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Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories
Turn lackluster plots into irresistible stories When it comes to writing bestsellers, it's all about the plot. But creating a captivating storyline that mesmerizes your audience until the very end is easier said than done. With thousands of engaging books on the shelf, you'll need to set yours apart by developing unique scenarios that leave readers wondering what happens next.
In this writing workbook, celebrated writing teacher and author Martha Alderson covers everything from constructing spirited action and compelling characters to establishing an unforgettable ending. She also walks you through the development of a successful narrative with exercises that: Help build suspenseIncorporate effective subplotsTie up all the loose endsKeep the reader turning pages Filled with essential advice and writing exercises, /"The Plot Whisperer Workbook" will quickly become your go-to guide for crafting a tale worthy of the bestseller list
In this writing workbook, celebrated writing teacher and author Martha Alderson covers everything from constructing spirited action and compelling characters to establishing an unforgettable ending. She also walks you through the development of a successful narrative with exercises that: Help build suspenseIncorporate effective subplotsTie up all the loose endsKeep the reader turning pages Filled with essential advice and writing exercises, /"The Plot Whisperer Workbook" will quickly become your go-to guide for crafting a tale worthy of the bestseller list
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 2012
18 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
Martha Alderson
19 books281 followersMartha writes at an enchanted beach somewhere off the coast of California. She draws inspiration in the beauty that surrounds her.
Visit her website for more: https://marthaalderson.com
Visit her website for more: https://marthaalderson.com
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 4, 2012
This workbook recycles many writing exercises that have been around for a long time like writing backstory for your characters and interviewing them. Unless you have read the books used as examples it is hard to follow them. I was looking for a new way to plot, and was disappointed. This book was at times confusing, at best old news.
June 21, 2013
My first fantasy novel has become an ongoing project that has sucked me in and spat me out countless times. My plot as a whole is solid, but the beginning has been a challenge. When I say that, I’m being polite.
I took my first beginning to my critique group. Nope. It was too confusing, because I had started the story too late. I started the story earlier and tried again.
I took the new first chapter to my critique group. Still not enough backstory so I started still earlier.
When that didn’t work, my confidence deflated. I remembered a plotting diagram in the Plot Whisper and The Plot Whisperer Workbook. They were in my “to review” stack. What better way to test them than this first chapter fiasco? I mentally issued the author a challenge. Drag me out of this writing slump, Martha Alderson. I dare you.
The plot diagram, Alderson’s Plot Planner, includes the character’s emotional development. Although I was convinced that the problem was plot not emotion, I sat down to do the activities. After all, a dare is a dare.
I created character emotional profiles for my protagonist, my antagonist and side kick. Apparently, Mr. Sidekick is not the goody-two-shoes people see; this new knowledge deepened the story.
I typed a list of scenes. Not difficult, but they were more numerous than I had expected.
I found a 6-foot-long piece of paper as recommended by Alderson for a full-sized plot planner. I wasn’t convinced I needed this much, but I typed my scenes including plot, subplot, emotional arc, dramatic action and theme. As I cut and taped to the chart, I realized it would take 6 feet of paper. Then I got another shocker. Original scene #1 was now scene #6, at the first turning point.
I had originally started the story way too late, a fact I would have seen on this type of plot diagram. Alderson has you look at turning points. At the first one, your character commits to a course of action different from his opening goal.
At the turning point, my character decides on revenge. If I had been using the Plotter from the start, I would have plunked down a revenge chapter and realized that the story needs to build to this point, not start here.
I highly recommend these books. The Plot Whisperer explains the concepts you will use, showing how each is essential. The workbook takes you through exercises that get the job done.
There are sections on exploring theme; creating story arcs for your antagonist and secondary characters; how and where to work in details; testing cause and effect; and working in backstory.
I’m looking forward to playing with theme but I’ll also study the sections on backstory and all the rest. Why? Alderson has already surprised me multiple times by supplying tools I need before I understand that I need them.
