– Beats are points of the plot where something has shifted or changed. One character using certain tactics so they shift to different tactics. Beats are created scenes and scenes create chapters.
– Start the chapter with the problem. What needs to happen? That is our first beat. Something has been discovered. The next beat is taking action. Each time you change direction it is a neat beat when a decision has been made.
– Beats used in an outline. What main scenes are creating conflict? What pushes the story forward? 3 act structure, seven-point, or save the cat plots provide different beats. Will have seven major plot points that cause the structure of the story. For a romance, it has a different take of seven-point structure.
Outline:
– Sometimes it gets tempting to add to many things. Sometimes you can cover all the things you want in a novel. To not overdo something, he will look at the book and look at the main arcs of the main character. How will you get him to a certain point? It will have for acts. Then he will break beats into smaller chunks. Will have 3 to 4 goals assigned to each chapter. Goal and when prevents them from success. Be careful of having too many subplots. Has a spreadsheet for subplots. You have to have moments where the plot points coincide. For one level main plotline, he will have two character arcs. (One book has 4 character arcs) define each of them with a plotting sheet. When ready to outline and see where different plots can intersect. The visual can help you see where they can be waved and then fill in other scenes that need to lead into those main plot lines. Each character has their own pinches and pulls that influence them. For a romance, the midpoint is where they might consider being with that person. The author A.M. Nocles has a plotting sheet in excel. She is willing to share it. Has plot beasts in one column and each cell is a different plot beat.
– One panelist is a pantser: before start writing makes a 5 -6 line list of events. It includes inciting incident as well as 3 or 4 major plot points and then the end. She sees the end before she writes the book. If her idea changes she permits flexibility as long as going toward the plot point. Changes create cause and effect. She does a reverse outline at the end of the chapter. Used to document what is in that chapter. She writes them in a notebook.
– One author uses Scriber software and color code different topics. Plotting emotion beats:
– Epic fantasy and relationships is not as important in a romance novel. Each novel is an emotional beat for the character. He uses beats to shift the character’s mindset of the world.
Character arch:
– is like a try fail cycle. What is their problem? What is the issue that may not be aware of? Then an inciting incident. The character sees they recognize a problem. Something comes along to make them realize that the issue is bigger than they can handle. They revert to what they were. Midpoint something big makes them commit to the necessary change. Faces a bigger failure and is tested. And at the end, they succeed in the climax. And have a dayrmont(sp). (Character/ reader satisfaction)
– The main character will always have resistance
– Typically, a character’s goals are in conflict of what they need. They pursue something that will improve their needs. They find that is not what they want.
– One a try fail cycle it needs to be addressed. Having the character ignore what they need to fix. They have to try and something has to come along that tempts them to return to the person that they were.
Reverse outline
ng:
– at the end of each chapter will look at more things o important and write them down. It helps me to find important events easily. Also, put in what characters were in the scene. Help you keep track when you write. One way to stay organized.
– How do you organize beats into the chapter?
– When outline chapters in a book. For those books that have one point of view to one that has five points of view. Plot out which character gets a chapter devoted to them. Try to follow beats to what feels right and also pay attention to what works well for my genera.
– The author will ask what needs to happen in that chapter. Each chapter needs to have a small arch. You need a foreshadowing. You need to have cliff hangers at the end of the chapter. As a reader reading before bed, she might not read another chapter if it is too long.
– One author does not divide up in chapters. Will assign numbers to scenes. Until done with the f- irst draft. Plans for 3 K chapter that takes 14-20 minutes to read. One scene in a book goes across three chapters. Had one scene spread across three/five chapters. You need to make sure the scenes are complete before moving to the next chapters. If you have to break up a scene insert something to cause the break
– Cliff hanger motivates you to want to read the next book.
– Whatever tools you use, learn to do them well. You need to have characters earn the beats they face.

How to make stories organic?
– Pinches and pulls more useful when they accomplish major goal. One author likes having several buildups of tension coming from different sources occur in the same chapter.
– Read tons of books and practice your own book and you get better.
– Some authors will follow where the character leads them where to go. I always know where the book is ending.
– Don’t change things until you have to book done. You get so suck in the weeds. Make notes so you can reference it at the end.