Plot Dude Live Webinars — 2026

Craft-Focused Training for Writers Who Want Stories That Work

Craft Lab: Great stories don’t happen by accident.

They work because character, plot, and meaning are doing their jobs—together.

Throughout 2026, the Plot Dude hosts free live webinars focused on the craft of storytelling, with a special emphasis on character development and its interaction with plot. Each session is practical, tool-driven, and designed to help you apply what you learn immediately to your current work-in-progress.

February 2026 - Character Motivation: The Engine That Drives Plot

February 24, 2026

Character Motivation: The Engine That Drives Plot

Why Wanting Something Is What Makes Stories Move

Stories don’t stall because of structure problems.

They stall because characters don’t want something badly enough.

In this live Plot Dude webinar, Character Motivation: The Engine That Drives Plot, we’ll break down how motivation—not events, twists, or outlines—is what actually makes a story move forward. When motivation is clear, plot feels inevitable. When it’s weak or muddled, stories become reactive, coincidental, or flat.

This session focuses on the craft-level mechanics of why characters act, how desire creates momentum, and how motivation connects character, plot, and ending satisfaction into a single system.

You’ll learn how to:

Distinguish between goals and true motivation
Separate want vs need without weakening either
Use motivation to drive decisions instead of reactions
Create opposition that pressures desire, not just progress
Diagnose flat scenes by tracing unclear motivation
Build endings that resolve the right desire—not just the visible goal

This is not about adding more backstory or forcing drama onto the page. It’s about understanding the emotional engine already inside your story—and learning how to use it intentionally.

All attendees receive a fillable worksheet PDF designed to help you apply these concepts directly to your current work-in-progress, whether you’re drafting or revising

If you want plots that feel character-driven, scenes that matter, and stories that move because your characters choose to act, this webinar will give you the tools to make it happen.

Join us live and put motivation back where it belongs—at the heart of your story.

March 2026: Dialogue as a Window into Character

March 24, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Crafting Realistic Conversations

Dialogue does more than move information from one character to another.

It reveals who characters truly are.

In this webinar, we’ll break down how strong dialogue emerges from character need, emotional tension, and subtext—rather than explanation or “on-the-nose” speeches. You’ll learn how to avoid infodumps by anchoring dialogue in conflict, shaping voice through rhythm and tone, and allowing what’s unsaid to carry meaning.

This session focuses on:

Using dialogue to reveal character psychology
Creating distinct character voices without gimmicks
Layering subtext beneath surface conversation
Using pauses, interruptions, and tension for realism

April 2026 Aligning Character Arcs with Plot

April 28, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Mapping Internal Growth to Key Plot Points

Powerful stories don’t separate plot from character.

They make them work together.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how external plot events trigger internal character change—and how to deliberately align character arcs with key structural beats. Using the “mirror principle,” we’ll explore how moments like the darkest hour or midpoint reflect internal struggle as much as external conflict.

You’ll learn how to:

Identify positive, negative, and flat character arcs
Map emotional growth to major plot beats
Tie internal change to the “dark night of the soul”
Strengthen reader investment through alignment

May 2026: Plotter, Wanderer, Hybrid, Mosaic, and Sculptor

May 26, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Revision Strategies Based on How You Draft

Revision looks different depending on how you write.

In this webinar, you’ll identify your writer type—Plotter, Wanderer, Hybrid, Mosaic builder, or Sculptor—and learn revision strategies tailored to how your brain works. Instead of forcing one-size-fits-all methods, this session helps you revise effectively without killing spontaneity or voice.

You’ll learn how to:

Diagnose your drafting style
Choose revision techniques that fit your process
Preserve discovery while strengthening structure
Avoid over-revision or creative burnout

Register for this webinar using the button below.

June 2026: Beating the Comparison Trap

June 23, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Staying Focused on Your Story

Comparing your messy draft to someone else’s finished book is unfair—and destructive.

This session addresses one of the most common (and quietly damaging) struggles writers face: comparison. We’ll discuss why comparison stalls progress, how to reframe success, and how to stay grounded in your own creative path without disengaging from the writing community.

