If you need to nail your novel, Roz Morris can help! In her latest book, and this podcast, she explores plot in detail to help you sort yours out.

(http://www.thecreativepenn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/NewARKANEcovers-300x149.jpg)In the intro, I talk about the rebranding, retitling and recovering of my first 3 books; how brilliant IndieRecon was and a little about London Book Fair and the latest reports of dire earnings for authors in the UK (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/20/earnings-authors-below-minimum-wage). Some cool things to check out: Amazon Kindle Textbook Creator now includes video and audio (http://the-digital-reader.com/2015/04/16/kindle-textbook-creator-now-lets-you-embed-audio-video/); GetBookReport.com (https://www.getbookreport.com/) is a great new 'plugin' for KDP and is free to check out for 30 days; Goodreads has started with audio samples (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2113629-new-testing-audible-audiobook-samples) on the site, showing the growing awareness of audio; indie author Mark Dawson gets amazing coverage in Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2015/04/17/mark-dawson-made-750000-from-self-published-amazon-books/)for his fantastic success and I compare this to the latest AuthorSay report from AgentHunter (http://agenthunter.co.uk/blog/363/) where many authors wouldn't try going indie despite being unhappy with their publishing deals.

(http://www.thecreativepenn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/99designs-logo-750x200px-300x80.png)This podcast episode is sponsored by 99 Designs (http://www.99designs.com/joanna/), where you can get all kinds of designs for your author business including book covers, merchandising, branding and business cards, illustrations and artwork and much more. You can get a Powerpack upgrade which gives your project more chance of getting noticed by going to: 99Designs.com/joanna (http://www.99designs.com/joanna/)

(http://www.thecreativepenn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Screen-Shot-2015-04-07-at-4.08.37-pm-235x300.jpg)Roz Morris (http://www.nailyournovel.com/) is the bestselling author of over a dozen novels as a ghostwriter and has also written My Memories of a Future Life and Lifeform 3 under her own name. She has a series of books for writers under the Nail Your Novel brand, and the latest is Writing Plots with Drama, Depth and Heart (http://amzn.to/1GkP7zG).

You can listen above or on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-creative-penn/id309426367) or Stitcher (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-creative-penn-podcast), watch the interview on YouTube here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEoleRV4oUw) or read the notes and links below.

You can listen to previous shows with Roz as follows: Writing fiction: bring your characters to life (http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2013/05/21/bring-characters-to-life/); Nailing your novel (http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/02/02/nailing-your-novel-with-roz-morris/); and Writing literary fiction (http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/09/30/literary-fiction-roz-morris/).

* What is plot anyway? How does it differ to story? Character vs plot and how your preference will shape the story. How many plots are there really? Story is the struggle - why (http://www.thecreativepenn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Screen-Shot-2015-04-07-at-4.07.06-pm-186x300.jpg)do these events even matter? On pantsers vs plotters and why structure really is important - however you write.

* On genre expectations and plot aspects for blending genre. On sub plots and point of view.

* The 4 Cs of a good plot: Curiosity, coherence, crescendo and change. How to keep characters and plots going across a series.

* On theme and how it can enrich a plot. The book is about more than just the story but you need to be disciplined about how you use it. Things still have to happen! On back story and how to use it in the best way.

* Conflict and making life difficult for characters.