Why is Plotting necessary?
As everyone might've told you, plotting is like the base of a story. It's like the map telling you the direction your story should move in. If you have plotted your book, you can avoid plot holes, bland characters, and missing out on a conflict. A plot also helps you maintain a proper pace throughout your story. Another advantage includes easier revisions and editing of your book.
Now, let's move on to the method of plotting.
Step-by-step guide to plotting
Brainstorming: The very first step in plotting is brainstorming. Brainstorm any ideas that you can for your story and write them down freely. If you're stuck, look for inspiration, watch movies, or read a book to understand how it works. Make a mindmap with everything that must be included in your story.
Develop your concept: This step includes choosing your genre, setting the tone and mood, and the central message of your story. Decide what type of story is it going to be, what message will it convey and what themes is it going to explore.
Create characters: Now comes the part of creating characters. Note down the type of person they are, how they look, and their overall personality. Also, how they are related to each other, what type of relationships do they share, and how will they contribute to the overall story?
Outline: Divide your story into sections and write the events sequentially. What will happen when and how? Which characters will be involved in an event? Making a chapter-wise outline is one of the best methods to do so.
Plan the rising action: Introduce conflict by creating a challenge or a problem for your character, raise the stakes, and show how they overcome it. Use foreshadowing techniques to keep the readers hooked.
The climax: This should be the most memorable part of your story. Make it something unexpected that addresses the main conflict and is very interesting.
Falling action: This step should tie all the loose ends of your story, and should give a satisfying conclusion to your story. Leave room for something if you want to write a sequel.
What to avoid?
Avoid adding too many details, it'll hinder your creativity.
Don't think you can't change any plot point. It's your story and you can write it the way you want. However, you should avoid making changes to each and everything to avoid getting stuck in a loop.
Writing very less details in the outline can also make you stuck and confuse you.
Avoid easily predictable twists. It makes your story boring.
Avoid info-dumping.
Plotting shouldn't be overwhelming, rather it helps you avoid writer's block in the middle of writing. We wish you all the best for your story!
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