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• Prologue, epilogue offer info, action to boost tale
Sometimes a novel begs for a different opening than what appears in Chapter 1, though the story really begins with those opening first lines. Or the novel might need a different closing despite the story’s central problem has been resolved. In such scenarios, you may want to consider adding a prologue (in the case of the former) or an epilogue (in the case of the latter) to your book.
• Base story on overcoming emotional disturbance
Often a story is not about defending the world from some outside menace (out-of-whack event) or about obtaining some item (Macguffin) but is about overcoming some internal, man vs. himself struggle. In science fiction writing workshops, this type of storyline is called an emotional disturbance.
• Some plots about search for a ‘macguffin’
• Start your story with solid narrative hook
• Think of your story as a stage production
• Destage dramatic action that slows your story
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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.
Check out some of my writing guidebooks about plot:
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