--SueBE
Review first appeared on WOW! Women on Writing Blog, the Muffin (http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/...)
I took my first beginning to my critique group. Nope. It was too confusing, because I had started the story too late. I started the story earlier and tried again.
I took the new first chapter to my critique group. Still not enough backstory so I started still earlier.
When that didn’t work, my confidence deflated. I remembered a plotting diagram in the Plot Whisper and The Plot Whisperer Workbook. They were in my “to review” stack. What better way to test them than this first chapter fiasco? I mentally issued the author a challenge. Drag me out of this writing slump, Martha Alderson. I dare you.
The plot diagram, Alderson’s Plot Planner, includes the character’s emotional development. Although I was convinced that the problem was plot not emotion, I sat down to do the activities. After all, a dare is a dare.
I created character emotional profiles for my protagonist, my antagonist and side kick. Apparently, Mr. Sidekick is not the goody-two-shoes people see; this new knowledge deepened the story.
I typed a list of scenes. Not difficult, but they were more numerous than I had expected.
I found a 6-foot-long piece of paper as recommended by Alderson for a full-sized plot planner. I wasn’t convinced I needed this much, but I typed my scenes including plot, subplot, emotional arc, dramatic action and theme. As I cut and taped to the chart, I realized it would take 6 feet of paper. Then I got another shocker. Original scene #1 was now scene #6, at the first turning point.
I had originally started the story way too late, a fact I would have seen on this type of plot diagram. Alderson has you look at turning points. At the first one, your character commits to a course of action different from his opening goal.
At the turning point, my character decides on revenge. If I had been using the Plotter from the start, I would have plunked down a revenge chapter and realized that the story needs to build to this point, not start here.
I highly recommend these books. The Plot Whisperer explains the concepts you will use, showing how each is essential. The workbook takes you through exercises that get the job done.
There are sections on exploring theme; creating story arcs for your antagonist and secondary characters; how and where to work in details; testing cause and effect; and working in backstory.
I’m looking forward to playing with theme but I’ll also study the sections on backstory and all the rest. Why? Alderson has already surprised me multiple times by supplying tools I need before I understand that I need them.
--SueBE
Review first appeared on WOW! Women on Writing Blog, the Muffin (http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/...)
June 27, 2019
"We are all heavily influenced by...those who like to tell others what to do with a story."
Which I find just slightly laughable because this workbook is telling you what to do with your story, and in the full context, it's said like a bad thing--that we "fall prey to traditional endings" when we do this. I still find these books only marginally helpful. There was finally mention of mystery/thriller as a genre, and I did get some helpful hints from that, but all characters are still she/her and plot is still about her losing and then finding herself. The description is made to sound general but honestly sounds too specific; I couldn't find anything relatable within my own novel to relate to the plot advice given here. I confirmed one plot point within my own novel while reading this book and that was it. This might be good for literary or women's fiction, as I mentioned in my review of Writing Prompts, but genre fiction is so different that only the most general structural elements can apply here.
People who really want/need to structure a story before they write it may benefit from this. It gets you asking deep questions about characters and plot, even setting. But it suggests plotting your novel using a linear graph and putting scene dots along the whole thing, and it was just too restricting for me to find useful. It basically encourages a jot-note form of drafting so that the idea just needs to be expanded when you get to the novel itself, and I don't like working that way. I do have some structure to my planning process (a new thing in the last few years, actually, after finding out how hard it is to finish something and not meander along the way when you don't know what ending you're working towards) but this feels too limiting/suffocating for my own creative process.
Which I find just slightly laughable because this workbook is telling you what to do with your story, and in the full context, it's said like a bad thing--that we "fall prey to traditional endings" when we do this. I still find these books only marginally helpful. There was finally mention of mystery/thriller as a genre, and I did get some helpful hints from that, but all characters are still she/her and plot is still about her losing and then finding herself. The description is made to sound general but honestly sounds too specific; I couldn't find anything relatable within my own novel to relate to the plot advice given here. I confirmed one plot point within my own novel while reading this book and that was it. This might be good for literary or women's fiction, as I mentioned in my review of Writing Prompts, but genre fiction is so different that only the most general structural elements can apply here.
