Rock Your Plot: A Simple System for Plotting Your Novel

Rock Your Writing #1

by Cathy Yardley

If you've had difficulty plotting fiction, this book provides a simple system for creating a framework for your novel. It includes: how to test your premise, some easy steps to develop your character and define your story question from that character, how to hit your major plot points, and how to write a scene outline. Concise, clear, and action-oriented, this book is all about plotting, simplified.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Crafts, Audiobook, Adult

70 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right.

Reviews

[Danny Tyran · Rating 4 out of 5]

"QUOTES" AND COMMENTS:

“If you’re an experienced writer looking for a plotting book that has something new to offer, this may not be a worthwhile exercise for you.”
Hence this book is for beginners.

“If you’re interested in writing avant garde literary fiction, non-commercial fiction, and/or feel that three-act structure is formulaic, this book is not for you.”
“... because if you get too original, you no longer satisfy the readers of the genre who want to be surprised and absorbed while still maintainining the expected experience of the genre.”
“Take romance, again. If you end the story with one or both of the protagonists dying, you could have a great book, but you will also have a mob of angry readers who were expecting the HEA (Happily Ever After) that this genre guarantees.”
Hence this book is for common writers who just want to make more money, not to write THE book of the century.

“Once you’ve set that hook, you’re going to do everything in your power to prevent your character to get there. And I mean everything.”
“You’ve got to make sure that, with every scene, the protagonists’ situation is getting gradually worse.”
This is the suggested recipe to improve your plot: set a different goal for each protagonist and then do everything to prevent them from achieving it.

“If I'm still are having trouble getting a grip on the character, or I want to hear his or her voice, then I interview my character.”
Make yours characters speak of their past, their fears, desires, loves, hates, etc. accordingly to the goal of your story.

“Be sure to include real flaws and weaknesses when you’re composing your characters rough sketch.”
“In fact, when dealing with the villain, for a brief period of time, pretend he is your hero. Why? Because villains always think they’re the protagonist.”
So, make sure that your good guy is not too good and your villain is not so bad.

“The inciting incident is many things. It’s a hook. It’s an introduction.”
“You want to hook your reader, or agent or editor, in those first five pages.”
“You’re going to give enough background to intrigue, but not overwhelm.”
“Look for something that prompts curiosity in your reader...”
You’re better to hook your readers from the first few pages or you'll lose them.

“Plot Point 1 is where your character knows what he or she needs to do, and has absolutely no frickin’ clue how to go about that.”
“What were missing, and what will create the actual plot point, is the conflict.”
“She needs to have something tangible and big standing in the way of what she wants.”
Plot Point 1 is the first obstacle for the MC to reach his/her goal.

“Plot Point 2, also known as the Midpoint, is when your protagonist figures out what she needs to do... after casting around and getting blocked left, right and sideways.”
“When that the goal appears to be achievable, turn up the motivation, and turn up the conflict.”
“In order to shift the protagonist from reactive to proactive, he/she needs to learn something new that clears up the solution... Now, he’s got a path—usually with a ton of obstacles...”
Plot Point 2 is when the MC becomes proactive.

“...you want the reader to feel that, given the character he is and the choices he’s made, he has no other reasonable option.
The Black Moment [or climax] needs to have a ring of inevitability—like a train wreck you can’t look away from. To do that, he’s got to burn some bridges.”
“The midpoint is an escalation, and it has to force your protagonist to take action... The second half is about taking steps to solve the problem.”
“What the reader and protagonist learn at this plot point [the third] should set the protagonist up for the big dramatic conclusion.”
“By the third plot point, everything that needs to be set up to get to the resolution should be in place.”
Rollercoaster

“If you know the first plot point, then your question to arrive at the Black Moment [or climax] is:
What is the absolute worst thing that can happen in terms of his goal?”
“Now, note that this can be your internal or external story goal.”
“This [the climax] can’t be a surprise, and the reader shouldn’t be able to see an obvious solution that your protagonist is simply ignoring.”
“Most new writers pull their punches: they don’t want to torture their characters and don’t think that readers want to see their protagonist in pain. Trust me: they do.”
Climax (end of a progression, culminating point).

