Creating Your Story's Timeline

Ah, a new story! A little idea bud to nurture and feed until it grows--talk about exciting!

Whenever I pursue an idea and develop it into a book, I go through a process of brainstorming until I'm ready to write. One important detail? The story timeline.

Sometimes the timeline will determine the story. For instance, if I wanted to write a Christmas book, I probably wouldn't set much, if any, of the book in the summer--I would focus on autumn and early winter to give it that Christmas feeling throughout.

For most of my books, though, I figure out the characters and their goals before thinking about a timeline. Their goals typically determine when the book will start and how much time will pass.

It's important to consider genre when thinking about timeline.

If you write suspense, there's bound to be a "ticking time bomb" element. As you consider what has to happen from point A (the beginning) to point Z (the end), think carefully about a realistic time frame. If the book unfurls over a course of twenty-four hours, break each hour down and make sure the plot can really fit. If the book spans a month, try not to devote twelve chapters to day one.

Maybe you're writing historical fiction--a sweeping saga. The book could chronicle more than a year. You couldn't possibly write every day of the journey. Think about what details deserve page time and if there are weeks or months you can skip and wrap up in a short summary. Do this before you get to page 265 and realize only one month has passed.

If you're writing a romance novel, please honor your audience. Most romance readers simply will not find it believable if your hero and heroine meet, fall in love, overcome their obstacles, and get their happily-ever-after in a few days time. I won't give you a hard-and-fast rule, but use your judgment and respect your readers.

The book I'm currently plotting features two characters with goals that require a four to six month commitment. The goals are seasonal, which narrows when my book can start and end. By coming up with clear character goals before I start writing, I'm able to plan the ideal setting and timeline.

Questions to help you determine your timeline:

-   What genre are you writing?

-   How sweeping or compact is the story?

-   Do the characters' goals impact the timeline? Example: A woman wants to purchase and renovate an old building. The timeline would need to be anywhere from four months to over a year.

-   Are their seasonal limitations? Does any of the plot hinge on the weather?

-   If you are working with a long timeline, how will you keep the pace tight? What action can happen "off-screen" and summarized?

-   Is this timeline realistic?

Do you have anything to add? I'd love to hear your tips!

What pet peeves do you have about fiction timelines? 

(No surprise here, but mine is the romance where the hero and heroine fall in love and get married after a week's time. Ugh.)

Have a terrific Wednesday!!

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Using Flow Charts to Plot

I'm writing a new book. I have the main plot points and progression in my head, but I didn't want to write a standard scene list this time. I wanted to change things up, so I pulled up Power Point (part of the Microsoft Office suite) and played around with flow charts.

*As of this morning, I've noticed there are links in this blog to ads I did NOT place. Please do not click on anything that looks suspicious.*

The first chart I made was a Tree Diagram for my main character. I've never used one before. Seeing the layout made me think it was perfect for her story goals. Branching out from the goals were ways for her to meet the goals, which sparked ideas for scenes.

The  picture is hard to read, so here is the breakdown:

Main Character
Goal 1        Goal 2         Goal 3
Solution1   Solution 1    Solution 1
Solution 2  Solution 2    Solution 2
Solution 3  Solution 3    Solution 3


I also made a Flow Chart for my book. Each rectangle contained a major plot point, and the arrows going down connected the plot points with possible scenes.

The print-outs are pinned to the bulletin board above my desk. Perfect for reminding me where I need to go!

Have you tried something new lately? I'd love to hear about it.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

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Why a Scene List Improves Your Writing

Have you ever created a scene list of your book? Did you form it before or after you wrote the book?

I'm a HUGE fan of scene lists. I always create one before I write the book. Since I'm a plotter, I know the main turning points and have a basic idea of subplots before I begin writing. The entire list might not be fully fleshed out when I tackle chapter one, but 75% of it will be.



Isn't a scene list a lot of extra work? Doesn't it take the fun and discovery out of writing?

Yes, to the first question. No, to the second.

It does take time and energy to fill out a scene list, but we have to figure out our story at some point--why not do it right away? And again, I'm a plotter. I find graphs, charts, and plot worksheets exciting. They don't take the fun and discovery out for me--they allow me the stress-free zone I need to work. If you're a pantster, you might want to plug your ears and leave the room for coffee now.

(If you're confused about what needs to be in a scene or how to plot one, feel free to check out my article, "Plotting the Scene," which is linked.)

So exactly how does a scene list improve your writing? Isn't it just a summary of your book? Why not write a synopsis and call it good?

Scene lists, although time-consuming to create, save you time throughout the life of a project, and they keep your book focused.

A scene list is much more than a synopsis. It's a map. It tells you the exact number of scenes (or sequels) you have in your book. It shows you how many scenes in a row are told from one person's point of view, alerting you that you may need to switch it up. At a glance you'll see overused setting locations (whoops, guess they were in the park five times already!) and vague plot goals. If you have fifty scenes, you'll know you've hit the mid-point too soon if you're writing it in scene thirteen.

