In a post on the Killzone blog, James Scott Bell offers advice for wrangling a plot that’s starting to get away from you. “What do you do when you discover you’ve a) gone down that infamous rabbit hole; b) have plot points or characters popping up you didn’t plan for; c) are lost in a dark forest; or d) have fallen off a cliff into the bleached bones of the author’s graveyard?” Bell asks.
First, Bell says check your outline. You do have one, right? “I’m talking about a ‘rolling outline,’ one you put together as you roll along,” he explains. “When you finish a scene or chapter, write a quick synopsis of who the viewpoint character is, what he wants and what happens, as in: Ishmael gets depressed, decides to go to sea, and sets off to find a ship.”
Once you have and review that outline, try these steps:
- Clear out some characters. If you have more than one POV character, ask if each has a storyline with high stakes. If not, raise the stakes or ditch the plotline. You might also consider turning this POV character into a supporting character with a subplot that complicates a viewpoint character’s life. Bell recommends Stephen King’s The Stand as a novel with multiple viewpoint characters with their own independent storylines.
- Cut scenes that don’t connect to the plot. Does each scene have a goal that connects to the high-stakes objective? Does the scene present an obstacle to that goal? If not, cut it.
- Write or rewrite your pitch. Return to your original idea for your novel, the 250 word pitch that would make someone interested in reading it. Going back to the base premise can help you focus on where you need to go next.
