I’ve got a bone to pick with Claire Fraise, dammit. I’ve lost 2 days I’ll never get back — including the time it’s taking me to create this post.

Claire shared a YouTube video on using plot grids for your writing process. Being me and heeding her advice, I decided to create a plot grid – I call it a plot matrix; same thing – for a project I am editing.

I should probably create a video response, but I didn’t have even more time to lose.

Full Disclosure: By lose time, I don’t want to imply by any means that this is wasted time.

Since the plot matrix I created is for an unpublished manuscript, I decided to create one for the first chapter of my published book, Sustenance. It contains two sections or scenes.

I’ll share the process I used and reference the Excel document I created. Download it if you’d like to follow along.

After the explanations, I’ll discuss how I use ChatGPT to help me with this, as well as some challenges you may wish to be aware of.

Below is a screenshot of a portion of the plot matrix.

I’ll start by sharing the column headers and a brief explanation of what each means. Some should be obvious, but I’ll describe them as well.

• Narrative Order: The order a scene appears in the manuscript.
• Chronological Order: The sequence in which events occur in story-time, enabling tracking of flashbacks or non-linear jumps.
• Sentiment: A numerical indicator of the scene’s emotional tone, from deeply negative (–5) to strongly positive (+5).
• Chapter: The chapter or section title in which the scene appears.
• Plot Points: A summary of key events, revelations, or decisions that occur in the scene.
• Time: When the scene takes place, whether exact or relative (e.g., “early morning,” “flashback,” “six months later”).
• Primary Characters in Scene: The characters actively driving or anchoring the scene.
• Secondary Characters in Scene: Important but less central characters who influence or are present in the scene.
• Minor Characters in Scene: Tertiary figures mentioned or briefly appearing without narrative weight.
• Word Count: The number of words in the scene, useful for pacing and balance.
• Emotional Beat/Theme: The scene’s dominant emotional tone or thematic current (e.g., betrayal, longing, discovery).
• Emotional State: The internal condition or affective register of the POV character(s) during the scene.
• Scene Function: What the scene accomplishes narratively (e.g., exposition, climax, setup, reversal).
• Character Arc: How a character is developing, stagnating, or regressing within the scene.
• External Stakes: The tangible, real-world risks or consequences present in the scene.
• Internal Stakes: The emotional, psychological, or relational consequences at play.
• Needs Clarification?: A flag to indicate whether a scene contains confusing elements or ambiguous logic.
• Revision Priority: A ranking of how urgently the scene needs refinement.
• Conflict Type: The dominant form of conflict (e.g., internal, interpersonal, systemic, environmental).
• Turning Point?: Whether the scene marks a key reversal or decision point in the narrative.
• Turning Point Direction: Indicates the shift’s trajectory (positive, negative, neutral, ambiguous).
• Direction Commentary: A brief rationale for how and why the narrative tone or direction changes.
• Reinforces: Themes, motifs, or ideas the scene strengthens.
• Undermines: Themes or ideas the scene weakens, contradicts, or questions.
• Reveals: New information, secrets, or understandings brought to light.
• Conceals: Key details or truths the scene deliberately withholds.
• Distorts: Misunderstandings, biases, or unreliable elements introduced.
• Inverts: Role, expectation, or thematic reversals subverted in the scene.
• Echoes: Recurrent phrases, images, or patterns from earlier scenes or motifs.
• Revision Commentary: Notes on potential rewrites, improvements, or cautions.
• Punch List: Specific edits or action items needed in revision.
• Resolved?: Whether the scene’s tension, question, or arc has been closed.
• Location: Where the scene is physically set—important for continuity, blocking, and worldbuilding.

Iowa: Opening Scene

Narrative Order: The order a scene appears in the manuscript.

I am tracking scenes/sections rather than chapters because that’s the way I’ve organised the manuscript. I want to capture the smalled logical element of the story.

Being a spreadsheet, I need to keep track of the sections, so I give each scene a number. In this case, we are looking at section 1 of the narrative order, the first section a reader encounters.

Chronological Order: The sequence in which events occur in story-time, enabling tracking of flashbacks or non-linear jumps.