Scene lists help you keep track of plot threads, sub-plots, pacing, and proper turning-point placement. They also give you a reference point each day when you sit down to write. That alone saves me ten minutes every writing session.

I've talked about my use of Microsoft OneNote to keep track of all research for a book. One of my pages is the scene list. I open the file alongside my Word document and flip back and forth to make sure I've covered everything necessary in the scene. I also leave notes in the scene list where I've left off for the day. For me, there's nothing worse than staring at a WIP with blank eyes and confusion. A quick peek at my scene list fires my brain, reminding me exactly where I need to pick up the story.

When the first draft is finished, the scene list can be extremely valuable. You can use it for a quick search of your manuscript--when did Aunt Betty give Jimbo the key again? Oh right, scene 23 in chapter 14. If your critique partner, agent, or editor asks you about a plot element and you can't remember the location, you can check your scene list.

Personally, I find the scene list to be helpful after I've completed a book. When I start a new project, I don't always remember off-hand how many scenes and chapters to aim for. It helps to scan an old scene list to refamiliarize myself with the number of scenes, turning point placement, and the types and placement of sub-plots.

Do you create scene lists? Why or why not? I'd love to hear your opinion!

Have a magnificent Monday!

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Plotting the Scene

Whether you plot your book in advance or write by the seat of your pants, it’s a good idea to know the elements in a scene before you write it.

First, what is a scene?
According to Jack M. Bickham’s book Scene & Structure: “A scene is a segment of story action, written moment-by-moment, without summary, presented onstage in the story “now.” It is not something that goes on inside a character’s head; it is physical.”

Mr. Bickham goes on to describe the pattern of a scene as:
1. Statement of goal
2. Introduction and development of conflict
3. Failure of the character to reach his goal, a tactical disaster

In other words, each scene takes place in real time—it’s not a memory, it’s not a character reflecting, and it’s not a summary of events that took place at another time.

Decisions to make before writing the scene
I think most writers have an internal sense of story whether they plot, write a brief outline, or completely wing it. However, to avoid missing key story points along the way, one thing that can help is to plot your scene in advance. I plot all of my scenes before writing them, but do what feels comfortable. You might find plotting a scene helpful when you’re stuck.

Answer the following questions for the scene you are plotting.1. Where does this scene take place?
2. What day and what time of day is it?
3. How long after the last scene does this take place?
4. Who is in this scene?
5. Which main character has the most to lose in this scene? This answer will decide whose viewpoint the scene is told in. For maximum tension, write from the viewpoint of who has the most to lose.
One of the popular “rules” of writing is to avoid head-hopping. This means that each scene will take place from one character’s point of view. Other characters may be in the scene, but the reader will be experiencing the action from the point-of-view character. It’s a personal call on your part if you choose to follow this. I prefer to write each scene from only one character’s point of view because it clarifies the scene for me.6. What is the mood of the viewpoint character?
7. What is the viewpoint character’s goal in this scene? (What does he want?)
8. What is the viewpoint character’s motivation? (Why does he want it?)
9. What is the viewpoint character’s conflict? (Why can’t he have it?)
10. How does this scene affect the character—what is his growth?

When you answer these questions, you’re ready to write your scene. Remember to include the setting details (who, where, when) at the beginning of the scene, and state the scene goal early. Unless the scene takes place immediately after the previous one, the reader won’t know three days have passed and the character is now in a deli unless these details are clarified up front.

Getting tripped up on the character’s goal? It can be as simple as Jim wants to buy a cup of coffee. His motivation? He needs caffeine to think straight. His conflict? Before he enters the coffee shop, his mother bumps into him.

If you review the Jack M. Bickham’s scene essentials from above, you’ll see this fulfills the criteria.
Scene goal: Jim wants a cup of coffee
Introduction and development of conflict: His mother bumps into him, preventing him from entering the coffee shop.
Failure to reach goal: He does not get the coffee.

Obviously, to keep the reader interested, you would want this meeting to increase Jim’s conflict and allow him to grow in some way. If this is just a nice meeting between mother and son, it probably does not belong in your book.

If you try this and find it helpful, you might want to record your scene outlines in a spreadsheet. I use Microsoft Excel with the following columns.

Scene POV Setting POV character’s GMC Character’s Mood Char. Development Growth Chapter Notes

This allows you to keep track of how many scenes are in your book, how often each character’s viewpoint is being used, if you’ve overused a setting location, if each scene has a clear goal, the reason for the goal, and a failure to meet that goal, the character growth and if you’ve missed any loose threads, and how many scenes are in each chapter. It also allows a place to jot key details in the notes section.

Whether you’re stuck and only plot one scene or you use this as a tool to plot all of your scenes, I hope this serves to enrich your writing and move your story along.