“The tricky part about really disastrous Black Moments? Figuring a way out of them.” And “...making sure that the resolution is believable based on what we know of the characters, and that it’s satisfying…not too obvious, but still very resonant.”
Resolution: HEA (if you want an HEA).
-----------------

“Right smack in between Plot Point 1 and the midpoint, and then right between the midpoint and Plot Point 3” are pinch points. A pinch point is: “An example, or a reminder, of the nature and implications of the antagonist force.”
Pinch points are landmark reminding the readers where the MCs are going through and what are their goals.

“If I have a novel with more than one major POV character, and more than one protagonist, then I like to create plot points for all of them, weaving them together.”
“Also, usually one protagonist owns the novel more than the others, even if you have several major characters. In a series, different novels might be owned by different characters.”
The author suggests drafting each POV separately and then seeing how they could weave together.

“It does mean that unless the scene is contributing to the resolution in the third act, it must not end with the protagonist getting exactly what he wants.”
This is the description on how to write your rollercoaster’s scenes. The author explains that until the resolution, the MC should never get exactly what he wants. This is a way to get your readers flipping pages and desperately seeking an answer.

“Ideally, as I've already mentioned, your story should open with your hero or heroine facing a number of choices. As they make choices, their avenues of opportunity start to close off... escalating the conflict as you go.”
More and more difficulties with less and less possibilities and choices until the MCs reach the Black Moment.

“Your resolution scenes should happen in the last quarter of the book, shortly after the Black Moment. Once that happens, the climax is right around the corner... That’s the moment to tie off any plot “knots” that need it, as well as showcasing the changes in your protagonist(s)...”
The tension of the story goes downhill after that until the climax.

“The good part about a scene outline or just putting down the plot points is that it’s like the very roughest “rough draft” possible in about a third of the time. It’s an energy-saving device.”
It’s a way to get in the neighborhood of what you want to write. But what if you prefer to wander, to let your keyboard nearly work by itself?

“The system: 1. First, pick a word count/page count that fits your target genre. 2. Then, pick an arbitrary number of scenes. 3. Then, create the empty outline (using sticky notes or spreadsheet). 4. Pop in the plot points. 5. Fill in the set-up scenes.
That’s the first step of the usual planning of any writing.

“In my scene outlines, I include the following information: 1. POV (MC); 2. Goal (what the MC wants); 3. Motivation (why does he/she want this?); 4. Conflict (obstacle); 5. Disaster (consequence).”
Second step of the usual planning. It’s a guideline but it can be changed.

“There is no hard and fast rule on chapter organization... I like to do the scene outline first, then look at where the most natural “breaks” occur for chapters... I like ending chapters on a “hard” disaster, because it’s more like a cliff hanger.”
It’s possible to plan X chapters and end up with Z chapters after reorganisation.

“After the Black Moment, ask yourself what would get you from the worst-of-the-worst to the ending... you’re ready to rock a quick-and-dirty lightning draft.”
If “...you really, really want to add a scene/change a scene/ lose a scene. Look at the outline overall: one change will affect the entire novel.”
You have to write what you plan now. But you should also...

“... create your own system, your own processes, and your own best practices for creating the stories we all love.”

I gave you above the main subjects discussed in this book. I only left out the rather interesting examples that the author added to illuminate those subjects. The structure of the book deserves to be revised as some points are repeated to be explained in more detail; the author might as well have it done right the first time the subject has been addressed. There are a few typos, especially missing spaces between words.

This book can be useful for a novice writer or a seasoned author, but lacking in methodology, especially if what you want is a greater number of sales rather than the improvement of your creativity and writing quality. It’s true that to finish each chapter on a cliffhanger prompts the readers to continue reading and if they have read avidly one of your books, it’s likely that they want to read some more. But as this is what the author wanted to deal with, I think the book is quite successful. I give 4 stars to this ebook.

