The Place to Start: Day One

What you will learn -- and write -- in the first 24 hours (if you wish to move at that pace).

The problem with starting a novel

Readers want two things that seem contradictory: they want a novel to begin quickly, but they don't want to be confused. How can we get the story moving without providing all the weighty backstory and context they will need to properly understand the story?

One clue: reading vs remembering

One helpful clue to solving that problem: when we remember a novel, we tend to remember it from the middle or the end. But this isn't actually helpful when we try to write our own novels.

Trouble-shooting: What if I can’t find my real plot?

This is at the heart of the concept of the "project" -- your protagonist is resisting the "real story" of your novel. The more, the better.

The Project – how to begin your novel

How we solve the reader's problem -- and create a compelling, easy-to-follow, quick-moving opening to our novels.

Bonus: the Project for Mysteries

When writers hear about "the project," they tend to ask, "But what about mysteries? Do they have a project??" Here's my answer.

Bonus: the Project for Space Operas

The project works well for large cast, sprawling sci fi epics (the space opera). But it works a little differently: the projects are usually more professional than personal.

Case study: How to start a novel quickly without confusing your reader

It’s Time! Sketch Out your First Chapters

All right! We've learned how to introduce a project while still conveying that more is coming. Now let's turn that project idea into a plan for the first few chapters of your novel. Ready?

Congrats!

You did it! Whether it took you 24 hours or 24 days, I'm very proud of you. You made it to the end of Module 1 of this course -- and now you know how to construct a great plan for your novel's opening.

Bonus lesson: How to Design a Compelling Prologue

Bonus lesson: prologues are controversial! Some writing teachers say not to use them. But lots of successful novels have them; some even have two! Here's one approach to designing a compelling one.

The Truth About Stories: A Promise

The turn into the course's harder questions — and the good news that comes with it: learning new craft doesn't cost you the pages you've already written, and the vision you love can become a compelling story without being betrayed.

Lesson 1.2 — The Singular Reader

The most important thing to know about your reader: they take in what's happening and what it means as a single experience, not two. Deliver them separately and the story stalls; fuse them and it comes alive.

Lesson 1.3 — The Truth About Stories: The Case Studies

Good stories have a “folded” quality — their events carry a double significance. How successful novels give the reader two answers at once, and why a protagonist's second goal usually arrives about a quarter of the way in.

Lesson 1.4 — The Truth About Stories: The Key

Once the reader knows what your protagonist is committed to, every scene reads as good news or bad. The commitment is the key — and most “flat” chapters are flat because the reader was never handed it.

Lesson 1.5 — The Truth About Stories: The Mistake

The devices that got you into your story — backstory, the scenes you needed to start — are often still in the draft, making the reader do extra work. How to tell what helped you write the book from what helps the reader read it.

Lesson 1.6 — The Truth About Stories: The Situation

A character in trouble gives you a brilliant opening and an empty middle. The difference between a situation and a story — and how to give your middle real work to do, so its scenes can't be swapped without breaking the book.

Lesson 1.7 — The Truth About Stories: Nothing Is Wasted

As writers we hold two commitments — to improve the book, and to keep what we've already made — and they can work against each other until you name the second one. That's how you get unstuck: nothing you've written is wasted.

Lesson 2.1 — The Premise Is Not Enough

A one-line question can sell your book and hook a reader's attention. But it says almost nothing about the long stretch in between.

Lesson 2.2 — The Middle Creates Its Own Conflict

The power of a resolution comes from a tension the middle has been growing all along — which means the middle of your book isn't empty space to fill. It's packed.

Lesson 2.25 — Chapter Capstone

At this point, I think it's worth taking stock of where we are.

Lesson 2.3 — 2C, Troubleshooting: Where do I find the commitments?

Something I see happen in a lot of stories is that one commitment comes from the outside and one from the inside (of the protagonist).

Lesson 2.4 — 2C, Troubleshooting: Don't let your characters drop their commitments!

When writers try these ideas out, a common source of problems is that they let their character drop one of their commitments too soon. A good commitment is sticky. It doesn't let the main character go.

Lesson 2.5 — 2C, Troubleshooting: What happens in the middle?

As writers, we are encouraged to believe a lie: once we've got our premise and our setup, the story is basically written.

Lesson 2.6 — 2C, FAQ: "Daniel, isn't this just a subplot?"

What I'm talking about is the plot itself: it gets its energy from two things that cannot both be correct, or that do not seem like they can both work out. That's what allows you to have a collision in the middle.

