How to Make Sure Your Plot Flows

If you’re wondering where I am in my novel, I’m smack dab center of making sure my plot flows. Here’s how I do that:

• If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I use Excel to organize my thinking. Each scene starts as a row. Then, I add rows for each activity in that scene and divide my scenes with big red lines (I use the border tool) so it looks something like this:

Use Excel to plot your novel

• Right now, I’m making sure all the plot elements flow from one to the other, that each is followed up on at the right time(s)
• There is one more column, to the right of the picture, where I add all the plot bits and pieces that must be tied down before the story ends
• Soon (I’m aiming for next week), I’ll check each scene’s opening. They act like chapter openings and must grab the reader, set up the next activity. I want to make sure they’re exciting.
• After that, I’ll check the close to each scene, or chapter. We all know those have to be scintillating enough to make readers turn the page and read ‘just one more chapter’ before they put the book down.

Where are you in your novel? Are you still plotting?

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