'Developing Your Plot' is a class I wrote and taught eight years ago. Now you get to learn it all for free, with the new things I've learned in the past eight years

‘Developing Your Plot Updated’ is a class I wrote and taught eight years ago. Now you get to learn it all for free, with the new things I’ve learned in the past eight years and through ten self-published books. I’ll give YOU Free Plotting Lessons right now in this blog post, right from the class.

Developing Your Plot Updated – Cast of Characters

First, there’s me, the teacher character, Andy Zach. If you’re not familiar with my biography on this site, you can go to Amazon, Square, or to Goodreads and find out about me and my books.

Then there’s you, one of many student characters. What have you written? Are you writing? What will you write? Please share your plot/novel/work ideas with me and the class by commenting below.

You MUST comment to participate in this class–or I’ll send the zombie turkeys after you!

A crowd of zombie turkeys, on Thanksgiving
Developing Your Plot Updated — A crowd of zombie turkeys, on Thanksgiving. Click to read more!

That’s my big turkey stick. The carrot is, I will give a free ebook of Zombie Turkeys to one of the commenters!

Start commenting – NOW!

Developing Your Plot Updated- Where Will You Go with Your Idea?

You’ve got your great idea for your novel. What’s next? Authors fall into a spectrum of two approaches. First, there are plotters, who plan out the plot of their book and then write to that plan. Then there are ‘pantsers’, those who sit on their pants and type away until a book emerges–or not. Then there are endless variations between the two. I’m firmly in the first group. If you want to learn the pantser approach, find another author! I can’t even imagine how I’d write that way, and I’ve got a good imagination.

Let’s take my first novel, Zombie Turkeys. I created a chapter outline of the book on my first day of writing it during NaNoMo.

Free Plotting Lessons
Developing Your Plot Updated — Click on the Zombie Turkeys book cover to hear Andy read a free excerpt.

Read my Zombie Turkeys chapter outline:

Hook on the first page: Initial problem – zombie turkeys attack and kill turkey hunters

Zombie Turkey problem grows despite best efforts.

Zombie Turkey apocalypse grows worse in size and scope

Military defeated by zombie turkeys

Lull while more military force is gathered.

Biggest battle yet, unresolved conflict.

Zombies hiding – where are they?

More threats emerge, Thanksgiving approaches, big football game in Chicago

Total military mobilization as zombies attack Chicago, including President Obama

Battle continues on Navy Pier

Battle continues in Shedd Aquarium

Defeated in Chicago, zombie turkeys emerge across the country.

Zombie Turkeys seem to be stomped out across the country. Cause and cure of zombiism revealed.

Celebrations across the country at final victory over zombie turkeys

Epilogue – Surprise twist in the end

Now work on your plot outline. Please put them in the comments on this blog post or send them to me by email.

That’s all I have for today! Come back tomorrow for more!