I've been singing more than writing--practicing for our newly ordained deacon's first Solemn High Mass as well as our barbershop concert at Piccolo Spoleto festival (local friends, please come!), but even so I've begun working on a new novel, a sequel/standalone to BOUND. As I got familiar with the characters again, nearly 20 years after the events that occur in Bound, I realized I needed a proper structure to tell the story. So when a writing friend from over a decade ago (we met at a Highlights workshop) came for a visit we had a chance to talk shop and the discussion turned to plotting. I promised her that I would send her my favorite resource: in nine boxes. I learned this first on Verla Kay's Blueboards (that were bought out by SCBWI, but now sadly shut down, and who knows whether they'll bother to offer that safe and friendly gathering place again online--I was a longtime moderator on the boards and miss it for its congeniality and generosity of the members). I love how organically I can think about my story and the scaffolding it needs so that all the elements fit together. This doesn't address the subplots, but typically, as my characters develop, so do the subplots. Each character will have his or her own journey through the novel.
I'm also fond of the Hero's Journey. But not being content, I took a deep dive online to see what else was there. And holy smokes I came across a compilation: 16 Narrative Structures to Plot a Book With. I love how different people think about story structures and how they might fit.
Here's a picture of some of them all on a page. Enjoy! And let me know what's your favorite plotting method, or if you write by the seat of your pants. I did try Writing into the Dark (and in essence, that's what I've been doing these past few weeks exploring my characters), but I find that at some point I need structure to guide my writing, otherwise I end up meandering all over the place. My mewses help!
NB: Has anyone noticed the palindromic nature of the dates beginning 5/20/25? Fun.
6 comments:
As today is 5-25-25, yes, I noticed the palindrome! Good luck with your novel. It's difficult, but also fun to revisit characters many years after the publication of the book. I did that with Snowmallows when I thought of sequel ideas. Still trying to find time to work on it. Admittedly, I am more of a "pantser" when I write. I keep thinking of new things to add as I go even with an initial plot in mind. Happy writing!
I *LOVE* and use the nine-boxes as an assist, not a firm thing. It's got "the good bones" for fleshing out stories. I, too, learned about it at Verla's, where I learned a whole lot.
BOUND was a YA. Will the stand-alone/sequel also be?
Carol, I'm glad I made a rough outline with the 9 boxes because my imagination is taking me into a sci-fi direction, lol. I might have fun writing a couple of short stories. Snowmallows has so many rich characters--so fun to think of what they might be up to.
Mirka, yes, exactly--good bones! One of the storylines is definitely YA (or possibly MG) but the one I'm working on is for adults--women's fiction.
I started off using the nine boxes but progressed to other plot structuring systems as my novel grew. Looking at what you've got here, I'm surprised to see the similarities between nine boxes and the other frameworks I've used.
Re: Your "mewses"
I think you might appreciate this haiku I wrote recently:
Hemingway's six-toed cat
dreams of
Kilimanjaro's leopard
Barb, I remember seeing a chart with the nine boxes, 3-act, and the hero's journey all in one and how they all fit. Stories have a natural structure we seem to enjoy! Love your haiku! Thank you.
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