Private Plot Consultations

Work one-on-one with Martha to deepen:

The Character Emotional Development Plot line
The Dramatic Action Plot Line
The Thematic Significance Plot Line

for children's writers, young adult and adult fiction writers,
memoir writers, and screenwriters.

Writers spend most of their time working on the word and scene, paragraph and chapter level of their projects. My strength as a plot consultant lies in my ability to support you in standing back and viewing your project as a whole. Together we concentrate on the overall affect of your piece, focusing first on the dramatic action plot line, next on the character emotional development for the protagonist and major viewpoint characters, and lastly on the thematic (and when applicable, the historical) plotline structure for your novels, short stories, creative non-fiction, screenplays, plays and/or memoirs. Minus the luster of words and phrases is the structure or form of your expression. Mysteries and depth are hiding in your stories right now. It is in the interlocking plotlines that they reveal themselves.

Teresa LeYung Ryan has often credited me with helping her find the front story of her first novel that helped lead to her getting Love Made of Heart (Kensington Press) published. (She still calls me "The Plot Queen". Others call me "The Plot Generator".) Teresa has all the traits of a great writer: a love of words, compelling ideas, well-developed characters, an active imagination, and enormous perseverance and determination. What she lacked back then was what many of us lack, and that was the intuitive ability of weaving together not only a front and back story which are the action and character plotlines, but also to include a third strand which is theme. She doesn't have that trouble any more.

No amount of brightly colored wool or clever motifs can hide the gaps. It takes all the parts working together flawlessly to create a tapestry of such strength as to last a lifetime.

Plot consultations focus exclusively on the master plot which is made up of the action, character and thematic plot lines or, in other words, the form and structure of your work. Because of that, I do not need to see your writing itself. All you bring to the session is a list of scenes from your project and an idea of the message you are hoping your story will leave with the reader (for thematic plot development).

A few days before the phone consultation, you are given the link to a secret page on my website for all the details needed for a successful plot consultation.

During the phone session(s), you briefly describe each scene. As I take notes, I ask probing questions designed to assist you in digging deeper into the character, action and theme of your story. Since most writers are better developing one aspect of their story over another, my questions and probing are intended to lead you to a better understanding of what is missing in your project and how to go about deeping and expanding your writing. I do not give advice, but work as a guide to help you develop the plotlines of your story and achieve more depth and meaning in the scenes you have already created.

After our phone consultation, I send my notes and tips and comments to you via eamil, usually that same day.

Typically, the first session involves the scenes or chapters of the project focusing primarily on the Dramatic Action plot line. If there is time, we will consider the Character Emotional Development plot line and touch on the Thematic Significance plot line. For more in-depth work, addition consultation time may be in order.


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Testimonial "Several months ago, Martha helped me get the first part of my novel organized. I worked diligently on the Plot Planner we created and the story just flowed. Then I found myself stuck in the middle of the book, and rather than get derailed, I called Martha again. Our session together was better than the first one. This is for two reasons: 1. I was so organized from our first session together I was able to dive right into the work; and, 2. Even with all the people Martha helps, she remembered my book down to the finer details. The time flew and the whole book fell into place in just two hours and forty-five minutes.

"For me, organization and how to tell the story with the most effect is my weakest area. Martha helped me take all the elements of my story and organize them in a way that the story now unfolds in a much more dramatic way. Now I have my completed Plot Planner on the wall and I refer to it all the time. My project is back on track and I am very motivated. Martha's help has been invaluable to getting my book done!!" Kind regards, Shana (adult fiction)


For an additional cost, writers may also receive a Plot Planner of their projects, highlighting the action, character and thematic plot, conflict, and cause and effect, and full of tips on how to deepen the story even further via Priority Mail. With the use of this visual method, you will immediately see the elements of plot, your individual story plot, the cause and effect of each scene or lack thereof, which scenes work and which ones do not and why.

Following is a visual of the form I use to create a Plot Planner, a plot diagram or a plot map for your project. During the phone session(s), as you tell me your story, I plot out each scene on banner paper (caution: for a big project, the banner can become quite long and to completely unfurl will require a large expanse). Using this structure, I insert your scenes above and below the line depending on the conflict, tension and suspense or lack thereof, link scenes by cause and effect, give tips and direction.




As I plot the scenes one-by-one on a Plot Planner and create a individualized plot diagram or plot map of your work, I ask probing questions designed to assist you in digging deeper into the character, action and theme of your story. Since most writers are better developing one aspect of their story over another, my questions and probings are intended to lead you to a better understanding of what is missing in your project and how to go about deeping and expanding your writing. I do not give advice, but work as a guide to help you develop the plotlines of your story and achieve more depth and meaning in the scenes you have already created.



Plot phone consultations can either be ONGOING or a ONE-TIME 2 HOUR SESSION.

ONGOING support costs $120 per hour. These sessions can take place weekly, bi-monthly or monthly. Throughout each session, I take notes. Later in the day, I send, via email, my notes and recommendations, tips, questions, and homework to you.

Price for a TWO-HOUR PLOT CONSULTATION is $240. We begin the Dramatic Action plot line of your project and, if time allows, consider the Character Emotional Development and Thematic Significance plotlines as well.

Once the action plotline is firmly in place, you can choose to continue by paying $120 per hour to work in one or more hour increments. This is the time we delve more deeply into the character emotional development and, as time allows, work in the thematic significance of your project.

For an addition $100.00, you also are able received a Plot Planner of your individual project.

If an individual plot consultation is not right for you now, you are welcome to attend any of my live plot workshops. I also have available the plot book, DVDs, CD, and Scene Tracker Kit as reference materials for your writing and plotting success.

The plot consultations take place over the phone with writers from anywhere in the world.

See testimonials from other writers
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