I've got too many ideas to write it seems.

Last class session at WTWA (West Texas Writers' Academy), I was lucky enough to take a class with Alexandra Sokoloff on her plotting method. That's worked out for me extremely well. For a person who always claimed to be a pantster, I turned out to be an effective plotter.

When I began writing novels in 2013, I had no idea what I was doing. (Okay, maybe sometimes I still don't.) I would sit down in front of the computer and stare at the screen terrified because I didn't want to jinx what the backside of my brain was doing, but the not knowing in advance was killing me. Total torture sessions galore for a control freak.

Four books were written in this way before I began to burn out from the stress. Don't get me wrong, there was joy in there too but only when the words were flowing. Each sticky stop along the way made me doubt my sanity.

Now since I've gotten used to the idea of plot structure and what the audience has come to expect from a gripping story, (thanks to Alexandra Sokoloff and NO she isn't paying me to promote her methods), I can sit down with a map and write on.

This doesn't mean you can't change lanes or even highways along the writing way; it just means now you can handle course corrections SO much better. As you become aware of the parts, you begin to see them everywhere and in everything. Movies make more sense, not to mention the knowledge you need to deconstruct your stories and find the pieces that don't quite fit or need improvement.

Now I've plotted and reverse plotted multiple projects. Not going to lie here - it feels dang good.

If you're interested in learning this method for writing, I've got a couple suggestions.

Attend Alex's class at WTWA in June 2016. Here is a link to the Facebook page: WTWA

OR just buy Alexandra Sokoloff's book, Stealing Hollywood, on Amazon. Here's the link: Stealing Hollywood

If you're stuck in your story, and you feel like you need to try something new...go for it!