The Final Word on Plotting

There isn’t one. There won’t be. Scholars and word nerds will continue to peddle their versions of Plotting-For-Dummies and You’re-An-Idiot-If-You-Don’t-Plot-This-Way for centuries to come. Unless, of course, the zombie apocalypse really does happen.

Then we're all screwed.

Whatever, plotting doesn’t have to be scary. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. If you like to write scenes on sticky notes and line up those little soldiers on a wall in your house, then take down the family portraits and go for it. If you’re the analytical type that needs flowcharts and databases, then power up the ol’ hard drive and create files until dawn.

How you go about organizing your plot 

isn’t nearly as critical as what you put into your plot. 

Instead of getting all bent out of shape about which plotting methodology to use, shift the bulk of your concern to this single question:

What is the story you really want to tell?

Breakdown that story into a series of cause/effect scenes, and there’s your plot for you, all tied up with a red ribbon.