Send off and conclusion: Why does my middle feel like a list of events?

I suggest you conceive of your stories not as a long road your character goes down, but as a story with an extra dimension that's going to grow and grow in the middle.

The Rule of Five Ones

My advice: for this course, write a five or four "one" novel.

Weaving in the Real Plot - Quickly!

Do you like the idea of the "project"? If so, you may be wondering -- how do I let the reader know that more is coming? How do I begin the transition from project to "real plot"? My answer: weave it in, a little at a time.

The Dragon’s Foot

Trick your reader with this easy technique

Connecting Story Elements

This is so powerful: when two parts of the story become one.

How the character first approach works on the page

Introduction to making these techniques work page by page -- an explanation of morality in fiction

Scene and Satellite

This is how we convey to the reader all the information they need to enjoy, understand, keep reading your novel.

The Wheel of Drama

Construct Your Plot With This Pre-Writing Manual

This interactive guide helps you design your own ABC-style plot.

Writer satisfaction survey

1.1 Wait! Is this TOO MUCH Detail?

All right. This is a great moment. We're now going to plan out your whole story, in as much detail or as little as you like, in four quarters. The Week gave you the two commitments; this part of the course shows you what they do in each quarter of the book, and then hands you the Plotting Manual to plan your own.

1.2 How the Two Commitments and the Four Quarters Fit Together

DRAFT, 2026-10-01, assembled for Daniel's edit. The conceptual guide that bridges the Week (The Two Commitments chapter) and the Month (the new quarters chapter): linked from PPN 2.5 and 2.7, and sent in the PPN email sequence after purchase. Assembled from Daniel's existing writing; Claude's words are only the connecting lines marked. When it's settled, the words stay here and the designed PDF goes to `Dropbox/Finished Products/`.

1.3 Quarter One: Something Big is Coming

Congrats on starting the story: this is a great step. Maybe you have been thinking about this book for a while, or maybe you are just jumping into a new tale and seeing what happens. I’m looking forward to hearing more about it!

1.4 The Quarter Turn: the Second Commitment Arrives

The first quarter ends on the arrival of the second commitment. Here is the page from the Pre-Writing Manual on that moment, in full.

1.5 Quarter Two: Both, in Apparent Harmony

This is impressive: you’ve sketched out the first quarter of your draft. That’s great work. And now we move into a great quarter of your novel: the part where the story gets going in earnest.

1.6 The Midpoint Knot

Quarter two ends at the knot squeezing tight.

1.7 Quarter Three: the Desperate Juggle

If you have set up the two commitments; if you have made it clear at the midpoint that they are not compatible; and if you have delayed as much exposition as possible to this point -- congratulations! You may have a smooth sail through this latter half of the "messy middle."

1.8 The Collapse

The three-quarter mark. She has tried to have everything, and got nothing. Your Pre-Writing Manual page, then the line from the endings class.

1.9 Quarter Four: the Change

This is the last section! Let’s make sure the ending is a hit!

The Plan for This Section of the Course

From a Protagonist to a Plot

We have the building blocks. Now we're going to use them to create a great plot.

The perfect stage one opening

This might be the second most popular video of the whole course.

Plot Your Novel in Four Stages

By this point in the course, we've studied how to build our scenes, establish "care," and build a great protagonist. Here is the framework to turn those concepts and building blocks into a detailed plot.

Build a Knot at the Middle of Your Plot

This is where the ABC plot really shines - to help you master the middle

Stage Four and the Staggered Ending

Here is a low-stress way to plan out a great ending to your novel.

How to Write Stage Two

This is when your hero starts to care about your "big" plot.

How to Write Stage Three

This is the longest, most substantial part of the novel: the middle.

Stage Four and the Staggered Ending

Here is a low-stress way to plan out a great ending to your novel.

Designing the Best Possible A: the Path to Success

It's critical to give your protagonist a way forward with their A plot.

Designing the Best Possible B

Your character has issues! But -- which ones?

ABC Plot Summary: Killing Floor by Lee Child

Here is how the ABC plot is working in the first Jack Reacher novel, Killing Floor.

ABC Plot Summary #2: The Age of Innocence

The ABC plot works just as well for a classic literary novel like The Age of Innocence as it does for Jack Reacher. 

How to Master the Middle: Your Protagonist's Three Mistakes

Here's how the character-first approach enables you to conquer the "messy" middle.

Introduction to this Chapter

The role of "external" conflict in a novel -- and what this chapter will teach you.

