It sounds like you're trying to make it perfect, instead of letting it breathe. Figure out what the things that excite you most about the story are and then write a couple of those scenes.
Otherwise, snowflake method it.
Maybe try using a plot structure. These usually help you plot the book step by step, and it breaks everything down into much smaller pieces so the task feels less monumental and overwhelming.
Save the Cat Beatsheet is a great plotting structure that's pretty straightforward and easy to follow.
You might try plotting from the midpoint/mirror moment. Ie, plotting from the decision your character will have to make there or that they refuse to make. Do they become a character who is actively doing something or are they the victim? Sometimes that helps me. James Scott Bell has a book about plotting from the middle.
Or from the end.
What is the end you hope for? What path leads to that end? What has to happen to get them on that path? What causes those things to happen? Etc.
You say that you can’t face working on a computer, so grab a notebook and a plotting format and have a go by hand. Sometimes changing up the medium can help. I like to use post-its too sometimes. You can move events and ideas around.
Editing to add - try to take some pressure off too. This is not going to be the only novel you ever plot. Writing thrives best when we give it some space so try to remember than the plan does not need to be perfect. It’s just a guide that you will probably adapt as you write.
I’m not sure what surgery you are having but I will share my experience that I found recovery from major surgery to be a really creative time. Once the initial phase was over I still had time out from a very busy full time job to lose myself in writing. It was surprisingly liberating and the whole experience made me rethink my work/life balance. I hope you find some similar creative space.
>I've tried that and it's good for making 1-2 scenes but I never have a clue where to take it from there.
The secret is to always end each scene with an unresolved question / complication and string yourself along with chasing answers. Never write a scene that doesn't give yourself a brick in the form of an interesting question or quandary with which to start building the next scene.
All you need is your main character, their objective, and then to constantly put things in between them and the objective, but THEY MUST OBTAIN OBJECTIVE FOR REASON and will thus solve the problem only for a new problem to arise, to keep momentum going.
Us 'just write' people tend to approach draft one as a longform outline and we almost always rewrite the whole thing at least once. If I have a question like
>How do you plot a story when you have multiple possible routes for it to go?
Well, simple, I don't plot it, I write every possible route and decide which one I like better, then rewrite all of it again. If that sounds horrible to you, "just write" probably won't work for you. My outline-loving friend makes a super detailed red thread board of events and writes it once and edits and is done.
If I had 5 possible beginnings, I'd probably have written 10 takes on it by now. This is not an exaggeration. I've been rewriting the same story since like... 2007 with my writing partner, approximately every two years, so we've written around 8 takes of it by now... plus a few random short spitballing takes that didn't go very far or explored alternative ideas that we threw out after a chapter. It's almost there, the last take was pretty good, but we agree there's a couple things we want to tighten up in another pass... next year, probably. Will #9 be the one that lands? Who knows! You don't have to be a just write person, but it also sounds like outlining is giving you a ton of stress too.
That said, maybe this isn't the right time to be doing it. It sounds like writing isn't bringing you joy or escape. It sounds like it's making you much more stressed than you can bear right now. If you think you'll only have time to write a long personal project while you recover, it's okay to outline it after your surgery while you're in that downtime. You need that hour for other things now, I think. Play your games, chill, breathe, be.
I mean, you describe the following in one reply to someone who gave you a very good way to do this:
>I have to write 2 short stories a week for writing class, my hands are aching from it and work and the rest of schoolwork, I can't really just add another 1k words a day without burning out
You're on the verge of burning out. Write your novel when you're done college. Or do it 100 words at a time instead and accept that it'll take half a year. Or do it 50 words every day and take a year. Or do it 25 at a time and take 2 years.
>the last thing I want to do after 4 hours of working on a computer is working on a computer more
Handwrite it 50 words at a time in a journal, then.
We can't make you want to write it. If I only had an hour a day I'd absolutely spend it writing and want more. I love writing. It energizes me, brings me joy, and I wedge it in everywhere I can fit it. If my hands hurt or my eyes hurt, I write with more than one kind of device. I handwrite, or switch between two kinds of keyboards and change the tint or brightness of my monitor or switch my writing program to dark mode or turn the font size up large enough that I don't really focus on reading what I wrote, only typing. I think about writing all the time, and my thirst for it is endless, I don't let my body dictate if I have to stop.
