The plot of your book is what happens in your story--the specific order and selection of events that reveal information about the characters and their circumstances to create emotional effects and thematic resonance for the reader. But how do you know you're choosing the right events for your story, whether they're in the right order, or if they achieve the ends you have in mind? This carefully curated bundle of 10 digital downloads will give you the tools you need to start looking objectively at your plot and keep agents/editors turning pages.  

Supercharge Your Plot (OnDemand Video) Too many rejection notes say, ‚"Not enough happens in this story!" This presentation, taught by prizewinning author and WD contributing editor Elizabeth Sims, is a festival of reliable, repeatable ideas and fast hacks to bring your novel plot to mouthwatering life. You learn how to invent compelling character traits, drop-in suspense, and amp up the conflict. Moreover, you learn how to become a better writer on your own, going forward. ($79.99 value)

Secrets of Story Structure & Plot (OnDemand Webinar) This webinar allows you to stand back from the words on the page and analyze the overall plot of your novel, memoir, or screenplay. It doesn't matter if you're still at the idea stage, or you've already completed your book and want to evaluate the work before submitting it. This workshop speaks to anyone writing fiction or life stories, including novelists, screenwriters, and memoirists. 
In this webinar with Martha Alderson, you have the chance to map the dramatic action plot, character emotional development plot, and thematic elements of your own individualized story as she is mapping out the same plots from an award-winning novel. ($79.99 value)

How to Plot and Structure Your Novel  (OnDemand Webinar) In this talk, editor Cheryl Klein will guide you through the principles that underlie traditional narrative plotting--a framework on which you can build all sorts of variations. You'll learn about the three main types of plot and how to braid them for maximum narrative efficiency and elegance. We'll examine who's driving the events of your novel, how plotting relates to character, where's the right place for the book to begin and end, and whether the stakes and characters are sufficient to keep narrative tension high the entire book. Finally, we'll discuss how to create an effective bookmap to see your plot on its own terms and be sure that every scene and event contributes to the whole. ($79.99 value)

Find, Fix, and Finesse Your Plot into a Winning Idea (OnDemand Webinar) In this presentation, instructor and literary agent Kate McKean will show you ways to improve your plot and how to troubleshoot any pitfalls, holes, and inconsistencies it may have. She explains what all great plots have in common and how to avoid the familiar tropes that can affect your novel (in a bad way). She also teaches you how to brainstorm new ideas and fix the ones you already have. By the end of this presentation, you will have the tools you need to start looking objectively at your plot and the ability to convey those ideas in an effective synopsis. ($79.99 value)

The Foundations of a Killer Plot (OnDemand Tutorial) There are several elements required for crafting a strong, solid plot that will keep your readers coming back for more. You need a dynamic lead character with a realistic objective, and he must face interesting confrontations, with an opposition that is stronger than your lead, but still three-dimensional. These elements build to a knockout ending that leaves your readers breathless. Once you understand these elements, you'll be able to replicate that formula time and time again in your fiction. In this tutorial, you'll learn the structure and foundation necessary to create a killer plot for your fiction. ($49.99 value)

Writer's Digest September 2019 Digital Edition (Digital Magazine) In the September 2019 Writer's Digest, themed ‚"The Big Idea," we'll help writers find ideas, create better plots, and more. This issue's articles include:

Plotting Your Way: As a new novelist, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the smorgasbord of possible plot devices. Getting unstuck means finding the right outlining style to fit your personality. By Elizabeth Sims

Subplots Aren't Secondary: While the main plot serves as your story's skeleton, subplots add muscle to the body. Explore the various types of subplots, the roles each can play and how to keep them moving in harmony. By Jane Cleland ($6.99 value)

40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Your Stories in New Directions (Digital Guide) Plot twists can spin your story in a new direction and keep your readers turning the pages to see what happens next. With this collection of 40 plot twist prompts from Senior WD Editor Robert Lee Brewer, you'll be able to experiment to see which plot twist works best for your story. Alternatively, if you've been experiencing writer's block, use one of the prompts to begin a new tale. Either way, your story will thank you. ($9.99 value)

Writer's Digest Novel Writing 2016 Download (Digital Magazine edition) 

Story Building

Plotting + Pantsing = Plantsing You don't have to choose between outlining your story and writing by the seat of your imagination. by Jeff Somers

Using Character to Enrich Plot The best writers know how to make the most out of their characters. Start with these techniques. by Paula Munier

Beginning with the Past Skillful use of backstory can bring your characters to life, and enrich your plot and story in the process. Here's how to do it. by Rachel Ballon

and more ($9.99 value)

How to Use Scene Types to Write a Page-Turning Plot (OnDemand Webinar) Story plots are comprised of many different kinds of scenes, and not all scenes are created equal. Each scene type has strengths and weaknesses and satisfies different key moments in your plot in uniquely different ways. An integrated understanding of how to plot at the scene level takes your writing to new depths. Based on the work of Martha Alderson and Jordan Rosenfeld's new book, Writing Deep Scenes, you'll learn the essentials of scene writing, an array of scene types, and when to use them in designing a plot that resonates with readers long after they put your story down. You'll also learn the four key energetic markers of your plot, how your character needs to transform emotionally, and where to put scenes in order to build a page-turning plot. ($79.99 Value)

The Character of Plot (OnDemand Video) What comes first, the character or the plot? The answer may be both. In this presentation, writers learn the key elements of internal need and conflict necessary to generate complex characters who can generate a compelling story. David Corbett is the award-winning author of six novels, including 2015's The Mercy of the Night and the upcoming The Long-Lost Love Letters of Doc Holliday, as well as the novella The Devil Prayed and Darkness Fell, the story collection Thirteen Confessions, and the writing guide The Art of Character. ($79.99 value)