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.

Look at it this way we consider the " middle" of the Bible (though not REALLY the middle) to be the separation between the OT and the NT so the MIDDLE would be the arrival of Christ. If you go just a bit before that...it would be the captivity of Israel there's a LOT going on in the middle of the greatest selling book of all time, you know?

The next thing you want to look at...when you've got the plot somewhat ironed out in your head is timelines. Not only the timeline of the book, but the timelines of the characters and the timelines of the chapters. (this will help us with Chap by Chap plotting)

Let me take you back to the key story. My idea was this a young newlywed woman is taking a walk around the new neighborhood she and charming hubby have moved into since their wedding. She finds this old key and picks it up. The book's plot suddenly shifts and we're back in time. We'll find out through the rest of the book WHO the key belonged to (murder victim) AND the murder victim was married to a very influential physician who knew too much about hospital politics so did she, for that matter...the couple have a lovely little girl...a good life...but they are in danger and they both end up getting killed.

Little girl goes to live with her aunt and uncle who work very hard to bring the killers to justice the KEY was dropped during the murder... the KEY belonged to the husband and wife and when the little girl grows up she marries...and one day goes for a walk....and finds the key not knowing it was her parent's key.

NOW this plot is VERY, VERY thin! It needs a LOT of work...but you can see what I've got as a beginning. I must determine HOW OLD the girl/woman is now. What year is it? What year was she born? Where do they live? This helps with timelines.

Jane: What does the key open?

Eva: A safe with all the evidence. :o) NOT that anyone will ever know that anyway...the next thing is to determine how old the woman was when this happened to her. If it happened 20 years ago...then the year was 1980...1982...something like that. It will then be important for me to research and develop the times as they were in 1982.

Next thought...or step: How long do I want to keep the reader in 1982? Did the events take place over several months? years? days? even hours? More timelines. As I determine WHAT will happen, then I begin to lay out the chapters...characters that will be introduced.

Here's where (for me) the REAL time come in I believe that each character must be fully developed. I should know when they were born how old they are what year they graduated and from where. All these characters and all their timelines will then begin to weave together.

I typically write all this out in longhand on a legal pad, years scratched all over everything. If I am going to have the events of the book take place over the course of three weeks, let's say, then I lay out a page per week. Each page hold the events that will take place. Someone asked about chap by chap. No matter what you write....suspense, romance, etc., you want to keep the reader reading. You don't want to bounce around from character to character like a ping pong ball, but you do want to keep them on the edge of their seat and make them wait a few minutes.

Ask yourself this question: If I take the reader to a different character, can I introduce something even more exciting thru that character than the one I'm with right now? If you can...GO THERE.

Once you have all this laid out: character timelines, overall book content timelines, meat of the plot timelines, and then chap by chap timelines, you will find that writing the book becomes so much easier.

Someone asked me to define plot. That's a good question and I'm not a good one at defining anything!!! But I do know this. I believe it was Shakespeare who said, " The plot's the thing!" And it is...but so are characters. There are character-driven plots and plot driving plots.

Personally I like characters who drive plotty plots. You walk away feeling like you KNOW these people. But...plot tells the reader more than just WHAT happens. Plot will also layout things about characters. Plot is a lot like real life. Lay out your own life story and you'll see what I mean. Before I move on...any thoughts from any of you about defining plot?

AZAnnie: not on plot, but the timelines are very important for mystery/suspense.

Eva: I think timelines are important for any genre. Let's say you have a romance. If they fall in love and get married and have a child within a week...well! that's just not real! But if you lay out a timeline for the falling in love...and then the catastrophe that always comes along...then you've got something.

Jane: So plot actually introduces items into the story that begs for a continuance one thing leads to another and another, and before you know it, you've got a fabulous working plot.

Eva: Exactly. Again, think about your own life story. It's laid out like a plot, but you've got to get from birth to death with SOMETHING in between. WHAT is there? What drives you day to day? Look at all the high points in your life then the low points. Lay them out on a piece of paper. How did you get there? Remember, the lives of your characters are only as real as you want them to be or, as you BELIEVE them to be.

