5 Common Plot Mistakes and How to Fix Them
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- čas přidán 30. 05. 2024
- When writing your novel, it's important to ensure your plot holds up and hooks the reader from beginning to end. In this video, I point out the five most common amateur writer mistakes I've noticed when it comes to plotting and offer tips on how to fix them. Identifying and addressing these plot mistakes in your novel will bring you one step closer to constructing the most effective story possible!
5 MOST COMMON PLOT MISTAKES:
00:51 - Convenient discoveries
02:58 - Vague timeline
05:08 - Rabbit holes
06:46 - Lack of cohesion
09:34 - Snowball effect
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Every time a side character's back story comes up out of nowhere, I almost always assume something terrible is about to happen to them.
Rabbit holes are useful in the writing process because sometimes you, the writer, needs to understand a characters backstory or motivation of a side character. So i tend to let myself write them, but on paper or a separate document so that i dont have to go through the pain of editing it out haha
That sounds like a great way to get the words out! Thanks for sharing!
I like writing short stories with side characters as the primary POV, helps me think more deeply about them and explore rabbit holes. It's a bit of a diversion but a fun process and a huge motivator to keep the novel moving once I'm done.
My philosophy is that A. convenient discoveries can be bigger and more frequent at the beginning, but they are worse as at the end and B. You should consider theme and tone.
Examples: A. Someone winning the lottery is a great start to a book, but in many cases a terrible ending
B. A convenient discovery ending in game of thrones would be fairly bad, but a convenient discovery ending in a children's book about optimism, or an artsy realism book might actually add to the book
This is a great point - as you get toward the latter parts of the book, the convenient discoveries start to feel like lazy writing rather than integral parts of the plot. Thanks for the insight!
This is amazing advice! I am 17 and am writing a book, but i get lost myself while writing it. i keep thinking of more sub plots and character backstories, and it just gets really messy. Its a fiction losely based on history, so im really trying to make it perfect XD
Wow, 17! I think that’s when I first started writing. I’d say you’re definitely on the right track. Good luck!
The Lack of Cohesion point made me think about The Poppy War. The two parts of the book reads like separate books and really threw me off the whole thing.
A lot writing involves a cascade of inconvenient discoveries- ie, unforeseen problems. The question then is whether 'convenient' really means something different from 'inconvenient.' Speaking from my own life, a continuous stream of inconvenient discoveries is entirely realistic.
Hi. New subscriber here! I am incredibly fortunate to have found your channel 😊 I have been writing fiction since I was a young child, and now that I am 37, I have a goal to finally make my dreams of becoming a paid author of historical fiction books a reality (hopefully by the time I'm 40). Going back to college for creative writing is what I WANT to do, but it's unrealistic. I feel so lucky to be learning so much from you, as well as others like you out there creating free content on how to realize my novel writing dreams! My sincerest 🙏 thanks....
There are only 35 comments?? This is some really stellar advice! I'm really lucky to have discovered you. It's been really difficult for me to find out how to get started on publishing.
Haha, thank you for this kind comment! Best of luck with your publishing journey :)
I watched a bunch of your videos. They're very polished. I imagine bringing that polish is part of what makes you a good editor.
Tip one was used in Outlander quite a bit. I think it works when it works.
8:20 Have you read my novel? But I am alternating the points of view every couple of chapters, starting with chapter 3. I think that's early enough.
Stephen King unexpectedly switches from 1st person to 3rd midway through Christine...and it totally works. It yanks the rug out from under the reader by taking away the comforting first person voice. It's very unsettling...which is great in a horror novel. But it's tough to do well.
I saw this video shortly after I started my novel. It made a huge difference and saved me from wasted writing. It is so packed with key insight that I just watched it again and will recheck my manuscript. Although I have put this first novel aside and started my second ... It was time to quit fixing since I already have queries out for it. Thanks again. Your input means a lot to me.
Thank you for the kind comment! I wish you the best with querying and with your second project!
Very useful. I’m thinking starting with a secondary character may be the wrong move, even though it leads into the main storyline. I’m now thinking starting with a main character is a better move. I just need to think about how to make a compelling beginning which begins with a primary character.
Thank you for your thoughts. I've been working on a novel for over a year. Your tips have helped me see how I can improve my book. I'm an Alyssa too ❤
Your videos are so, so helpful, since they are clear and precise. Thank you. I think getting sidetracked is the one I am most guilty of.😉
THIS WAS GREAT. IT ANSWERED QUESTIONS I HAD BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THEY WERE.
Talk about nailing my books plot issues right on the head! For years I’ve always feared my story lacked cohesion as it has a time jump and a new pov mid way through. It always felt like two books and I hoped I could smooth it out somehow to keep both but even still I still struggle with this. My concern would be if I take your advice and move the start of my story to when the new character is introduced how would I maintain the 3 act story structure? I’m guessing I would have to find a clever way to sprinkle in what takes place in act 1 (first 60 pages) just unsure of how to tackle this all
Thanks a bunch miss! ❤ I am a 7th grader and planning to write a novel for the first time but sometimes I get lost while working on it.
this is a great video. i see a lot of these problems in even published books, and you provide a clear solution to all of them. most youtube writing advice is not this on point. great work
Glad you enjoyed it!