[Tonia Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote my first few novels (unpublished and properly burped in their Tupperware containers) completely by, well, the seat of my pants. And draft from draft they went from unwieldy to things resembling octopi on hallucinogens. They died that way. Leaving ink trails everywhere.

My goal with this new story is to make good art, to tell this story I have loved for years now. My motivation is a need to get a story in front of readers, a worthy story. There may also be a little ego involved. The conflict was my utter stubbornness concerning actual outlining.

I made progress. I pulled out this book, this book I bought years ago, and now I am on my way to completing an outline, scene by scene. It only hurt a little bit and you know what?

I have more confidence in this story than ever before (and my Voice and Integrity are utterly uncompromised. Imagine!)

So, thanks Cathy Yardley. Keep on rockin' in the free world.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been a pantser when it comes to writing but that turned into a bit of a disaster after finishing the rough draft of my first novel (which seriously lacked a plot).

My friend got me this book after I freaked out during rewrites--I can't thank her enough.

I've read other writing help books/sites but this one broke down outlining and plotting in a way that my brain seems to understand. The examples are simple and clear, easy to visualize and often very funny. My only issue was the numerous glaring grammar errors and typos. I find that unacceptable in a book about the craft of writing (sorry, but I just expect more).

Otherwise it was a great (short) read. I can't wait to put the techniques to use as I plot out my 2nd novel in preparation for NaNoWriMo.

[Caitlyn Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where Rock Your Plot differs from other plotting books is that it is unashamedly aimed at genre (read; popular) fiction. Which means it works great for THE most popular genre of all, romance, and that’s what I’m going to focus on in this review because I am recommending this book SPECIFICALLY for romance authors who want to improve their plotting skills.

Cathy Yardley knows exactly what she’s talking about. She’s written category romance for Harlequin, among many other things in a stellar career. She knows how to plot out a romance novel scene by scene, to make it hit all the correct beats at the right times, and in Rock Your Plot she shares a really simple method for doing so.

Starting with a one-line story premise and building on through to an outline of every single scene (up to 60!) in a full-length novel, Yardley walks you through the exact process to create a ‘draft zero’ of your story. From this, you will know exactly what to write in every scene, and it’s honestly absolutely invaluable to know what you’re going to write when you sit down to write it. There’s no such thing as writer’s block if you have a literal road map of exactly what to write in front of you.

Following the methods outlined in Rock Your Plot could take you as little as a day to plot out a full novel, and it will speed up your writing incredibly. If you’re a romance novelist who wants to do NaNoWriMo and you’ve only got a vague idea what you’re going to write, or a half-assed concept, do yourself an enormous favour and pick up this book NOW. Use the time until the start of November to plot, and you’ll avoid that moment dreaded by every pantser about a quarter to a third of the way in where you stall out completely.

Five stars for a writing resource I can honestly say has really changed for the better the way I go about my writing.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this book. It explains the essentials of plotting in a condense, simple way that had eluded me in the past. When I read the intro I was ready to break out in hives because plot has always been one of those really difficult concepts for me. I just can't seem to get the hang of them, no matter how much I read up.

In comes Ms. Yardley with this amazing and detailed explanation of all the necessary cogs you need to get that plotting machine working. Can't wait to use these techniques on my novel.

Overall, a must have for anyone out there suffering from plot problems.

[Lori McKinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this while revising rather than plotting but found it quite helpful. My story has morphed a lot since the first draft. Answering the questions for the simple plotting system got those creative juices flowing to help me get from plot point to plot point in a few areas that weren't flowing well. Finished this and downloaded her Rock Your Revision e-book, so I obviously found it worthwhile.

(No idea why I didn't start with the revision one. Can't remember when I picked up this one (probably a sale?), but there it was on my Kindle app when I needed help.)

