Iconoclastic Writer
While taking a workshop with author Janice MacDonald on developing a traditional fiction story plot (the kind with a beginning, middle and end), I decided to modify one of the templates that came with my Pages program into a set of worksheets. These worksheets can help you outline your fiction plot and determine the story structure. I’m also a big fan of John Truby’s 22 Building Blocks structure to plot development and try to integrate his screenplay plot development into my fiction writing.
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The first two are blank worksheets. You can copy them, fill them in, cut them up, move things around. Use them as you wish. There’s a place at the top for the name of novel or chapter and for defining the genre and the characters involve or whatever works for you. You may want to read some of the other posts on various ways to approach plot and motivation. You can then work with the blank storyboards in developing the internal and external events.
Novel Storyboard Worksheet PDF Chapter Storyboard Worksheet PDF
The thirds worksheet is my own creation from the various things I’ve learned about the traditional story structure. I want to give a big thanks to Janice MacDonald who clarified a create deal with her own plot grid. It’s the basis for my small variations.
Fiction Writing Plot Development Storyboard
While the storyboard is designed for the typical 20-chapter genre novel, simply expand the number of chapters between the Plot Points and the Crisis to meet your needs. The last page of the storyboard contains with a basic summary of a traditional novel plot structure as well as 10 Question For Developing Your Plot which help you determine the internal motivation and well as the strongest conflicts confronting your primary character or protagonists. (Actually, if you can answer these questions for your secondary characters, you have an even stronger plot.)
I recently came across a new book on fiction writing and plot development that seemed to be speaking to me and the 4 unfinished novels cluttering up my hard drive at the moment. It gives you specific tasks and psychological techniques to get past key problems that stop your story structure, block your plot points and flatten your story arc as well as all those negative thoughts that creep in. I’ve taken to writing post-it notes with quotes from the book and pasting them on my monitor, fridge, mirrors and so on.
For more details about using the Fiction Writing Plot Development Storyboard check out
Traditional Fiction Writing Story Arc
in the category Writing How-To, Fiction Writing.
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[...] above. I pointed them to lots of resources: old-fashioned index cards or post-it notes or storyboard sheets, and new-fangled programs for their [...]
I, too am writing with i-page. How did you change the templates to fit as a storyboard?
Hey, Danelo, thanks for dropping by to talk about writing. As for creating the Fiction Writing Plot Development Storyboard, I started with the Apple’s iWorks Pages Storyboard template. It’s located under the Wordprocessing Miscellaneous templates. Then I modified where it says “Shot 1″, “Shot 2″ etc. to the Chapters and the traditional focus of each chapter. I had to add 3 more storyboard pages by clicking on the Sections+ icon at the top of the page and selecting the 6-up storyboard section. On the last page of the template, I deleted the bottom row of storyboard boxes plus the last one on Row 1 and added my own text boxes. Then I saved it all as a new template under My Templates.
Glad you liked it and find it useful. I working on some more material for the site which will be going up soon. I developing a bunch of stuff for an online class I’m offering through a Colorado writer’s group. I’ll have more posted soon.
Good luck with the writing and fly casual.
Hi there, i find your worksheets so help fun. I just found your website a few days ago. I was wondering if i could post your worksheets on my blog with a link to your site.
Thank you for your blog
Courtney
Courtney,
Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad you found the storyboard useful. While I’d prefer you simply include a link to my site to download the storyboards, if you really want to post them on your blog under a Creative Commons license and give me attribution, go ahead.
These are really useful. Thanks Carolyn.
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Wow! Thank you so much, that was so unbelievably helpful.