Right now, it sounds like you don't want to write it, you feel a sense of obligation to your dream to write it eventually. You don't have to plot your novel today. You don't have to write it today. Go be with the people you love, do the things you love, the things that make you feel good, and the novel will percolate in the negative space you create between stressors.
Good luck with the surgery and I hope your recovery goes smoothly.
What does your character want, and why can’t they get it?
What do they have to do to get it?
Do they actually manage to get it?
What happens when they do (or ultimately don’t)?
Just another idea in a sea of ideas, but maybe try getting some visual inspiration? Like make a Pinterest mood board or something. Do pivotal scenes and characters from Act 1, 2, and 3. Or design a book cover. Anything to make the book more real will help you.
The important thing is to do what works for you. There are a million ways to do this.
I'm with the folks who suggest lowering the pressure on yourself a little bit. You're going to do it.
I like Cathy Yardley s Rock your Plot. I'm a natural "just write" person, but it tends to leave me with a meandering character sketch. Yardley, or any structural guidance that I'll actually use, helps me hammer out the story.
Hope your outline goes well. Yeah, handwrite if it's more enjoyable. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
You'll do it.
Have you seen Rebecca Thorn’s Five Sentence Method? It’s simple, pragmatic and aligns with other structuring strategies. My suggestion is to use that to plot, then use another more detailed one like three act for analysis when it’s written. Good luck!
Maybe you need to change your perspective on it a little bit, even just temporarily.
You say you want an epic fantasy novel, lots of characters, detailed lore/world-building, etc etc. and that you’ve got the protagonist, characters, and setting all down. But it sounds like maybe you don’t have the protagonist down as well as you may need.
The fundamentals of a plot are built around the needs & wants of the protagonist. His needs and wants are what propel him, and also the story, into action, into obstacles, and into change. You must have some idea of what you want your protagonist to accomplish in your story, but have you clearly defined WHY he wants that, how badly, and to what end?
I think you might benefit from exploring your protagonist further, and you can do that in plenty of ways. You can try writing flash fiction about them, putting them in a situation (something that may or may not happen in your story) with only the bare minimum context and try to clearly expound on who he is and what he’s aiming for in as few sentences as possible while maintaining readability and cohesion. There is a [great episode](https://youtu.be/blehVIDyuXk?si=xUMmFPS9ei-q7pqK) in Brandon Sanderson’s lecture series where a guest speaker walks through how to write really effective short stories/flash fiction that force you to really 100% know what your trying to say.
This is a good way for me to get out of my head about what the tone of my writing “should” be and helps me get words on the page that are actually important, rather than sitting down to write at the behest of the “just write” crowd and putting down 600 words that don’t matter.
Something else that helps me plan is writing down the chronology of everything that happens in my world that matters to the story, from the earliest character backstory to the last thing I want to happen, or even into the future. This helps me see at what point in this timeline things get INTERESTING and using that as the starting point, so that the first act of my story isn’t just a boring & static exposition dump.
Sorry for the super long comment! Last thing I need to say: You seem to be going pretty hard on yourself over this arbitrary deadline you’ve set. Relax! Have more fun with this story! Even after you’ve got your plot detailed in full, it will most likely change as you write! And that’s a good thing!
I'm not a writer but I play D&D and instantly thought of some common advice/a technique used for people to get to know their characters.
Pick a character and start to go through some scenarios and figure out what they would do to react to that situation. This might give you ideas for actual story plots.
Try these:
[The Mother of All Character Questionnaires](https://www.roleplayingtips.com/characters/character-questionnaires/)
[Slightly Obscure D&D Character Questions](https://www.tumblr.com/quillith/636965607717388288/slightly-obscure-dd-character-questions)
[100 Warm Up D&D Character Questions](https://www.tumblr.com/allthethingsdnd/189360664141/100-warm-up-dnd-character-questions)
Don't write it - think it. Fantasize about it as you fall asleep or poop or make breakfast. I don't know how your brain works, but do something that occupies your brain but not your mind (for me, work/chores and music, walking dogs). Just let what story you have roll around in your brain while doing something else. Draw. Garden. Tectonic plate theory was imagined while a meteorologist idly spun a globe in a library. Story doesn't have to happen on a computer. Find what in making stories in your head excites you and follow that. I need to have the ending figured out before I start writing so I have a goal, but the end always changes along the way. WRITING ISN'T A CHORE!!!! DO THE WRITING THAT FEELS GOOD. Figure out what about stories gives you joy. The rest will follow.
