by Delia Brendan, @deliabrendan
Years ago, I went to a plotting workshop. The workshop leader described a process involving white poster board and multi-colored sticky notes. She described how each sticky note color corresponded to various plot elements. At the end of the exercise, she showed the group a completed plot map and explained how this process could help you from getting bogged down during drafting.
As a visual person, I loved the concept of working from a map. So, I dutifully went out and bought white poster board and enough sticky notes to outfit a corporation. As an organizationally-challenged over thinker, I was soon mired down in details. Was Dr. Venom’s mother from Siberia a blue sticky note because she was related to a bad guy or a green sticky note because she befriends the heroine? No surprise, I never wound up with a plot map and I’m still pulling sticky notes out of sock drawers and couch cushions. Continue reading