What is plotting? 

It's the order of events that need to take place, It's like a chain of scenes which must fulfill a certain task to satisfy the experience.

Writers are mostly divided between two categories: you're either a pantser (sitting on your pants writing whatever you want) or a plotter (carefully planning what is going to happen).

No plotting without scenes

I needed a rough structure of what was about to happen in my story. I began to create scenes with conflicts and tried to figure out how the story could end. 

Using scenes and putting them in the right order is one of my favourite parts as a writer. For instance, a scene with a secret in it and you know exactly when to reveal it's mystery a few scenes later. Creating plot twist's, tension, surprises or mysteries is the most satisfying part to me and the following steps show you how I did it.

My personal solution: chain of scenes

1. Create a scene pool

Scene after scene will be necessary to tell your story. 
You make promises,  show the progress through action (pro-active protagonist needed!) and the reader will see the payoff you are offering (or not)!

Your first chapter will be the most important one. The "hook" is important, otherwise the reader will most likely never finish your first chapter at all.

Develop your story in an interesting manner from then on. Figure out how your characters work and adapt your ideas or characters if necessary. 

A scene can either be already written or it is just the idea of a scene which you will write later (when you reach it on your timeline, see writing program).

Look for variety and change in your scenes. For example, I wrote a scene and noticed that I already had nearly the same dialogue before, so I merged the scenes. 

 

Think fast forward about certain elements your story needs and that absolutely must be in your novel. 
Create scene ideas in advance. After a certain time, you should have a scene pool with all the elements that form your story. You can still add scenes later. 

Don't even worry about your ending if you can't think of one yet. The only thing that matters at the beginning is that you have the ending on your radar on the long run and think about it while you plot until the climax.  
 

2. Identify your novel length 

A usual science fiction novel has about 100k words.

After writing a few scenes you get a feeling of how long your scenes more or less will be. 

You can now do the math of how many scenes you are probably going to need to finish your book. 
Do you have enough scenes?
You probably won't, so create more scenes and add them to your scene pool!

In my case, the book I am working on will need around 200k words (approximately 700 pages long). I identified the scenes that are needed and that is the number I calculated. These are the numbers before revision (eg. cutting).

It's possible that I will stay without an agent for a while because the novel is longer than agents expect.

 

3. Framework (25/50/25)

A framework of 25/50/25 for 100k words novel means that you need 25k words in the first quarter, 50k words in the middle, and 25k words in the last quarter.

The framework will be filled from your scene pool. Take into account the following (non-binding) guidelines:

First 25%: Promises*
Most character introductions, goals, inciting incident, daily routine, relationships etc.

50%: Progress*
Change, conflicts and stakes are rising, problems, adaption.
This part is 50% of your book, don't bore the reader. Insert compelling scenes!

Last 25%: Payoff*
The ending, conclusions, inner- and outer conflict outcome, character arc (has the character changed?)
Will the reader be satisfied and recommend your book?
 *Brian Sanderson masterfully explains the three P in his yt videos. Check them out!
 

4. Filling the framework correctly from your scene pool

It is time to fill the framework of your novel from your scene pool. For example, character introductions should mostly be happening in the first quarter. Are tension and stakes rising in the middle and create a climax at the end? Is your ending too long or short for the last quarter? 
You should be able to identify now if the scene you planned fits the framework. 

Examples:
Scene A: Flashback scene.
Scene B: Revelation of a bad character.
Scene C: Dinner scene.

I would use the 25/50/25 framework to identify where to put the scenes. 

Scene A
I would put scene A between two exciting scenes in the late 50's range so the reader has time to process the action. The flashback scene works as an relaxing anchor. If I put the flashback scene in too early, the reader might doesn't care or finds it boring as the story itself is not progressing. 

Scene B
I would build up that bad character in previous scenes, but in a way the reader would not guess (otherwise it's boring and not entertaining). The revelation would be the payoff. I would put the scene probably at the end of the 50s range; it depends if the character has still an important role to play, otherwise the revelation should happen earlier. 

Scene C
A dinner scene looks boring at first, but you could fill it with an intriguing dialogue, a dispute for example. Character A had no clue character B is on confrontation course big time! It could be a nice inciting incident where character A is catapulted right out of the daily routine and the trouble begins. 
If it is an ordinary dinner scene with no conflict, I would probably cut it completely.
 

Tip: Writing program for better handling

I use a writer program to keep control and plan my scenes with a timeline that acts as the 25/50/25 framework.

I created a "timeline"  adding boxes with each scene description to it. To each scene box, I attached a color for the content it stood for: "calm" (green), "mediocre action" (orange), and "tense action" (red). 

Action doesn't mean there is a shootout in every scene, but something happens that is relevant enough to have the protagonist react to it.
 

The book starts with orange scenes and sometimes green. The green scenes mostly fade away towards the middle and orange and red scenes take over. 
It is the perfect tool to see how the reader experience should intensify until the climax. 
 

5. Stakes, tension, mysteries

After you know the structure, keep in mind that rising stakes and conflict are essential especially in the middle of your book.
You know what is going to happen after each scene, but your readers don't!

Rise the stakes, make the life of your protagonist uncomfortable.
Conflict and crisis is what forces your protagonist to act. Rise the stakes means: there is always more to lose than what you promised at the beginning. 
 

Maybe your character planned ahead and now you limit the time the character has to reach a goal.

Maybe your protagonist is about to lose his job and thought his wife would stay with him even if he was unemployed. Wrong, she will leave him if he loses his job for the third time in a row!
 

Additionally, keep the reader engaged with the mysteries, foreshadowing and secrets you are placing within your scenes. 


Use your knowledge to create tension and mystery, but don't hurry! 

Imagine you are writing about a secret and a few sentences later, the secret get's revealed. This is not how tension works. Give it time to unfold. 
Let the reader's imagination do the work. Insert a few dead ends here and there, let them believe it was the Gardener while later you reveal it was the chef all along! 
But pay attention: don't fool your readers with stupidity or lazy writing, it all needs to make sense. Maintaining your integrity as a writer must not be forgotten.
 

What could I use to rise tension or add mystery?
It can be everything if you are able to attract the readers attention. You decide while you are creating scenes, putting them together in the order you wish.

"What's in this envelope? What is he up to?"
"What does this flower stand for and why is this man angry if someone touches it?"
"I thought he was evil, now I see there was someone else planning it all along, using him as a tool, what a poor guy!"

Don't forget to adapt your pacing while you are working towards the end. Is the flashback scene before the climax really necessary? Will the reader care at this stage?

Find the middle way of telling your story while maintaining tension and interest.  People want to see progress in the promises you made at the beginning. Don't lose yourself in too many sidestories.