The best feeling in the world is when a project feels fresh and exciting when you get back into working on it. I decided to take a step back and make sure my plot beats are where they need to be before I keep writing the final chapters of Saving the Music. I have enough written that I can schedule the serial with no problem (plus I know the ending already so we’re good). I want to be sure that my readers are getting a good experience pacing-wise.
For my non-writer friends, plot beats are simply the scenes that keep the story moving. Most people are probably aware of this through the pyramid from when you were in English class and had to identify the inciting incident, rising action, climax, resolution, etc.
Plot beats break this down further into specific scenes or milestones in the story that need to be met to keep the traditional story arc. There are so many different types of story structures beyond just that basic pyramid, but you get the picture. I’m using a strategy called “Save the Cat” since it follows a traditional hero’s journey setup. This is my first attempt at this strategy so I won’t pretend to know the ins and outs just yet.
What I am finding though, is that my later chapters kind of get away from my main plot ideas so I need to reign those in. To do that, I need to fix a few things at the beginning to make the transitions more seamless. So far so good. I’m really happy with the first 5 chapters and I’m laying the groundwork for a lot of good stuff to come.
It’s nice to feel excited about my projects again. The feeling is very helpful to bring me back to the desk every writing session.
Happy Writing!
Rachel
Subtle Stories 