks8:48 PM
Cloud: not just all at once. layering makes it more tnese and suspenseful. small ones then BOOM BIG8:48 PM
Samantha: Just start brainstorming and one idea might stick as gold.8:48 PM
Samantha: Okay. We can do the next sprint at :50.8:49 PM
Samantha8:49 PM
As a reminder. Where does your story start? What characters are there? What is the setting? What is happening?
Write as much as you can about the opening setting and characters.
housekat: i will probably need your help with that in dec, cloud8:49 PM
Samantha: Ready8:50 PM
Samantha: Set8:50 PM
Samantha: Go for 108:50 PM
Samantha closed the chat8:50 PM
Samantha opened the chat9:00 PM
Samantha: STOP9:00 PM
Samantha: Does anyone want to share?9:00 PM
housekat: i only got through half...lol9:01 PM
Dani Moth: I need to figure out a) what my FMC went to college for and b) what my FMC's father's name is.9:01 PM
Cloud: I got food. :[9:01 PM
Anais: xavier and arianna have just stolen a device, blowing up the lab they used to create it. theyve run into the ghettos just as the lock downs begun. lucretia comes across them in her wanderings and triggers the device bringing the three back in time9:01 PM
Samantha: Kat, do you want to share anything you have?9:01 PM
housekat9:01 PM
Beginning in kaia’s apartment. she’s been crying and there is a knock on the door. it’s jeremy. he kisses her - flashback to how she got there
» visiting her fav sick uncle in montana...describe hosp room, smells, white, empty, cold
» ralph talks to her and tells her piece of wisdom; notices chris--asks about him. is this who you’re always talking about. tells him to take care of his niece
» vera walks in interrupts...rude to chris and kaia. chris pulls kaia into the hall; ralph dies; kaia despondent, crumbles on floor
Samantha: Anais, very exciting beginning.9:02 PM
Samantha: Kiat, good set up to what caused your MC to go on a downward spiral.9:02 PM
housekat: that should say fav uncle who is sick...lol9:02 PM
Samantha: *Kat9:02 PM
housekat: i haven't even gotten to the MMC's spiral lol9:03 PM
Samantha: Well, I'm going to post this session on the forum. The link is
allyearsprints.boards.net/thread/.... You can do your MMC's spiral when you have time.9:04 PM
housekat: and i'm not done with her's9:04 PM
Samantha: Does anyone else have anything to share about their opening setting and characters?9:04 PM
housekat: but hers is way longer than his9:05 PM
Dani Moth: So my FMC is moving home with her dad and he's a true crime writer and a bit weird but that's alright and then I'm trying to figure out some page-filler before I introduce FMC's love-interest.9:05 PM
Samantha: Maybe some interaction between FMC and dad if she's already not. If she's not, maybe a phone call between them.9:06 PM
Samantha: Or show FMC doing something she does in everyday life.9:06 PM
Samantha: It would be a good way to build you FMC's character up a bit.9:07 PM
housekat: maybe her thoughts about living with her dad9:07 PM
Samantha: Or any apprehensions she has.9:07 PM
Dani Moth: I'd like to set up the setting of the abandoned apple orchard where she meets love-interest before she actually meets him there.9:08 PM
Dani Moth: Establish that her walking through there at night is a normal activity.9:08 PM
housekat: did she go there as a kid?9:08 PM
Samantha: There you go. You can show why she goes there. I'd guess for peace and some solitude.9:08 PM
Dani Moth: Probably, yeah. I imagine she used to play there a lot.9:09 PM
Dani Moth: Which makes it totally creepy because the love-interest is immortal and has been living on the other side of the orchard for, like, hundreds of years.9:09 PM
Samantha: OOHH. Kind of of want to read your story now.9:09 PM
housekat: when she walks through there, she smiles at memories9:09 PM
housekat: maybe the love interest did s/t when she was a kid (like saved her from getting hit by an apple) - but she never gave it a secong thought, until now9:11 PM
Dani Moth: I was thinking that she had thought the orchard was creepy as a kid because she always used to see things in the corner of her vision and now, like... she goes there and everything doesn't look so big and spooky anymore and she just thinks she's ridiculous and picks a bunch of now-wild apples and brings them home.9:12 PM
Samantha9:15 PM
The third sprint is for 10 minutes. Where does your story end? What characters are there? What is the setting? What is happening?
Write as much as you can about the ending setting and characters.
Samantha: We're go at :209:15 PM
Samantha: Ready9:20 PM
Samantha: Set9:20 PM
Samantha: Go for 109:20 PM
Samantha closed the chat9:20 PM
Samantha opened the chat9:30 PM
Samantha: STOP9:30 PM
Samantha: Does anyone want to share?9:30 PM
housekat: that was much easier smile9:30 PM
Samantha: That's good.9:31 PM
Dani Moth: I didn't actually write I just asked my tarot cards how I should end the story and they decided that FMC should become immortal and go back to the fae realm with love-interest.9:31 PM
Dani Moth: Oh, and I chose FMC's dad's name.9:32 PM
housekat: i'm already being a hog, so i'll just keep on...9:33 PM
housekat9:33 PM
ending...jeremy breaks up with darcy after he calls kaia about relapse. kaia breaks up with chris...calls jeremy in tears - jeremy is in TN (decides to go after relapse call), keeps her talking until he gets to her apartment, flips phone closed after she answers the door (is determined not to leave without telling her about his feelings)
pushes his way in, kisses her
Samantha: That's great Dani. At least you know the ending.9:33 PM
Samantha: That's great Kat. I'mm gad Jeremy and Kaia are getting their happy ending.9:34 PM
Samantha: Anyone else want to share?9:34 PM
Anais: my whole computer decided to go ugh on me, so i missed this9:34 PM
Dani Moth: A very dramatic happy ending, but you know that'll leave an impression. Strong endings are just as important as strong beginnings. big grin9:35 PM
Dani Moth: I've never actually *known* the ending of a story before, so this is a nice chance of pace lol9:35 PM
Samantha: That's great, Dani.9:35 PM
Anais: brb9:36 PM
housekat: well, it's an appropriate ending considering he 'dared' her to marry him9:36 PM
Samantha: No problem, Anais. I'm posting the transcript to the workshop thread over at the forums. You can do it later.9:36 PM
Samantha: The fourth sprint is for 10 minutes. What is the problem of your story? When does it get introduced? Are there multiple problems? Problems can be in the form of obstacles that your characters must overcome, too. You should also think about whether it’s internal or external.9:37 PM
Samantha: It will be at :409:37 PM
Samantha: It will be at :409:37 PM
Samantha: It will be at :409:37 PM
Samantha: It will be at :409:37 PM
Samantha: It will be at :409:37 PM
Samantha: It will be at :409:37 PM
Samantha: It will be at :409:37 PM
Samantha: Sorry. Chatzy freaked out on me.9:38 PM
Samantha: Is it working for everyone else?9:38 PM
housekat: fine here9:38 PM
Dani Moth: yeah it's okay for me too9:38 PM
agdhani1 joined the chat9:41 PM
Anais joined the chat9:41 PM
Cloud: right now it's okay.9:41 PM
Samantha joined the chat9:41 PM
Samantha: I got kicked out. Sorry about that.9:42 PM
housekat: np9:42 PM
Samantha: We'll go at :45. Remember. What is the problem of your story? When does it get introduced? Are there multiple problems? Problems can be in the form of obstacles that your characters must overcome, too. You should also think about whether it’s internal or external.9:42 PM
Samantha: I think it was my browser9:42 PM
Samantha: Not chatzy.9:42 PM
Anais: i had to close out my browser9:43 PM
Anais: but mine was a tab that refused to close9:43 PM
Anais: from facebook (too many fun surveys)9:43 PM
housekat: i get caught up in those so easily9:44 PM
Samantha: 1 minute9:44 PM
Samantha: READY9:45 PM
Samantha: Set9:45 PM
Samantha: Go for 109:45 PM
Samantha closed the chat9:45 PM
Samantha opened the chat9:55 PM
Samantha: STOP9:55 PM
Samantha: Does anyone want to share?9:55 PM
Anais: i cant figure out how to word the problem since im techincally working in a time loop of sorts.9:56 PM
housekat: i couldn't come up with anything9:56 PM
Cloud: brb9:56 PM
Anais: so would the problem be before the time jump or after9:57 PM
agdhani1: Problem 1: plague/draught (south)/flooding (north) (the king and other characters have to cope with issues surrounding these things while the MC is away); introduced at the start Problem 2: getting another character home, though they don’t know how to get there (late chapter ½) Problem 3: determining how that character got to where she was to begin with Problem 4: confronting her enemies Problem 5: MC learning a lot of cultural and religious history he is not prepared to confront (which creates a lot of internal dilemmas for him and could present problems once he gets home again) Problem 6: MC has to cope with the loss of his best friend and feelings of religious (he was previous excommunicated) and personal isolation from lifelong connections (opening chapter)9:57 PM
Anais: or both in a way9:57 PM
Samantha: Is your character stuck in a time loop? That would be a huge problem.9:57 PM
Samantha: That's great, Hani.9:57 PM
Dani Moth: The main conflict in romance novels can often go one of two ways - either completely trite and cliche or incredibly difficult to sort out. In this case, it may be a little of both. Age is ultimately the main conflict, and not just the fact that Michael is a thousand-year-old fae, but also the fact that he looks 20+ years older than Niamh. Her father is also a conflict, but since his main concern is the age difference - and the fact that he thinks Michael is "odd" (and that's something coming from an author of true crime books) - it falls under the same "age" umbrella.9:57 PM
Samantha: Anais, a problem is any obstacle that characters have to overcome.9:58 PM
Anais: ok, loop might not be the right word9:58 PM
Anais: then problem one would be fitting in to a time that is very unlike their own9:59 PM
Anais: prob two is that MC is standing out so the other two abandon her, and so she has to survive on her own10:00 PM
Anais: like that?10:00 PM
Samantha: Yeah, that's great Anais.10:01 PM
Samantha: Anyone else want to share?10:02 PM
Samantha: The fifth sprint is for 10 minutes. What is the solution to each problem of the story?10:04 PM
Samantha: We'll go at :0510:04 PM
Samantha: one minute10:04 PM
Samantha: Ready10:05 PM
Samantha: Set10:05 PM
Samantha: Go for 1010:05 PM
Samantha closed the chat10:05 PM
Samantha opened the chat10:15 PM
Samantha: STOP10:15 PM
Samantha: Share time?10:15 PM
agdhani1: Problem 1: weather improves. Plagues run their course, time allows for population recovery Problem 2/3: learning how 2nd character got where to where she was found and using that method to get her ‘close’ to home. (then have to face the winter to get her the rest of the way home Problem 4: enemy is confronted and punished Problem 5:? Problem 6: time heals the pain of loss/ excommunication is lifted10:16 PM
Anais: the answer to problem two is her husband. her inability to adapt catches his attn10:16 PM
agdhani1: I don't know about 5 yet...it depends on just how hard my MC takes what he learns lol10:16 PM
housekat: only came up wiih one problem10:17 PM
Dani Moth: mm... I still have no idea how to solve the problem except that the dad just throws his hands up, sighs, and says "clearly you're in love and I'm hurting my child by opposing it so I'm gonna stop doing that now".10:17 PM
Anais: thats a decent stopholder until revision time10:20 PM
Samantha: And you might figure out a better solution as you write.10:20 PM
Samantha: The last sprint is for 5 minutes. How long will the chapters be? Will they all be the same length?10:21 PM
Anais: just as good as *insert fight here* and *heres where FMC declares her undying love*10:22 PM
Samantha: We'll go at either :25 or :30. Which one do you want?10:22 PM
Samantha: I guess we'll go at :2510:23 PM
Samantha: How long will the chapters be? Will they all be the same length?10:24 PM
Samantha: Ready10:25 PM
Samantha: Set10:25 PM
Samantha: Go for 610:25 PM
Samantha: *510:25 PM
Samantha closed the chat10:25 PM
Samantha opened the chat10:30 PM
Samantha: STOP10:30 PM
Samantha: Share?10:30 PM
agdhani1: My chapters vary from 4 or 5 pages up to 20 or so…depends on where there feels to be a natural break in topic.10:30 PM
Anais: i tend to keep them rather even if i can10:31 PM
Dani Moth: chapter length wille decided by the position of the stars, how much coffee I've had to drink at any given moment, and fate.10:31 PM
Anais: but it depends on the story10:31 PM
Dani Moth: will be*10:31 PM
Samantha: Anyone else want to share?10:33 PM
Samantha: Okay10:36 PM
Samantha: Now, you should have some of the basic things that every writer needs for his/her novel: beginning, middle, end, conflict(s), resolution(s), and lengths of chapters.10:36 PM
Samantha: Now, those things might change as you begin writing. Almost no one follows an outline down to the number. But at least, you have a solid starting point. Remember, it’s important to start strong in November because you don’t know what the middle of the month will bring.10:36 PM
Samantha: Any final questions?10:36 PM
agdhani1: I missed the first bits, but I think I know what I want for the beginning at least big grin10:36 PM
Samantha: I will be posting the transcript in the forum. The link is
allyearsprints.boards.net/thread/...10:37 PM
agdhani1: thanks10:37 PM
Samantha: Okay, I guess that ends this workshop.10:38 PM
Samantha: It went a little later than I expected it would.10:38 PM
Samantha: Thanks for coming.10:38 PM
Cloud: thank you!!!10:38 PM
Anais: woo it was awesome though. thx for hosting10:38 PM
Dani Moth: Thanks! big grin10:38 PM
housekat: ty for hosting10:38 PM
Samantha: No problem.
