Novel Planning Kit Version 03.2020.11

Created by Terry J. Benton

Dear Writers, I started my first manuscript over 10 years ago, and it would take seven more manuscripts and one novella, countless tears and frustration, and lots of effort devoted to studying craft and learning as much as possible before I signed with an agent. Throughout this journey, I’ve enjoyed giving back to the community and helping those who are coming up through the query trenches behind me. I created this Novel Planning Kit from a combination of useful exercises I’ve employed over the last decade to successfully plan fiction novels with the hope that it will assist newer writers on their paths to publication and beyond. There are a plethora of ways to plan, write, and revise a manuscript, and this is just one of thousands of paths available to you—and may not suit your unique needs. I urge you to continue researching widely to find the methods that work best for you and your process. This kit is intended as a FREE resource for writers. Simply print the kit in its entirety and complete the worksheets to begin planning your new novel. Good luck and happy writing! Terry B. | https://www.tjbenton.com | @terryjbenton | @icecreamvicelord

TABLE OF CONTENTS Exercise 1: Story Setup Page 2 Build the three cornerstones of your story: hook, challenge, and theme Exercise 2: Conflict Page 3 Identify internal and external conflict for your protagonist, as well as conflicts with minor characters Exercises 3A & 3B: Character Dossier Pages 4 & 5 Develop substantial background for your main and supporting characters Exercise 4: Plot Development Page 6 & 7 Brainstorm major plot points and plot threads for your story Exercise 5: Act Structuring Page 8 Structure your story’s plot across three acts Exercise 6: Pitch Draft Page 9 Draft the first cut of your pitch (or query) Recurring Exercise: Scene Planning Page 10 Recurring exercise for planning and structuring scenes Appendix: Helpful Resources Page 11 Additional helpful paid and free resources Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. Exercise 1: Story Setup This worksheet will help you develop the three cornerstones of your story: hook, challenge, and theme.

working title

One line that states the premise of your story e.g., ”A young girl must fight against her oppressors to return magic to her world.” (Children of Blood and Bone) hook

What is the unique challenge to the protagonist? E.g., ”Katniss Everdeen only wants to survive the games, but to do so, she’ll become the face of a revolution.” (The Hunger Games) challenge

Ex: acceptance, identity, faith, fear, forgiveness, love, selflessness, survival, redemption, responsibility, justice theme(s)

Ex: “Despite facing ridicule his entire life for being a bastard, Jon Snow never craved power, yet he’s still flung headlong into the game of thrones when he tries to convince the most powerful people in the world to stop fighting long enough to save their kingdoms from the white walkers.” (A Game of Thrones) How does the challenge relate to the theme(s)?

Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 2 Exercise 2: Conflict This worksheet will help you develop the conflicts your protagonist must face.

primary Who and/or what is your protagonist fighting? secondary What internal conflicts are your protagonist facing? conflict conflict (external) (internal)

conflict mapping

List the characters, or external forces, your protagonist battles at the other 3 corners Protagonist: of the rectangle. Include the character types as well (see legend below). On connecting lines, give a brief (1 to 5- word) description of the conflict between the two connected characters. character types: (A) Ally (O) Opponent (FA) Fake Ally (FO) Fake Opponent

Note: Minor characters can also have conflicts with one another. List those here as well. Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 3 Exercise 3A: Character Dossier This worksheet will help you develop the background of your protagonist(s). Complete this exercise for each focal character.

Instructions: Complete this dossier worksheet for each focal character (every character that gets a focal, or POV, chapter in the story). A helpful tip is to imagine yourself as your character while you complete this exercise. Use the back of this sheet to write a short summary of this character’s backstory, which are the events that should inform the characteristics recorded on this page. Name: Age: Birthday:

List the major internal (mental) and external (physical) strengths of this character. physical characteristics

strengths Record important physical details about this character e.g., height, eye color, hair color, etc.

List the major internal (mental) and external (physical) weaknesses of this character. weaknesses

The Lie(s) Concrete Desire(s) Subconscious Desire(s) What lies does your character believe about themselves and / or At the start of your story, what does your character want more What does your character need more than anything? What is the their world that they will have to overcome to complete their than anything? Note: If their life is “perfect” and they want goal of their Act 3 transformation? transformation by the end of this story? nothing, then their desire is for nothing in their life to change.

Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 4 Exercise 3B: Extended Character Dossier Use this worksheet for additional development of your focal characters.

Instructions: Complete this dossier worksheet for each focal character (every character that gets a focal, or POV, chapter in the story) in the voice of that character.

What do I notice first when I enter a room?

What do I notice first when I meet someone new?

What are my most important values, and where did they come from?

What’s my coffee order?

Who do I admire most? Why?

Who do I hate most? Why?

It’s a normal Saturday morning at 10am. What am I doing?

Who is my favorite character or superhero? Why?

Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 5 Exercise 4: Plot Development This worksheet is a brainstorming tool to develop high-level plot points and plot threads. Use the back of this worksheet for additional space.

Instructions: Write the inciting incident or something unique about the protagonist or story world in the center bubble (ea. bubble represents a major plot point). Next, in the connected/related bubble (denoted by the connecting line or ”plot thread”), write a resulting plot point (think of cause and effect for this exercise). Add more linked bubbles (plot points) and connect them to an existing plot point(s). See the following page for a partial example.

Begin here.

Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 6 Exercise 4: Plot Development Example This worksheet is a brainstorming tool to develop high-level plot points and plot threads. Use the back of this worksheet for additional space.

