Last updated June 2023

Idea Generation

The following are some webpages and books that may help you dream up ideas for your long-form narrative work (novel, memoir, movie, TV series, videogame, etc.):

TV Tropes: "A trope is a storytelling device or convention, a shortcut for describing situations the storyteller can reasonably assume the audience will recognize...Tropes are not the same thing as cliches. They may be brand new but seem trite and hackneyed; they may be thousands of years old but seem fresh and new. They are not bad, they are not good; tropes are tools that the creator of a work of art uses to express their ideas to the audience. It's pretty much impossible to create a story without tropes. Here is a list of indexes, split into conceptual groups..."

The Writer's Plot Idea Generator: "This plot generator creates original and random storylines for plays, novels, short stories, soap opera, TV series, or a movie script. The plotlines generated are not guaranteed to make sense, but they do inspire writers by triggering a creative chain of thought. Most of the results might be off-the-wall, but some are pure gold. Keep trying, and sooner or later the perfect idea will appear. Some plots sound like a short story. Some will fill a novel, or could even be the start of a huge franchise."

The Trope Thesaurus: "Even a quick glance at popular books, movies, and streaming series (shows) a skillful application of tropes sells stories. That's because tropes create a foundation between the audience and the action. I'm not suggesting we slap a few tropes together and call it done. I'm talking about twisting tropes to create characters that fans can't stop thinking about to increase story conflict....The Trope Thesaurus explores tropes common in romance, mystery, suspense, thriller, science fiction, and fantasy. It also features a listing of tropes with their definitions, along with some ideas about how to use them more effectively to craft stronger stories. New and established writers will appreciate this different take on a craft topic in the quest to become a fan favorite.."

Story Plotting

The following are some webpages and books, plus an app, that may help you plot your long-form narrative work (novel, memoir, movie, TV series, videogame, etc.):

Robert Carlson's Ultimate Story Structure Chart: "A chart that combines every story structure ever."

The Writer's Journey, 25th Anniversary Edition: Mythic Structure for Writers: "Originally an influential memo Vogler wrote for Walt Disney Animation executives regarding The Lion King, The Writer's Journey details a twelve-stage, myth-inspired method that has galvanized Hollywood's treatment of cinematic storytelling. A format that once seldom deviated beyond a traditional three-act blueprint, Vogler's comprehensive theory of story structure and character development has met with universal acclaim, and is detailed herein using examples from myths, fairy tales, and classic movies. This book has changed the face of screenwriting worldwide over the last 25 years, and continues to do so."

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need: "Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying, including: The four elements of every winning logline; The seven immutable laws of screenplay physics; The 10 genres that every movie ever made can be categorized by-and why they're important to your script; Why your Hero must serve your Idea; Mastering the 15 Beats; Creating the 'Perfect Beast' by using The Board to map 40 scenes with conflict and emotional change; How to get back on track with proven rules for script repair."

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need: "Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 'beats' (plot points) that comprise a successful story—from the opening image to the finale—this book lays out the Ten Story Genres (Monster in the House; Whydunit; Dude with a Problem) alongside quirky, original insights to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate--and a novel that will sell."

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method: "Are you writing a novel, but having trouble getting your first draft written? You've heard of 'outlining,' but that sounds too rigid for you. You've heard of 'organic writing,' but that seems a bit squishy to you. Take a look at the wildly popular Snowflake Method'a battle-tested series of ten steps that jump-start your creativity and help you quickly map out your story. All around the world, novelists are using the Snowflake Method right now to ignite their imaginations and get their first drafts down on paper. In this book, you'll follow the story of a fictitious novelist as she learns to tap into the amazing power of the Snowflake Method. Almost magically, she finds her story growing from a simple idea into a deep and powerful novel. And she finds her novel changing her—turning her into a stronger, more courageous person."

The Nine-Box Method: Author Deanna Roy's "favorite quick-and-dirty way of getting some structure in place before I start writing a novel."

Billy Mernit on Writing the Romantic Comedy: "Once a successful romance novelist who penned love stories for Harlequin under a nom de plume, Mernit, who has been working as a story analyst for major Hollywood studios for over 20 years, is the author of the definitive rom-com screenwriting guide, Writing the Romantic Comedy.

Kishotenketsu: "Kishotenketsu is a story told in four parts. It is a Japanese story structure that doesn't need conflict to tell a story! Learn to write without conflict."

Plottr: "Plan your books the way you think. Outline faster, plot smarter, and turbocharge your productivity today with the #1 visual book planning software for writers."

ChatGPT: This AI tool has many uses, but among them is helping you brainstorm both ideas and plots. While it's not remotely a replacement for an editor or ghostwriter at my level, you might find it useful as a junior assistant who helps you move forward when you're stuck.

AIs for Writers: Steph Pajonas kindly put together this extensive list of AI tools and resources for writers, which she updates periodically.

I hope this page ends up being of some help to you. If you spot any errors, or if you know of a resource that belongs here, please feel encouraged to email me at hy@hyreviews.com.

For help with any kind of book, please visit BookProposal.net.

Email: hy@hyreviews.com