The Trellis Method
Master Story Structure
Not finishing your novel doesn’t happen because you’re a poor writer, or lack passion, or don’t have dreams.
The Writer’s Challenge:
An unfinished manuscript happens when you lack a plan to achieve your goal.
The Trellis Method’s workbooks explain each step and the easy-to-use worksheets will guide you through the completion of your first draft. You’ll learn while you write!
You can use the Trellis Method again and again, turning the steps into your personal fiction factory. When you use these prompt-based worksheets, not only will you incorporate your passions and dreams, you’ll learn the techniques of bestselling authors as you write.
And that means your potential to write a book readers will love goes up.
The Concept of a Garden Trellis
Imagine a garden trellis.
- The vertical lattice supports the entire flowering plant.
- Then the horizontal lattice provides connecting points for the plant to branch out.
- The flowering plant, supported by the vertical and horizontal lattices, grows outward.
The trellis structure helps the gardener nurture the plant to reach its full beauty.
The Trellis Method Writing System
Similar to a garden trellis, The Trellis Method’s story structure enables you to:
- Organize your story’s key plot events on the vertical lattice.
- Support scene flows on the horizontal lattice to give readers the emotions they crave.
- Grow your story outward, exceeding your target readers’ expectations.
As the story unfolds, you’ll discover ways to surprise and delight readers.
The Trellis Method organizes and nurtures the key story details that resonate with readers, structuring and harnessing the raw power of your passions and dreams.
Start with the Good Stuff and Wow Your Readers
The Trellis Method gets right to the good stuff, so you can study less and start writing sooner.
- The steps include the workbooks that break down the topics based on the writing practices of top writers.
- Instead of just adopting their techniques, you’ll use the worksheets to adapt the principles that best fit your writing preferences.
- The Trellis Method takes you step-by-step from your story idea to book promotion, turning the steps into your personal fiction factory.
Within the Trellis Method Bundle, you discover everything you need to plan, outline, write, publish, and promote your novel, putting you in the driver’s seat and focused on your story’s destination.
Here’s What a Seasoned Author Said...
“Put all those writing craft books back on the shelves! The Trellis Method is the foundation for new and even seasoned authors. Grant Ferguson breaks down the key elements of a story in easy-to-understand steps with visuals. I feel that I’m more equipped to take on my next writing project after reading and following the Trellis Method.”
— Courtney
More Buzz from Busy Writers…
“Grant not only provides deeply helpful content to support and guide you through the writing journey, he’s also quick to respond to questions with on-target tips and practical assistance. He’s answered my questions and sent me many useful suggestions, and his genuine desire to help always makes me feel comfortable.”
— Kelsey
“Grant has been very helpful with his generously shared resources and helpful suggestions. He was able to encourage me to try Scrivener again, and with his aids, I was no longer overwhelmed. The resources range from where do I start to checklists for once you imagine you are done. I highly recommend checking out his offerings.”
— Susan
“If you have a dream of completing your first novel but struggle with structure, embark on your pathway to novel success with Grant Ferguson’s Trellis Method writing system. Its well-crafted manuals and comprehensive workbooks are the essential companions to guide you through every step, from nurturing your plot seed to confidently self-publishing your masterpiece. Grant’s easy-to-use approach takes the guesswork and frustration out of writing your crowd-pleasing novel and is therefore a must-have if you are serious about your writing journey.”
— Julian
Identifying the Root Problem
The Quest for More Information
You should be able to write a book based on the best of what top writers already figured out, but that’s not what most people think.
Many writers believe they need more information before they can write a book.
- They study an endless list of how-to write books, articles, and courses.
- Aspiring writers feel overwhelmed by the information and techniques.
- Too many writers never find and adopt a step-by-step writing system!
Sadly, too many writers abandon their writing dreams.
- Most writing books, articles, and courses focus on techniques and rules.
- The how-to guides frequently lack practical application, without a finite list of proven steps to plan, outline, write, publish and promote a book.
- Feeling overwhelmed and not sure how to meet and exceed readers’ expectations, writers abandon their writing dreams.
And what writers really need is a process that…
- Shortens the learning cycle,
- Guides from start to finish,
- Satisfies readers’ expectations,
- Educates while producing content, and most importantly,
- Structures unstructurables — your passions and dreams!
Bottom line, writers need The Trellis Method.
Applying a Radical Yet Elegant Solution
Follow a Roadmap with Key Milestones
By following the roadmap’s steps, you’ll see how to turn the Trellis Method into your personal fiction factory, a process you can use repeatedly in the years ahead!
The Trellis Method Writing System
Keep in mind the Trellis Method guides you step-by-step with workbooks, worksheets, checklists, and 50+ visual aids.
It’s like having the notes from top writers at your fingertips as you write, helping you learn as you complete your book.
You’ll transform your storytelling routine and unlock your ability to fulfill your dream to write a book readers will love.
- The step-by-step process speeds up learning while your write.
- The method gives you the confidence to plan, outline, write, publish, and promote your book.
- The illustrations help you visualize and apply the writing principles, encouraging you to write more books.
The Trellis Method makes you aware of how to give readers a great story based on your passions and dreams!
Here’s What You’ll Get
The “Bundle” includes the Trellis Method book, workbooks, worksheets, and checklists — all you need to turn your story idea into a manuscript that tells a great story.
You’ll learn how to:
- Adopt and adapt time-tested writing practices used by the top writers.
- Use the writing lenses to navigate the tricky intersection of story plot, scene flow, and actual content.
- Use a phased approach to storytelling: plan, outline, write, publish, and promote.
Note: The worksheets are in an RTF file format, readable and editable by most word-processing apps (e.g., MS Word, Apple Pages, Scrivener, Google docs, etc.). The Story Characters Development Workbook includes a Scrivener template (SCRIV file format).
The Visual Aids Reinforce Learning
“Everything he writes about is well researched and comes with many examples. Grant is friendly and easy to communicate with. He also uses visual illustrations to explain the concepts he writes about. Writing a book is a complex task, and as a visual learner, they are valuable to me.”
— Kristel
Visual learners appreciate how the many infographics break down but don’t dumb down the topics. Visual aids speed up and reinforce your learning.
For example:
- Content Lens
- Plots Lens
- Scene Lens
- Story Elements
- Genres
- Premise
- Characters
- Plots
- Themes
- and many more
Note: The Trellis Method includes dozens of infographics designed to reinforce the steps, encouraging you to write a book readers will love by harnessing the raw power of your passions and dreams.
Everything Your Need in One Convenient Place
“Using the Trellis Method to plot my lit fiction novel. I love how you’ve thought of everything writers need to consider!”
— Priscilla
Writers can get swamped with too much information. For example:
- You can find nearly anything on the internet and in books.
- But is everything you need in one place, like the detailed glossary?
The course puts everything you need on your computer, saving time and money.
You could spend hundreds (like I did) on the books I consulted (see my examples) to create The Trellis Method.
Now it’s your turn to invest in yourself with the Trellis Method.
Banish that Feeling of Being Overwhelmed
No doubt some writing topics seem complex, and you can feel overwhelmed.
That’s why The Trellis Method takes a step-by-step approach to writing.
- You begin with a plan to gather details, including specific prompts for your genres, premise, characters, plots, and themes.
- You use those gathered details to outline your book.
- Next you write scenes, edit drafts, get feedback, and finalize content.
- Then you format and publish your book.
- Finally, you promote your book.
The workbooks, worksheets, and checklists talk you through the steps, banishing that dreaded feeling of being overwhelmed by too much information.
Use the Trellis Method to Achieve Your Goal
Plan
Step 1: Choose Genres
A critical choice required of novelists is the selection of the primary and subsidiary genres that will guide the creative process
Gather the details tied to your genres, fulfilling the expectations that transport readers to your story world. Includes the 48 page step-by-step guide. The worksheet prompts identify your genre’s conventions, key scenes, readers’ expectations, chief Protagonist’s goal, plot, subplots, and theme.
Step 2: Validate Premise
A validated premise provides the story’s big picture plus the writer’s development strategy, combining in one sentence the character, plot, theme, symbol, event, and overall, conveys a sense of the outcome — the hero’s change and story’s climax.
This lesson Includes the 23 page step-by-step guide. The worksheet prompts turn an idea into a premise, recording your killer concept, storytelling approach, best lead character, and chief opposition. These steps evaluate your premise’s appeal to readers while you explore your passions and dreams.
