Writers Tricks of the Trade Issue 3 Volume 9 | Page 8

PLOTTING AND
INSPIRATION
F RED R AYWORTH
S OME OF US HAVE AN EASY TIME WITH PLOTTING , OTHERS STRUGGLE TO FIND JUST THE
RIGHT ONE . W HAT INSPIRES US ? WHAT TOOLS CAN WE USE TO JUMP START THE PRO-
CESS ? P LOTTING IS WHERE THE STORY BEGINS . F RED DISCUSSES HIS TAKE ON THIS PER-
TINENT TOPIC .
O
ne of my earliest articles was called
Coming Up With A Plot. I wrote it back
in December, 2011. I’ve often thought
about plotting and inspiration and what
some people go through to try to be differ-
ent. some people get bored with seeing the
same plots. That’s especially true with a se-
ries and with genres. Writers are the same
way. “I’m bored. I want something differ-
ent!”
Hence, the plot matrix.
L IMITED C HOICES
There’s been analyses done ad-
nauseum on the intricacies of plotting,
there are even a list, a chart, a something on
how many plots there are. I think a some-
one, or someones even devised a wheel you
could spin to pick a plot path based on the
basics and a few random variables.
So, that would make you believe there
are only those basic plots and the only
thing you can do, as an author, is vary how
you use them. You can mix them up a bit,
and that’s about it. W HAT A BOUT T HE M USE – Y OUR P ERSONAL P OLKA -
D OT S EWER ?
The way I look at it is like this. If I have
to force myself to use a plot matrix, just to
be different, and lose my inspiration just so
someone isn’t bored – if I have to lose my
voice to pander to someone who will prob-
ably be bored anyway, why bother?
On the other hand, this matrix tech-
nique might be the perfect
spark someone needs to
inspire them. We all work
in different ways and while
it quashes my inspiration,
it might be the spark to
help another writer create
the best thing they’ve ever
written.
I’d say look into the plot matrixes and
don’t just dismiss them right off. See if
they’re something you can use. They obvi-
S AY W HAT ?
When I reach for my “polka-dot sewer,”
do any of you think the first thing I worry
about is the old handy plot matrix?
Are you kidding?
S AME O LD S AME O LD
The problem I see with plotting is that
F ALL 2019
P AGE 3
W RITERS ’ T RICKS OF THE T RADE