This manuscript has no flashbacks at this point, so the sequencing tracks 1-to-1. In the manuscript I am editing, it starts in media res, and there are two large jumps back and forth in time.

Being in a spreadsheet table, I can sort the story by narrative or chronology, which helps me track logical progressions that I might miss otherwise.

Sentiment: A numerical indicator of the scene’s emotional tone, from deeply negative (–5) to strongly positive (+5).

I like to track sentiment, so I can provide emotional dynamics to the reader. I don’t want to come across as bleak or euphoric for extended periods.

By this scale, 0 is neutral, -5 is gawdawful, and +5 is over the moon.

In these first two scenes, the protagonist, Kenny, is tracking just under baseline to neutral. Nothing much is happening emotionally, as we are just establishing the place.

Chapter: The chapter or section title in which the scene appears.

The name of this chapter is Iowa.

Plot Points: A summary of key events, revelations, or decisions that occur in the scene.

In scene 1, we have this:

• Narrator establishes his identity, location, and tone.
• Mentions girl, Bruce’s death, and being misunderstood.
• Foreshadows larger story.

Time: When the scene takes place, whether exact or relative (e.g., “early morning,” “flashback,” “six months later”).

We are in the now.

Retrospective/Near-Present

Primary Characters in Scene: The characters actively driving or anchoring the scene.

This is a first-person, present, limited, deep POV story, so Kenny is one with the narrator.

Secondary Characters in Scene: Important but less central characters who influence or are present in the scene.

Kenny is just setting up the scene, and he mentions two secondary characters:

• Bruce (mentioned)
• ‘Her’ (mentioned)

My preference is to scope the characters globally. This means that if some character interacts with a significant character but doesn’t appear elsewhere, I’ll consider them to be a tertiary or minor character. Some writers prefer to track these characters at a scene level. This is a personal preference.

Minor Characters in Scene: Tertiary figures mentioned or briefly appearing without narrative weight.

These are incidental characters that you might want to track in case you want to expand or adjust them.

• Jake (mentioned)
• narrator’s dad (mentioned)

Word Count: The number of words in the scene, useful for pacing and balance.

These are two short scenes: 247 and 502 words.

Emotional Beat/Theme: The scene’s dominant emotional tone or thematic current (e.g., betrayal, longing, discovery).

What’s going on here? Am I conveying what I aim to?

1. Isolation, defensiveness, curiosity
2. Belonging vs alienation; repetition vs rupture

Emotional State: The internal condition or affective register of the POV character(s) during the scene.

What’s the POV character feeling?

1. Guarded, nostalgic, lonely
2. Resigned, mildly boastful, reflective

Scene Function: What the scene accomplishes narratively (e.g., exposition, climax, setup, reversal).

Why does this scene exist? If it doesn’t serve a purpose, get rid of it, or give it one. Make sure every scene builds on characters or advances the plot.

1. Narrator introduction; frame story establishment; tonally primes the reader
2. Establishes rural setting, background on narrator’s world and connections, foreshadows disruption

Character Arc: How a character is developing, stagnating, or regressing within the scene.

Again, ensure your characters(s) have movement. In this story, there are several characters with an arc, but Kenny is the only one being tracked thus far. Being the start of the story, the question is, where does he go from here?

1. Establishes base-level insecurity masked by bravado
2. Solidifies narrator’s self-image and history within town hierarchy

External Stakes: The tangible, real-world risks or consequences present in the scene.

What external considerations might the character be making in this scene, whether they do or don’t do something?

1. Implied social stigma or alienation
2. Community perception and social standing

Internal Stakes: The emotional, psychological, or relational consequences at play.

What internal considerations might the character be making in this scene, whether they do or don’t do something?

1. Fear of being misunderstood or blamed
2. Fear of irrelevance, unresolved identity

Needs Clarification?: A flag to indicate whether a scene contains confusing elements or ambiguous logic.

When sketching a scene idea, you may have unresolved loose ends that you either need to tie up in the scene or somewhere else. Usually, this is more interested in making sure a reader doesn’t leave the scene confused — unless, of course, this is your intent.

Revision Priority: A ranking of how urgently the scene needs refinement.

This is important in a reviewing/editing phase. As you are cleaning up your manuscript, are there massive holes that need to be plugged, or might this just need some minor refinements?