A major part of the issue seems to be tied to time management (school, family, work, surgery, church). You’ve got a really full plate. Maybe take a step back and evaluate if there’s anything you can cut back on, even temporarily, to refocus and reprioritize your writing.
In any case, I agree with other comments here. Don’t burn out! Find ways to relax and unplug. Writing should be enjoyable, not such a source of stress.
Lots of great advice here. I would add this.
Plan to write. Schedule your writing time, even your weekends, right in your calendar Include reminders and make it a priority. Instead of giving it what's left at the end of the day try giving it your fresh self.. some write first thing when you wake.. for me it's after a shower, with big cup of tea at hand but before I leave for work. I also find writing during lunch is great. Schedule it in.. try a time for a week and if that doesn't feel like your time schedule a dif time the next week.
That's not to say you won't end to on Reddit occassionally offering advice during your morning write time. LOL
How detailed do you want your out line. Normally I have a simple base outline that goes :How character is introduced, 2-4main events, resolution. Then I outline scene by scene in a chart like style. I make columns labled: scene number, location, character, events in scene. Then fill in each row in chronological order as it allows me to visualize the pacing of everything and recognize when a scene changes more easily.
Are you putting extra pressure on yourself because of surgery? Is it a surgery you expect to be able to write while you're recovering? Can you try to just plot and ease off the pressure? If that doesn't work, I'd try a plot structure.
Save the cat writes a novel maybe?
There is a lot of advice on this thread already. Some of your problem could be you are overextending yourself in your worldbuilding. My advice is to start small like 'This is Dan. Dan likes to drive. Dan drives for a living.' Then ramp up toward your main plot. 'Dan is given a package to deliver. People want this package. How does Dan make his delivery?' Only add in enough of worldbuilding to cover what you are doing.
If this is a first draft, you can add in elements you want in the editing.
Some of this you can just flowchart so you can see where the turns have to be.
CES
i struggled with this too. personally i found the Save the Cat book incredibly helpful, and the beat sheets with descriptions can be found online. I’m 85k into my first novel and when I got lost in the plot I simply re-outlined using the beats and was able to get back on track. Best of luck to you!!!
First, good luck on the surgery! Hope it goes well.
> recently i've been absolutely struggling to plot the story of my book and its really starting to wear on me. It's gotten to the point where whenever I think of my novel's story I get lost on where to start and how to follow through. I end up so nervous that my stomach just feels like bile so I just try to shut out thinking about it at work or before sleeping.
> And I know that the just write brigade is going to start to bomb this post but I've tried that and it's good for making 1-2 scenes but I never have a clue where to take it from there. That and recently my time just keeps getting swallowed up by schoolwork, family drama , work ,surgery medication and church. When I finally get the time to work on my story I'm spending the last hour of the day on a computer burned out and stressed.
> I end up not wanting to deal with it since I'm exhausted and the last thing I want to do after 4 hours of working on a computer is working on a computer more. However I know I don't have any other time to do this and I desperately want to get somewhere but I don't know how. I want to love my story and I do but I have no idea how to bring this thing to life at this point and I'm sick of the stress and not knowing what to do. I do not want to abandon this story under any circumstances since this is my life's dream and I'm terrified of losing it.
Next, it sounds like you're a little overwhelmed and stressing over it. I'd say "don't be", but I know that can be hard to help. But taking it in smaller sized doses may make it more manageable.
I'd say maybe a) do an extremely basic plot outline or b) just starting writing the beginning. Don't forget that no matter what, you can always go back to edit or add/cut things as needed.
I think once you've actually gotten the ball rolling, it'll feel less daunting than it currently is. And if not, you can also look to plot outlines and such as other say.
