Prescott Writers: Mapping Your Story: Plotting Fiction and Narrative Nonfiction

Join author Jan Bear for an exploration of the shape of a story. What comes first, how it ends, and how you can manage the before, during, and after of writing. She will discuss how some storytellers are plotters (planning ahead) and some are pantsers (flying by the seat of their pants), and some, plantsers, fall somewhere in the middle. No matter how you work out the details of your story, understanding story structure will help your narrative journey go more smoothly and the final product connect with your readers. Jan will discuss the Hero’s Journey, screenplay structure, and how story structure affects your characters’ arcs. 

Jan Bear is a writer, editor, and book designer. She writes novels and nonfiction and helps people on their path to publication. She has worked as a copy editor for a large newspaper for more than two decades. During that time, she won several awards for book layouts. Jan now works as a freelance editor and interior book designer.

Prescott Writers is hosted by Central Arizona Writers and presented with funding from the Friends of the Prescott Public Library.