EPISODE · Feb 27, 2026 · 30 MIN
Episode 206 - How to get lots of plot ideas.
from Essential Guide to Writing a Novel · host James Thayer
Novelist John D. McDonald said he had more plot ideas than time to write them. That's not the case for most of us writers. We usually are in chronic need of more plot, more story. Here are techniques for inventing plot from James Scott Bell and Lester Dent. Also: vivid character descriptions from Jean Shepherd, showing us how to create unforgettable characters.Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you want structured, concise guidance, click the Buy the Master Class link in the show notes to get started.Support the showBuy the master class.
What this episode covers
Novelist John D. McDonald said he had more plot ideas than time to write them. That's not the case for most of us writers. We usually are in chronic need of more plot, more story. Here are techniques for inventing plot from James Scott Bell and Lester Dent. Also: vivid character descriptions from Jean Shepherd, showing us how to create unforgettable characters. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dial...
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Episode 206 - How to get lots of plot ideas.
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