Plot Do's and Don'ts


I don't like to try and share guidelines with other writers because I feel that's limiting. That being said, knowing what the guidelines look like is a great place to Start. Then you have an idea of what to try to avoid, what to mess with, and how to tweak things to make your story unique.

A few things I try to avoid in my stories: 
I don't like adding new characters important to something in the story after the midpoint. It's different if you've mentioned them, or had them in the background, but if you suddenly add an antagonist to the last half of the book, it feels thrown together and unplanned. 

Plot wise, I avoid putting my personal feelings, thoughts, opinions, and ideal into the story as the author voice. I give aspects to different characters, but my novels aren't about my personal agenda. That being said, I do find certain underlying themes in my stories that match what I care about (mostly that people are worth love, and Are loved). 

One of the biggest things I find is important to avoid in novels is having characters who're happy and live trouble-free. Conflict is what makes a story interesting, that's what readers can relate to. Life isn't perfect in real life, so writing about a perfect life isn't gonna be as compelling. 

As you write, try not to let your story's subplot deviate so far from the main plot that they no longer support the main story or character arcs. Sub-plots are little side aspects that need to still relate to the main conflict in some way. Otherwise, it feels like it no longer fits with the story and you can lose readers.

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