Review: Yardley's Plot Method Rocks!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 17, 2012
I have read just about every book designed to help us plot a novel or screenplay. I purchased this while at the beach last week. I planned to enjoy my vacation with my kids while also taking a vacation from my novel in progress, (NIP), but as soon as I started reading this gem, I had to work on my plot. The author has obviously read most, if not all, of the current plotting and story structure books and  has mastered the art. I was extremely impressed with the methods outlined by Yardley. She combines methods taught by experts such as Larry Brooks and others and devised her own plotting system that is efficient, effective and, best of all, easy to follow and understand. We all know that the key to writing a bestseller is plot, characters and story structure and Yardley show us how to do it, step by step.  Her system is similar to Larry Brooks, but Yardley's system includes three plot points rather than two. She really breaks down and explains the purpose of and timing of the crucial plot and pinch points.This is a must purchase, IMHO, for anyone who is writing a novel. It is a useful resource for novice and published authors. You will learn how to create dynamic stories with rock solid plots. The best part of the book and Yardley's plot system is her scene outline. I immediately reworked my own scene outline with the information I learned from this book and was amazed at the positive result. When I went back through my scene outline using  Yardley's ("GMCD") goal-motivation-conflict-disaster pattern I discovered scenes that were not really scenes, scenes that needed work and scenes that needed to be combines or moved. Her books provides examples and I learn best by example. She also includes blank templates for filling in your own scene outlines.This is an excellent book that demonstrates how you should test your premise for conflict and sustainability; how to incorporate your POV character's goal, motivation and conflict into your scenes and how to create character sketches. It includes an easy to follow explanation of the major plot points and the the order of their appearance in your novel and shows you how to construct your scene outline. My absolute favorite part of this book was the chapter in which the author demonstrate by example which of the major scenes should be written first and the order to write them.  Once I understood this and the reasoning behind it, everything else became clear and my the novel that I was having a difficult time structuring , fell into place.I highly recommend this book. It is not often that I give a book five stars (reserved for the creme de la creme) but Rock Your Plot meets the criteria. If you purchase this book, read it and work the assignments, you will have a plotting system for a successful story. You will have the knowledge and necessary tools to build your plot, sculpt your characters and time your scenes perfectly. Outstanding book. I wish I could give more stars . I am a new fan of  Cathy Yardley and her simple, but successful system for plotting a novel.Melissa Sugar-Goldsugarlaw67@yahoo.com[...]