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School of Plot
Fun, practical writing tips for anyone writing their dream novel. Especially if it's fantasy. I do love fantasy.
Total 15 episodes
1
How to Write a Standout First Page
I read 200 first pages as a writing contest judge. I made notes on which techniques grabbed my attention as well as common tropes and mistakes I noticed.FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE: 📜 schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
24:4122/11/2024
How Should Your Story End?
Circular endings, twists, cliffhangers and some exercises to help you workshop an ending that leaves readers feeling satisfied. FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE: 📜 schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
21:3415/11/2024
Writing Contest Tips
Insider tips from a writing contest organiser and judge. We talk about what judges look out for, entry red flags, and common cliches judges are used to seeing in manuscripts. November Brown of @writesofnovember joins me for a lovely, productive chat!Enter November’s writing contest here: https://www.writesofnovember.com/first-page-frenzyGet the Character Workbook here: https://schoolofplot.com/collections/workbooks
46:4526/09/2024
How to Write a Page-Turner
Captivating first lines and 3 types of hooks with fantasy editor Shay from Vine and Parchment! FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE: 📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
48:2520/09/2024
How to Beat Writer’s Block
Practical tips for when you can’t seem to write anything half-decent (or even sit down to write at all).FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE: 📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
21:0911/09/2024
Trying Stephen King’s Writing Routine
From 6AM starts to Mambo #5, I pieced together King’s routine from various interviews and tried it out. Parts of it worked great! Others not so much. I’ve documented it all for you.FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE: 📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
17:4829/08/2024
How to Find Readers (For Free) As a New Writer
I found my amazing beta readers on Instagram. Today, Tina Marshall (@bookedtildawn) joins me to show you how to use social media to find beta readers, critique partners, ARC readers and people who are willing to buy your novel when it finally comes out. She also tells me what a shadow daddy is, so let's thank her for her service.
Get writer freebies here: https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
Find Tina here: instagram.com/bookedtildawn
01:19:5816/07/2024
How to Write a Movie
Screenwriter and director Eva Wikke takes your questions about script writing, getting your scripts funded and produced, why book adaptations are always so inaccurate, and more.
📜 FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE: https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
📖 WRITING WORKBOOKS: https://schoolofplot.com/collections/workbooks
💻 WRITING BLOG: https://schoolofplot.com/blogs/writing-guides
01:08:3529/04/2024
Writing Advice I Hate
There’s a lot of writing advice on the internet, and I disagree with some popular tips. In this episode, I explain why.
FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE:
📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
And you can find me at all these other places too:
➡️ INSTA: (My main place of posting) https://www.instagram.com/schoolofplot/
➡️ PINTEREST: (Also quite active, longer-form writing guides) https://www.pinterest.co.uk/schoolofplot
➡️TIKTOK: (Memes and foolishness) https://www.tiktok.com/@theschoolofplot
You can find some writing resources I made for you here:
📖 WRITING WORKBOOKS: https://schoolofplot.com/collections/workbooks
💻 WRITING BLOG: https://schoolofplot.com/blogs/writing-guides
32:2016/04/2024
Fixing Dialogue Cliches (with Shay, editor from Vine & Parchment)
You sent me your most hated dialogue cliches, and I got a professional editor to give you alternatives. Shay from Vine and Parchment joined this episode for a funny, productive chat.
Full disclaimer, the start is quite jarring because I had to cut around a sound issue, but it gets very good very quickly!
FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE:
📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
01:05:3908/04/2024
From Indie to Major Book Deal (with Analeigh Sbrana)
Lore of the Wilds author Analeigh Sbrana chats with me about her unique path to an incredibly impressive book deal. We also discuss fantasy food, book boxes, diversity in fantasy, and the difference between indie and trad publishing.
FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE:
📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
51:5425/03/2024
From Vibes to Plot
In this episode we take a virtually incoherent story idea that I jotted down at 3AM, and we turn it into a half-decent story idea. FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE:
📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
And you can find me at all these other places too:
➡️ INSTA: (My main place of posting) https://www.instagram.com/schoolofplot/
➡️ PINTEREST: (Also quite active, longer-form writing guides) [https://www.pinterest.co.uk/schoolofplot
➡️TIKTOK: (Memes and foolishness) https://www.tiktok.com/@theschoolofplot
Finally, you can find some writing resources I made for you here:
📖 WRITING WORKBOOKS: https://schoolofplot.com/collections/workbooks
💻 WRITING BLOG: https://schoolofplot.com/blogs/writing-guides
25:2222/03/2024
Wrote a Fantasy Book (Q+A)
I wrote a dark, comedic fantasy book. I answer your questions about outlining, timeframe, characters and more! I'll be regularly(-ish) posting about my self-publishing journey so we'll both learn exactly how it works.
FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE:
📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
And you can find me at all these other places too:
➡️ INSTA: (My main place of posting) https://www.instagram.com/schoolofplot/
➡️ PINTEREST: (Also quite active, longer-form writing guides) [https://www.pinterest.co.uk/schoolofplot
➡️TIKTOK: (Memes and foolishness) https://www.tiktok.com/@theschoolofplot
Finally, you can find some writing resources I made for you here:
📖 WRITING WORKBOOKS: https://schoolofplot.com/collections/workbooks
💻 WRITING BLOG: https://schoolofplot.com/blogs/writing-guides
35:2918/03/2024
Ranking Fantasy Writing Cliches
Handsome fairies, evil advisors, rebellious princesses who are bad at embroidery...and 45 other fantasy cliches. I tier rank them on a scale from cold lumpy porridge to hot buttery pie. Also I want to change my opinion on “name day” as a fantasy cliche. I’ve since learned that they’re a pretty normal thing in some cultures. That would be such a cool thing to explore in fantasy (as opposed to just using that term as a replacement for birthday) and I want to upgrade it to 🥧!
49:2925/02/2024
Writing Trick: Endless Story Ideas
Hey writer! Welcome to the shoddy beginnings of my podcast.
Here's a (very very) simple trick if you need an idea for a story: apply the 5 Ws to any painting. In this video, I walk you through an example.
Here are the resources I mentioned in the video:
FREE PLOT OUTLINE TEMPLATE:
📜 https://schoolofplot.com/pages/free-downloads
CORNISH MYTH RESOURCE (I just think it's cool!)
🧚 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1252513 (part 1 - you may need to log in through your uni/school/local library)
🧚 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1252541 (part 2)
🧚 https://wildernessengland.com/blog/cornish-folklore/
And you can find me at all these other places too:
➡️ INSTA: (My pain place of posting) @schoolofplot
➡️ PINTEREST: (Also quite active, longer-form writing guides) @schoolofplot
➡️TIKTOK: (Memes and foolishness) @THEschoolofplot
And of course, schoolofplot.com
12:4917/02/2024