Plotting what comes next Tip#9

Dear Storyteller,

Plotting what comes next is Tip#9.

I included this tip because as a writer, it often happens that we get “stuck” with how to proceed in our storytelling. And when this inevitably happens, one of two things occurs: either we quit and move on to something else, or we find inspiration and keep going.

If you’re honest with yourself, which of these do you gravitate toward? Are you typically a quitter? Or do you usually find inspiration and keep going? If you’re the latter, you’re probably one of the lucky few, as most authors or aspiring writers hit “writer’s block” at some point.

Are you anxious to read on because you’re internally screaming, yes! This is so me!

Then take comfort and courage in the fact that every writer-no matter how novice or veteran-has been exactly where you are now. This very much includes me.

How many times did I start a manuscript?

Let’s read on to find out. I hope you somehow find this encouraging.

My story journey…

If you’ve ever read my introduction to The Writer’s Nook, you already know that my first story was written at the age of about 10.

To be honest, this was literally the only story I ever finished early on in my unplanned, hobbyist “writing career.”

Following this, between the 5th-6th grade and high school, I wrote, or shall we say I started, several stories. One with my best friend, a couple of pioneer stories (I was hugely into Native Americans and stories about pioneers), and another story on the same topic-kind of a spin off of the romance story in Jeanette Oke’s A Gown of Spanish Lace. Again, the subject matter embraced pioneer days and Native Americans.

Truth be told, I did not finish any of these stories either.

Nope. Not a single one.

Since then, how many stories have I actually finished?

One.

Yup. Just one.

Are you surprised?

And which one did I finish? Can you guess which one it was?

I’m fairly confident you’re right again…

The only story I actually fully and completely finished was what now constitutes my In the Shadow of Emerald Fire series, which gave me an odd, beaming sense of satisfaction when I finally typed the words The End on the last page.

How long did it really take me to finish my first full-fledged story?

It took me a whole summer writing 12-14 hours a day or more (I loved writing that much-literally!).

Why did I share that information?

To help you keep in mind that finishing a story isn’t something that typically happens overnight. At least for most writers, it’s not.

And while I did start multiple stories over the years between middle school and high school, I only finished my first real novel, In the Shadow of Emerald Fire, the summer after my Junior year in college. That’s quite a bit of time to achieve my goal!

In sharing this time frame as well as the hours and hours I devoted to it, I don’t intend on bragging about this or presenting this solely as a reflection of what you should do. Rather, I wanted to showcase the commitment required to accomplish it-and yet again, not necessarily in the way I did. It’s simply meant to keep you aware of the focus needed to achieve it, however that may look in your life, which we’ll talk about in another post.

Fingers crossed, I’m ever hopeful your journey won’t take you as long as mine did. And I’m ever more hopeful it definitely won’t, provided you’re armed with the suggestions down below! (We’ll get there, I promise).

What’s the takeaway here?

If you’re in need of encouragement because your stuck on Tip#9-plotting what’s next, my main takeaway here is: don’t give up.

Writing is definitely a process, though that may not be exactly what you want to hear. Oftentimes, I didn’t find this so encouraging, at least not as I do now. And everyone has their own “process” of how to get from starting a manuscript to actually finishing it.

Don’t give up either if your process isn’t the same as mine or someone else’s. Like your writing style and your story, your process will be unique. So embrace your uniqueness and run with it.

And if you’re feeling a bit discouraged still because you always have great story ideas and yet you constantly struggle with Tip#9-plotting what comes next, know that, hopefully, by the end of this post, you won’t worry about it anymore, and you’ll feel more confident that finishing your story can be done, even if it takes a bit of time.

At least that’s my goal for you.

So, What happened after I finished my first story??

You might be thinking, so she actually finished one full-fledged novel. That’s awesome! It must have been really easy for her to write more novels after that, right?

Surprisingly, no. Having now finished a novel, I agree, I would have thought things would get better, easier. But, in fact, having accomplished this writing goal strangely made things worse.