Conflict Type: The dominant form of conflict (e.g., internal, interpersonal, systemic, environmental).

This could be a post of its own, so I won’t belabour the issue here. Readers like conflict. It gives something to resolve. Is this conflict related to the person, their past, another person, their environment, society, and so on? Document it here. Several conflicts make for more complex characters and stories.

1. Internal (identity, credibility)
2. Internal (identity vs environment)

Turning Point?: Whether the scene marks a key reversal or decision point in the narrative.

In this case, the first scene has now; the second does.

1. No
2. Yes

Turning Point Direction: Indicates the shift’s trajectory (positive, negative, neutral, ambiguous).

If there is a turning point, what’s the direction? A stable or lateral vector is fine.

1. None
2. Foreshadows disruption

Direction Commentary: A brief rationale for how and why the narrative tone or direction changes.

If there is a shift in direction, what is it? This might help to orient you when scanning, so you can know in the scene where to edit.

1. None
2. Last line (“Until that day”) subtly transitions from ordinary routine into impending change

This next section captures how the scene functions from several perspectives.

Reinforces: Themes, motifs, or ideas the scene strengthens.

1. Narrator’s parochial worldview, potential unreliability
2. Small-town realism, emotional flatness, rural masculinity

Undermines: Themes or ideas the scene weakens, contradicts, or questions.

I like to subvert tropes and expectations as well as make social commentary, so this can be informative for me. In this case, I want to depict these things in a different light.

1. Traditional heroic framing
2. Romanticisation of small-town life

Reveals: New information, secrets, or understandings brought to light.

What does this scene reveal?

1. Setting, tone, perspective
2. Social fabric of the town, Kenny’s values and limitations

Conceals: Key details or truths the scene deliberately withholds.

In the first scene, I mention matter-of-factly,

1. Real details of Bruce’s death and who ‘she’ is
2. The event that disrupted the routine

So the reader knows there’s a “Bruce” and a “she,” but who they are remains to be seen. And Bruce died. How?

Distorts: Misunderstandings, biases, or unreliable elements introduced.

This is getting more nitpicky, but sometimes I like to obscur some things?

1. Narrator’s reliability and possible biases
2. Self-perception vs actual social role

Is this a reliable narrator? Even if he wants to be, is his perception accurate?

Inverts: Role, expectation, or thematic reversals subverted in the scene.

I like to subvert tropes and expectations here, too. This can also be used to intentionally have a character act out of character.

1. Traditional ‘boy meets girl’ trope
2. The classic “tight-knit community” mythos

Echoes: Recurrent phrases, images, or patterns from earlier scenes or motifs.

Early on, this most captures echoes of the external world, as this does. Later on, a scene might echo (and perhaps amplify) a prior scene.

1. Small-town fatalism
2. American nostalgia, masculine banality

Revision Commentary: Notes on potential rewrites, improvements, or cautions.

Here, the AI gods advise me to streamline these scenes, but I answer to no gods. 😉

1. Could trim repetition or streamline internal monologue for pacing
2. Minor streamlining of “rural inventory” might improve pacing without losing tone

Punch List: Specific edits or action items needed in revision.

If there are revisions to be made, capture them here, so you’ll remember what you were thinking about when you suggested a revision. In this case, the reminder is the same. Too late, it’s already published.

1. None
2. Possibly trim town description repetition

Resolved?: Whether the scene’s tension, question, or arc has been closed.

In both case, the answer here is no. Being an opening scene, hopefully, this open issues and questions – unless you prefer to resolve everything immediately.

Location: Where the scene is physically set—important for continuity, blocking, and worldbuilding.

This is setting information. This will be more helpful in a complex environment. In this case, there’s not a lot to say. He’s on his front porch step, rambling away about his town and his story.

1. Iowa, unspecified small town
2. Iowa, narrator’s town and neighbouring town

ChatGPT and Plot Matrices

After completing my manuscript, say a first draft, I feed it into a ChatGPT project. Then I run this prompt.

Let's use this format. I'll provide the value of (X). From where we are, Narrative and Chronological orders have converged and will remain so. They are equal to Row ID - 1. I'll use Row ID (X) as a reference marker.

