How to Plot a Novel

Learn how to effectively plot your novel and save time in the editing process.

[NorthWolfe]

"A story should be a chain reaction". Genius!
The amount of help this, apparently simple, idea conveys is incalculable.
Cheers.

[peachykeen]

As a recent high school graduate, I literally never recall anyone being this concise with me with on these topics. I would literally pay you for this.

[pieemme]

I forgot to mention: your greatest tip to me was: make a list of those scenes that you want your story to include and try to connect them logically. This is simple and vital: writing a plot without these substantial parts in mind is like trying to give directions to a place you have never been to.

[peterhortonauthor]

You're really good at explaining these concepts.  Keep up the good work!

[troyfruge]

I may be three years late in saying it, but- Thank You Ellen, your videos have helped me enormously.

[deidrajnay]

Ellen has been so valuable to my journey! She is my choice editor if and when the time comes.

[IqraArshadBeauty]

I just discovered your videos tonight and I have been binge watching them. Thank you for all the useful tips. As a amateur writer, the videos are really helping me write better.

[robinb]

Ellen, your videos contain the most succinct, no-nonsense advice I have yet come across. Your points are easy to follow and clearly explained. Thanks hugely. I intend to take time to watch them all and to read your blog. Keep up the terrific work.

[KutWrite]

Scrivener works really well to do this.

This is my second time viewing this.
I want to keep coming back to keep me on track.

[pavlelekic]

Hey Ellen, thanks to you I am now buried under a mountain of paper containing tips, schemes, ideas and checkpoints in a story. Never felt better :) thanks :)

[wordsmithasheesh]

Ellen you are such a great teacher..
I'm trying to create a world and you are one of my favourite mentors.
Love you..
God Bless..

[Chad]

Some of the best advice I've ever heard.  I wish I had understood this a handful of years ago.

[edgarhernandez]

I'm in 6th grade and Im writing a book called "High School Thieves" This advice was the most helpful!!

[mranda]

"Chain reaction" really changed my perspective? It's like, this important thing wouldn't have happened without this thing that doesn't seem important until you see the important thing. I feel like plotting now. Thanks!

[INGVILDSINVERDEN]

Wow, this was just so freaking inspiring!! I'm in this stage in my novel-process where I know what kind of story I want to write, who's the most important characters, their goals, and a couple of key scenes and the ending etc – BUT this was really, really helpful. The whole connect-the-scenes-stuff made me think :D Thank you very much!

[stevehammond]

Ellen, I found your videos accessible, insightful, helpful and interesting. Thank you for taking the time to record them. Good job!

[michaelsampat]

Love your videos. Your advice and experience are so helpful. I will get in touch when I finish the novel I am writing now.

[jbat]

Thank you, that's exactly what I needed to know: how to take the few random ideas I have and develop them into the beginnings of a story. :)

[heathertoomey]

Thank you so much for this video! I paused for each step and actually took the steps for the novel I am writing.  Thanks to you getting me to sit down and really consider the plot again before getting into the actual writing, I now have some awesome new ideas that I can't imagine my novel without!!  Thank you!!

[Tomozaurus]

Thanks for all these videos! They are extremly helpful.