Before I share with you why things grew worse, I will tell you the up side to finishing a novel was that I learned something about myself in the process. I discovered, that more than anything, I loved writing.

Some reservoir had opened inside of me that made me want to write. Desire to write. Maybe even…I had to write. Because if I didn’t…I’m not sure what would have happened if I stopped. I almost felt as if I wouldn’t be a whole person if I didn’t keep writing, even if nothing I wrote ever got published.

Can you relate to this, even if you haven’t yet finished a story?

I hope so, and I’m hoping that’s why you’re here. Because you have that burning desire to put words on a page and share that story that you’ve been seeing in your head since the idea first came into being.

But perhaps you’re anxious to know why things didn’t get easier or anywhere near simpler as an aspiring writer.

Read on to find out.

Why did things grow worse?

Now that this reservoir of wanting to write opened, I had a new emotion to deal with: the fear of not being able to repeat the performance. What if I couldn’t finish another novel? What if it was a fluke? What if I only had one story inside of me and there wasn’t anything left?

In brief, can the possibility of finishing a story ever be something you can habitually repeat without this fear of never accomplishing it?

Answer: yes! It is possible!

If you’ve faced these same exact fear-driven questions yourself, then I’m also hoping you will come to the same conclusive realization: there’s always another story inside of you.

So, why is it then, we never finish writing a good book?

Let’s take a look at the real reason, or valid reasons, writers typically fail to finish.

why is it we writers never typically finish our stories?

One might think: fear of rejection. Giving up before you have a chance to finish. And quite possibly, a lack of confidence, aka wondering if our writing style or our storyline is even good enough to continue.

While these are all good, valid considerations, perhaps it’s actually none of these. When just starting out as a writer, it’s much easier to ignore any and all of these possibilities.

Why?

To be brutally honest, because most likely the most common reason for leaving a story half-finished is: boredom.

Yikes! I said it. It’s true. We’re bored of our own story.

Bored? How is that even possible?!

And yet, it is. Whereas at one point we’re inspired to write and write and write…now we’re not.

In short, we’re stuck.

But, does it have to be that way?

No.

(Did you anticipate I’d say that?).

Know there’s always a reason why Tip#9-plotting what comes next is difficult for you, and boredom prevails as a dominant contender for the number one reason we all get “writer’s block.” Or it could also be classified as sheer indecision on how to advance the plot, or even a lack of foresight into which direction your story should actually go.

Regardless of the true reasons, let’s take a deeper look at why I personally never finished these other stories and see if you’re facing the same issue…

Why didn’t I finish my other stories?

Quite simply, like you, I got stuck. (Yes, at this point, this is standard procedure when writing a story…if you don’t have the right tools in your kit, which at the time, I did not).

My plot ran dry. Like most of you, I knew where I wanted it to go, but I didn’t have a clue as to how to get there. Thus, as is usually the habit of us aspiring writers, I abandoned my book in favor of starting another. Then I hit repeat.

End result: I currently have a middle grade novel, a contemporary novel, and an early 1800’s novel (Jane Austen style), all waiting to be completed. And, dare I say it, but I’ve started ideas for some fairytale retellings, a YA spy novel, a Roman novel, a potential other 1800’s or medieval style novel, and what else? Oh, currently, I have a crazy, imaginative WIP going, but I haven’t shared this yet with my newsletter friends, so I’ll have to keep that under wraps for now.

Do they have a special name for not finishing a book?

Sure. You can call it writer’s block, if you’re more familiar with this terminology and it’s your preferred description of what you may be facing.

Should you believe in writer’s block?

A resounding no!

Based on my own personal experience, writer’s block ranks as one of the top excuses for why you can’t get your novel done. It implies the gap in your story from beginning to end is an insurmontable and unscaleable wall, inhibiting your ability to finish what you started and rendering you immobile and essentially at the mercy of “unfinished business.”

