A friend of mine mentioned that she was in the exploratory phase of her novel. I sent her a link to a set of posts that I did for the Institute For Writers a few years back. They distilled just down everything that I’ve learned about plotting in my writing career. Here’s an excerpt from the first in the series:
The shiny new idea appears. It sparkles. It glitters. It glows. Sometimes it’s perfect for microfiction, guaranteed to deliver an intense experience with a twist that will linger with the reader. At other times, it can carry hundreds or even thousands of pages.
New story ideas can arrive in the form of an intriguing character, an unusual situation, a fascinating setting, or some combination of the three. Possibilities abound. Myriad roads rise up for your protagonist to travel down.
When this flash of inspiration comes, it’s important to jot down notes about where your project could go. But before you plunge into writing the first chapter or outlining the plot, consider taking some time to put your basic premise through a stress test. Since novels need plausibility, originality, and emotional appeal in order to entice readers, agents and editors, you’ll emerge with a stronger plot. If the premise isn’t quite there yet, don’t worry. You can build it up into something alluring.
Would you like my best advice? Here’s the link: https://www.instituteforwriters.com/plotting-and-planning-the-premise/
Kristin Wolden Nitz 
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