I began The Fiction Writing Maps as a resource for my clients. I wanted to unlock the puzzle of novel writing and guide them past the common pitfalls that new writers encounter. To do this, I had to illuminate what happens in a novel behind the actual prose and design an easy-to-follow framework that would help authors at every level to write better fiction.
I began the project as a bolder and more comprehensive resource that spanned Character, Scene and Setting in one volume. After trial and error, I focused on character first because characters are the single most powerful element in any novel. Get them wrong and the plot falls apart. Get them right and it flows.
In the first book of The Fiction Writing Maps series, I include the thinking behind the maps and links to the resources that supported my research. I scoured Amazon, Barnes & Noble, online libraries, databases and scholarly works to lay a firm foundation for my Writing Maps & Fiction Writing Templates. I’ve added all of those works in the Resources section at the end of the book so that those who want to dig deeper can see the path I took to arrive at the final product.