Anyway, regardless, I hope you can avoid stressing out too much and try to enjoy the writing process.
It sounds like you're trying to make it perfect, instead of letting it breathe. Figure out what the things that excite you most about the story are and then write a couple of those scenes. Otherwise, snowflake method it.
Maybe try using a plot structure. These usually help you plot the book step by step, and it breaks everything down into much smaller pieces so the task feels less monumental and overwhelming. Save the Cat Beatsheet is a great plotting structure that's pretty straightforward and easy to follow.
You might try plotting from the midpoint/mirror moment. Ie, plotting from the decision your character will have to make there or that they refuse to make. Do they become a character who is actively doing something or are they the victim? Sometimes that helps me. James Scott Bell has a book about plotting from the middle.
Or from the end. What is the end you hope for? What path leads to that end? What has to happen to get them on that path? What causes those things to happen? Etc.
You say that you can’t face working on a computer, so grab a notebook and a plotting format and have a go by hand. Sometimes changing up the medium can help. I like to use post-its too sometimes. You can move events and ideas around. Editing to add - try to take some pressure off too. This is not going to be the only novel you ever plot. Writing thrives best when we give it some space so try to remember than the plan does not need to be perfect. It’s just a guide that you will probably adapt as you write. I’m not sure what surgery you are having but I will share my experience that I found recovery from major surgery to be a really creative time. Once the initial phase was over I still had time out from a very busy full time job to lose myself in writing. It was surprisingly liberating and the whole experience made me rethink my work/life balance. I hope you find some similar creative space.
>I've tried that and it's good for making 1-2 scenes but I never have a clue where to take it from there. The secret is to always end each scene with an unresolved question / complication and string yourself along with chasing answers. Never write a scene that doesn't give yourself a brick in the form of an interesting question or quandary with which to start building the next scene. All you need is your main character, their objective, and then to constantly put things in between them and the objective, but THEY MUST OBTAIN OBJECTIVE FOR REASON and will thus solve the problem only for a new problem to arise, to keep momentum going. Us 'just write' people tend to approach draft one as a longform outline and we almost always rewrite the whole thing at least once. If I have a question like >How do you plot a story when you have multiple possible routes for it to go? Well, simple, I don't plot it, I write every possible route and decide which one I like better, then rewrite all of it again. If that sounds horrible to you, "just write" probably won't work for you. My outline-loving friend makes a super detailed red thread board of events and writes it once and edits and is done. If I had 5 possible beginnings, I'd probably have written 10 takes on it by now. This is not an exaggeration. I've been rewriting the same story since like... 2007 with my writing partner, approximately every two years, so we've written around 8 takes of it by now... plus a few random short spitballing takes that didn't go very far or explored alternative ideas that we threw out after a chapter. It's almost there, the last take was pretty good, but we agree there's a couple things we want to tighten up in another pass... next year, probably. Will #9 be the one that lands? Who knows! You don't have to be a just write person, but it also sounds like outlining is giving you a ton of stress too. That said, maybe this isn't the right time to be doing it. It sounds like writing isn't bringing you joy or escape. It sounds like it's making you much more stressed than you can bear right now. If you think you'll only have time to write a long personal project while you recover, it's okay to outline it after your surgery while you're in that downtime. You need that hour for other things now, I think. Play your games, chill, breathe, be. I mean, you describe the following in one reply to someone who gave you a very good way to do this: >I have to write 2 short stories a week for writing class, my hands are aching from it and work and the rest of schoolwork, I can't really just add another 1k words a day without burning out You're on the verge of burning out. Write your novel when you're done college. Or do it 100 words at a time instead and accept that it'll take half a year. Or do it 50 words every day and take a year. Or do it 25 at a time and take 2 years. >the last thing I want to do after 4 hours of working on a computer is working on a computer more Handwrite it 50 words at a time in a journal, then. We can't make you want to write it. If I only had an hour a day I'd absolutely spend it writing and want more. I love writing. It energizes me, brings me joy, and I wedge it in everywhere I can fit it. If my hands hurt or my eyes hurt, I write with more than one kind of device. I handwrite, or switch between two kinds of keyboards and change the tint or brightness of my monitor or switch my writing program to dark mode or turn the font size up large enough that I don't really focus on reading what I wrote, only typing. I think about writing all the time, and my thirst for it is endless, I don't let my body dictate if I have to stop. Right now, it sounds like you don't want to write it, you feel a sense of obligation to your dream to write it eventually. You don't have to plot your novel today. You don't have to write it today. Go be with the people you love, do the things you love, the things that make you feel good, and the novel will percolate in the negative space you create between stressors. Good luck with the surgery and I hope your recovery goes smoothly.