Row ID (2), Narrative Order (), Chronological Order (), Sentiment, (Integer: Range between -5 and +5), Chapter (Iowa), Plot Points, Time, Primary Characters in Scene, Secondary Characters in Scene, Minor Characters in Scene, Word Count (247), Emotional Beat/Theme, Emotional State, Scene Function, Character Arc, External Stakes, Internal Stakes, Needs Clarification?, Revision Priority, Conflict Type, Turning Point?, Turning Point Direction, Direction Commentary, Reinforces, Undermines, Reveals, Conceals, Distorts, Inverts, Echoes, Revison Commentary, Punch List, Resolved?, Location

I know you’ve heard this before.

Boy meets girl. Different places. Different cultures.

Not quite Romeo and Juliet. Not yet, anyway.

It could’ve been Nebraska. Montana. Oklahoma.

But it wasn’t. We’re in Iowa.

I remember the first time I saw her—or saw them.

But I want to talk about her.

And yes, the misunderstanding.

But I’ll get to that. Don’t rush me.

Everyone wants to hear about how Bruce died.

Another misunderstanding. These things happen.

It wasn’t her fault.

It wasn’t mine.

I wasn’t even there.

But she was. And he was.

Let’s go back to the start.

It was over a year ago.

A bit before that.

But first, let’s set the facts straight. I’m a 
regular guy. Graduated high school. Not some conspiracy theorist, if that’s what you’re thinking.

Never left Iowa. Not even for college. The furthest 
I’ve been’s Jake’s and the flea market a couple towns West. I know this place the way some folks know scripture—by scent, not verse. The way the soybean dust hits your throat during harvest. The way old barn wood smells after rain.

I believe in Jesus, but I’m not one of those Jesus freaks. Don’t paint me with that broad brush. 

And I’m not one of them incels either. I’ve had girls. I’ll tell you about Jake’s. I even had a girlfriend for a few weeks, but it didn’t work out. A guy needs some space. That’s all. I’m sure you know what I mean.

I find that ChatGPT isn’t great tracking within larger documents, so I’ll pass in a section at a time, as shown above. This is the first scene of the first chapter of Substance.

Noticing that this scene sets up a flashback to a year in the past, the narrative and chronological order values should differ. Since this is just an example, I hope you learn from my mistakes. Also, I’d reorder the columns next time, but I created this prompt in steps as I progressed.

You need to be careful about what AI outputs. Don’t take it all at face value. If you incorporate a lot of nuance or subtext, the AI will likely miss the point. AI is a low-context system. Most communication in the West (notably excepting the South in the United States) is high-context.

High-context cultures rely heavily on shared understanding, nonverbal cues, and implied meaning—much is left unsaid because context fills in the gaps.
Low-context cultures prioritise explicit, direct communication where meaning is made clear through words, not assumptions.

The AI picks out the plot points from your passage. This is usually uncontroversial.

The way ChatGPT uses Time could be better. This is almost an extension of the setting. What I was initially hoping for in my more complex story is a method to ensure my timeline wasn’t convoluted. I didn’t want to have a pregnancy delivery flashback to a conception two weeks earlier – unless that is an intentional plot point… or we’re talking about flies or something.

I find that some of the scene descriptions are a bit suss, but you can tweak them if they are too far off target. To be fair, you can share your manuscript with a dozen readers and get a dozen renditions – none of them in line with your own. It happens.

I commented on the Revision Commentary earlier. Just like a human editor, you can take or leave the advice. In the end, the writing is that of the author.

In many cases, you can ask the AI to elaborate: What do you mean it’s too long? or some such.

Or you can explain your intent. For example, I wrote another book and intentionally left it open-ended. The AI came back with, What happened?

I explained that the reader could draw their own conclusions, and the AI came into line.

One parting thought: You may pass the same passage through the same AI several times and get several outputs. They aren’t usually diametric, but be aware of this. Also, if you run this on Claude, Perplexity, or another platform, your results might vary there, too.

Anyway, if you got this far, what did you think? Do you use pilot grids? Do you use AI to assist in your editing? I use AI for research. Do you? Some people use AI for writing. I’m not as keen on this, but I’m not judging.