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Martha Alderson

Plot Consultant

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What’s Stopping You?

May 15, 2011 By Martha Alderson

I am always fascinated when one writer curls up in a ball and gives up and, when faced with the exact same problem, another writer is empowered to persevere. 
Discovery that everything you’ve written sounds trite and infantile, frustration over how to get across what you are truly trying to say, a negative critique, a rejection from a query, poor reviews… we all experience a crisis, a dark night of the soul . Yet for some writers, these beliefs, limitations, judgments strip her of all her power whereas another writer listens and learns and moves on. 
You can spend all your time wallowing in your backstory — that moment when you first lost your way and relinquished a bit or all of your own personal power to an antagonist(s), be it internal or external, or you can stay in your front story of putting one foot in front of the other or one word after another on the page toward completion of your goal and hold tight to your own power — not in resentment and revenge but in the loving embrace that all antagonists are simply in your life to challenge you to grow and stretch.
Shrivel and die
Seize your power and move forward
You decide…

Click on green highlighted plot concepts for further explanations via vlog. Each time a concept is referenced you are directed to new information.

To watch the entire Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? go to my YouTube channel. A directory of all the steps to the series is to the right of this post. Enjoy!

Previous Post: « 27 Steps to Plotting Your Novel, Memoir, Screenplay Complete
Next Post: Transformation and the Universal Story »

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About Martha

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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The secret to having what you want in life is to view all challenges and obstacles through the Universal Story.

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