In hopes for inspiration to strike, I was browsing through several sites, programs, applications, and even software to help boost a story I'm working on.
The problem was this: I had an idea -- but I didn't know what to do with the idea. It felt elementary that I couldn't come up with the simplest answers to my questions, such as:
What is my character's biggest flaw?
What is she trying to overcome? How will she do it?
How can I sum up the antagonist in just a few sentences?
What genre am I even writing for!?
But I'd exhausted all my options. I tried using pen and paper; I tried to snowflake method; I tried dividing up my plot through three to five acts. Unfortunately, my brain just wasn't clicking.
I know I'm not the only one who's been there. So, I pulled up my trusty search engine and typed in "how to plan your story."
And that's when I found Story Planner.
What Is Story Planner?
Story Planner was created by writer Joanne Bartley. Having had learned about the importance of story structure while earning her degree in Scriptwriting, Ms. Bartley began collecting writing plans and methods.
Eventually, Ms. Bartley realized that she couldn't be the only one collecting various ways to plan a story. She also knew that not every method worked for every writer (ahem, like me and the snowflake method!). That's why she started Story Planner, a resource with a collection of writing plans and story telling methods.
For example, you could find plans for story structure, screenplay structure, non-fiction, and a fancy little step-by-step system called novel launcher.
You might find prompts and plans such as:
You can sort through the story planners by time to complete, eases of use, and development stage. There are so many to sort through.
I've already completed five (!) prompts and plot outlines for my rough story idea -- and let me tell you, I feel so much better.
Upon signing up, you get 7 days of free premium membership use. It is then $15 for three months of premium, but the good news is for us who haven't hit the jackpot, there's also a free basic plan. Check out the plans here.
Have you tried Story Planner?
Does it sound like something that might help you writing process?