I’m often asked if I plan my plot twists, reversals, and moments of heightened danger—my TRDs—in advance, or let them happen organically as I write? In this video, I share how I use Jane’s Plotting Roadmap to structure each novel, and why knowing my TRDs ahead of time is something I find enormously reassuring as an author.
Hello, Jane Cleland here. The question is about process. When I use my own road map, Jane’s Plotting Road Map, the question is, do I delineate the plot twists, plot reversals, and moments of heightened danger I plan on integrating every 70 to 90 pages in a traditional mystery, much faster than a thriller? Do I do that in advance?
Or do they work their way into the map organically? And the reason I labeled this a process question, that’s interesting, right? It asks really how firm I am in outlining. Do I get it all spelled out and then write it up?
Or do I leave myself some signposts and write to that, write to each one? And that’s closer. I know where I began.
I know where I want to end. And I know that ending is going to connect with the beginning. I always like that symmetry. I know my characters.
I know the major events that are going to happen. Any kind of transformation, major cliffhangers, which translate into plot twists, plot reversals, and moments of heightened danger. And therefore, I know my TRDs pretty much. And I find this enormously reassuring.
I don’t want to have to write a whole book. I just have to write to the next TRD. Which, depending on whether I’m writing a thriller or a traditional mystery, might be a page, 10 pages, or 70 pages. It almost doesn’t matter.
It is the framework, the structure, the architecture of the work that makes the plotting roadmap so effective. Now, I do want to say, you asked me what I do, that’s the answer. But remember, it’s not a straight jacket, it’s a guide. You should take the roadmap, let it help you visualize your story, and then adapt it to your own writing style and process.
It will work for you, I’m quite confident. But only if you use it to help you be your best. Don’t try to be a round peg in someone else’s square hole. I know you can do it.
If this tip had value for you, would you like it? Would you share it? Would you subscribe to the channel?
Thank you.
*Transcripts are software-generated. To report any transcription errors, please use my contact form!
