A Plot
Working through Holly Lisle’s How to Revise Your Novel* coursework, my co-author and I came to a realization related to our plot.
Book Series
In a series, every book** should have its own plot. The entire series should also have a plot.
A single book in a series should do more than just advance the series plot. Although it can share elements with the series, every book must have its own story to tell – it’s own series of events leading to a satisfying conclusion.
Whups
There, my friends, we found the first Very Bad Problem with our manuscript.
Our book is interesting, entertaining, and well-written (or at least we’d like to think so). It does not, however, have its own plot. Being interesting does not forgive it for the lack of plot.
Having characters that grow and change does not forgive it for the lack of plot.
SOMETHING in the book must be different because of the actions of the protagonist. Something must change. Some plan must be foiled, some villain must be stopped, something must MATTER.
Even if the book has conflict, fights, emotional scenes, political maneuvering, moral insecurities, and triumph against the odds – the book must also have a plot.
Every plot-shaped thing in this book is actually part of the series plot rather than being tied down to this book.
History
We have a reason for this oversight. Our original plot for the “first book” was too ambitious and would have required an insane word count to accomplish. When we trimmed and went back to re-write, we neglected to re-map the plot itself.
So What Now?
Now? Nothing.
We continue through the course as-is. We have learned something important from every single lesson in Holly’s course. This particular gem was revealed in Lesson 4 of 22. We finish the course and learn the remaining 18 important lessons, then we take our notes and our newfound knowledge and we fix it.
Work
Sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Especially since we’ve already written and revised and edited the book TWICE now. But you know what? The story is great, the characters are fantastic, the world is incredible, and these books deserve to be written properly.
I never thought writing would be easy, though I admit I’d have liked to not find such a gaping hole in this particular book!
Still, better to find it now than to be (rightfully) rejected by scores of agents and editors later. Even more important, better to find it now than to write even MORE books that have the same problem.
Have I mentioned lately how much I love/hate this course?
* I know, I know. The website looks terrible and uses scam-site advertising techniques. I give you my word of honor that this class is most definitely not a scam.
** Here I speak of fantasy books, since that is my main area of expertise.
That is… a bit of an oversight. Also, the primary reason I’m skeptical of the ever present “Fantasy Trilogy”. So many of them suffer from the first or second book having no plot of it’s own… they just get you further down the line.
I’m sure your writing will be stronger for all the struggle you have/will endure!
Lauren´s last blog ..A Party… A Football Party
I actually never thought about that. Makes perfect sense, I “see” it all the time, just never realized it til now. Makes me wonder though, if you are writing online fiction “stories” should each story have a plot?
Byrd´s last blog ..My Sickness for an Update!
@Lauren
It’s actually easier to do than it seems, especially when the writer was originally focused on a series plot and didn’t intend to break it into books. The lack of plot isn’t obvious because the characters are moving toward a goal – it’s just that the goal isn’t in THIS book. Anime is popular enough that I’m used to waiting for the payoff.
Books, however, are not anime. =]
You’re right – I think this is a problem with a lot of fantasy, although too far the opposite and I’m even less happy. I’d rather have very closely tied books than very separate ones. Hunter’s Oath and Hunter’s Death, for example, I ADORE. THAT’s the kind of series (tied-together-wise) that I want to write.
@Byrd
Yup, every story should have a plot, no matter how short. Protagonist, Antagonist, Setting, Conflict, and Twist. Not all stories DO have those, but the very best ones have all of them. =]
Wow!
and I mean WOW!
I was not only taken aback by the look of that site…I originally thought the link went to the wrong place…then I noticed your footnote.
Have you offered to sell her the Tami Moore: How to revise your website so that it doesnt blind people and makes them actually want to stay and read course?
Hey its a long title, but I’m sure with a little reworking it could…well work.
Ok, time for more coffee I guess.
@Rhotley
*laughs* for all I know, the scam look is working for her. Her name is probably the only reason web-savvy folks stay to keep reading, though.
But I wonder how many web-savvy folks don’t? I went there originally on your recommendation, but if it hadn’t been for that, I’d never have signed up for her first (free) course–which I subsequently dropped, because I wasn’t ready. I’m probably going to go back next month. :)
Steve Hall´s last blog ..Weekly Word Count: February 5
@Steve
I signed up for that free course, too. I’ve been archiving the lessons and I’ll go back to them after HTRYN is no longer pwning my free time. =]