Any other questions for chapter by chapter plotting?

Lea: How do you weave subplots into the main plot?

Eva: ok. Hmmmm... let me think how I do that! LOL Again...I think real life is the best teacher. How have the lives of your friends interwoven with yours? Sometimes, things that should only affect your neighbor, end up effecting you as well. Okay...here's an example from the KEY story. Whoever killed the mother and father of the little girl/grown woman is probably someone she knows. That's plot weaving. I'm trying to think how to describe this. LOL This is one of those things I'm told by editors I'm good at but can't really tell you how I do it!

I think art should imitate real life and I guess I just see how people lives interact and in the end, will intertwine. But I don't think I'm doing a good job of explaining that. OKAY! HERE'S a THOUGHT! A good lesson...this is something I do A LOT! It's a workshop of your own.

Take your FAVORITE movie or TAPE your favorite TV show. Either way, you need a tape or DVD of it. Watch it scene by scene. Study WHO the characters are. Write down on a piece of paper what is happening to whom, where, when, how, why, as you move along, you will begin to see PLOT and PLOT WEAVING.

Someone asked about how NOT to sound contrived. man! tough questions To me...if you lay most of your plot out before you get started (and I say most because my characters typically add some things of their own) and then you look over it. If something STOPS YOU and you think, ¿Man! That's just dumb! Then it probably is.

Think LOGICALLY if someone does something it has to be for good reason. Here's an example and it's a personal experience. I'm afraid of windows at night. Never could understand why until a few years ago. My mom told me there was a peeping tom incident in our little town and the man came to my bedroom window when I was three and looked in. She said I screamed and my dad ran after him down the road. I remember NONE of this. But it certainly explains the fear of windows at night.

If you have a character with an unnatural fear (which is GREAT for a suspense novel!) there MUST be a reason. So...when you are writing the plot...ask yourself...IS THIS EXPLAINABLE?...and then USE IT to the hilt

Eva: Plot vs. theme. A theme is a recurring thought or idea. It's like a thread that weaves throughout the plot. The theme of my novel Shadow of Dreams is reconciliation. There are lots of reconciling moments and they weave thru the plot, but reconciliation is not the plot. The plot is that a young girl is estranged from her mother and chooses to live in Hell's Kitchen as a runaway rather than forgive. Twenty-five years later that all comes back to her and it takes reconciliation to heal her...and to solve the crime, so to speak.

Kate: Doesn't plot demonstrate the theme, but theme could never demonstrate the plot.

Eva: Good point! Oh...here's something on plot weaving. I'll just use the plot from Shadow of Dreams , my first novel...(and by the way...the sequel was just released!!! Yeah!!!) But enough of that...in the plot. Katie Morgan sees a man named David Franscella. David is bad news, but he helps Katie get out of the slums. And then they go their separate ways. She marries a very wealthy man who discovers that an illegal business is being operated out of one of the hotels he owns. The business is operated by Bucky Caballero, who's sister is Mattie Caballero--actually...Mattie Caballero Franscella! When Bucky tries to find Katie (to kill her) David remembers where her mother lives.

THAT is plot weaving! David doesn't seem to have all that important of a role until later.

Any other questions?

Well, Miss Annie....I'll turn it back over to you, then.

Anne McDonald: Thank you so much, Eva

Eva: you are so welcome!

Lisbeth: Thanks, Eva! Gotta go!

Anne McDonald: Good information.

nessie: Thanks Eva

Suzi: Thanks for explaining plot, very helpful.

Jane: Lots of GREAT info Eva, I'm really happy I was able to be here for this one

Eva: and I appreciate your allowing me to come back!

Anne McDonald: Anytime, Eva

nessie: Is it important to plot the entire story from the start? I tend to roll along with the story and leave a lot of the plotting.

Anne McDonald: Different authors hit plotting from different angles, Nessie It all depends on what you are most comfortable with.