Step 3: Develop Characters
By identifying a character’s personality type, strengths, and preferences, you’ll sense how each fictional person approaches life, such as romantic relationships, career choices, and friendships.
Learn how to create dynamic characters who react to plot events with realistic emotions. Includes the 59 page hands-on guide, detailed character example, reusable character template, 9 character type descriptions, character type identification, 130+ character flaws glossary, and visual aids.
Step 4: Plot Events
Genres have significant influence over an audience’s pre-established expectations, but it’s how writers turn those familiar aspects into fresh plots and subplots that can surprise and delight readers.
Create your main and subsidiary plot events that take place within the story. The lesson includes the 28 page development guide, helping you weave plot with subplots. The worksheet prompts for events, story problem, emotions, stakes, character details (e.g., focus, goal, issues), plot’s fulfillment of genre-established expectations, settings, secrets, and twists.
Step 5: Identify Themes
It’s often a story’s theme that resonates with readers long after finishing a novel, but there’s not a single method, so you must explore the path that’s right for your story.
You’ll learn why the external, internal, and philosophical themes matter to readers. Includes the 11 page workbook explaining themes, amplifies how themes resonate with readers, and the worksheet prompts for the genre-related external theme, character’s internal theme (i.e., the lesson learned and emotions craved by the audience), and the philosophical theme showing how the world really works.
Outline
Step 6: Outline Beats
Story Beats focus on outlining the patterns found in bestselling novels to deliver plot events that readers expect.
Use the 67 page guide and worksheet to outline and validate the entire narrative. For example, the Story Spine creates a snapshot of the basic story, the Story Body develops a synopsis of the overall story, and the Story Beats organize the plot events into familiar patterns expected by readers.
Write
Step 7: Write Scenes
Each scene conveys to readers essential characters, settings, and events, and when those sequences are strung together like pearls, they form your story’s narrative necklace.
The details gathered in earlier steps help you make sure the plot events, scene flow, and actual content intersect to please your readers. Create your first draft of the entire novel using the 40 page guide and visual aids, creating scenes that connect one to the next, showcasing content that exceeds readers’ expectations, and flowing text in logical and engaging patterns.
Step 8: Edit Drafts
A novel requires careful editing to balance the essential characters, plots, themes, and structure, benefiting from multiple reviews by the author and others before paying for a professional edit.
The 12 page Edit Drafts Checklist prompts your review of copy edits (e.g., misspellings, word misuse, grammar, style, and more), story development edits, plot lens, scene lens, and content lens.
Step 9: Get Feedback
The process of obtaining constructive insights from others can take many forms, but the best feedback captures objective reactions and actionable suggestions.
Use 12 page workbook and the prompt-based worksheet to plan and execute getting feedback. The work you put into identifying people willing to help can make a significant difference in the quality of your story.
Step 10: Finalize Content
After applying the insights and suggestions from feedback, you, along with a small circle of trusted reviewers, will take another look at the content and complete changes as needed.
The multi-page workbook, infographic (e.g., concurrent view of the Plot Lens, Content Lens, Scene Lens), along with the the 7-page Finalize Content Checklist guides your step-by-step review, prompting with critical questions to hone your story prior to pushing the publish button.
Publish
Step 11: Self-publish Book
It’s easier now than ever to self-publish books, and like magic, adopting the user-friendly technology can transform your writing dream from impossible to possible!
Self-publish your books using this 40 page workbook that includes infographics and a comprehensive worksheet (RTF file) to gather the essential details.
Promote
Step 12: Promote Book
No one will ever care more about your book than you, and as most writers soon find, promoting your book is as important as writing and publishing the novel.
The 13 page workbook takes you through an overview of promotion options and the checklist reminds you of the book launch phases, and the combination guides you to explore what’s best for you and your books.
Harness Your Writing Passions and Dreams
Don’t Wait to Fulfill Your Writing Goal
Achieve your goal to write a book readers will love with the Trellis Method.
🏆 What is the 100% Refund Policy?
We want your investment in the Trellis Method to be 100% risk free.