This article is available on the articles page of my website, Jill Kemerer, and it is linked on the side of my blog.

Join me on Wednesday when we return to our discussion of plateaus.

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Writing the Synopsis Before the Book: Part Three

This week, I'm sharing my method of writing the synopsis before the book. On Monday, we learned what story basics were necessary before we write the synopsis. On Wednesday, we learned the process of writing a one-page synopsis.

Getting through the one-page synopsis is not enough for me. I don’t feel comfortable writing until I have a complete map of the story. However, before I can expand the one-page synopsis to a longer one, I have more story questions to answer.

Advanced Plotting and the Longer Synopsis:
1. Answer the following questions.

• After the hook (set-up) and the character leaves the ordinary world, what events could happen to get the character to the midpoint of the novel? Brainstorm different options and weigh each to make sure they serve to advance your character to her next plot point. For each event, write how the character grows, how the stakes rise, and how the conflict increases. You might not use everything you think of, but it’s nice to have options.


• Do the same for the mid-point to the black moment. The black moment is the point in the story where the character loses hope of achieving her goal. In a romance, it's when either the hero, heroine, or both decide they cannot be together. The events you brainstorm should escalate to make things worse for your character in terms of her story goal.

2. When you've decided on key events/scenes leading the character from the ordinary world to the mid-point, then from the mid-point to the black moment, you are ready to expand the one-page synopsis to a double-spaced longer synopsis. I aim for five pages, but many editors prefer even longer. Use your discretion. You can always add or delete later.

• Save your one-page synopsis as a new file. This is the base of your longer synopsis.


• After the paragraph where your character leaves the ordinary world, write two or three (or more) paragraphs describing the events leading up to the midpoint. Emphasize why the events are important and how they affect the main characters. In other words, include the “because” with the “and then.”


• Skip to the paragraph about the mid-point, and following it, write two or three (or more) paragraphs describing the events leading from the mid-point to the black moment.


• Flesh out any paragraphs from the one-page synopsis that need more explanation.

Don't forget, a synopsis gives an editor all of your book's major plot points, including any twists, and the ending. This isn't the place to play coy. Make sure the character development shines through.

Remember, you'll need to review and revise your synopsis when you've completed the book. My characters always reveal nuances I wasn't aware of before I wrote, and I make sure the book accurately reflects these by revising my initial synopsis.

At this point, you should feel comfortable with where your book is headed. If all this plotting makes you cry “uncle,” then stop here. But there’s another step to take if you want to plot your book in more detail. I consider it advanced plotting. It's where you plot each scene before you write the book. If you're interested in plotting one or more scenes, stop by on Monday for a full description of Plotting the Scene.

Whether you decide to try a few steps, write your one-page synopsis, or go all the way and write the long synopsis before writing, I hope this information leads you to a better understanding of your book. But remember, there is no right way or wrong way to write. If plotting doesn’t suit you, don’t force it.

The full article is available on the articles page of my website, Jill Kemerer, and it is linked on the side of my blog.

Thank you for joining me this week. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Writing the Synopsis Before the Book: Part One

This week, I'm sharing my synopsis writing process. It's also a major part of my plotting process because I write the synopsis before I write the book.

Writers like to divide themselves into two categories: those who plot and those who don’t. I’m a plotter. I wasn’t always one, but years ago, in an effort to write faster and tighter, I decided to learn about plotting. After all, if I hated it, I wouldn't do it again. To my delight, I tried a myriad of plotting methods and loved the end result.

Here’s why I love plotting. It forces me to understand the main points of my book before I write. When I nail those down, I have a clearer idea of how my characters will grow and the events that will shape them along the way. Plus, the saggy middle virtually disappears. With a firm plan, I write first drafts quickly.

I can’t take credit for the plotting methods I use. All of them were borrowed from other writers generous enough to share their secrets. Some were found on websites, some from word of mouth, and others through books on the writing craft. Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake Method made a big impact on me, and you can read all about it at Advanced Fiction Writing.

I consider the one-page synopsis the foundation of basic plotting. It fleshes out the main story points and gives you a skeleton of where your book needs to go. Depending on your comfort zone, you may wish to continue to intermediate plotting, where you'll expand your one-page synopsis to a long synopsis. If you want to get radical, go all the way to advanced plotting, where you plot each scene. Don't worry, I'll walk you through every step.

The following is based on my experiments to find the best plotting method for me. However, you should experiment to find the best method for you.

First, narrow down what genre book you are writing. Different genres require different pacing, tension, and plot development. I write romance novels so my books revolve around two characters’ journey to love. I sift through possible ideas and flesh out the main characters and premise of my book first. When I have a hero, a heroine, and a hook, I begin brainstorming their goals, motivations, and conflicts.

With these basics, I am ready to start writing the synopsis.

Join me on Wednesday for part two--the step-by-step process of writing a one-page synopsis.

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