Novelize. It is a great free option for plotting a novel. It offers templates to start with, which can be customized according to your needs. You can map out your plot, develop characters, and plan the overall arc of your story all in one place.
Scrivener. It has a lot of useful features for novel plotting. For example, it has a corkboard view where you can see all your plot points or scenes at a glance and rearrange them as you like. This makes it easy to experiment with different plot structures.
In my opinion, 'Story Engineering' by Larry Brooks is a great choice. It focuses on the fundamental elements of story architecture. It talks about concepts like character arcs in relation to the plot, and how to create tension and conflict at the right moments. It gives a comprehensive view of how to construct a plot that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.
Scrivener is a great app. It allows you to organize your ideas, characters, and plotlines easily. You can create folders for different chapters, write detailed character sketches, and outline the plot in a flexible way. Another good one is Plottr. It offers visual plotting tools, like timelines and story maps, which can help you see the overall structure of your novel clearly. And yWriter is also popular. It focuses on helping you break down your novel into manageable parts and keep track of your progress as you plot and write.
I would recommend 'Outlining Your Novel' by K.M. Weiland. It provides in - depth guidance on outlining, which is crucial for plotting. Additionally, 'Writing the Blockbuster Novel' by Albert Zuckerman gives you a peek into how to create plots that will keep readers hooked. Also, 'The Anatomy of Story' by John Truby is excellent as it analyzes different plot types and how to use them effectively.
Well, 'Plot & Structure' by James Scott Bell is among the best. It gives insights into creating engaging plots and how to build tension. Then there's 'How to Write a Damn Good Novel' by James N. Frey. It touches on various aspects of fiction writing including plotting. Also, 'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott has some valuable advice on getting your story's plot together, even though it's not solely focused on plotting.
Google Docs can be an excellent free app for planning a novel. You can create a document and start by making an outline at the top. Then, as you develop your ideas, you can write character descriptions, plot summaries, and chapter ideas below. It's easy to share with others if you want feedback. You can also use the comment feature for your own notes or for others to leave suggestions. And it auto - saves your work regularly, so you don't have to worry about losing your planning.
Well, Goodreads is also worth considering. It not only offers free novels but also provides reviews and recommendations to help you find the ones you like.
A third alternative is Plottr. It offers a visual way to plot your multi - pov novel. You can create different storylines for each POV and then see how they all interact and connect. This can be really helpful in making sure that the different POVs are well - integrated and the overall plot is coherent.
Webtoon is pretty popular and free. It offers a wide range of manga styles and updates regularly. Also, the interface is user-friendly.
It helps in understanding the structure of different novels. By plotting the outlines, you can see how authors build up their stories, like how they introduce characters and conflicts. For example, in a mystery novel, you can see how the clues are planted throughout the plot.