[Eliza Baum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and to the point. I can't say that it's anything revolutionary, but it outlines necessary things in a concise way that's refreshing and makes it an easier reference guide than many bulkier books. Well worth the three bucks it cost me.

[Noria · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I've always been more of a pantser than a plotter. I like my stories surprising me as much as my future reader. But every time I hit the dreaded middle stretch, everything just falls apart. Rock your Plot definitely helped me in keeping my character goals, motivation and conflict in check. Now I'm still not going to be a full on plotter (I still like my stories surprising me), but I might just be a plontser. And I know it sounds ridiculous (even Cathy says so!) but this book is about creating a system that works for you and that is exactly what I intend to do!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I needed to find a way out of my messed-up plotholes.

No frills, no information overload, and dow to the point. The examples given in the book made it very easy to identify corresponding characters or scenes or plot points in my own writing, and do something about it.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to give this 3 stars as this really is not the best writing craft books out there. I was looking forward to this book being detailed and very thorough but it's very bland on the information. If you have a basic understanding of plot you will be able to follow it but will find it way too simplistic and for those who are new to writing, you will be totally lost as her system really does not give great examples and is not thorough enough. There are far better books on plot and writing craft out there such as Plot Perfect, Techniques of the Selling Writer, and Story Engineering.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super quick read but packed with good info. Good to have on the shelf of aspiring and established writers.

[Charlotte Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet, nothing in the way of new information but some of the info on planning scenes may well be useful.

[Jennifer Rux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this book was good.

I am desperately trying to find ways to aid me in those times, while writing, where I get stuck. This book had some really good suggestions for that.

But I didn't just learn some tips to help with those frustrating moment, but I also learned some tips on how to make my writing better, to hook and audience, to make sure the flow of my books work. If you are new to writing or even just want to find ways to grow as a writer this book could be a tool in your belt.

[Mar at BOOKIVERSE · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars all the way!

This book is especially for newbie writers like me, who are plotting for the first time.

Since I had this brilliant idea of pantsing my WIP (NEVER AGAIN! LOL!) the editing process has been a total nightmare!

Rock Your Plot was a very short audiobook that helped me make sure that all my beloved plot twists made sense and were in the right place!

Can't recommend it enough!

Bookblogger and  Fantasy Writer passionate about TrueStory, OwnVoices, Diversityand Equality, especially Feminism & GirlPower
Find me here: linktr.ee/d.ark.studio
Email: contactme@danielaark.com

[Janet Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was good. It's short, it's simple and it actually helps you to think things through. All good stuff. I'd gotten into a tangle with the plot of the book I'm currently writing and used this as a sort of check list to work through each of the areas in my plot that were worrying me. It really made a difference. I am now untangled!

I can't say that there was anything new in this book - I've read a lot of books on writing over the years and this didn't stand out for new advice. What it did stand out for is the way it is so practical. It doesn't clutter your brain with the why's and wherefores of how things work in a story. Instead it takes each point in a plot and gives you the questions you need to ask yourself to get on track. It helped me to cut through all the extra information in my head and find the core of my story again. I will use this book again. I view it as a large and helpful checklist for writing a novel.

So if you've already written a book and need a little help on the next one, this book is a good place to start.

[M.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously the best no nonsense how-to write/plot/whatever I've picked up. It's a fast read, lacking the usual dry plotting methods I've seen. That said, I wonder if a writer new to this would grasp a lot of what Cathy talks about. There's no time wasted on explaining anything in length. (I am so not complaining...I'm a get to the point gal.) Already having a basic knowledge of each step helped. I had several HUZZAH! moments thanks to how the details are laid out. Really really great. And take her classes! I can vouch for how helpful they are.

[Kern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many writers, I tend to use a mish-mash of plotting/pantsing strategies to yank my novel out of my head and onto the page. The plotter in me is always looking for ideas that won't freak my pantsing self out too egregiously, and Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Plot fits that bill very nicely. Her system is sweet and simple, allows for flexibility and a change of direction, and offers straightforward suggestions for staying organized and keeping your novel on track.

