This section is all about what you need to do before you jump in and write the first draft of your new manuscript. We're gonna talk about creating characters that drive your story, planning theme and creating thematic settings, traditional three-act structure, the hero's journey, outlining your plot, mapping your story, and lots, lots more.
If you're a pantser, you might not like this section. (Pantsers are people who write from the seat of their pants--they don't plot.) Still, you'll benefit from the notes on character creation, developing theme, and creating a vague idea of plot arcs and the three-acts.
If you're a plotter, you're gonna love this section. (Plotters are writers who pre-write all major plot points--and sometimes minor ones--before writing the first sentence of their story.) But a word of warning, plotter: pre-write to your heart's content, but eventually you're going to have to stop researching and planning, and start writing.
Again, back to advice #1: if any of these tools doesn't work for you, toss it away like yesterday's news. The point is to get you writing, and writing well.
YOU ARE READING
Writing Well
Non-FictionTips on the craft of writing, becoming an author, getting readers, and getting published.
