To plot or not to plot…that is a question! 

Some writers are gifted with the ability to plot out and outline their stories from beginning to end before they even begin to write.

I am not one of them.

For me, plotting is a murky thing that takes lots of revising, storyboarding and post-it notes. Oh, and chocolate.

There are many books that can help you with this (some of them are listed on this website). But before you can plot anything, you need to be able to answer a very important question:

What does my character want?

If you can answer that question, you are well on your way. If you can’t, you need to spend some time thinking about that question.

Once you’ve answered that question, there’s another question you’ll need to consider:

What will my character do to get what he/she/they want(s)?

This is essentially your plot—all of the events that will take place in your story. 

Finally, you’ll need to answer this last question. 

Does my character get what he/she/they want(s)?

If you can answer that, you’re more than well on your way. And you deserve chocolate.