Rewrite: Day 17. Driving the plot.

It's a driving day today, and it will be again tomorrow because I'm off to Bristol and Beaconsfield for family birthdays and Easter. Not much writing, but I'll be thinking about how many plates Broderick can keep in the air and what he needs to do to keep them spinning. 
More plates! More plates! I hear you cry. 

The problems come when the plates take on a life of their own which they tend to do, especially when they are people as they are most of the time. People cause problems. There are, it is true, 'circumstances beyond our control', 'forces of nature' and even 'Acts of God' but these need to be used sparingly. Or maybe not. It depends what sort of book you're writing. Why not let rip all the forces in heaven and earth? Could make for an interesting ride. I will be thinking as I drive.

But here's a little something I came up with yesterday. 

What Broderick did [OHJ flies in?] [OHJ meets PAS] [Aerial survey] Drove van Talked to Rachel Recalled Edinburgh Met Hashay (f/b) Made pass at Rachel Looked for Berenice Found Berenice Received news

Motive Pursue crooks Make connections Find Nighthawks Get home Assess progress Companionship Explore origin, confess Attraction Parental responsibility accidental [Job or no job]

Value Spin story Personal chemistry Problem context Link drama Fix story progress Deepen relationship Reveal backstory Conflict relationship Add complexity Show values Personal stake

It's a chapter action chart. 
The idea was to focus my attention on What Broderick Did. Does it help? I'm not sure. I made one for both Chapters 8 and 9 at the top of the chapter, scanning through the paragraphs very quickly to pick out the main events and then analysed them, crudely, for Broderick Action.
I could add a fourth column: Spinning plates.
 
I'll see. After Easter, I will revisit the idea. 

What do you think? Could be helpful? Yes... or No... ?

Ends