Dealing with Problem Novel Manuscripts, the multi-plotted novel

NOVEL WRITING LESSONS, July 2006

DEALING WITH PROBLEM NOVEL MANUSCRIPTS
by zentao

Dealing with Problem Novel Manuscripts, the short version
by zentao

Some writers write significantly difficult stories with convoluted or twining plots, multiple plots, multiple story lines, or a plot AND character driven story.

These stories, which many times wind up running 120 to 160k words, can be unweildy to draft, the draft winding up feeling like a hodge-podge of lost trails.

What to do? Write through to the end. Now, start outlining backwards, scene by scene.

Once you have your scene by scene, even with the gaps and errant pathways, you will be able to see it better.

Now, get out a large drawing pad, preferably some butcher paper or the like. On sheet one, write a synopsized blurb about the beginning. Now, draw the MAIN PLOT LINE marking on it the significant scenes. Follow that plot line through sheet two, continuing to mark the significant scenes on through the third sheet, or the last third of the book. Find it all the way to the end if you can.

Now, go back to sheet one and start adding in the subplots, hooking them in where they branch from the main, then pointing them back into the main plot line with arrows to show how they hold significance. If they don't hold significance, they don't belong, btw.

Do this through all three sheets.

Now. See the gaps? Where you dropped the story? See those blank spots that you have no idea what goes there. Just see them. Don't do anything...yet.

Go to the last sheet. Start backwards, referencing all the sheets. Think on how the subplots tie in to the end, and work out the significant events you forgot.

This doesn't always work, but it will help you get a grip on an unwieldy story, showing you your drop-outs and where you forgot to put in pertinent story bits.

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Another method sometimes needed for large, convouluted, multi-plot manuscripts is to write each character's story from start to finish, then snip and match to the whole.

Lesson TOC (Table of Contents)...4

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