Complications Worksheet

I'd like to share a plotting worksheet with you that I found very helpful in revising my novel. 

It was written by Martina Boone, one of the publishers of Adventures in Children's Publishing.

Don't let the blog's title, Adventures in Children's Publishing, fool you.  Most of this blog's content, as well as this worksheet, apply to ALL fiction, not just children's fiction.

Here's a sampling of Martina's post. 

Plotting Made Easy - The Complications Worksheet

"Want to create a plot you'll itch to write? A protagonist you'll love? An antagonist that will give you shivers? And (simultaneously) the first draft of a synopsis ready to be pared down to two pages and polished up?


"Like many writers, I've spun my mental wheels researching and experimenting with different methods of plotting: outlining versus free writing versus turning points versus notecards versus snowflake method etc. Since I've finally found something that works for me, I thought I'd share my Complications Worksheet here to help you simultaneously develop action, motivation and character depth by piling trouble on your poor protagonist."

Try the Complications Worksheet as a thinking tool. But before you start, cruise through the links at the end of Martina's post so you can add or subtract whatever you need. Then answer the questions in the worksheet with your story and characters in mind.

For Martina's worksheet, go to Plotting Made Easy--The Complication's Worksheet.

I know you'll be pleased.

Lost on the Internet

Sometimes I prefer educating myself as a writer using books rather than the Internet, because with books I stay on track and with the Internet I get sidetracked.  One link leads to two others and then these two lead to another five, until hours later I've forgotten my original purpose or how to get back to that site with the good stuff I should have saved in "Favorites," but didn't.

Now, if you like getting lost (and a bit overwhelmed) while surfing the Internet, I've found two great blog sites for you. Going to either is like entering a mega-mall where everything is free.  You'll end up on a journey and won't return to what you were supposed to be doing until...  Well, check out these sites for yourself.  Maybe you have more self control than I do.

First, there's Jane Friedman's blog, There are No Rules.  

Examples of her post categories are:  Blogging, Craft and Technique, Getting Published, Industry News and Trends, Marketing and Self-Promotion.  But my favorite is Best Tweets for Writers, where Jane gives you the week's best tweets.

While visiting Best Tweets for Writers, I scrolled to Websites and Blogging, and from there, I clicked on 10 Steps To Turn Your Blog Into A Bestseller, where I found a great source for a future blog.  Then, under Looking for More?, I scrolled to List of Tweets most often included in weekly Best Tweets for Writers, which led to Advice To Writers, which led to the post, Talent is helpful in writing, but guts are absolutely essential.  I could have gone on, but I was working on this blog and still had another stop to make.

The second mega-mall blog to get lost in is Adventures in Children's Publishing.  Boy oh boy, do they serve up some treasures.  I particularly like their Character Worksheets, Complications Worksheet, Emotion Thesaurus, Pre-Submission Checklist, and Writer's Tools and Worksheets.

And as if that's not enough, on Fridays they list the Best Articles This Week for Writers.  They break it into categories, such as Inspiration, The Craft of Writing, Self Editing, Critiquing, To Market, After the Sale, Contests, Trends and Issues, and under each category are as many as 30 sites offering valuable information.

Fair warning. Visit these blogs at your own risk.  And if you do decide to risk it, be selective. Pick and choose wisely, so you don't overindulge.  I allow myself 45 minutes (well, maybe an hour) and then get out quickly.

I have my own blog to work on after all.

(Image: Internet-Good or Bad by Mickey G Ottawa)