People who really want/need to structure a story before they write it may benefit from this. It gets you asking deep questions about characters and plot, even setting. But it suggests plotting your novel using a linear graph and putting scene dots along the whole thing, and it was just too restricting for me to find useful. It basically encourages a jot-note form of drafting so that the idea just needs to be expanded when you get to the novel itself, and I don't like working that way. I do have some structure to my planning process (a new thing in the last few years, actually, after finding out how hard it is to finish something and not meander along the way when you don't know what ending you're working towards) but this feels too limiting/suffocating for my own creative process.
July 11, 2020
Erinevaid kirjutamisest rääkivaid raamatuid on mu riiulis rohkem kui küll. On paremaid, on halvemaid, mingise tera leiab igaühest. Aldersoni raamatu osas olin algul kahtlev aga raamatu lõpuks sai selgeks, mil moel see minu jaoks kasulik on. Raamatus on rohkelt küsimusi, ülesandeid ja jooniseid, mis kõik aitavad oma jutu olemusega põhjalikumalt tutvuda. Algul proovisin kõikidele küsimustele vastata aga ühel hetkel sai kuidagi kopp ette. Ma ei taha oma ideid nii üksipulgi lahata - kui ma siis lõpuks kirjutamiseni jõuan, olen ideest juba tüdinenud! Sellegipoolest olid mitmed küsimused abiks ning kui mul loo mustand valmis on, võtan tõenäoliselt Aldersoni raamatu ja ülesanded uuesti ette, et mittetoimivad kohad üles leida ja välja juurida.
July 6, 2023
fantastic. Will reuse for future books.
July 25, 2012
I wrote
The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories
to serve as a companion to
The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master
. After reading the PW book, writers clamored for a workbook with space available to complete the exercises in the PW book that are necessary to plot a novel, memoir, screenplay from beginning to end.
The PWWorkbook as all new examples and many more exercises. When writers need more in-depth explanations about the concepts, my hope is that they turn to the PW book as a resource when filling out the exercises.
The PWWorkbook as all new examples and many more exercises. When writers need more in-depth explanations about the concepts, my hope is that they turn to the PW book as a resource when filling out the exercises.
March 22, 2015
Superb. Although I've watched the videos produced by Martha and Jill Corcoran (available on the website apathtopublishing.com) and taken copious notes on said videos, this workbook is the perfect companion. Wish I'd known about it earlier in my writing journey. Thank you, Martha, for sharing your wisdom so generously.
September 21, 2012
One of the best craft best I've ever read. I read the book before diving into the workbook, which helped because I already knew the craft elements being referenced, but I felt as though this workbook gave me a much better grasp of plot and all its intricacies than any other craft book I've read.
March 5, 2015
I love this little book. I have a grid of white boards along my writing room wall to work out story structure, but I use this workbook as a convenient and portable story-board with lots of mini post-its for each plot point.
Now I can plot in the park.
Now I can plot in the park.
February 13, 2016
Such a great resource. If you're like me, you have plots in mind but they end up scattered, or they end up a little flat on paper. Well, this book gives your plot zest and gives you a clear idea how to get from beginning to end without boring or losing your readers.
June 27, 2013
Not really a book to consider read or completed. Otherwise would stay on my current shelf for years.
June 16, 2014
I'll definitely be using it again.
January 30, 2015
This book contains lots of hands-on exercises to help you nail your plot, characters, and settings. Very helpful!
May 14, 2015
very useful. looking forward to a second read-through, this time armed with post-it notes.
July 11, 2017
This is handy workbook for creating plot. I personally did not find the graphs helpful but the questions did help me plot my story. I combined elements I learned from this into my plot plan and ignored what was not helpful. Good workbook for writers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews