The app for independent voices
Trying to find the core premise of your book feels like chasing a MOVING needle in a haystack.
So, rather than fighting to dig through that dusty, pokey haystack for an impossible-to-find needle, I suggest…
…pulling out a magnet!
Okay, okay, I’m sorry, I had to.
It’s not that easy in real life.
But believe it or not, your premise will come to you if you simply keep writing and connecting the dots as you go.
It looks something like this:
Write the first draft.
Review the first draft.
Identify the major plot arcs.
Identify the major turning points for each character.
Align the plot arcs and the turning points.
Connect the dots between each act/turning point.
And just like that, the connecting-the-dots part is your premise!
If you need an example:
Act I is the downward spiral of the hero, and to end the act, the hero makes the wrong decision to confront the villain and gets someone killed.
Act II is the ascension of the hero on a rocky learning arc with a mentor. The hero ends the act by saving their mentor’s life.
Act III is the is the exponential ascension of the hero as they’re challenged by minions of the villain. This time, to end the arc, they challenge the villain and succeed.
Your core premise is now:
[Hero] loses it all when they step up to face [Villain] and lose their best friend.
At rock bottom, [Hero] gets picked up by [Mentor] and learns to live again.
When [Mentor] lands themself in a spot of trouble, [Hero] uses what [Mentor] has taught them and saves their life.
[Hero] starts to help others with the skills they’ve learned, attracting the attention of [Villain].
[Villain] acts out, and this time, when [Hero] challenges them, they succeed.
Ta-da! That’s how you pull out a magnet and make the premise come to you. Let the writing process do the work for you, friend!