The approach to crafting a compelling story involves understanding and organizing it around emotional and thematic beats. Each character's motivations, conflicts, and arcs must be carefully analyzed to see how their interactions drive the plot.
Plotting and outlining should be flexible - trust the natural flow of the story.
Role of Characters
Try to understand each character's motivations, conflicts, and arcs. See how the characters interact with the world and each other to drive the plot forward.
Revisions and Rewrites
As new insights into the story unfold, the structure can and should change to better reflect the developing narrative.
Architectural Blueprint
Don't follow a fixed formula for structure, but build your own flexible blueprint - the story will evolve naturally while maintaining a solid structure.
Plot as Discovery
Focus on the evolution of character and theme and allow the plot to develop in response to these elements.
Scene Inventory
List every scene in the book and identify its purpose, how it contributes to character development, and how it ties to the overarching theme.
Importance of Theme
A clear thematic focus can help guide the plotting process.
Three-Act Structure
Look to understand the emotional and thematic beats of the story and organize everything around them.