1) First, tell me what your character wants in this book.
This is the long left side of your story ladder.
2) Second, tell me what your character wants in this chapter.
This is the long right side of your story ladder.
3) Third, write out each action in the chapter.
These are the steps in the middle.
Here is a story ladder from a draft of Skatepark Challenge:
Left side of the ladder: The main character's goal in this book:
To win the upcoming skatepark competition.
Right side of the ladder: The main character's goal in chapter 3:
To find out if his wrist is broken.
Ladder Steps: The main character's actions in this chapter:
- He waits to be called in to the X-ray lab.
- He goes in when the lab tech calls him.
- He listens as the lab tech explains the machine.
- He tells the lab tech he's done it before.
- He holds still as the lab tech takes 3 X-rays.
- He waits as the lab tech leaves to have the X-rays read.
4) Fourth, tell me where your turning point is. I like to end my chapters with a cliffhanger, so the turning point for this chapter (discovering that his wrist is NOT broken) is at the beginning of chapter 4, the NEXT chapter. (I did it so the reader will turn the page to find out what happens next.) Did you place your turning point at the END of your chapter OR at the beginning of the NEXT chapter?
5) Copy and paste the text you have written for this chapter. |
