No matter how far into the writing journey you are, you’ve likely experienced a time when you worked on a project long past when it was time to move on.
You probably also have a project or two that are big question marks. It’s never been the right time to work on them, but the question echoes in your mind: What if … ?
Well, wonder no more! Below are three ways to ensure the next plot bunny you pursue is worth the time and effort to chase!
Option 1: Interrogate It
You’re going to want to stare your story idea in the face and ask it the hard questions. What matters to you and current the stage of your writing career will affect the questions you’ll want to answer, but here’s a basic list you can start with:
- What excites me about this story right now?
- Can I see myself still being excited about this story in six months?
- Do I have an idea for what I want this story to say?
- What kinds of challenges do I foresee if I choose to write this story?
- Will this story fit my author brand?
- Do I have an idea of how I’d publish and market this?
Option 2: Sample It
The next time you’re able, spend an hour or so writing a scene you’re excited about in this potential WIP. If you find yourself overflowing with words, that’s a good sign that you might’ve landed on a viable story idea.
You can’t go just by word count alone, though. Five hundred words describing the setting does not a compelling narrative make. Are you coming up with ideas to deepen your main character and their motivations as you go? Is your brain generating the next sentence of action-packed prose faster than your hands can keep up?
Those are really good signs.
If, on the other hand, you’re struggling to get past that first paragraph, it’s likely that particular story isn’t ready to come out of you just yet. Save what you write for later!
Option 3: Sketch It
This is the true test of a story idea: mapping out the essential plot points.
We know the plotters among you may balk at the notion of taking the time to outline a story you’re not even sure would be worth the time, and the pantsers among you may be turning up your nose at the idea of planning out anything at all. Luckily, we can turn to a resource I’ve talked about before on the blog to help us: Story Planner.
Instead of holding fast to your usual methods, try experimenting with some of the more bare-bones structures available, like this simple three-act structure, this structure with only five elements, or this story structure with friendly guiding questions. All three of these story plans offer a bird’s eye view and are flexible enough to fit any genre.
As a bonus, wrapping your mind around new ways to look at a story will ultimately deepen your understanding of story structure and make you a better writer! And you may like the framework so much, you just might be inspired to make it part of your usual writing workflow.
(Psst … If planning books is your weakness, but you’re interested in learning how, we have a course called Plotting Your Prose with Amy Christine Parker that will blow your mind. Click here if you’re already in our online community!)
What to Do After You’ve Committed to a Story Idea
Congratulations on finding the next step to take on your writing journey!
Now that you’ve committed to a concept, it’s time to commit to writing it. The book doesn’t get done by dreaming about it. The book gets done by writing one word at a time. Plan out your entire novel and the three months you’ll take to write it in our 90-Day Novel Planner, or for even more organization in your writing life try The Write Gym Workbook. Both options are available in our shop!