You’ll walk away with:

Healthier mindset strategies for long-term writing
Tools to track your own progress meaningfully
Ways to learn from others without losing focus
Permission to write at your own pace

Register for this webinar using the button below.

July 2026: Overcoming Obstacles to Creative Focus

July 28, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Finding and Sustaining Flow

The flow state is where writing feels effortless—but it doesn’t happen by accident.

In this webinar, we’ll break down what flow actually is, why it disappears, and how to design your writing environment and sessions to make flow more likely. You’ll learn how passion, challenge level, and focus interact—and how to remove the friction that blocks creative momentum.

Topics include:

Why flow breaks down
How environment affects creativity
Balancing skill and challenge
Structuring sessions for deep focus

August 2026: Poisons and Suspense

August 25, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Researching Toxins for Mystery Plots

Authentic details make suspense believable.

In this research-focused webinar, we’ll explore commonly used poisons in mystery fiction—including arsenic, cyanide, thallium, polonium-210, and ethylene glycol—and discuss how their effects, timelines, and detectability can shape plot twists and investigations responsibly.

This session emphasizes:

Realistic symptoms and investigative clues
Ethical and safe research practices
Using factual detail to heighten tension
Avoiding common poison-plot mistakes

September 2026: Character-Driven vs Plot-Driven Fiction

September 22, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Finding the Right Balance

Great stories aren’t either character-driven or plot-driven.

They’re both.

In this webinar, we’ll explore how internal conflict and external action work together to create momentum, tension, and meaning. You’ll learn how different genres lean one way or the other—and how to blend both approaches so plot events trigger internal change and character decisions actively move the story forward.

In this session, you’ll learn how to:

Understand the strengths and limits of character-driven fiction
Identify where plot-driven stories reveal character through action
Blend internal motivation with external stakes
Ensure character decisions, not events, drive story movement
Choose the balance that best fits your genre and writing style

October 2026 - Preptober: Story Development from Idea to Draft

October 27, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

A Roadmap for Cohesive Narratives

Story development bridges inspiration and execution.

This Preptober webinar is designed to help you turn scattered ideas into a cohesive, draft-ready story without overplanning or killing creativity. You’ll learn how to ask the right questions early so your draft has direction, momentum, and emotional clarity from the start.

This session is especially helpful if you’re preparing to draft during NaNoWriMo—or anytime you want a clearer roadmap before writing.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

Develop a story idea into a workable narrative framework
Clarify character goals, obstacles, and stakes early
Prevent sagging middles and major plot holes
Balance planning with creative flexibility
Move from concept to draft with confidence

November 2026: Plot Fundamentals

November 24, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Structure, Beats, and Building Tension

Strong plots don’t come from formulas.

They come from understanding how structure, escalation, and consequence work together.

In this foundational webinar, we’ll break down the essential elements of plot—without rigidity or overwhelm—and show how structure supports tension, pacing, and character development rather than restricting creativity.

This session is ideal for writers who want clarity, not rules.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

Understand the core elements of plot and story movement
Identify and strengthen major plot beats
Escalate tension through rising stakes and turning points
Use subplots to add depth and momentum
Craft resolutions that feel earned and satisfying

December 2026: Sensory Writing

December 15, 2026 - 12:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 AM Pacific

Engaging All Five Senses to Deepen Immersion

Strong sensory detail turns scenes into experiences.

In this webinar, we’ll explore how to use sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch intentionally—not as decoration, but as a way to deepen immersion, reveal character perspective, and ground readers in the moment. Rather than overwhelming readers with description, this session focuses on choosing the right sensory details for each scene.

You’ll learn how sensory choices reflect a character’s emotional state, background, and priorities—and how to weave those details naturally into action and dialogue.

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:

Select sensory details that reinforce mood and tension
Use sensory input to reveal character perspective
Avoid overloading scenes with unnecessary description
Integrate sensory detail into action and dialogue smoothly
Strengthen “show, don’t tell” by grounding emotion in physical experience

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