31. [MASTERCLASS] How to Go From Idea to Action in Your Novel Writing

STEPS TO STORY EP 31 - Masterclass!

[00:00:00] Nicole Meier: This is your season to write. This is your time. You are not too young, you're not too old, you're not in the wrong place in your life. Writing is writing. Whether that means you're starting out with just five minutes a day in a journal, or if you're doing five hours a day writing in a manuscript, this is your season.

[00:00:24] Nicole Meier: Welcome to Steps to Story, the show that helps aspiring authors turn their ideas into action and transform their dream of writing a book into a reality. I'm your host, Nicole Meier, multi published author and certified book coach. I spent the first part of my fiction writing career desperate for guidance that was unavailable to me.

[00:00:46] Nicole Meier: I wrote draft after draft, flying by the seat of my pants, with lots of passion, but little guidance. Thankfully, there was a writing community that opened its arms and welcomed me. This community sustained me, but when it came to strengthening my novel writing process, I was determined to find a better way.

[00:01:07] Nicole Meier: One that didn't involve piecemeal strategies. and confusing courses. Now, more than a decade later, I'm serving my younger self who yearned for support while writing a book. If you're an emerging author seeking guidance, this podcast is for you. Are you on the list to get my novel writing guide? I designed this workbook to take you through five essential strategies that will level up your novel writing process.

[00:01:37] Nicole Meier: Grab your free copy at nicolemeyer. com forward slash crafting greatness. That's nicolemeier. com forward slash crafting greatness or at the link in the show notes.

[00:01:58] Nicole Meier: Hey, hey, novel writers, welcome to another episode of Steps to Story. This one is a good one. It's a special one because if you did not get a chance to attend my free webinar last week, which was titled how to go from idea to action in your novel writing, the good news is, is I'm sharing all the content again here inside this episode in the form of a free mini masterclass.

[00:02:21] Nicole Meier: I can't wait to share all the good stuff with you, but before I get into that, I wanted to remind you that the doors to my group novel writing program are now open. This is a 10-week program for fiction writers who want to get started or continue writing forward in their novel manuscript, and it combines craft, community, and coaching in all the best of ways.

[00:02:43] Nicole Meier: Doors are only open for a few more days. They close on September 6th, and the program begins September 9th. So, to find out more, head over to StepsToStory. com forward slash program. That's StepsToStory. com forward slash program. All right, now let's dive into the webinar content. I wanted to create a free mini masterclass about how to go from idea to action.

[00:03:07] Nicole Meier: Because one of the most interesting things is of all my podcast episodes, this one, which I did way back, I think in February, has remained one of my most downloaded and most listened to podcast episodes. So I wanted to build something out which would answer a lot more of your questions and really help those writers out there who are, like I said, just starting out with a seed of an idea.

[00:03:32] Nicole Meier: Or feeling stuck to get on their way, because I know how exciting it is when the muse hits and you've got this inspired story idea, but you're not exactly sure where to start. So what I want to remind all the listeners out there right now is this is your season to write. This is your time. You are not too young, you're not too old, you're not in the wrong place in your life.

[00:03:54] Nicole Meier: Writing is writing, whether that means you're starting out with just five minutes a day in a journal. Or if you're doing five hours a day writing in a manuscript, this is your season. All right, for those of you who are unfamiliar with me, I wanted to just share a quick bit about myself. My name is Nicole Meier.

[00:04:10] Nicole Meier: I am the author of four upmarket women's fiction novels. I've taught writing workshops in schools, libraries, wellness retreats, and writers conferences. I'm also a book coach and developmental editor who's passionate about helping fiction writers get clear on their big story idea, complete their novel manuscripts, and follow their publishing dreams.

[00:04:31] Nicole Meier: So if that applies to you, then keep on listening because here we go. This masterclass is for you if you're looking for a way to move forward with an inspired story idea. Determine if you can fill a whole book, figure out a clear direction for your novel manuscript, and quiet the inner doubts that have you second guessing your brilliance.

[00:04:55] Nicole Meier: Over the course of this, here's what you'll learn. Today we're going to talk about why identifying your message will inform your process. We'll also talk about why it's important to test the weight of your premise. Then we'll cover why you need a roadmap for riding forward. And finally, we'll talk about why overcoming obstacles is the key to your success.

[00:05:21] Nicole Meier: Alright, let's start out by talking about what doesn't work, and maybe some of these will ring true with those listening. The first idea is rushing the work. I know from experience this leads to skipping over good story structure. What also doesn't work is creating a complex outline right from the start.