Definitely had those convenient notes in draft 1! I murdered those darlings in draft 2.
Glad to hear it!
I guess you are right about the convenient discoveries part at least for the average person, but imagine that your whole life you had been surrounded by convenient discoveries and odd coincidences literally. Really. Again I guess not everyone has had the same levels of convenient guidance? Nice videos! 👍🏻
I like developing characters so much I have trouble figuring out when enough is enough.. How much development should we give the foil and his or her associates?
Your advice is super brilliant. Have you produced your take on the optioning of your entire Intellectual property for 2 years, [ie] Book, screenplay deal. Offered up by a production companyy for example a co. like "Tribeca' Films. Shaun John Stewart
Excellent advice here!
This colour (dark indigo) looks so beautiful and classy on you.
Thanks Alyssa for the great info! I definitely need to fix up rabbit holes.
Perfect!
thanks for the advice.
Super solid, actionable solutions to each of these issues!
Fearful I may have a cohesion plot problem. My first part of the book is the MC and another character. The second part is the MC and a different introduced supporting MC.
Could be... sometimes a structure like that can work, but it can be tough to pull off. Consider if there's a way to introduce the supporting character earlier - perhaps in a prologue even.
I feel like you are giving useful advice. You are helpful to me as a begining writer and thanks for that.
how and who can write Copyright for the self written books?what are the essential part of copyright?
Is it important Writing book proposal for the first time for first
book?
Plot holes...who doesn't need this advice. Great work as always. and subscriptions rising, all down to your hard work, insight and passion for what you do.
Thank you so much, Paul! I really appreciate it!
An excellent video. Clear, concise and helpful. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
My method on making a believable plot and revelation, is where I think about movies that did it well in my view. The reason is, a movie is usually time driven, they have to get to the points to keep the viewer engaged. Anything else, I can fill out to develop the characters, the world they live in and their motives.
With thanks to beta readers and editors after my debut novel, I could improve on it as well.
Good video, certainly something I will keep in mind with my current one.
Off topic:
I have noticed it in your last video but your voice sounds very tinny. Don't know if you changed your microphone or software but your voice isn't as full as it was in other videos. Like the bass is missing.
I agree. Although production values are improving, the audio from the new mic is worse. Great video otherwise. Plot is always the hardest thing to nail, in my opinion.
Like a lack of cohesion 😂
Thank you. This helped me think clearer about my chapters.
Glad it was helpful!
Truly brilliant, Alyssa. Just finishing my second novel in a series and gut feel told me something was wrong. Thanks to your explanations I have not only recognized and removed two mega rabbit holes in the plot, but also found it rewarding. The sequel reads so much better now, thank you. The lack of cohesion pitfall is going to be my greatest concern in part 3 of the series, and I already feel more confident about tackling it.
Once again, many thanks.
Gerard
Thank you for sharing your experience, Gerard! I wish you luck with part 3 :)
Great tips for newer writers, and equally valuable as reminders and 'checklist items' for those with a little more experience. Thanks so much!
I especially like the tip about the snowball effect. It really got me thinking about climaxes and conclusions.
It's a great instinct to want to make your climax feel like it's escalating wildly, but I think the key is to make the stakes feel out of control, not the plot. If you want your readers to feel like the ending is barreling toward them whether they like it or not, great! But you can't really do that by throwing new information at them. It's more about making them feel like the consequences and fallout of all that info that you've been carefully revealing throughout the story is driving toward an inexorable conclusion.
Thanks again for the great tips (and the rest of the invaluable content on this channel), and thanks for making me take the time to think a little bit deeper about what makes a conclusion satisfying!
Completely agree with you on the climax points! Thanks again for the kind words and insight!
Good advice, Very clear point. Loved what you had to say. Thanks a ton.
Btw your eyes cheat on the script a little, I watch your eyes. Maybe a transponder app?
Thanks again
Thank you so much! Definitely trying to improve my production too.
Hi Alyssa , the universe has guided me to your channel as i am 3000 words away from my 80.000 novel I'm on my first nove it's written in journal form, ie 'Thursday 29th' and the charachter is telling his story through his events of the day. He does however, go off into his head about things that happened to him in the past before snapping back into the current day and plot line, I got concerned about my writing style when you mentioned about writing about something other than what is happening at that moment. Are there exceptions? Thanks
And here I am misspelling the word novel. Great, I don't deserve a reply just for that
Hi there, thanks for your comment. Flashbacks are a great tool that can deepen your story and characters, but it can be tricky to get them right! I have another video all about writing flashbacks where I give some do's and don'ts to help you write effective flashbacks: czcams.com/video/HdlFu31cThg/video.html Hope this helps!
