The Plot Whisperer

Helping writers embrace the freedom of structure.

Writers on the Hero’s Journey

Last Saturday I taught the 1st in a series of 3 Plot Intensives in Capitola, CA. I covered plot at the overall story level. This Saturday I teach the 2nd plot workshop to cover plot at the scene level. Next Saturday I teach the 3rd and final workshop; Plot for Meaning at the overall plot level.

Saturday for the first time I asked writers to fill out the Character Emotional Plot Profile for more than just their protagonist and antagonist. This time, they also filled out one for themselves as a writer and another for themselves personally.Â
I felt a bit weird about asking for their own personal profile and after glancing at a few, I knew for certain I won’t do that again. I don’t need to know a person’s secrets to help her with plot. However, the writers’ profiles were fascinating in their universality.
Everyone wants to write a story and everyone suffers from the same doubt, insecurity, fears which begs the question: if a writer stands back and analyzes where she is on her writing journey, will it help her as much as standing back and looking at the overall plot of her writing story on a Plot Planner?
You tell me.
Where are you on your writing journey?Â
  • Still in the introductory mode (Beginning – 1/4) and mostly talking about writing, how you’re not writing, what you want to write about, thinking about writing, wanting to write but don’t very often?Â
  • Stepped over into the land of the exotic and solitary world of writing filled with antagonists of every kind (Middle – 1/2)?
  • Clawing your way to the Climax (End – 1/4)
Does your answer surprise you?Â
Does the understanding of where you are on the Universal Story form or your life’s journey give you a deeper understanding of you are in relationship with your writing?
Does it give you a deeper understanding of the journey your protagonist is on, too?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Author Kilburn Hall here.

    I need a good "hook" for the beginning of my new novel Excalibur in the tradition of Angels & Demons/The DaVinci Code.

    Raymond Khoury in The Last Templar had 4 Knights Templar invade a museum opening downtown Manhattan on horseback. What a great "hook" for an opening.

    I need such a "hook" for the opening of my new novel Excalibur and I am appealing to your readers to email me their ideas.

    Setup:

    It is Christmas at Oxford. Protagonist Aidan Macgiban, (MI5 agent) is attending the annual Boars Heady Gaudy with his wife Corky Smythe when Professor Ian Campbell is murdered by Knights Templar in an adjacent hall.

    The challenge to your readers is to give me a great "hook" as to how Professor Campbell is murdered. Credit for best idea will be noted in Author Notes.

    You may email your ideas to: kilburn.hall@gmail.com

    KH

    Reply

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