Your best next step:
plot it out!
Wow! You’ve got a great foundation set for your story. You have a sense of why you’re writing it, what you’re trying to say, and how your protagonist is going to change.
It’s possible that you still have some gaps in these things, and that’s okay. I’ll send you some tools over the next few days that will help you shore them up if needed.
So now the question is: what the heck is going to happen in this story?
I have a fun Story Frame for you to fill out. It will give you an overview of the major scenes in the story and ensure that one scene leads into another in a way that is logical and intentional.
But Stephanie, hold on. Why do I have to map it out? Can’t I just write and see what unfolds?
Great question! Yes, you certainly can.
Before you do, though, consider the value of this activity:
You will save time, effort and agony. Doing this Story Frame before you start drafting can save hours of writing scenes that may end up on the cutting room floor.
You will establish crucial cause and effect. In a story, each moment, each scene, needs to directly lead into the next one. (This is what distinguishes narrative from real life.) Doing this Story Frame in advance will ensure that you have the thread of cause and effect already in place!
So yes, you can certainly go forth and write if you wish.
But I hope you will wait just a moment and give this a go. It will be worth it.
This is not your high school English outline. It is fun, playful, and – best of all – short! You can even do it multiple times with different events and see if it brings new clarity to your story.
See if you can hold it with both seriousness and playfulness. (Serious play? Playful seriousness? Either way, it will help you understand your story.)
There’s more to come! Watch your email inbox for the next few days for more tips to support you along the way.
Happy writing!
xo
Stephanie
P.S. If you’d like to talk more about how to plot the events of your story in an intentional yet flexible way and you’re curious about how book coaching might work for you, please schedule a free introductory call with me!