PBW Stories

Trilogy Plotting Template

Following is a template designed for writers specifically tackling the three-book trilogy series. This is not to be carved in stone! Please feel free to adapt. alter, and add to it to suit your particular writing style and story line needs.

There are two types of conflict I refer to in the template: standalone conflict, and main conflict. The standalone conflict mainly pertains to that particular book in the trilogy, but does affect the main conflict. The main conflict relates to the central theme of your trilogy, and as such should carry through all three books.

There is another term I use -- running threads. These are plot points which
can be carried over into subsequent books for resolution. For example, if your character is a fugitive from the law and will remain on the run throughout the trilogy, that is a running thread.

Also, this schematic is aimed more at tying the three books together versus
individual book plotting. For more detailed information on how to plot an individual novel, see the single novel plotting template.

Trilogy Series Plotting Template

Create a premise for the trilogy by describing each novel in ten words or
less:

Book One: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Book Two: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Book Three: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What common bonds tie these three novels together (describe the central
theme and main conflict)?

Book One: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Book Two: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Book Three: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are the standalone conflicts in each novel, and how do they relate to
the main conflict?

Book One: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Book Two: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Book Three: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I. Trilogy Breakdown, Book One

A. Establishing the Story Line

1. Describe your protagonist and supporting cast of characters as they are
introduced in book one:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


2. How is the standalone conflict established in this book?
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


3. What is the catalyst that brings the standalone conflict and all the
characters together? How does it initially affect your protagonist and characters?
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


B. Inclusive Conflict and Running Threads Development

1. Describe the main points of the standalone conflict's escalation (suggest
three escalations for book one):
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Identify which points introduced by the standalone conflict that will be
developed as running threads, and how:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


3. Identify which points of the standalone conflict that will be resolved,
and how:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

4. Describe how the threads in book one, resolved or open, affect the main
conflict:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


C. Character Development, Eliminations, Carry-Overs

1. Describe how the escalation of the standalone conflict affects the
protagonist at each point:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Describe how the escalation of the standalone conflict affects the
supporting characters:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________



3. Identify which characters will be resolved/eliminated from the story line
in book one, and why.
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


4. Identify which characters will be carried over into book two, and why.
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


D. Resolution of the Standalone Conflict, Affect on the Main Conflict

1. Describe how the standalone conflict is resolved in book one:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


2. Describe what elements of the standalone conflict of book one lead into
the standalone conflict of book two (transition of running threads):
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how both the resolution and carry-over elements relate to the
main conflict of the trilogy:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________



II. Trilogy Breakdown, Book Two

A. Reestablishing the Story Line, Handling Backstory

1. Describe your protagonist and supporting cast of characters carried over
from book one, in their present circumstances:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Define the necessary backstory carried over from book one, and how it is
incorporated into book two:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. How is the standalone conflict established in this book?
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

4. What is the new catalyst that brings the standalone conflict and all the
characters together? How does it initially affect your protagonist and characters?
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________










B. Inclusive Conflict and Running Threads Perpetuation/Resolution

1. Describe the main points of book two's standalone conflict escalation
(remember, suggest three per book):
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Describe how running threads carried over from book one affect the
standalone conflict of book two:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. Describe which running threads will remain open and carry over into book three, which threads will be resolved, and how:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

4. Describe how running threads, resolved or open, affect the main conflict:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


C. Character Development and Carry-Overs

1. Describe how the escalation of book two's standalone conflict affects the
protagonst at each point. How does the protagonist progress/regress as a character in relation to the new conflict:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Describe how the escalation of the standalone conflict affects the
supporting characters, and how they progress/regress in relation to the new conflict:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________



3. Identifty which characters will be resolved/eliminate from the story line
in book two, how, and why:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

4. Identify which characters will be carried over into book three, how, and
why:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

D. Resolution of the Standalone Conflict, Affect on Main Conflict

1. Describe how the standalone conflict is resolved in book two:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Describe what elements of the standalone conflict of book two lead into
the standalone conflict of book three:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how the resolution and carry-over elements relate to the main
conflict of the series:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

III. Trilogy Breakdown, Book Three

A. Reestablishing and Preparing the Story Line for Conclusion, Handling
Backstory

1. Describe your protagonist and supporting cast of characters carried over
from book two, in their current circumstances:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Define the necessary backstory carried over from books one and two, and how it is incorporated into book three:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. How is the standalone conflict established in book three?
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

4. What is the new catalyst that brings the standalone conflict and all the
characters together? How does it initially affect your protagonist and characters?
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


B. Inclusive Conflict and Running Threads Resolution

1. Describe the main points of book three's standalone conflict escalation
(again, suggest three):
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


2. Describe how running threads carried over from books one and two affect the standalone conflict of book three:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how the standalone conflict of book three leads into final
escalation of the main conflict:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________


C. Character Development, Resolution, and Final Disposition

1. Describe how the escalation of book three's standalone conflict affects
the protagonist at each point. How does the protagonist progress/regress as a character in relation to the new conflict?
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________








2. Describe how the escalation of the standalone conflict affects the
supporting characters, and how they progress/regress in relation to the new conflict:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. Identify how all characters will be resolved/eliminated/etc. in book
three, and why:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

D. Resolution of Standalone Conflict and Main Conflict

1. Describe the resolution of all running threads which remain open from
books one and two:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

2. Describe the resolution of the standalone conflict in book three, and how
that affects the main conflict:
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how the resolution of threads and standlone conflict resolve the main conflict of the trilogy.
________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________