Eva:  Nessie, that's true. Like I said...I have a GOOD idea where it is going, but my characters fill in the blanks.

nessie:  My characters tend to take over when I plot, or try too.

Eva: You know what, Nessie? Let them! They know so much more! LOL

nessie:  I had one character that completely took over and became the bad guy in the end, and he was suppose to be the goody!

Anne McDonald:  Nessie, I had a character that seemed to be the bad guy, but turned out the be the good guy

Vickie:  How do you plot if you don't know how the story will end?

Anne McDonald: Vickie, many authors don't know the ending until they get there.

Eva:  But I never, ever write the last chapter until I get to it because fun things might come up along the way more just the jist of it

SiberianSuz: I usually have a rough sketch, and then fill in as I go, changing the ending to fit if it needs tweaking.

Lea: How do you know if you should have two main plots with sub plots or just one plot with subplots?

Eva: I think you should only have one main plot with subplots. Otherwise the book becomes too confusing for the reader. That's just my humble opinion though. Goodnight Ladies! Thank you Annie!

Anne McDonald: Night, Eva.

Jane: Annie? how do you figure out your plots?

Anne McDonald:  Jane, my plots come from my characters. They basically give me their stories and I work from there. Although, I have found plots in the newspaper, magazines and on the television news.

nessie:  I find all sorts of plot ideas in the newspaper

Jane: I know that they talk to you, but do you find it hard to hear them at times?

Anne McDonald: yes, there are times characters don't speak loud enough to be heard.

Jane:  Remember how I told you that Marshal Jason kept talking to me and wouldn't shut up.

AzAnnie: yes.

Jane: but lately, I can't even hear a whisper

Anne McDonald: hmmm

Jane: the same with my fantasy, I haven't been able to hear Shelby for ages.

Anne McDonald: Well, Jesse in my present WIP wouldn't give me the info I needed, so I talked to his sister instead. Then Jesse got upset and said, " If you are going to write stuff down, at least get the facts." So, he filled me in on the rest.

Jane: lol, I remember your mentioning that before

nessie: lol

Anne McDonald: Sometimes you have to find a different angle to approach your characters.

Jane: Personally, I think my characters are mad at me because I've ignored them for quite some time.

Anne McDonald: could be, Jane.

Suzi: What do you do if you think you have a plot and people say it's no good?

Anne McDonald: Suzi, depends on who the people are. Are they fellow writers?

Suzi: Yes, one was an editor...

Anne McDonald: Was it just the plot idea that you talked about, or did you have some of the scenes written?

Suzi: I had the whole story line written out

Anne McDonald: and is this editor someone you trust?

Suzi: but, I was told that my heroine was a doer not a beer.

Anne McDonald: and what did that person mean specifically?

Suzi: Well, he was at a Christian Writers conference I'm not sure what he meant once I got home.

Anne McDonald: Perhaps your plot needed some livening up.

Suzi: Maybe, livening up might be what he meant. That's why I joined in tonight, to see if I could figure anything out

Anne McDonald: Suzi, if you have the chance, get Brandilyn Collin's book, GETTING INTO CHARACTER.

Suzi: I'm in the GIC course right now, it's helping.

Anne McDonald: Good. She's an excellent teacher.

Jane: Did you get anything out of the workshop tonight, Suzi?

Suzi: Jane, yes, I think I understand better about plot. I think that's what I've been doing with my story, but maybe not. really not sure.

Jane: great, I know I learn so much, every time I attend these workshops of Annie's

Anne McDonald: I've found the timelines to be very important in my WIP. I have a complicated plot and need to ensure everyone is where they should be at the right time.

Suzi: I like the timelines, too. Really helps keep the story ideas flowing in an orderly way

nessie: Annie, I really enjoyed this workshop and home to make it to some more in the future.

Anne McDonald: glad to have you, Nessie

Suzi: Good night and thanks again!

Jane: Thanks Annie, great workshop tonight

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Eva Marie Everson

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