This Tip Makes Plotting Your Novel Way Easier

Plotting a novel can be a struggle, but I recently came across a tip from Trey Parker and Matt Stone that makes it really simple.

Whether you're in the early stages of planning or plotting your novel, or you've already written it and you want to patch some gaps, this tip could really help.

Thanks for watching!

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[Saphia_]

This is quite possibly the best writing advice I've ever heard. Another that spoke to me was something along the lines of "don't edit, rewrite". Why? Because while editing, you may be persuaded into keeping something that doesn't work just because you've already written it and thus maybe, are attached to it (like I usually am). But if you rewrite, you have to write it all either way so why not make some changes that suit the story better? Not to mention, you have the original copy too so you haven't lost the parts you were attached to either.

[lpsloveroflight]

A bit of advice, or a quote in this case, that really spoke to me was "You can't edit a blank page". I find it to be motivating and it helps fight off perfectionism and aids me in telling the story and getting it out of my head. Great video! The production and editing is brilliant, love the lighting in the room.

[tylerriggs]

You can definitely get away with some “and then” once or twice in a story, but only if readers are already invested.

[ADSmallAuthor]

I agree it is explained simply and it makes a lot of sense.

[shenawilson]

This is so extremely super useful. Thank you KW and South Park dudes. - In Scrivener, have set up a new metadata column called 'therefore / but because'. Jotting 'answers' for each scene into modifiable text boxes. Squeezing out the fluff; sharpening motivation/results. If I can't fill the box, something has to go or be changed... -- Hey! why didn't I think of that? ;))

[virginialmills]

This REALLY spoke to me! I'm a Literature Nut who is starting out as a new novelist and am struggling on stringing plot points/beats together effectively. This is an easy tip to remember - "Therefore/But because". Someone very learned once told me, once you have a THEREFORE, always ask, "What's it there for?" to make certain you and your readers are understanding the significance of that passage. I believe it can also be applied easily to this concept as well.

Once you have the THEREFORE, ask yourself if What/Why it's there is crystal clear. If it's not to you, it certainly will not be to your readers.

Between these two techniques: I am finding it easier to connect the dots. THANKS!🙃

[BrittanyPutzer]

Great video. Thank you. I look forward to some examples ❤ in later videos. It sounds like you may have lost some sleep over it. But you've got this 👊

[tracypattin]

Great advice. I'm going through my novel now.

[laurabesley]

This is such great (and simple) advice!

[beanfeld]

This is a very helpful channel for writing advice and your voice and accent are calming. I feel my blood pressure go down when you talk. 😊

[JoeyPaulOnline]

I like this advice, simple but effective and good to be thinking about!

[franwiedenhoeft]

Love your stories, would love a flash or micro with this in mind.

[nikkinewbie]

There is a story structure that I recently came across that advocates starting at the end of a draft or outline and tracing backwards through each scene for the cause and effect relationship.

You might discover a “hole” but you fix it and keep going until all the connected scenes form the spine of your story.

What you’re talking about sounds a lot like that approach only there is no explicit instruction to start at the end of your story.

The causality checkbox is one of many on my “patented” scene cards. 😂😂. I’m still learning craft and leaning on keeping my references handy until I internalize many of the concepts - so my scene cards are ridiculously involved. 😂.

I plan to “vet” all my scenes on several points. Each scene must pass all the criteria before i sign off on writing it; so there will be no need for me to go back and check for causality - thanks to my neurosis.

I will create a scene list with short descriptions and ideally I should be able to tell myself my story by reading them in the best order for them. Then I’ll write the scenes.

But I’m glad I watched your video because I’ve never heard the concept put this way. It’s funny how the exact right words can fully illuminate a concept that you understood “for the most part”. It’s a good feeling when it clicks all the way. Thanks for this!

By the way, do you use a set story structure to write your projects? If so, which one? I’m looking for one that will assist with pacing because my first wip ever will be a romantic thriller. Thrillers move fast.

I’m actually making a hybrid of several structures that speak to me. I’m finding there’s a lot of overlap between the structures anyway.

Okay sorry so long!

[randallwright]

I have had stories stuck in my head for years and years, and whenever I get them out, I realize how poorly it's written. I get to the point in reading it again that even -I- don't care about what's happening. And I don't know how to fix it without an editor, which I will NEVER be able to afford. But also, when re-reading, I realize how much better the story could be. So I start rewriting to fix that aspect, and I'm STILL not happy with how it's written. If I could figure out how to write better, I think I'd be able to get through stories more. But how do you fix the one thing that cannot be taught?

[informalliteraryexperiments]

Hello Kieren, Awesome video, I've watched the first 3 minutes and I love it. I will be coming back to this, to rewatch a few times because plot is definitely something that I need practice in. I'm cool with everything else but yeah, plot requires a little bit of study. Whenever I watch the "Back to the Future" trilogy, I'm amazed at how I get sucked in and how well constructed the plot is threaded together. Thank you for making good content that is well presented!
Regards,
Damien

[jillfortune]

Great advice 👍.
Interestingly enough this is not a habit i have got into, plenty other bad habits though 😂

[gauravmehta]

Lmao read about causation in Tort’s cases— it’ll also help (a bit more confusing than this video, but interesting concept).

[someknave]

I don't think that that were saying that Everything has to be causal. The "buts" are important, the things that come out of left field and blindside us. But those buts should feel like they are pushing against the events that preceded them. Not just "and then an unexpected thing happened".

[Bretherton]

DBC Pierre has some good advice in his book Release The Bats. Would love to hear your thoughts on that.

[copester]

Great video. This tip is similar to one of Pixar's 6 rules of storytelling: Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.