[00:05:41] Nicole Meier: This means you're going to go down that rabbit hole before you even begin the process of writing. I've seen too many writers do this and they stall out before they even begin. Another idea of what doesn't work is spending hours and hours of free writing. I can say without a plan, this can lead to burnout.

[00:06:00] Nicole Meier: People get so excited about their story idea that they just dive headfirst without kind of a structure or a plan, or even some good habits, and man do they burn out quick. And finally, my last thought here about what doesn't work is setting up unrealistic goals. This can really lead to the result of imposter syndrome.

[00:06:21] Nicole Meier: So a lot of people here compare their beginning to someone else's end. And this really lets self-doubt come in, it makes you wonder if you're good enough or if you have what it takes, and that's when the imposter syndrome rears its ugly head. So instead, I'm asking you to consider the following ways to start crafting your novel manuscript from the foundation on up.

[00:06:45] Nicole Meier: Step number one. Let's talk about identifying your message. What exactly are you trying to say in this novel that you're writing? So the story message is like a string that binds your novel together. Without one, you run the risk of a story that unravels. First I would say start by asking yourself, what am I trying to say about the human condition?

[00:07:10] Nicole Meier: You might even shape this into what I call a bumper sticker type message. So perhaps you're trying to say that man has the capacity to change, or love cures all, or laughter is the best medicine. I know the cliches might rub some people the wrong way, but I'm telling you the more kind of bumper sticker you can put your message into, the more universality your message will have.

[00:07:34] Nicole Meier: And it will reach a larger audience. Next I would say define how you want your readers to feel by the time they reach the end of your book. So another way to say this is what is the takeaway message? You don't have to be totally on the nose or hit people over the head with it, but it's a really good idea to write down some ideas around this because it will help you write forward.

[00:07:58] Nicole Meier: It will inform your theme of your book. It will inform the scenes, right, the individual chapters, and it will also inform your overall story arc. I'm going to stop here and give a little example that I like to give of one of my clients a few years ago. She was a comedy writer and she wanted to write kind of a tough subject matter, but she wanted to infuse lots of humor and elements of laughter and joy.

[00:08:22] Nicole Meier: So she came up with a bumper sticker, or message if you will. That laughter is the best medicine. Well, somewhere around page 150, she lost her way. She got stuck. She was feeling writer's block. So I asked her, let's revisit your original message, your original theme, and let's talk about what your intentions were for how you wanted the reader to feel by the time they reached the end.

[00:08:45] Nicole Meier: We realized halfway through the book that the story and the chapters had lost all humor whatsoever. That whole laughter is the best medicine was not represented at all in the whole middle of the book. And so that was kind of like a big aha moment of, oh, right, I fell off track, I forgot my message. And it gave her enough fuel and motivation to go back and revise those middle chapters, get back on track with her theme and her message and really help her write forward.

[00:09:14] Nicole Meier: So that's just an example of why it's important to identify these things because it really will inform your process moving forward. Okay, let's move on to step number two, and that is the idea of testing your premise. When you aren't sure if you can fill a whole book, this is something to think about. So if you aren't sure whether your story has legs, you'll likely be riddled with self doubt, be unsure of how to start, question the characters, and probably question the plot.

[00:09:44] Nicole Meier: Is anybody nodding along right now? I have totally been here. So, it's important to test the weight of your story idea before you dive into writing. Otherwise, you can run the risk of spinning your creative wheels and going nowhere. Trust me, I've seen this happen. To avoid this, because we all want to avoid that, right, start by asking yourself the basics, the who, the what, the where, and the how.

[00:10:11] Nicole Meier: So remember, I use the word basic because this sounds very simple, but you wouldn't believe how many people gloss over this and rush into writing. So the who, who is your protagonist? Do you have more than one main character? Do you have more than one point of view? Whose story are you telling? The what, what actually happens in your book?

[00:10:33] Nicole Meier: What happens in the plot? What are the obstacles or the conflicts or the main lessons? You can really go deep on this. The where. This is a fun one for me because I love story setting. Where does your story happen? You can even think about place and time, so include timelines in the setting. But where is your whole story happening?

[00:10:55] Nicole Meier: And then the last thing is the how, right? So how does this happen? How do characters go through obstacles? How do they learn lessons? How is the major conflict resolved? And is there a resolution by the end of the story? Please note this doesn't mean every story has to wrap it up in a neat bow, but you do need to know about your conflict and resolution before you write forward.

