Directory Writing Workshops

Writers Workshop: The Plot's The Thing!

Dancing Word Writers Workshop

with Eva Marie Everson

05/20/2002

 Hosted by: Anne McDonald

Dancing Word Publisher/Editor

*This chat has been edited for clarity

Anne McDonald: The timer has sounded. Let's get started with the workshop. I'll open in prayer then go over protocol.

Lord, thank You for Your grace and mercy. We praise You for caring about every detail of our lives. Be with us this evening as we learn more about the craft You have called us to. Guide our conversation and direct our writing. Be with our guest tonight. Grant her Your heart and wisdom. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Protocol reminder: Please type ! for comments, ? for questions, and ga for when you are finished. Also, please wait to be called on in turn.

Tonight, I have the pleasure of introducing a familiar face. Eva Marie Everson will be teaching us the craft of plotting and hopefully will be able to answer some of our questions. Eva, welcome. The floor is now yours.

Eva: May I first apologize profusely for my faux pas two weeks ago when I didn't make it for the workshop there were " technical" difficulties.

Jane: I'm happy that you weren't able to make it two weeks ago, that way I can attend tonite :-)

Eva: Good. Before we get started on plotting, etc., are there any up front questions any of your would like to ask? Things in particular you'd like to see covered?

AZAnnie: What to do when your plot suddenly gets too thin.

Eva: ok, anyone else?

Suzi: A good definition for plot...I seem to have trouble figuring out what plot is compared to theme.

nessie: How do you plot chapter to chapter?

SiberianSuz: How do you make it so that your plot doesn't sound " contrived."

Eva: What do you mean by that Suz, to make it sound 'real?

SiberianSuz: Well....so that events flow naturally instead of making them seem twisted for the authors use. Yes.

Suzi: What is the difference between plot & theme?

Eva: ok, anyone else? ready? Going, going....here we go! Let's begin with where plots come from. I don't know about the rest of you, but finding an idea comes as easily as breathing. The hard part is making the idea into a plot. Let me give you an example.

I'm walking along the sidewalk one day...minding my own business...taking my three mile a day walk...and suddenly I see something on the ground. What is it? Hmmm It's an old rusty key. I picked it up...I don't know why...and I began to think...and ponder...and plot. Wonder who that old key belonged to. It was one of the OLD keys, you know, and it was so rusty, and I began to think of this plot. I had the beginning...I had an idea for the middle...and I had a GREAT ending by the time I got home.

Problem was this as good as the beginning and ending was...I wasn't so sure about the middle. The middle would take some SERIOUS work and it would have to be done in flashback...ah...and there we have it--the " thin" question. Plots typically get " thin" in the middle (unlike some of us...)

By the first 50 pages of a novel something extraordinary should have happened--something that takes the reader into the dynamics of the plot. The middle of the book (or plot) should be a turning point of some sort--someone should get killed, or kidnapped, or new BUT IMPORTANT characters can be introduced. SOMETHING happens to take the reader the rest of the way...to throw in something that makes them never want to put the book down.