You learn something new...

Everyday. And if you're lucky, it's something interesting.

Today I learned that Evan Marshall is devoted to integrity when it comes to his products for writers. When he decided to make a software version of his book "The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing", he didn't hire a programmer.

He learned programming.

I haven't had a chance to try the software yet, but I'm looking forward to the chance to do so. I think that Mr. Marshall has shown that he truly cares about the success of writers by taking three years to learn programming so that he could offer a software companion would be as faithful to the plan laid out in the book as possible.

As soon as I finish this post I'm off to work on my novel. As of yet it doesn't have a name, but it does have a strong premise and interesting characters, thanks in part to Evan Marshall.

I'll update my progress as I go.

So far, I'm 9 sections into the plotting of my urban fantasy novel. The main story is started, the main subplot is started and my two secondary viewpoint characters have been introduced. Using the Marshall Plan isn't easy, but good writing rarely is (anyone who told you writing is easy, lied). I have found, however, that the structure gives me more flex room for my creative muscles while offering the security of knowing that the book will have a logical flow--a problem for me in the past.

The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing

Yesterday, I picked up The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall. I read it cover-to-cover last night, and today I started working out the "section sheets" as outlined in the book.

As a writer who has always struggled with plotting, this organized method of laying out the plot is appealing to me. I've only done three sections so far, but I can already see a difference in the quality of the layout in comparison to what I've plotted before.

Marshall lays out exactly what you need for each section, whether it be an action section, a reaction section, part of the main storyline or a subplot. There was no information in the book I wasn't already aware of, but the way it is presented in the book gave me an "aha moment" that allowed me to diagnose my writing problems and address them.

I'm going to write my next book based on this plan, and see how it turns out. I have a feeling it will be the best book I've written to date.