[00:11:18] Nicole Meier: And again, when I say the who, what, where, and how, I'm not asking you to write that overly complex outline like I mentioned in the beginning. I'm not asking you to know every single detail because that does take the joy out of writing forward and making discoveries as you go, but I am encouraging you to know the basics because if you don't, your story, your character, your plot, your story arc will stray.

[00:11:45] Nicole Meier: And I don't want you to have those hair pulling iterations on the back end. Alright, now that you've considered the basics, I would encourage you to go even deeper. Think about these three parts of your story. First think about your beginning. How did your novel open? What might be the hook in that very first chapter?

[00:12:06] Nicole Meier: Then think about your middle or your midpoint. What are the challenges and obstacles your characters might face? How do they grow? How do they change in response to these challenges? And then think about your story's ending. How does the main conflict reach its peak? And how is it resolved by the end?

[00:12:27] Nicole Meier: Notice I just mentioned three parts of your story. Your beginning, your middle, and your end. Because I truly believe it's not important to do a very complex outline right from the start with every single plot point. Because I really do want you to have joy, I want you to have discovery as you write forward.

[00:12:45] Nicole Meier: I want you to learn new things about your story and have those aha moments, but what I don't want is for you to have zero idea of the shape of your story, because that will really set you up for getting lost and getting stuck and feeling frustrated. So I love to think about the beginning, the middle, and the end, even if the ending changes by the time you actually write it.

[00:13:06] Nicole Meier: That's okay. Things evolve. Outlines evolve. Plans evolve. But like I said, it's great to know the beginning, middle, and end to have a loose idea because it really will help you write forward and it will let you know or confirm that you actually have a story with legs. So as you're writing down some bullet points or some notes about your beginning, middle, and end, I would encourage you to think of these questions as digging deeper into the soil where your story seed is planted.

[00:13:36] Nicole Meier: So, the richer and more fertile the soil, the more your story can grow. I love to think of it like that. And if you find yourself able to answer these questions with detailed and compelling responses, I'm telling you what, you likely have a premise that can sustain a full length novel. Okay, I'd love to move on to step number three, and that is the idea of crafting your story's roadmap.

[00:14:02] Nicole Meier: I really think it's important to know where you're going. Writing a novel without a plan is like setting out on a cross country trip without a map. Spontaneity can lead to some great discoveries, it really can, but more often than not, you'll find yourself lost and frustrated, and nothing zaps your creativity like frustration.

[00:14:24] Nicole Meier: A roadmap for your novel doesn't have to be a rigid outline, I think I've said that more than once today, but it can be as detailed or as loose as you need it to be. Some writers prefer detailed chapter by chapter outlines, while others might just have a list of major plot points or character arcs. The key here really is to give yourself a direction to follow.

[00:14:45] Nicole Meier: I cannot stress that enough. One of my most favorite things that I teach inside my group novel writing program is the idea of creating a seven point story arc. I really think it's helpful to meet in the middle, and what I mean by that is Some people love really detailed, overly complex outlines. Some people like to write by the seat of their pants.

[00:15:08] Nicole Meier: I, as a writer, have actually done both. My first and last book, so my first and fourth, I kind of wrote by the seat of my pants. And my middle two, I plotted and outlined to within an inch of their life. So I can understand the desire and the appeal of both practices. What I mean by meeting in the middle is I actually have found something that works for everyone and it works for all genres when you're writing fiction.

[00:15:32] Nicole Meier: And that is the idea of a seven point story arc. And like I said, I really go into detail of the definitions and how to craft your own inside my program. But for today, I'm going to let you know that the seven plot points I encourage writers to think about before they write forward, whether they know that this will change or evolve over time or not.

[00:15:52] Nicole Meier: are the following. The first plot point is the book's start, or what we call the hook. The next one is the fun inciting incident. That's when the rug is really pulled out from underneath your character. This is followed up by pinch point number one, and this is where your protagonist is just trying to keep up with their new normal.

[00:16:12] Nicole Meier: This is followed up with the midpoint. This is the middle of your book when something major happens. The next plot point here is pinch point number two, and again, this is when something else happens as another obstacle for your protagonist to get over, or move through, if you will. And then this is followed up by the final conflict.

[00:16:32] Nicole Meier: And finally, the seventh major plot point here is the book's ending or resolution. So, if you've signed up to be inside my small group program, I go over all the good stuff, the definitions, how to craft your own story roadmap, and how to really flesh out your story. But for anyone listening today, let's do a quick recap of the seven major plot points that you can be thinking about in your own book.

