How to Write a Complex Plot by Maggie Toussaint aka Valona Jones

It is an accomplishment to write the first draft of a book, but it is an even greater feat to polish that book into something that sparkles. This post is written by a mystery author, but elements of it can be applied in total or in part to other genre fiction.

As I’ve published in the genres of romantic suspense, science fiction, and mystery, I’ve tried writing from strict outlines, making it up as I went along, and writing to specific turning points. While my muse is stymied by a strict outline and while writing without a net is stark terror, my compromise of without-a-net writing to turning points worked for me for many years.

But the editing part never got easier. However, I realized that if I considered all the story elements (pacing, tension, characterization, plotting, setting, and dialog) as I wrote, that would take the sting out of editing. It would also mean left brain and right brain would work simultaneously, and my brain would explode. Still, there had to be a better way to create a tight first draft.

Since I hated the moments of stark terror in “pantsing”, I tried outlining again. Except this time, I regarded the outline as a strong suggestion and only deviated later when a better idea to accomplish the same result occurred. The key story points were set in stone. This semi-flexible outline allows me to better see the scenes where the subplots naturally layered in and eliminates major book surgery later.

There is no “filler” in my outline. Everything is germane, which yields a tighter first draft. All those cool research rabbit holes don’t go in the outline or story, unless they move the plot along. When the urge to share that stuff sticks with me, I blog about it or include it in my newsletter. It doesn’t go in the book. Unless it matters. I can’t emphasize that enough.

Commit to multiple subplots (if they work for your story) from the get-go. By doing this, you build in character foils and conflict. Your characters’ strengths and weaknesses become part of the story fabric. That leads to stronger plotting and three-dimensional characterization.

Next, put your characters in trouble. If you have only almosts and  maybes in your story action, you siphon off the tension before it happens. Those are wasted opportunities. Litter obstacles in your story the way a toddler drops cookie crumbs. Your readers will thank you.

In the cozy mystery genre, red herrings are a must. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it means someone who walks like a duck and talks like a duck but isn’t a duck. In other words, they seem like the perfect bad guy, and they divert your attention from who the real threat is.

Create strong villains. But don’t make them too strong for your story. It’s important to balance the power between protagonist and antagonist. For instance, you wouldn’t believe a story where Hannibal Lector was pitted against Dumbo the Elephant, where the Unabomber warred with the little old lady in your neighborhood, or where the Wicked Witch of the West took on Mr. Rogers.

Develop strengths and weaknesses for your major characters and the minor ones. Make it a point to have the villain’s strengths be a weakness for another character and vice versa. That way you are starting stronger and will have less rewriting to do.

Exploit doubt once you create those inherent weaknesses and strengths. Judiciously select the right scenes to plant that doubt, which is where an outline shines. It shows you exactly where that scene needs to be in the story progression.

Escalate conflict as you build to the climax. Again, edit out the almosts and nearlys. Put the protagonist in jeopardy to make him or her rise to the occasion and save the day.

If you compare a pyramid structure’s wide base and the opening of a story, you’ll see that foundation is keenly important. As the layers rise (or the story progresses), the different levels/plots and subplots are independent and yet codependent. That extra cohesion makes a lasting impression on readers.

Thanks for reading about my writing process journey. Since we all come to writing from different experiences and places, I hope some of this will work for you. One of the most important things to remember about writing is that there is no absolute right or wrong way to do it. It’s finding the right way that works for you and streamlining your efforts into tightly crafted stories.

My latest series, A Magic Candle Shop Mysteries, is written  using this flexible outline approach. Newly released Candle With Care, book 4 in a 5-book series, rings with authenticity and emotion due to the strength of planning before writing. Don’t take my word for it,-visit my website.

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Southern author Maggie Toussaint writes cozy and paranormal mysteries under her name and a pen name of Valona Jones, romantic suspense, and dystopian fiction under the pen name of Rigel Carson, with more than twenty-nine novels of fiction published. Her recent release, Candle With Care, book four in A Magic Candle Shop Mysteries, is a cozy paranormal written as Valona Jones. A multi-year finalist for Georgia Author of the Year, she’s won Silver Falchions, Readers’ Choice awards, and the EPIC Award. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America-Southeast chapter and Sisters In Crime-Guppy chapter. She lives in coastal Georgia, where secrets, heritage, and ancient oaks cast long shadows. Visit her at https://maggietoussaint.com/