Plotting is not easy, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard. While researching different plotting methods, I came across this video from Shirley Jump’s YouTube Channel about the 1 Hour Plotting Method. Others have also referred to it as the 60 Minute Plotting Method. Regardless of the name, I was intrigued by the idea of plotting an entire book in an hour. I am a chronic overthinker and most of my story plots take months to figure out. Here’s what I learned about how this plotting method works.
The 1 Hour Plotting Method is as follows:
1. Defining the Protagonist’s Core Concerns (5-10 Minutes)
Begin by delving into the heart of your main character. What truly matters to them? What are the fundamental pillars of their existence that they would fight tooth and nail to protect? These are not mere preferences, but deep-seated, essential aspects of their identity and world. Spend some time in focused reflection, brainstorming and listing 3-5 key elements that define your protagonist’s core values. This might include a beloved family member, a cherished ideal, a hard-won position, or a symbol of their very being. These elements will become the driving forces behind their actions, the lodestars guiding their journey. Understanding these deeply will infuse your narrative with genuine emotional weight and allow readers to connect with the character on a profound level.
Why it Matters: Deepening your comprehension of your protagonist’s core concerns is crucial. It’s not merely about listing traits; it’s about grasping what ignites their passions and drives their decisions. This understanding translates into a richer, more emotionally resonant story that resonates with readers.
2. Introducing an Absence (5 Minutes)
Now, take one of these critical elements, something precious and integral to your protagonist’s life, and imagine it being taken away. This could occur through theft, accidental loss, deliberate destruction, or any event that renders it inaccessible. The removal creates an immediate void, disrupting the character’s equilibrium and setting the stage for the narrative’s central conflict. This “absence” serves as the inciting incident, throwing the protagonist into a state of crisis and providing a compelling motivation to act.
Why it Matters: Introducing an absence is more than just creating a problem. It instills a clear and tangible goal for the protagonist, propelling the narrative forward from the very beginning and establishing a direction for their journey.
3. Justifying the Retrieval (5 Minutes)
Wanting something back isn’t enough; the “why” behind the desire is paramount. Why is it essential for the protagonist to recover what they lost? Brainstorm and list at least three reasons. These justifications should delve beyond superficial wants and touch upon fundamental needs or values. If you struggle to find solid reasoning, it may indicate that the goal isn’t substantial enough to sustain the story. The justifications should illuminate why this loss is devastating and why its retrieval is non-negotiable.
Why it Matters: Providing strong justifications adds depth to the narrative and clarifies the protagonist’s motivations. It elevates the quest from a mere errand to a mission of significant emotional consequence, enhancing reader engagement.
4. Creating Obstacles (10-15 Minutes)
The path to recovery should never be smooth. List at least 6 significant obstacles that will stand in the protagonist’s way. These challenges should be diverse and multifaceted, encompassing physical barriers (like treacherous terrains or locked doors), interpersonal conflicts (like betrayal or rivalry), financial limitations (like lack of resources or debts), temporal constraints (like time pressure or deadlines), and internal struggles (like doubt or fear). Each obstacle serves to raise the stakes and make the protagonist’s journey more difficult and engaging.
Why it Matters: Obstacles are the lifeblood of the plot. They create tension, drive the story forward, and provide opportunities for character development and growth. Without formidable obstacles, the narrative risks becoming flat and uninteresting.
5. Identifying Fears (5 Minutes)
Beneath every goal lies a corresponding fear. Identify your protagonist’s greatest fear, choosing one that is directly connected to their objective. This fear should represent their internal struggle, the personal demons they must confront along the way. It might be the fear of failure, the fear of losing loved ones, the fear of inadequacy, or any other deeply rooted anxiety that resonates with their quest.
Why it Matters: Identifying the protagonist’s greatest fear adds layers of emotional resonance and humanizes the character. It transforms them from a simple actor in the story to a fully realized individual with vulnerabilities and internal conflicts, making them more relatable to readers.
6. Establishing a Mechanism for Confronting Fears (5 Minutes)
What will finally push your protagonist to face their fear head-on? Identify the catalyst, the event or realization that compels them to overcome their internal struggle. List 3-5 reasons for their decision. This could involve an epiphany, a moment of desperation, a surge of courage, or a significant interaction with another character. It’s crucial to establish a clear narrative connection, linking the protagonist’s internal conflict to their external actions.
Why it Matters: Establishing a mechanism for confronting fears adds realism to the narrative and unites its various elements. It shows the protagonist’s growth and development, demonstrating that they are not static characters but individuals capable of change and transformation.
7. Delineating Ten Steps (10 Minutes)
Break down the protagonist’s overall objective into ten smaller, more manageable steps. These steps represent the specific actions they must take to achieve their goal. Don’t worry about perfection or absolute precision at this stage; focus on getting the basic outline of their plan down. List the actions in a clear and sequential order.
Why it Matters:: Delineating ten steps provides structure to the narrative, creating a roadmap for the protagonist’s journey and helping you organize the flow of events. It provides a skeletal frame upon which to build the story.
8. Envisioning Potential Complications (5-10 Minutes)
Now, for each of the ten steps you’ve outlined, imagine a potential complication that could arise. These complications introduce challenges, twists, and unexpected turns, increasing the narrative tension and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Brainstorm various problems that could hinder the protagonist at each stage, from simple setbacks to major crises.
Why it Matters: Envisioning potential complications sustains narrative interest and keeps the reader engaged. It prevents the story from becoming predictable, ensuring that each step has suspense and uncertainty. These complications are where the real meat of the story lies, the moments that test the protagonist’s resolve and push them to their limits.
Conclusion
In about an hour, you will have defined protagonist’s objective, motivation, obstacles, inner struggle, and key plot points. For free-form writers, this provides a general story arc. Writers who prefer a more detailed outline can use this as a starting point and then elaborate. Either way, this process is a quick, efficient way to test story ideas.
To read more post about the process of writing, please see the writing section of my blog.