About

Hi, I’m Grant Ferguson. This site is about what I enjoy: sharing the best of what top authors already figured out, so you can master story structure and write a book readers will love.

The Chief Problem

What really breaks my heart is how many people start then abandon their writing dreams.

The creation of a full-length novel takes commitment, time, and effort. Even though research shows top writers typically begin with a story outline, many beginning writers, me included, thought they knew better. But as I discovered, most don’t.

After a quick start, I quickly felt overwhelmed, and if you’ve experienced that feeling, you’re in the right place to overcome the chief problem.

Rapid Novel Outline

I found the faster you outline, the quicker you can write and then edit the first draft.

After all, you can’t edit and improve an unwritten story. I agree with top authors, who believe an outline is the fastest path to creating a great story. Audiences are eager for novels that exceed their pre-established expectations.

However, readers want more great stories, not just more books.

Learn from the Best

Here’s a fraction of the purchased writing books I consulted, and this sample doesn’t include the bestselling novels studied to see how authors apply these techniques.

Learning about a skill is one aspect of writing, but as I soon discovered, know-how alone doesn’t automatically translate into an outline or a first draft.

Questions to Consider

You can find just about anything on the internet if you’re willing to search.

Even though you can find information for free…

  • What’s your time worth?
  • Is the information accurate?
  • How will you apply what you learn?

Your answer to that last question influences your chances of success.

Convert Learning into Actionable Tasks

To share these top-writer practices, here’s what I did.

  • I stopped thinking in terms of one skill or technique, and instead, thought about how those practices form a mosaic, and much like a trellis, support the creation of a beautiful display for our minds.
  • Instead of overwhelming writers with multi-tasking, I broke down complex topics into actionable groups (e.g., genres, premise, characters, plots, themes, and scenes).
  • Then, I layered the tasks associated with each group into prompt-driven worksheets, enabling you to learn while you write..

This approach speeds the creation of the crucial first draft.

The Trellis Method: A Unique Writing System

Here’s a quick look at the topics and workbooks.

On a Personal Note

I enjoy sharing my discoveries in free posts and bundling them for purchase at a fraction of their cost.

It’s my way of repaying all those who helped me during my lifetime. Many years ago, I vowed to discover and share the unwritten rules of success. Soon, my research proved they were really principles, not rules.

Today, Psalm 45:1 inspires me to continue fulfilling my vow.

The Power of Stories

Fortunately for everyone, the future comes one choice at a time.

  • Informed decisions foreshadow probable outcomes.
  • Books have the power to influence choices made at life’s crossroads, and top-quality fiction entertains, informs, and inspires.
  • Through stories, readers learn the likely results of their choices, and those informed decisions can transform lives and avoid negative consequences.