The squares on the right side are turning points in the story.Īt the bottom of my board is a section for the main characters’ GMC (goal, motivation, and conflict, a concept made popular by Debra Dixon’s book of the same name). The plot progresses in chronological order from the top left to the bottom right of the board. Each square represents a main plot point. The layout for the grid I use (pictured above) was introduced to me years ago by author Robin Perini, and consists of twenty squares laid out on a poster board in four rows of five. Now that you know why you might use the plotting grid, let’s take a look at how to use this powerful tool. Sidenote: In my next blog post I take a look at crafting synopses. By using the grid to compare your story elements with that of a classic story structure, you can easily identify elements that are missing or out of place.įinally, the grid can be a formidable tool when it comes to writing a synopsis. Whether you’re stuck or simply trying to create a better story, the grid can help you delve into deeper analysis of your storyline, particularly if you overlay the grid with the components of a story structure like The Hero’s Journey. At the very least, by looking at the big picture of your story on the grid, you’re reminded there are other parts of the story you can work on while the stuck part simmers in the back of your brain. It’s great for illuminating gaps and inconsistencies that may be causing writer’s block by filling in the grid with the elements you do know, you can gain a new perspective on what you don’t know. The plotting grid is also a powerful tool when any writer -plotter or pantser- gets stuck, whether that’s during brainstorming, plotting, drafting, or revising. For those who write “by the seat of the pants” without plotting first (“pantsers”), the grid can be invaluable when the first draft is complete and the writer is assessing character arcs and plot lines for cohesiveness. For writers who like to plot out their stories (“plotters”), the grid is a great tool for charting the storyline before drafting, and again during revisions.
The plotting grid can be useful to anyone at any stage of writing. This is a photo of the actual ratty old plotting grid I use.