You can see what I’ve been working on. I have a lot of notes in my journal, and I’m working on creating plot cards. Besides brainstorming plot ideas, I’m trying to get my head around the overall series, what happens in each episode, etc. It’s fun, but it’s a little overwhelming too.
The format I use for my cards is simple, but also geared to avoid problems that I have frequently.
Description
Let’s start here because this is pretty self-explanatory. This is whatever I need to jog my memory about the scene.
Header
I do all my headers with the someone/something vs. someone/something format. This reminds me that each scene needs some conflict, even if it’s relatively minor.
Significant Result
Each scene must wind up with a result that is significant to the plot or the characters. I have a terrible tendency to wander a bit, especially in the middle of the work. Characters start drinking a lot of coffee. They talk. They nod. And nod. And nod some more. They practically turn in to a herd of creepy bobbleheads. This note on the card reminds me that each scene has to have a frickin’ point.
Eventually, I’ll move the cards I think I’m going to use, in the order I think I’ll write them, into Scrivener. The others will get rubber-banded and put aside, but not thrown away. (Just in case!)
How do you plot?