Ruby frees the dragons from the lab The President The President is a fascist and The President arrests Ruby and wants to rule threatens to kill her love and The President asks the world Ruby’s love if she accuses them her to ramp-up doesn’t return the both of treason development and freed dragons subsequent study Begin here. of more dragons

Ruby creates Other global more dragons superpowers begin Ruby agrees to and develops a Ruby Jenkins their own biological find the dragons relationship develops a weapons programs but double-crosses with them scientific process after word gets out the President to create a dragon about the dragons Ruby falls in love with a colleague who Ruby and the also cares for dragons burn the dragons down the lab … and so on… Ruby joins up with a Ruby becomes a group of rebels to fugitive of the overthrow the government President

Note: This is only a partial example; you might likely have twice as many plot points and threads for your story. Use the back of these sheets if you need additional space.

Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 7 Exercise 5: Act Structuring Use this worksheet to plan high-level plot across the standard three act structure. If you have a 4th act, use the back of this sheet to record details. Instructions: Use bullets to list high-level plot points and events in chronological order for each act. Use the back of the sheet for additional space. *If your story has four acts, split below guidelines for Act 2 across Acts 2 and 3 (the midpoint of your story occurs at the end of Act 2), and then Act 3 guidelines become Act 4 guidelines. ACT I ACT II* ACT III • Opening image; establish ”status quo” for your protagonist • Lean into protagonist’s personal journey and B/C stories • Protagonist has a breakthrough and transforms from chasing • Setup protagonist’s concrete desire lines (wants) • Setup wins, losses, and struggles as protagonist battles against wants to fulfilling needs, or subconscious desire lines • Initiate ”call to action” or inciting incident “the lie(s)” while chasing wants • Prep for battle / climax • Establish protagonist’s denial / debate / decision • Protagonist hits rock bottom; “all is lost” • Final confrontation / climax; can include a moral decision • Protagonist makes decision; begins transformation • Establish new world order; closing image

Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 8 Exercise 6: Pitch Draft Using the guideline presented here, draft your pitch on the back of this worksheet. Your pitch should be around 300 words; don’t write too much!

Guideline Example Paragraph 1 I’m writing to introduce [WORKING TITLE], a [market + genre], complete at [word I’m writing to introduce DRAGON WARS, an adult science fiction and fantasy novel, count] words, which can be described as [Book/Film/Show] meets [Book/Film/Show] and complete at 85k words, which can be described as Eragon meets Westworld and will appeal will appeal to fans of [Author/Series] and [Author/Series]. to fans of N.K. Jemisin and Octavia Butler. - ALTERNATIVE - Inspired by [Novel/Film/Show] and [Novel/Film/Show], [WORKING TITLE] is a [market + genre], complete at [word count] words, and will appeal to fans of [Author/Series] and [Author/Series].

Paragraph 2 Introduce main character, setting, and the hero’s concrete desires. Five years ago, Ruby Jenkins graduated college with a biology degree, thinking she’d go out into the world and use science to make it a better place. But crushing student loan debt pushed her career in another direction: developing biological weapons for the United States government.

Paragraphs 3-4 Lead into the inciting incident, the challenge to the protagonist, the necessary Since she was young, Ruby had always loved reading stories about dragons and other transformation or choice, and the stakes. This may need to span across two paragraphs mythological creatures. She never thought she’d get the opportunity to see one in real life— depending on the complexity of your story. or create one in her lab. But when she and her team develop the first living, breathing dragon, Ruby’s excitement and intrigue becomes overshadowed by overwhelming guilt— this creature will be raised as a tool of death and destruction for her government. After the birth of two more dragons, the President orders Ruby and her team to ramp-up production and testing of more dragons. Unable to bear the weight of her heavy conscious, Ruby steals the young dragons and releases them into the wild of the Rocky Mountains. The President arrests Ruby for treason and orders her to return the lost dragons or face death. Ruby will have to decide to make a stand for what she believes in, even if doing so could cost her life, or allow the fascist government to continue exploiting her talents to enslave the world. Paragraphs 4-5 Give a brief bio, list any writing credentials, and why you chose to write this story. I’ve been working in the field of biomedical engineering for five years, and I chose to write DRAGON WARS to explore the moral complexities of scientific experimentation and warmongering. I workshopped this manuscript as part of #PitchWars 2020 with my mentor, Pitchy McPitcherson (A Pitchy Fantasy Story, Tor 2021). Note: These guidelines and example are meant to produce a rough draft pitch, which will need to be workshopped and refined before querying or submitting for official consideration.

Copyright © 2020 by Terry J. Benton These materials are provided as a free resource for writers to download and use and are not for sale or to be sold in any capacity. 9 Recurring Exercise: Scene Planning Use this worksheet to plan each scene before drafting.

Scene Goals Scene Outline List the goals of this scene in bullet format for both dialogue and action. Every scene serves the Using bullet format, list the chronological events of this scene that achieve the goals listed in the left purpose of advancing the plot or progressing the protagonist along their developmental arc. column.

Paid Resources Free Resources Please support Indie booksellers if you can!

The Anatomy of a Story TOPIC RESOURCE WEBLINK by John Truby Synopsis Terry Benton, Author https://www.bipocbookshelf.com/post/conquering-the- BIPOC Bookshelf dreaded-synopsis

EVERYTHING! Susan Dennard, Author http://susandennard.com/for-writers/

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel World-Building Malinda Lo, Author https://www.malindalo.com/blog/2012/10/five- by Jessica Brody foundations-of-world-building

First Line Writer’s Digest https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/7-ways- to-create-a-killer-opening-line-for-your-novel

Agency Chuck Wendig, Author http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/06/03/just-what-the- Creating Character Arcs humping-heck-is-character-agency-anyway/ by K.M. Weiland

Show, Don’t Tell Susan Dennard, Author http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/09/25/show-versus- Publishing Crawl tell-macro-micro-and-when-to-use-it/