The Mid-Point Twist

This is a useful technique for all kinds of novels. You can use it to help plan out a draft or to kickstart a revision plan: the idea that something big happens halfway through the story.

The "All is Lost" Moment

Many novels bring the character to the brink -- or beyond the brink -- of disaster, often at the 75% mark of a novel. Here's one way to make that crisis work well for you.

Build in “Manifestations”

A more advanced lesson: use "manifestations" to keep your reader turning pages and to develop your themes.

Add a Ticking Clock to the Second Half

This is such a straightforward, effective aid to your plotting.

Plot Twists and Mirror Scenes

It's easier than you think to confuse readers with plot twists and reveals -- rather than being shocked or intrigued, they end up just unsure what you are saying. Here's how to use "mirror scenes" to prepare the way for big twists.

Bonus: Be Careful About the Three Act Structure

Just a quick optional lesson from me: why don't I talk about "acts"?

Download this Manual and Create your Plot

Now it's time to plot.

This How You Get Started

This is my strategy for getting a "quick win" for this novel project.  

Start with your Dream Story

This chapter of the course is specifically for people who are starting from the beginning. And for them — I recommend that you DO NOT start your planning and sketching with a character. Instead...

Imagine the Best Bits

Think back to the stories you love. When did you really feel yourself commit, to the story, as a reader? My guess is that there were two main moments: the late beginning and the late middle. Let's sketch out those two areas of your new book now.

Picture An Unhappy Visitor

Now we picture a main character who doesn't care about any of that stuff.

Now we use hints to connect the two

At the start, the character is doing his or her thing. But strong hints imply there is more going on. 

Sketch the Backstory

You might not know everything yet. But start now: let's sketch out the secrets.

Begin the World-building Bible

Describe the divisions in this world.

Now Start Sketching out "Implied" Scenes

You're in a great place. You've imagined your ideal story. You've pictured how that story might develop and build. You've created a character and events that might happen to that character. And you've done some world-building and backstory writing. Now comes the fun part: writing out the scenes and chapters and moments that this pre-writing suggest.

Wrap Up: Now You're Ready for the ABC Plot

Fantastic. Now it's time to turn these sketches into a real story, with the plotting manual supplied in this course and the lessons of the ABC plot.

How to Write Stage One

This might be the second most popular video of the whole course.

How to Write Stage Two

This is when your hero starts to care about your "big" plot.

How to Write Stage Three

This is the longest, most substantial part of the novel: the middle.

The Biggest Problem: Leading with B

The most common issue writers have, when they try to follow the ABC plot: leading with B.

ABC with Multiple Protagonists

What if I want more than one main character?

What if you Don't Actually Have a C Plot

Maybe you've worked through this course and noticed you don't actually have a C plot? Here are three solutions.

Alternate Stage One Opening: Multiple Timelines

Here's how to use the stage one opening with multiple timelines.

Alternate Stage One Opening: A Magical Job

Sometimes the plot takes your character in an extreme direction: perhaps they get a magical job (they become the new tooth fairy, for instance) and have to leave their old life behind. Here's how to make it feel real for your readers.

Collected Handouts, Downloads, Manuals

For ease of use, all downloads mentioned in the course are also available here.

Send Off

You did it! You finished the course. Now I just want to say…

Final Exam

Download Your Completion Certificate

Next Steps / How I Help Writers

Ways to work with me after this course ends!

Acknowledgements

A few brief thank yous and credit dueings. 

How to Get Help

Do you need technical support? Do you want to run your idea past other students in the course?

Protagonists and their Projects

A great conversation about our protagonists and the idea of an A plot line.

A, B, and Cs — plot advising session

How to balance and finetune a plot with the ABC framework (live webinar).

Daniel answers questions from participants in the course

The ABC Plot

PS Feel free to download, but please don't share this audio-file! If you have friends interested in the course, let me know and I can give you a special discount code.

How to write dialogue

Five tips that will shape how you think about writing dialogue.

How to prepare a plot twist

Okay. You know you want to surprise your reader. How do you make sure the twist lands correctly?

Prompts & Challenges

A collection of prompts and challenges.

Intro to this writing habits bonus section

We probably all want to improve our writing habits -- here are three lessons on doing that

How to Become a More Consistent Writer

Advice on the book that is calling you to get writing!

Getting Over Perfectionism

Rachel teaches us all about getting over our own perfectionism!

Using Time Tracking to find more writing time

My friend and expert educator, Michael Noltemeyer, uses me as his test subject: does time tracking help you write more regularly?