If you find the Trellis Method isn’t for you within 30 days of your initial purchase date, email us within that thirty-day period and we will process the refund of 100% of what you paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trellis Method Pricing and Refunds
The Trellis Method Bundle retails for $48. The bundle includes all the workbooks, worksheets, and bonus materials you’ll need to go from story idea to book promotion. The Bundle provides the basics to write a book readers will love. Our goal is to keep the price accessible for aspiring writers while still charging enough so you’ll hold yourself accountable.
Our digital products come with a 30-day no questions asked refund guarantee. We want your investment to be 100% risk free. If you find the product isn’t for you within 30 days of purchase, we will refund 100% of your investment. Email us within the 30-day of purchase date and we will promptly process your refund.
Trellis Method Purpose
When people write a full-length novel, they focus on one thing at a time at the cost of losing a sense of how everything will come together. The Trellis Method helps you write a book readers will love by focusing on exceeding your audience’s expectations. You’ll use the prompt-based worksheets that clearly outline what matters to readers. The process brings the many moving parts together to write a great story.
Then Trellis Method is the approach for you. We tailored the steps for writers new to our craft. In fact, many have never completed their novel’s first draft. By the end Step 7: Write Scenes, they’ve gone from never completing the draft to finishing a manuscript ready for editing before publishing. However, it’s not just for beginners. Several accomplished novelists shared how the Trellis Method served as their detailed checklist, giving them valuable insights and techniques on how they could add depth to their stories, especially during the editing phase. You will learn in weeks what takes most writers to learn in months, if not years.
The Trellis Method is for you if your goal is to write a book readers will love based on your passions and dreams. It’s a step-by-step process designed to teach you writing techniques as you write.
Time Required and Free Alternatives
Life is busy and probably limits your time to write. But by writing answers to the worksheet prompts, you will spend a handful of hours daily gathering details. Then, after finishing the outline, the time to complete the first draft varies based on the length of the novel and your typing speed. For example, writing an average of 510 words per day would complete a 50,000-word first draft in about 14 weeks. If you doubled your average word count to 1,020 words per day, you could finish that first draft in 7 weeks. Develop the habit of learning and writing daily!
Well… you could. And I encourage you to try it! Because if it works for you, great. However, chances are, you’ve tried writing on your own before. Consider the hours, days, and months it would take you to find and organize all the free stuff. Also, think about the headaches you would have trying to write every day on your own, and the difficulty of figuring out the steps to use the knowledge. Plus you’ll miss the insights gleaned from the books written by top writers. The Trellis Method saves time while you learn and actually write. Bottom line, it’s well worth the price.
Additional Questions and Concerns
You might think… sure, this works for other people, but my situation is unique. I can assure you, over the past year, writers of all stripes have written using the Trellis Method. No matter your background, experience, goals, competing commitments, interests, or special circumstances, the Trellis Method will help you finally create the first draft of your novel.
At Tame Your Book, it’s our goal for every student to finish the Trellis Method successfully, which includes working through materials and completing your book. However, it’s your life and your time frame based on your priorities. That’s why the workbooks, worksheets, and checklists are downloadable to your computer. The worksheets serve as your accountability mechanisms, and you’re invited to ask questions. You control the pace at which you work through each one. Goals serve writers, but never at the cost of losing the joy of writing.
Works in Progress (aka WIP)
Yes, and in fact, you might be at an advantage. The Trellis Method gives you a step-by-step process to complete your first draft. It’s based on a proven story structure while using prompt-based worksheets to first gather the details before writing scenes. You’ll discover a story’s framework you’re likely not familiar with. Once you adopt this framework, you can apply it to your current writing, increasing your creativity and productivity.
Trellis Method File Formats
The workbooks and checklists are in the Adobe PDF file format. All worksheets are in the RTF file format. Also, the Story Character Development Workbook includes an additional copy of the Character Template in the SCRIV file (Scrivener app) format. The RTF file format works with popular word processors, such as Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, Google docs, and Scrivener.
✅ Eliminate Confusion about What to Do Next!
“No more story structure learning confusion. The Trellis Method’s speed learning approach relies on colorful informational graphics with succinct learning summaries for total clarity and understanding. I consider it a valuable learning asset shortcut that brought me out of the fiction jargon-laden woods and into the clearing. Thanks for helping to make my fiction writing journey less tedious!”
— John
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