Alyssa I have a question. Let's say you have multiple POV. What do you do when the characters meet? Do you choose one to write the POV for that chapter? Or do you write it from both?
I feel that if you write the same story differently it can work. But if you use the same dialog and ideea in both stories it's going to be a no for me.
I feel like the b plot of my first draft has become too involved and time consuming, overshadowing the a plot for a time. Is it okay to delve into a b plot while the a plot sits on the back burner for a chunk?
I want to know how to get publishing editor wanted your full series of your first novel not just wanted only one of your series? and in case if they only wanted duology instead series novel, but you need to published it as series not as standalone what you should do? Should you try to fit entire series into two book or not?
You will always start with the first book in the series, so first focus on making that novel stellar. Then, you'd discuss with your literary agent if your strategy would be to sell it as a standalone or as a multiple-book contract.
1912, you say? Perchance a fan of the superb movie 'Somewhere In Time?'
My question-
- I have written the first draft without any chapter numbering though I have left spaces after completing a scene/ sequence. Is it fine?
- Sometimes I think my characters aren't unique in characteristics. Like all behaving in same manner, nothing much to differentiate between them or not behaving like they must supposed to do. How to overcome that?
Spaces between scenes should work fine, you don't necessarily need chapter headings/numbers.
You should challenge yourself to give your characters specific personality traits: how do they speak? How do they carry themselves? You can even think about people in your own life as a starting point and describe their voices/actions in your story.
make them have an emotional, mental, physical connection with something or someone unique. and maybe briefly describe some parts of their parts unique to them. quick style
Is it a problem to start nearly every chapter with a month later or a few weeks later?
These "mistakes" seem to me to be standard issue first draft results.
The second draft is when things need to be made to make sense.
At least, this is how it works with my writing.
On my second draft, I often ask myself: When did this happen? How did this happen? Why did this happen? Then, finally, why should I care about it?.
do you ever do book reviews?
What are your thoughts on having two main character pov's that switch between chapters, but then around 1/2 of the way through the book, ad in some other point of views that are from lesser characters?
That might honestly end up being a case of "lack of cohesion," if you don't integrate those other POVs in the first half.
@@AlyssaMatesic Hmm, alright thx
What if you were to make a 4 Protag. Story and dedicating each character there own Story that slowly begins to connect with one another as every story contributes to the premise. Basically 4 character povs and there viewpoints of the world, and storyies that slowly connect that make up the plot/premise.
Do you proof read? If yes what's you're pricing
Brillz!
Thanks again. I need an editor.🤓
What if it's a space opera where longevity is now centuries and not decades? Why would I want to know that in the book's universe humans can live for 300 years+ but only stick to like two years of their lives. Sometimes character arcs take a while. For instance, a person you met when are 45 is not the same person at 20 who is also not the same at 5.
The Godfather was guilty of all these flaws
HEY I HAVE A CHARACTER WHO DISCOVERED A DIARY
Yet..every movie has convenient discoveries.🤣
6:45 *cough* *cough* Last of Us 2 *cough* *cough*
Edit: not a novel, I know, but still the plot
structure is all over the place
Do you like your job? I can't imagine all of the garbage you have to sift through.
Rabbit holes - you mean Victor Hugo???
Great channel!
To the point and clear with it.
Thank you 😊
"And then they discover that they're twins." Excuse me!? XD Were they wearing masks or something?
Alyssa, I've been an editor and writer for 30 years, and all that you say here is only pap, which helps to make you money through YT, but does almost nothing for these young writers. Your advice is obvious, if only entirely outdated, and only encourages not-very-good authors to waste their time. Meanwhile, you also play at being an expert at book endings, or book beginnings; and how to write the perfect first 10 pages, and etc-etc-etc. When, in fact and in practice, no editor, publisher, nor agent, knows what makes saleable writing sell (much less what is a good book); this is because none of those people have a clue as to what people want to read at any given time. In other words, editors-publishers-agents are scared out of their minds for their jobs because they haven't a clue as to what will sell: good book, bad book, or the greatest book EVER; or an absolute crap story. If anyone (or you, Alyssa) doubts what I have to say, just ask yourself, "Why is Alyssa running this YT channel rather than making millions-billions as an editor-publisher-agent?" Yes, your answer will lead ALL THESE YOUNG WRITERS to the truth: just write; make your characters believable; make your story readable. That's all. And, and, and ... if you get lucky enough to find a publisher, you might get lucky enough to sell books to all the very few readers who are yet out there looking for their next good book to read.
I don't agree. I find her advice extremely useful.
I’m todays age , if you have a passion for something instead of doing it you can actually create a platform and speak/ give advice on it and make just as much, often times MORE money than you would by actually doing it after you’ve have the experience in it. I’ve seen that you copy and pasted this comment to multiple videos of hers (seems VERY strange given your age and profession) but I hope that answers your question as to why she is not actually off making billions at a publishing company instead.