Review: The Wordsmith's Guide to Planning the Perfect Plot

 

The Wordsmith’s Guide to Planning the Perfect Plot

* DO YOU STRUGGLE TO FINISH WRITING A NOVEL?
* DO YOU RUN OUT OF MOMENTUM BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOUR STORY IS GOING?

The Wordsmith’s Guide to Planning the Perfect Plot is your trusted companion for turning story ideas into structured, compelling narratives. In this fourth instalment of the Wordsmith’s Guides series, Elizabeth M. Hurst takes you through popular plotting methods—including the Snowflake Method, Save the Cat Beat Sheet, and The Inside Outline—helping you choose the right approach for your writing style. You’ll also find practical advice on troubleshooting common pitfalls, crafting satisfying endings, and keeping your plan adaptable as your story evolves.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• Clear explanations of proven plotting methods
• Guidance on choosing the right structure for your novel
• Tips for overcoming plot issues and staying on track
• Advice on writing satisfying, well-rounded endings
• A practical appendix full of tools and templates to support your planning process

 

Whether you're a planner, a pantser, or somewhere in between, Planning the Perfect Plot will help you shape your novel with clarity and confidence.

Review - First, this cover is simply lovely. As a well-renowned book dragon, covers are important to me. My hoarded collection has to look lovely as it collects dust. This book fits the bill. It's simple, clean with just the right amount of color. Kudos to the designed (really hope it isn't AI). 

However, what makes this novel lovely doesn't end at the cover. It's a very useful guide that summarizes at least 4 other books. By doing so, writers can figure out what style will work best for them without wasting precious writing time digging through several books or workshops only to figure out it isn't the right fit. I love the addition of templates and worksheets as a way to help organize and "try on" some of the various styles. In addition, the tips on fixing common structural errors is spot on. This is a book about writing by a person who understands the art form. It's practical, useful and still allows room for style. 

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/PlottingAmazon

Author Bio –

Elizabeth was born and bred in the picturesque harbor town of Whitehaven in the northwest of England, where the long, wet winters molded her into a voracious reader of fiction to escape the dismal weather.

She graduated with a degree in Business Studies and a string of jobs followed, after which she finally settled in the automotive industry, where she spent twelve happy years.

Having already started writing around the age of 40, she had begun to dream of a more creative lifestyle and set about creating her freelance editing and proofreading business, EMH Editorial Services. In 2018, she quit the corporate world and concentrated her energy full-time towards her love of the written word.

Elizabeth now lives with her husband in the warm and sunny south of France, where the wine is cheaper than the water, and the cats spend their days hunting lizards and dreaming of the birds that roost on the roof.

Social Media Links –

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMHurstAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizhurstauthor/

Website: https://elizabethhurstauthor.com/