The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Software

I've finished plotting my novel using The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing. I plotted it out by hand, and then entered it into the templates in the software created to compliment the plan.

It is by far the best plot I've ever come up with. It's exciting and the characters are great. And best of all, it flows--there isn't a single unnecessary, or boring scene. All of the scenes push the story forward.

The software is great and has a lot of nifty features--such as the huge name database, complete with name meanings. It's easy to navigate and, for the most part, is user friendly. I only have a few gripes.

The first is that there doesn't seem to be anywhere to write the actual narrative. This isn't a huge problem, since I'm rather attached to Ywriter for writing. I just think it would have been cool to be able to write the story in the same program as I'd entered all of the character, and plot information.

Second, there is only room in the program to flesh out the protagonist, the romantic interest, the confidant, and the opposition. One of my viewpoint characters doesn't fall into any of these categories, so her information couldn't be entered into the program. Nor could any of the minor characters--not all of whom made it into the program as there was a limited amount of space available for those characters.

Third, and probably the most inconvenient for me, is the lack of flexibility. When there is a character who, by the Marshall Plan's guidelines, is supposed to be the POV character, or if the scene is supposed to be a reaction scene rather than action, there is no way to change this. It's set in the system.

Now, I understand the reasons certain scenes are supposed to be from a particular character's POV, however, my ending just didn't quite work out that way. I tried to follow the plan exactly, but I found rearranging some of the scenes increased the tension, and made more logical sense.

It was a minor irritation, easily fixed when I saved the templates in Word format (an option that is a part of the program).

All-in-all, I enjoyed using the plan and the software that Evan Marshall designed. It's the most useful writing tool I've found. Sure, it's not the only way to write--and I would suggest using it as a guideline, not as an absolute writing Bible--but read the book and then take a look at some of the best commercial fiction on the market. A good percentage of them will have a plot that follows most, if not all of the suggestions outlined in the Marshall Plan.

It takes years for a writer to learn to plot this well. Thanks to Evan Marshall's book and software, you can learn it in a couple of weeks.

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.

My university grad photo is down at the bottom of the blog for anyone who's interested in seeing it.

Stuckness

I'm stuck. Not because I don't know what is going on in the story, it's a rewrite with a detailed outline, but rather because my skills have taken a leap forward.

Or, at least, I've realized some things about the craft that I never realized before. Like how to use foils. Oh, I knew what foils were before, but I just had a Eureka moment and realized how to use them. I've been using them, unconsciously, all along, but I want to make the contrasts stronger, so that they have more impact.

I can do it, but right now I'm in self-doubting, cowardly writer mode. The self-doubting, cowardly writer does write. She thinks, and spends an inordinate amount of time wishing that someone would hand her the answers.

When I was just starting to learn to write, I would hit up all of the wonderful online resources, such as Holly Lisle's wonderful website, or the SFWA's page of articles. But more and more I've been running into problems for which I can't find any resources.

Of course, the best way to deal with the problem is to write through it. The best way to learn is by making mistakes. But my nature has always been to learn as much as possible about something before attempting it.

Well, I guess it's time for this cowardly writer to step out of her comfort zone and start putting some words down on paper.

Wish me luck.

Yorick Says:

I don't care what you say. Drunk or not, it counted.

She should have told me. I deserved to know. So I haven't told her about my past. At least she knows I was married.

Pyrs Says:

I'm not a pretty boy. Just because I'm not as ugly as you.

Grey says:

Knock it off! Both of you. It's one o'clock in the damned morning. Go to bed already.

Like living with a couple of teenagers.

Yorick Says:

Oh? I'm the ass?

At least I'm not the one keeping secrets.

I hope you and pretty boy are happy together.

Jealous my ass.

Maeve Says:

If someone has something to say :cough:Yorick:cough: he can bloody well say it to my face instead of broadcasting it all over the internet.

And no. Once, while drunk, does not count.

Being jealous doesn't mean you get to act like a complete ass.

Yorick Says:

Me again. Cranky.

I have a problem. It's a girl. Naturally. Maeve. Turns out she was married. And never told me. Okay, it isn't as if we're an item. Not really. We slept together. Once. When we were drunk. But that counts doesn't it?

I might be overreacting. She's divorced anyway. I just think she should have told me.

He's a real pretty boy too.

Definitely should have told me.