Writing Blockbuster Plots: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Plot, Structure, and Scene - Softcover

Alderson, Martha

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1599639793 ISBN 13: 9781599639796

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2016

Synopsis

Blockbuster Plots began life as a self-published book back when Martha Alderson was first developing her brand as a teacher in 2004. At that time, as we know, self-published books were mainly created for back of room sales during conferences, etc, rather than bookstore or online distribution. In the time since publishing that first book, the Blockbuster Plots brand has expanded to encompass plot workshops, one-on-one plot consultations, and a free monthly newsletter. We, and the author, feel that it’s time to relaunch Blockbuster Plots as a book, now that her profile is so much higher, particularly given her track record with The Plot Whisperer.

In discussing Blockbuster Plots, it’s important to note how it’s different from The Plot Whisperer. TPS takes a much more “touchy feely” approach to the discussion of plot. That works for some people, but for others it does not. In fact, one of the most common criticisms of TPS in various reader reviews is that the book doesn’t include enough hardworking, how-to information about plot development and story structure.

Blockbuster Plots, alternatively, is completely devoted to the nuts and bolts of those two elements of fiction. The author has designed the book specifically to demystify how story works. She shows writers how to track the seven most important elements of a scene on a Scene Tracker, and how to use the Plot Planner to develop a multi-layered plotline for each individual project.

Alderson also analyses scenes written by classic and contemporary writers such as Twain, McCarthy, London, Fitch, Chopin, and Letts, which helps show writers how to:

• Pre-plot
• Link scenes through cause and effect
• Determine which scenes are flat and why
• Set up tension, conflict and suspense
• Develop complex characters
• Establish compelling action
• Re-vision your rewrites
• Clarify your theme
• Deepen and expand your narrative

About this title

About the Author

Martha Alderson deconstructs plot at the scene and overall story levels in her series of writing resources for authors, including The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing; The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories (companion workbook to original); The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master (Adams Media); and Deep Scenes (with Jordan Rosenfeld, forthcoming from Writer’s Digest in Fall 2015).
As an international plot consultant for writers, Martha’s clients include best-selling and award-winning authors, New York editors, and Hollywood movie directors.
She teaches plot workshops to novelists, memoirists, and screenwriters privately, at plot retreats, through the Learning Annex, RWA, SCBWI, CWC chapter meetings, Writer’s Digest, and The Writers Store, and at writers' conferences where she takes writers beyond the words and into the very heart of a story.
As the founder of International Plot Writing Month (www.plotwrimo.com) in December, Martha manages the award-winning blog for writers: The Plot Whisperer, which has been awarded honors as a top writing advice blog by Writers Digest 2009 – 2013. Her vlog, How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay (www.youtube.com/user/marthaalderson), covers 27 steps to plotting your story from beginning to end and features playlists to help writers create compelling plots for their novels, memoirs, and screenplays.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1599639793
• ISBN 13: 9781599639796
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240