Plotting - the detail

I’ve reached a point where the action gets going. My main character, Lucy, now established in the Dockyard, needs to be pro-active if she is to achieve her ends. This means that, whilst I have an overall plot plan and know where the novel is going and how it will end, I need to detail the action sequences, arrange for plants and clues and generally begin to move the plot along and develop the main characters further. I have therefore made a diary for the next week with notes of where Lucy will be and with whom and what action takes place. It is just a list that goes something like this:

 Sunday
 L & M drive out with Bartlett. Elegant coach – RESEARCH types of coach in use at that time. How many horses etc. Does he have a driver?
 Weather good, slight breeze, sunny, ripples on river etc. L sees small sailing boats, reflections of home. Return to B’s house. Describe. Tea in drawing room served by maid.
Walk in the garden. B proud of what he has achieved. Some of his background comes out. B has chip on shoulder
Dinner at 7 – food, wine, table settings, grape settings. Dine in style. B out to impress Talk of summer ball. Lucy thinks of silk – way of repaying Meg  

Monday
Asks AM for permission to try and make appointment with Master Shipwright.
 L Warned it may be difficult.
 Ernest Watkins will not let her meet Master Shipwright. Lucy’s reaction.
A workmate – tells her Ned was ‘always down’ at the Ropery. They may know something. Ask for John Cherry.
 Domestic details at Meg’s house. Discussion of dresses for summer ball.

 Tuesday
Goes to Ropewalk at dinner time.
Talks to John Cherry who shows her round.
Told to take her shoes off. Lucy rebellious. Demands to know need for it.
Late back to Flag loft Given thin strand of rope with yellow band – off cut
Running through fingers, bumps into B B takes rope from her. Empty rope. ‘Glad to have found you’.


 This diary will I hope give a good, but not rigid framework for the building action through the next few chapters. There will be moments of passive reflection, memories of sailing small boats, domestic issues, dresses etc. There will also be reflection on the action itself. Hopefully this will prevent the reader from becoming exhausted!

 Action is all doing and/or excitement – it leads to knotted stomach, clammy hands, etc. Physical exhaustion afterwards even if action no particularly physical. I intended to make sure all the reactive parts of the action follow on.

Reaction/Passive Reflection, thinking, looking back, dreaming. Also domestic activity, chit chat, relaxation, sewing, even working.