I write popular fiction and write by the seat of my pants. Â This means that I don't plot something out. Â I don't have an outline to work from.Â
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I do know where I have to go.  In all of the romance genres that I write in, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, and Inspirational Romance, the ending is the HEA, happily-ever-after, or the newer HFN, Happy-for-now.
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But for my new Coast Guard series, I have decided to try my hand at writing as a plotter. Â I did an outline on 4 X 6 inch cards. Â I now have at least Many people show the "W" form of plot,
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A simple explanation is draw a "W" starting from left to right. Â Plot point #1 below would be the upper left. Â The line going to Plot point number 2 is the falling action or the obstacles or problems that occur so that our hero/heroine cannot achieve what they want.
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1. Â Start on high note
2. Go to mattresses (quoting a character from The Godfather)
3. Get up off the mattresses:  Go to a better place
4. It's back to the mattresses again, a really bad mattress.
5. Lift your character out of that really bad place and end  with a happy resolution. Â
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I currently have more than two dozen cards marking plotÂ

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points or turning points. Â It's an interesting exercise, but I want to get back to writing. I'll let you know whether I think this unnatural state is worth the effort. Â I do realize that there is a learning curve in any new method.
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