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Martha Alderson

Plot Consultant

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June 13, 2012 By Martha Alderson

Do you writes in layers, one or two layer per draft? Or do you write all the layers of your novel, memoir, screenplay at once?

And what are all these layers, you ask?

Emotion: evoking a range of emotions — positive and negative — in the reader through the characters’ show of emotion.

Conflict, tension, suspense, urgency and curiosity: shaping the dramatic action to keep the reader turning the pages to learn what happens next.

Character transformation: showing a flawed character change overtime spiritually, emotionally, physically, or mentality or all of the above.

Thematic significance: bringing meaning to the story.

Relationships: revealing the complexity and intimacy of the characters in relationship to each other.

Sensory: using senses — auditory, visual, tactile, taste, smell — to transport the reader deeper and deeper into the story world.

1) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master (The companion workbook is coming this summer and available for pre-order now ~~ The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories)

2) Watch the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. Scroll down on the left of this post for a directory of all the steps to the series. 27-step tutorial on Youtube

3) Watch the Monday Morning Plot Book Group Series on YouTube. Scroll down on the right of this post for a directory the book examples and plot elements discussed.

For additional tips and information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter

Previous Post: « Researching versus Writing
Next Post: Two New Plot Series Up on Vlog »

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Martha lives at the beach along the central coast of California and draws inspiration from the surrounding nature. When not at the beach, she writes women’s fiction and is exploring what it means to leave a lasting legacy. [Read More] about About Martha

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