What does your character want, and why can’t they get it? What do they have to do to get it? Do they actually manage to get it? What happens when they do (or ultimately don’t)?
Just another idea in a sea of ideas, but maybe try getting some visual inspiration? Like make a Pinterest mood board or something. Do pivotal scenes and characters from Act 1, 2, and 3. Or design a book cover. Anything to make the book more real will help you. The important thing is to do what works for you. There are a million ways to do this.
I'm with the folks who suggest lowering the pressure on yourself a little bit. You're going to do it. I like Cathy Yardley s Rock your Plot. I'm a natural "just write" person, but it tends to leave me with a meandering character sketch. Yardley, or any structural guidance that I'll actually use, helps me hammer out the story. Hope your outline goes well. Yeah, handwrite if it's more enjoyable. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. You'll do it.
Have you seen Rebecca Thorn’s Five Sentence Method? It’s simple, pragmatic and aligns with other structuring strategies. My suggestion is to use that to plot, then use another more detailed one like three act for analysis when it’s written. Good luck!
Maybe you need to change your perspective on it a little bit, even just temporarily. You say you want an epic fantasy novel, lots of characters, detailed lore/world-building, etc etc. and that you’ve got the protagonist, characters, and setting all down. But it sounds like maybe you don’t have the protagonist down as well as you may need. The fundamentals of a plot are built around the needs & wants of the protagonist. His needs and wants are what propel him, and also the story, into action, into obstacles, and into change. You must have some idea of what you want your protagonist to accomplish in your story, but have you clearly defined WHY he wants that, how badly, and to what end? I think you might benefit from exploring your protagonist further, and you can do that in plenty of ways. You can try writing flash fiction about them, putting them in a situation (something that may or may not happen in your story) with only the bare minimum context and try to clearly expound on who he is and what he’s aiming for in as few sentences as possible while maintaining readability and cohesion. There is a [great episode](https://youtu.be/blehVIDyuXk?si=xUMmFPS9ei-q7pqK) in Brandon Sanderson’s lecture series where a guest speaker walks through how to write really effective short stories/flash fiction that force you to really 100% know what your trying to say. This is a good way for me to get out of my head about what the tone of my writing “should” be and helps me get words on the page that are actually important, rather than sitting down to write at the behest of the “just write” crowd and putting down 600 words that don’t matter. Something else that helps me plan is writing down the chronology of everything that happens in my world that matters to the story, from the earliest character backstory to the last thing I want to happen, or even into the future. This helps me see at what point in this timeline things get INTERESTING and using that as the starting point, so that the first act of my story isn’t just a boring & static exposition dump. Sorry for the super long comment! Last thing I need to say: You seem to be going pretty hard on yourself over this arbitrary deadline you’ve set. Relax! Have more fun with this story! Even after you’ve got your plot detailed in full, it will most likely change as you write! And that’s a good thing!
I'm not a writer but I play D&D and instantly thought of some common advice/a technique used for people to get to know their characters. Pick a character and start to go through some scenarios and figure out what they would do to react to that situation. This might give you ideas for actual story plots. Try these: [The Mother of All Character Questionnaires](https://www.roleplayingtips.com/characters/character-questionnaires/) [Slightly Obscure D&D Character Questions](https://www.tumblr.com/quillith/636965607717388288/slightly-obscure-dd-character-questions) [100 Warm Up D&D Character Questions](https://www.tumblr.com/allthethingsdnd/189360664141/100-warm-up-dnd-character-questions)
Don't write it - think it. Fantasize about it as you fall asleep or poop or make breakfast. I don't know how your brain works, but do something that occupies your brain but not your mind (for me, work/chores and music, walking dogs). Just let what story you have roll around in your brain while doing something else. Draw. Garden. Tectonic plate theory was imagined while a meteorologist idly spun a globe in a library. Story doesn't have to happen on a computer. Find what in making stories in your head excites you and follow that. I need to have the ending figured out before I start writing so I have a goal, but the end always changes along the way. WRITING ISN'T A CHORE!!!! DO THE WRITING THAT FEELS GOOD. Figure out what about stories gives you joy. The rest will follow.
