The writer's compass : from story map to finished draft in 7 stages / Nancy Ellen Dodd.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

p. 1. The beginning : building a writing life -- p. 2. The middle : the story map and the 7-stage process -- p. 3. The end : living a writer's life.

How do you tell the story you want to tell and capture your audience’s heart? Regardless of genre or format, to tell your story effectively you must first sort through all the ideas you’ve been toying with—organize them, whip them into shape, and turn them into great writing. The Writer’s Compass is here to show you the way. This guide to better writing teaches you to visualize your story’s progress by creating a story map that helps you see all the different components of your story, where these components are going, and, perhaps most importantly, what’s missing. Whether you’re writing a novel, a short story, a play, or a screenplay, the 7 stage approach of The Writers Compass allows you to focus on one aspect of your story at a time—including forming and developing ideas, building strong structures, creating vibrant characters, and structuring scenes and transitions. The path of a writer isn’t always easy. Let The Writer’s Compass be your north star by simplifying a wealth of writing advice into easily applicable concepts that will help you improve your craft.