[00:16:58] Nicole Meier: All right, we've got the hook, then the inciting incident, then pinch point number one, followed by the midpoint, followed by pinch point number two. then the final conflict, then the resolution. Whoo, there we go. Hopefully this will spark some good ideas for those listening and it will get your creative juices flowing in terms of your story arc.

[00:17:22] Nicole Meier: All right, let's move on to step number four. When moving from idea to action in your novel. So step number four is overcoming those obstacles. I would love for you to learn how to identify them and then move through these roadblocks. So obstacles will come up. It's inevitable. It's how you overcome them that's important.

[00:17:47] Nicole Meier: I want to repeat that. They're going to come up, but it's how you overcome them that's the most important thing. So, let's talk about identifying and addressing them. I would say the first thing to do is embrace the first draft. Embrace the draft for what it is, a first draft. It doesn't have to be perfect.

[00:18:10] Nicole Meier: It's supposed to be messy, but full of potential. I love thinking of drafts this way, full of potential. So I encourage you to allow yourself to write without judgment. Write as if no one is looking over your shoulder. The next idea here when you're overcoming obstacles is to take breaks and rest. Wow, that is basic, but boy is it powerful.

[00:18:33] Nicole Meier: Because writing is a creative process and creativity thrives when you give yourself time to recharge. I would say step away from your manuscript from time to time. Take a walk, meditate, or do something else that you enjoy. Your mind will thank you and you'll come back to your writing with fresh eyes and renewed energy.

[00:18:56] Nicole Meier: All right, another idea here around moving through your obstacles is celebrate your progress. Reward yourself for even the smallest of wins. Because writing a novel is a significant achievement. I know everyone's nodding to that because anyone who says it's not, has not tried to do this themselves. But every step forward is worth acknowledging.

[00:19:18] Nicole Meier: Celebrate milestones like finishing a chapter or hitting your word count for the day. And then treat yourself to something special and remind yourself how far you've come. A little insider secret here is when I wrote my debut novel, I kept a drawer of Hershey's Kisses at my desk. And I would literally reward myself every time I hit a goal, whether that just be writing for an hour or finishing a chapter.

[00:19:45] Nicole Meier: And this set a whole different mindset shift up for me, and it helped reinforce the habit of showing up to the page, showing up for myself, and also rewarding myself for all of the hard work. All right, writers, how is everybody feeling right about now? I would love to recap the four topics that we talked about in this masterclass.

[00:20:09] Nicole Meier: The first was the idea of identifying your story's message and why it's important to do so at the start. The second is to test the weight of your premise. Before you set a plan, set up writing habits, decide to work on your work in progress, it's good to test the depth of your story. The third idea for moving forward is developing some kind of story roadmap.

[00:20:34] Nicole Meier: I mentioned my favorite way, which was the seven point story arc, but really if you can think about at a very minimum your book's beginning, middle, and end, this will really help you move forward. And then finally, we discussed why it's important to both identify and then move through obstacles. as they come up in your writing process.

[00:20:56] Nicole Meier: Well, there you have it, writers. Four ways to go from idea to action in your novel writing. And for those of you who want some more information about my small group program that begins on September 9th, remember doors are closing soon, Let's get into it right now. Imagine a 10 week program for emerging authors who want to draft their novel manuscript with my favorite combination of community, craft, and coaching.

[00:21:24] Nicole Meier: Writers will get a workshop sent straight to their inbox every single Monday for 10 weeks. We follow this up with a live community and Q& A every single Wednesday. And oh yeah, there are replays available. Inside Steps to Story, I'm covering your why and your story message, your audience and genre, healthy writing habits, identifying story goals and crafting your customized story arc, a deep dive into character development, voice, point of view, and narration.

[00:21:55] Nicole Meier: This is also followed up by your book's setting and dialogue. Next, we're going into scene structure, how to write a scene. This is followed up with common roadblocks, and finally, we wrap it up with effective revisions. Okay, there you have it, a glimpse inside my upcoming group program for novel writers.

[00:22:15] Nicole Meier: Head to steps2story. com forward slash program and check out more. Thanks so much for hanging out today, writers. masterclass with you. And I'll see you next time on Steps to Story.

[00:22:32] Nicole Meier: If you want to check out my coaching programs for fiction writers, visit nicole meier.com. That's M-E-I-E-R. And if you like this episode, I'd love you to take a minute to leave a rating and review for this podcast. This will help more writers like you to discover the show and to get going on their writing journey.

[00:22:53] Nicole Meier: Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, happy writing everyone.