In my last two posts, we built a 60 Minute Plot for Ava’s mission and layered in the Story Circle to give her journey an emotional heart. You have the external action and the internal growth ready to go. Now, you need a way to manage all those moving parts without your brain exploding. This is where I use a plot grid.
When I wrote my first novel, I struggled to remember the details of every subplot and character arc by the time I hit the halfway mark. Then I learned how to use a plot grid. A plot grid is not about boxing in your imagination. It is a visual tool that breaks your novel into manageable sections so you can track plot points, character arcs, and subplots all at once.
What is a Plot Grid?
Think of it as the blueprints for the engine we have been building. You create a grid with your chapters along one axis and your story elements along the other. It allows you to see the bigger picture while you are deep in the weeds of a specific scene.
Common elements to include are:
- Chapter Number: For easy organization.
- Key Plot Point: What major event happens here?
- Character Arc: How is Ava changing or reacting in this section?
- Subplots: What are the other characters, like Ava’s sister or the rival collector, doing?
- Conflict: What is the specific obstacle in this scene?
- Emotional Beat: What feeling are you aiming to evoke in the reader?
The Ava Plot Grid (Chapters 1-4)
Using our mechanic Ava, here is how a plot grid keeps the story on track.
| Chapter | Key Plot Point | Character Arc (Ava) | Subplots (The Sister/The Rival) | Conflict | Emotional Beat |
| 1 | Locket is stolen. | Safe and isolated; feels violated but remains a loner. | Sister calls to check in; Ava ignores the call. | Internal: Fear of failure. External: The theft. | Intrigue and empathy. |
| 2 | Finding the clue. | Determined but frustrated; relying on her own skills. | The Rival is seen watching the shop from a distance. | External: Deciphering a greasy fingerprint. | Suspense. |
| 3 | The Shady Informant. | Forced out of her comfort zone; out of her element. | Sister sends a text about their grandma; Ava feels guilt. | External: Fixing an unfixable engine for info. | Tension and grit. |
| 4 | The Rival appears. | Realizes the stakes are higher than she thought. | The Rival reveals the locket is a key to a fortune. | External: A confrontation in the antique district. | Shock and high stakes. |
Why use one?
- Pacing Control: You can see if your plot is moving too slow. If you notice four chapters in a row are just discovery scenes, you know it is time for some action.
- Identifying Gaps: It highlights areas where a character has disappeared for too long. If Ava’s sister has not been mentioned in five chapters, the grid will show a blank space that needs to be filled.
- Preventing Plot Holes: By seeing the story laid out, you will spot inconsistencies. You might catch that a character knows something in Chapter 8 that they should not have discovered until Chapter 10.
- Efficient Revisions: When it is time to edit, you have a framework. If you move a scene from Chapter 3 to Chapter 7, the grid shows you the ripple effect on the rest of the story.
How to use it effectively
Start broad. You do not need every detail immediately. Start with your 10-step map and the 8 points of your Story Circle. Then, fill in the subplots and emotional beats as they take shape.
Choose your format. I love a spreadsheet, but you can use a whiteboard, a large sheet of paper, or plotting software. Use whatever format you will actually refer to while you write.
Do not be afraid to deviate. A grid is a guide, not a dictator. If Ava takes an unexpected turn or a new plot thread emerges, adjust the grid. It is a living document meant to support your creativity, not stifle it.
Other Ways to Use a Plot Grid
A plot grid is flexible. You do not have to be a rigid planner to find value in it. Here are a few other ways to use this tool depending on your writing style:
- The Reverse Outline: If you prefer to write without a plan, use the grid after you finish a chapter. By logging what you actually wrote, you create a map of your first draft. This makes it easy to see where you accidentally dropped a subplot or where the pacing slowed down.
- Tracking Multiple Points of View: If your story has more than one narrator, give each character their own column. This ensures the screentime is balanced so one character does not disappear for fifty pages.
- Seeds and Payoffs: Use a column to track where you plant clues. For Ava’s story, if she finds a mysterious key in Chapter 2, the grid ensures you do not forget to have her use it in Chapter 9.
- Word Count Balance: Some writers add a column to track how many words they spend on each milestone. It helps you see if your middle section is becoming too bloated or if your climax is over too quickly.
Why the Grid Works
The plot grid is my favorite tool because it allows me to plan in the same way I think. It connects the 60-minute plot and the emotional soul of the Story Circle into one professional system. It is a guide, not a dictator, and it is the best way to ensure your story stays on the rails from the first page to the last.
With these three tools—the 60 Minute Plot, the Story Circle, and the Plot Grid—you have everything you need to take your idea from a blank page to a finished manuscript.