Milestones to an exciting plot.

[Agnosticsherbet]

[Laura PourMeADrink]

1. Love that ! Reminds me about Ken Follett's

Master class in writing
http://ken-follett.com/masterclass/

[SheilaT]

2. Thanks.

I'm trying to write, and I cannot for the life of me seem to plot. Oh, story ideas and characters are very easy for me. So are beginnings and middles. But endings? I full plot arc? Can't seem to do it. Whether or not my actual writing is good enough that others would want to read it isn't even an issue yet, because I can't figure out an actual plot.

And I love to read. I read lots. Perhaps one of my problems is that I tend to read a lot more non-fiction than fiction, and non-fiction generally doesn't have an actual plot.

At least there are plenty of others who write stuff I want to read.

[pscot]

3. Have you tried lifting a plot

from history? Dumas made his bones that way. And I just read one by Dennis Lehane that's based on the Boston police walkout of 1919. And it was a Shakespearian mainstay; look at all those history plays.

[SheilaT]

4. Unfortunately, I'm not writing anything normal enough to try that.

And definitely not historical novels. What I am trying to do as I read more fiction is to pay careful attention to the plot itself.

Among my several problems as a writer is I tend not to put in enough details of any kind, the stuff that makes a scene very interesting.

What I'm currently working on is an s-f novel involving temporal exchange students from ancient Rome. The basic idea is a good one (heck, most basic ideas are good) and I have most of my characters figured out, but where it should all end up is completely baffling to me. I have a number of plot threads that simply go out and out, and I somehow need to rein them in and bring everything to something that resembles a conclusion.

I'm hoping to be accepted into a novel writing workshop this coming summer that may help me a lot. Meanwhile, I think what I need most to do is keep on writing and writing and see where it takes me.

I will say, that some years ago I gave up writing because I decided that there are enough people out there writing the sort of books I like to read that the literary world will get along just fine without my contribution. But lately, I've had a strong motivation to get out the stories that are inside me.

[pscot]

5. Imagine you're being paid by the word

Expand every notion 'til it floats of its own accord. Good luck.

[SheilaT]

6. Imagine I'm being paid by the word

and expand every notion til it floats of its own accord.

I like that.