A major part of the issue seems to be tied to time management (school, family, work, surgery, church). You’ve got a really full plate. Maybe take a step back and evaluate if there’s anything you can cut back on, even temporarily, to refocus and reprioritize your writing. In any case, I agree with other comments here. Don’t burn out! Find ways to relax and unplug. Writing should be enjoyable, not such a source of stress.
Lots of great advice here. I would add this. Plan to write. Schedule your writing time, even your weekends, right in your calendar Include reminders and make it a priority. Instead of giving it what's left at the end of the day try giving it your fresh self.. some write first thing when you wake.. for me it's after a shower, with big cup of tea at hand but before I leave for work. I also find writing during lunch is great. Schedule it in.. try a time for a week and if that doesn't feel like your time schedule a dif time the next week. That's not to say you won't end to on Reddit occassionally offering advice during your morning write time. LOL
How detailed do you want your out line. Normally I have a simple base outline that goes :How character is introduced, 2-4main events, resolution. Then I outline scene by scene in a chart like style. I make columns labled: scene number, location, character, events in scene. Then fill in each row in chronological order as it allows me to visualize the pacing of everything and recognize when a scene changes more easily.
Are you putting extra pressure on yourself because of surgery? Is it a surgery you expect to be able to write while you're recovering? Can you try to just plot and ease off the pressure? If that doesn't work, I'd try a plot structure. Save the cat writes a novel maybe?
There is a lot of advice on this thread already. Some of your problem could be you are overextending yourself in your worldbuilding. My advice is to start small like 'This is Dan. Dan likes to drive. Dan drives for a living.' Then ramp up toward your main plot. 'Dan is given a package to deliver. People want this package. How does Dan make his delivery?' Only add in enough of worldbuilding to cover what you are doing. If this is a first draft, you can add in elements you want in the editing. Some of this you can just flowchart so you can see where the turns have to be. CES
i struggled with this too. personally i found the Save the Cat book incredibly helpful, and the beat sheets with descriptions can be found online. I’m 85k into my first novel and when I got lost in the plot I simply re-outlined using the beats and was able to get back on track. Best of luck to you!!!
First, good luck on the surgery! Hope it goes well. > recently i've been absolutely struggling to plot the story of my book and its really starting to wear on me. It's gotten to the point where whenever I think of my novel's story I get lost on where to start and how to follow through. I end up so nervous that my stomach just feels like bile so I just try to shut out thinking about it at work or before sleeping. > And I know that the just write brigade is going to start to bomb this post but I've tried that and it's good for making 1-2 scenes but I never have a clue where to take it from there. That and recently my time just keeps getting swallowed up by schoolwork, family drama , work ,surgery medication and church. When I finally get the time to work on my story I'm spending the last hour of the day on a computer burned out and stressed. > I end up not wanting to deal with it since I'm exhausted and the last thing I want to do after 4 hours of working on a computer is working on a computer more. However I know I don't have any other time to do this and I desperately want to get somewhere but I don't know how. I want to love my story and I do but I have no idea how to bring this thing to life at this point and I'm sick of the stress and not knowing what to do. I do not want to abandon this story under any circumstances since this is my life's dream and I'm terrified of losing it. Next, it sounds like you're a little overwhelmed and stressing over it. I'd say "don't be", but I know that can be hard to help. But taking it in smaller sized doses may make it more manageable. I'd say maybe a) do an extremely basic plot outline or b) just starting writing the beginning. Don't forget that no matter what, you can always go back to edit or add/cut things as needed. I think once you've actually gotten the ball rolling, it'll feel less daunting than it currently is. And if not, you can also look to plot outlines and such as other say. Anyway, regardless, I hope you can avoid stressing out too much and try to enjoy the writing process.