[Masako Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally found a plotting system that I can stick with. The content is laid out in such an easy to understand and concise manner that you can start plotting your novel as soon as you're done. There's nothing really new here I haven't read in other plotting books BUT what makes this different I guess is how simplified the explanations are and how CLEAR the examples are. Plus the supplementary workbook is awesome (it's a free download from the author's website).

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short and sweet little book explains the writer's plotting methods in a very straightforward fashion. It expects you to be familiar with the three-act structure.

Despite quite a few typos this book was definitely worth the time and cost. It explained certain aspects of the three-act structure to me in a way that finally 'clicked'.

4 1/2 stars.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice.

[Lyn Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple plan for both pantsers and plotters, but not always easy to do. Cathy Yardley eases the process with a clear step-by-step system. Now I apply this for every book or story.

[Kate McMurray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Pretty solid overview of the basic structure of a novel and how to plot it out/outline.

[J.R. Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest: this book isn't going to teach anyone who has read writing books anything they didn't already know somehow or another. There are a million books on plot and a million books out there to try to help writers streamline their fiction. BUT... this book is worth buying anyway.

Yardley breaks down writing into simple, short chapters, and gives you good reasons for writing certain aspects of your story before others. She also doesn't tell pantsers to become plotters, but gives them the tools to build the formative general plots themselves, which really helps.

I have always been a writer that pants my stories, but her book has helped streamline my writing process. Pantsing a book or two a year to query wasn't taking me where I needed to be, but a basic outline like she suggests started getting me through my backlog of ideas a lot faster. Her book doesn't do anything new or different than other writing books, sure, but it does:

-show you how to make the framework of an outline without pressuring you to make it way more detailed than you want
-show you how to turn a framework into a detailed outline into a lightning draft
-break things down into a quick read you can get through in a day
-offer up a place on her website with printable workbooks to take you through every step of the process

Worth a purchase, especially because the eBook is really affordable, and you can get through reading it quickly, then apply it again and again.

[Sri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting to see that the things I've been struggling with (e.g., chapter length, whose POV, outlines changing) are all normal parts of the process, and focusing on scenes for a "lightning" draft (which feels better to say than "fast" or "rough" draft because it focuses on "capturing the idea") will be my focus for efficiency with my next book, and building the skill/habit to do this for proposals/synopses going forward. Awesome resource and one I'll be revisiting soon for planning Book 2!

[Casey Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reference!

Although the process Yardley outlined in this book is similar to the one I use, I found it to be very helpful. There were tons of new things to think about, and Yardley really shows how to create character-driven prose instead of plot driven. I now need Yardley to write a book on how to edit that first draft quickly...

[Maggie Larche · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It's got great, practical advice to take your story idea and flesh it out into an entire book. I've written several books already, but it still came in very handy as I tackled the a new genre.

I recommend pairing this with the helpingwritersbecomeauthors series on character arcs, and you've got an excellent blueprint for your book.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly quick listen on the steps to plot out a story. Nothing I haven't really heard before, but as I still have issues with it, always good to hear it gone over again. Will need to see if the author's website handouts include the plot points for her serial killer secretary plot example as I want to know how that one would potentially end. :)

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, concise overview of how to plot and outline. This is good guidance for writing a particular kind of book, but as she says in the intro, it's not for everybody, and there's nothing new here -- it's more like a synthesis of other people's writing advice.

[Denna Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful Advice

Great and quickly tools...not masquerading as profound, not building up to it either. This is simple and gunslinging target practice. Get er' done quick...that's the underlined motto. Good stuff...

[Mallory Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a stuck "pantser"

Most of what I've written has been short stories or novellas. The most plotting I did was figuring out motivation and how it was going to end, then I'd freewrite my way there.

I found myself in my first full novel, 50,000 words in, and no clue where I was going. I decided to work through this book and it has given me direction and I know how to finish. This method is excellent, and adjustable.

Definitely recommend for "pantsers" who find themselves stuck.