Writer’s block takes control of you, rather than you taking control of it.

But take heart, we’ve all been there.

Did I use to believe in writer’s block?

Absolutely.

Like others before me, I used to believe writer’s block was truly a “thing.” But I no longer do. Essentially, through maturity and experience, I came to understand that writer’s block relates more to a lack of inspiration than to anything else; and to be quite frank, it’s definitely related to brain overload.

Can you still get stuck writing a book?

Certainly.

After you’ve read everything up to this point, clearly the inability to complete Tip#9-plotting what comes next and advance your novel is a road block that happens to everyone. However, I don’t believe writer’s block is the culprit for the author’s inability to engage in Tip#9-plotting what comes next. Rather, as aforementioned, I truly believe it’s a lack of inspiration that can be recultivated, once you have the right items in your tool kit to get you going.

So, how do you get the inspiration back?

With some simple, basic, easy steps.

What would be number one?

A tip you already have in your repertoire. But let’s consider each option individually as we work toward renewing your inspiration for advancing-and finally fully finishing-that elusive story!

#1 for advancing your plot: daydreaming

Bummed about this one? haha. Daydreaming (which was tip#2) is truly the best and easiest strategy to help you with Tip#9-plotting what comes next. Believe me, it will help you immensely with advancing your plot quickly and efficiently. It gives you a moment to step inside your mind without the pressure of continuing to pound out words on a page.

I also think it’s easiest because, in part, it allows your brain a break. Instead of planning, executing, and finding all the right words to progress your story, you’re just allowing your brain to visualize what’s already there. It allows you to be the characters, interact with them in your head, and see where they’re going, hear what they’re saying, and follow them.

From there, the whole plot just continues to unfold. But beware, this often happens faster than you can actually type out the words.

Sometimes I get going so fast, I can’t keep up with my brain. The conversations or descriptions flow, and I’m like wait, wait! I seriously can’t catch up. That’s always disappointing because by the time my fingers catch up with what my brain was free flowing, the rhythm has slowed a lot, and I miss out on all the cool transitions between characters’ conversations and scene changes, etc. It still comes to me, but it’s slower and the momentum is lost a little.

This is when it helps to always be ready for these moments-I’ll tell you how to prepare for that in an upcoming tip, one that my grandpa taught me and that I hope you will find helpful as well!

#2 for advancing your plot: ask a sibling

You would not believe how much this helps…if you have a sibling who’s willing to accommodate you, that is.

I’ve asked my baby sis countless times to help me advance my plots and aid me in Tip#9-plotting what comes next. In the end, to her dismay, I don’t usually use any of her ideas (or very few of them haha), but she is helpful in the sense that I’m able to talk things out with her. This helped me see where I wanted my plot to go and how to get it there. Plus, I’m able to bounce ideas off of her, and she’s honest enough to tell me whether they’re dumb and I need to revamp.

For example, I remember writing up two different scenarios regarding the underground puzzle chamber scene in Book 1: The Lost King’s Daughter. My hang up was how Finockt would escape the chamber. I had the original idea that is currently in the book, but then I wasn’t satisfied with that version, so I came up with a couple of other scenarios and presented them to my baby sister, who promptly shot each one of them down.

If you’re curious what those silly ideas were, one was that the door shuts on Finockt, and she’s actually trapped inside the underground chamber. To escape, she must figure out another puzzle to unlock a hidden door and exit the chamber through a narrow, secret passageway that eventually deposits her outside the castle in the dry moat.

Maybe you like this one? If so, shoot! haha. But my sister was like, no, that’s too long and overdone. She told me to stick to what I had. So, I did, and I’m happy with it.

Can you change up this 2nd tip?

Absolutely. You don’t have to use a sibling (maybe you don’t even have one!).

That being said, you can join a writer’s group, ask a trusted friend, or even bounce ideas off a parent, if they have the time. I’ve asked my mom about plot holes and plot points multiple times. She’s an excellent listener and always had good advice to help me through it, too.

And if I haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now, writing is a sole activity, sure, because you’re the author and no one can get into your brain and/or write your story for you. But when it comes to the contributions that get a story done and published-it takes a lot of support from a lot of people. Even if they’re just encouraging you in your craft.

So know and understand that many people are rooting for you and are willing to help. And all those people who helped support you…yea, that’s definitely what the acknowledgements page is for-to thank those who helped you get to where you are. It’s a beautiful thing you should never take for granted.

#3 for advancing your plot: take a walk or change your scenery

A lot of times, if you’re stuck, it’s just that your brain is on overload as I mentioned above. It’s been working so hard, it can’t take any more strain or requests to execute the twists and turns, descriptions, and conversations you want it to create to make your story the best it can be.

This is a great time then to recharge and/or refuel. Take a walk. Do some chores. Talk to a friend. Run through the drivethrough to pick up your favorite beverage and treat yourself. Or find a snack and take a break.

Oftentimes, just getting up off the chair and moving to a new space triggers new ideas and makes you itch to get back to the computer and launch into Tip#9-plotting what comes next with more vigor and enthusiasm than before.

#4 for advancing your plot: read a book

I’ve found this tactic particularly movitating for plot advancements and engaging in Tip#9-plotting what comes next. In one sense of it, it’s never failed me yet.

I can pick up a good book, start reading it, and then find myself so inspired by what I just read that I can’t wait to get back to the keyboard.

There’s something about seeing a plot unfold while I’m reading a good book that helps motivate me to work at my own story’s plot. Mystery, in particular, is good inspiration. All the juicy details or clues leading me onward toward discovering the rest of the story makes me restless to return to my own story and create the same for someone who may read my book.

For clarity’s sake, the “same” as in inspiration, not copying someone else.

Many today unfortunately have the attitude of “why reinvent the wheel?” But, in truth, the wheel needs to be reinvented in terms of appearance, rather than underlying technique. Mystery is mystery. It’s true. Clues lead to other clues and problem solving, etc. But it’s the way you manufacture your mystery as an author that makes it unique and “reinvented,” so to speak.

Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb and write a mystery no one else has thought of. Throw out convention in these cases, and just write what appeals to you. Inevitably, you’ll find someone else who loves your approach and can’t wait to see what else you have to share with them, and then you might just hit the bestseller list.

I hope this fourth strategy may work well for you.

#5 for advancing your plot: pray

Believe it or not, if I’m really struggling with how to word something and/or having a difficult time with Tip#9-plotting what comes next, I pray about it. I pray for inspiration and creativity and that what I write will be godly and pleasing to the Lord.

This strategy has never failed me either, and I’m grateful for it. It’s the best one in my toolkit, as I’m sure that goes without saying.

It may seem silly to request the God of all creation to help you with something as whimsical, and potentially shallow, as writing a book, but He is an Author Himself, which ultimately makes enlisting His help all the more beautiful, since creativity is His and His alone.

Use this tip first or wait until you’re really stuck to pull it out. Regardless of how you use it, I do feel that prayer is most important and is something we should always be doing before we put words to a page at all.

Did this help at all?

Did any of these strategies help you feel more confident in Tip#9-plotting what comes next?

I’m always curious how helpful my tips are for you, or if you’re craving something I haven’t shared yet. I know that’s probably a hard question to answer when you haven’t read all the tips I have coming.

You may be thinking…well, she might answer that in the next post. If that’s the case, then I’ll try to keep myself silent on the subject and wait until my tips are all posted to ask you again. 🙂

Miss a Tips posting?

Follow this link to peruse Tips#1-8.

Until next time…happy daydreaming, sibling talking, snacking, walking, reading, praying, and utilizing Tip#9-plotting what comes next. I can’t wait to hear if you finally finished that story! God bless. xoxo