That’s it.

It’s Isaac Asimov’s method, and it isn’t either way. Not everybody is. And it isn’t a bunch of false starts either. If I can’t start strong that’s the ones that I excluded from my ending sentence in the above big paragraph.

And I found it fit … almost perfectly.

I almost fell out of my chair, because I knew nothing, whatever, about story structure and planning. I had no outline when I wrote it. And yet it fell into the model like a hand into a glove. So, I compared the novel’s sequel to the structure model. And again, it started to fit (that manuscript’s is only about half finished) — but not as perfectly. And the story was dragging on, going nowhere, and I thought I’d written myself into a box.

Which I couldn’t understand because I used an outline for this one. And I just couldn’t get the story going. After reading your story structure series, I know why now, and I know how to fix it (what’s wrong and what needs re-writing and what’s missing).

In addition, since I’ve learned the 4-part story structure model, I’ve gotten ideas for about four other novels, and I’m using a template I made to plan those stories out. All I’ll need to do is write a synopsis for each one (which I like better than outlining), and then start writing scenes. I have a feeling this is going to speed up the writing process so much, in both writing and revising, I can’t wait to start.

Thank you for all the great advice and showing me how valuable it is to plan and structure a story, Larry. And for showing me what it means to plan. I’m reading everything you’ve got online about theme now, trying to get that aspect of the six core competencies involved in my work more fully (and intentionally!), so keep ‘em coming.

God bless.

Makes sense to me.

I’ve met teachers who spend hours making the lesson plans, write them out with their goals, objectives, activities all spelled out perfectly, they stick to them… and many times the lessons just flop: the students sleep, don’t get what they are talking about….

I’ve met other teachers who struggle to put down a word on their lesson plans. They might stay up all night working through 7 different scenerios or ways of teaching the lesson. They might decide their approach the moment the first student walks in the door. Some of these also fail, but some of these teachers are brilliant.

Like you, this second group might look like pantsers. But in actuality, they are using chaos theory and interacting with their students/characters. When it works either in teaching or in writing it is a thing of beauty.

So, when’s your book available?