This is a chart I made while revising my novel. It encompasses the first two-thirds of the book. Along the top of the page are chapter numbers, and each post-it note represents one or two scenes. You’ll notice that I cleverly placed them along an incline, thus indicating rising action.

Yup. I’m liking it. Because even when there are chapters with absolutely NO tension, conflict, or general reason for existence, they still appear — on this particular chart — to be increasing the stakes. It’s a nice trick, no?

Next time, I think I’ll take a shortcut, and simply write my scenes on a slant.