According to plot guru, Martha Alderson, plot can be viewed as either a noun or verb. She states: “Plot as noun encompasses every element of a story. Plot as verb allows conscious development of those elements.”
I invite you to visit her blog, and to follow her on Twitter. Her daily Tweets are gems of gold.
Martha possesses not only an understanding of plot and its importance to establishing structure to a story, but how we as writers set about creating plot for our story.
Her workshops in and around the San Francisco Bay Area and her book, Blockbuster Plots, are invaluable for the writer/author whatever level.
I first met Martha when participating in a workshop she conducted at The Writing Salon, then located only in San Francisco, CA.
I immediately knew I could benefit from her expertise when she explained that a novel consists of three sections comprised of fourths.
Simply put, the first 1/4 of your novel comprises the beginning; the 2nd and 3rd fourths of your novel make up the middle.
The last 1/4 of your novel is the end.
Thinking of your novel in fourths is incredibly helpful.
This can be done regarding word count, or scenes. I advise against using pages as that varies depending on the font size your use and spacing.
A fictional writing of 60,000 or more is a novel. From Martha’s perspective, the first 15,000 words comprise your opening/beginning.
The next 30,000 words (16,000 to 45,000 words) make up your middle.
The last 15,000 words contain your ending.
Rest assure these numbers do not exist in stone. And neither do the parameters of what Martha offers.
Rather her expertise and information gives novice writers and established authors who lack the skill, a way of bringing structure to our artistry.
How do you structure your novel?
Through what parameters do you envision the process of your protagonist’s journey?