Introduction

I don’t know about you, but for me, some story ideas come into form in a full-fledged concept, while others come as a single line of text. The notes in my phone are filled with probably over a hundred “Story Idea” notes that are nothing more than a line or two. The rest is a blank page. I keep those notes until the time I’m ready to expand them into an outline after whatever their incubation period ends up being. There are many methods we could use to expand this one line, one concept, one image idea into a story, but today we’ll look at Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake Method.

The Snowflake Method offers a systematic approach to novel planning that helps you build layers from a simple concept. Ingermanson’s method mimics the mathematical fractal patterns of a snowflake. Your story will start high in the sky as a small and simple snowflake, and by the time it reaches the page in front of you, it will have formed into a latticework of beauty. Also, if you haven’t read the book, it’s a great lesson in storytelling that will entertain you and help your writing at the same time.

Understanding the Snowflake Method Foundation

What Makes the Snowflake Method Unique

The Snowflake method is known for focusing on iterative processes instead of linear planning. Many writers find this freeing as it breaks away from the classic: plot out your entire novel, write it, then go back and decide what it’s truly about. The Snowflake method focuses on using the core concept of your story to expand and fill in the minor details. Like the example used in the book, if you try to draw a perfect snowflake on the first try it won’t work, but if you draw it one layer at a time, you’ll get it right each time.

The Ten-Step Process Overview

Ingermanson uses the iterative concept, much like DIYMFA, and starts with the core of your story. You’ll start small with the one-sentence summary. That sounds easy, but he recommends taking an hour to do it. I don’t know how many of you have tried to write this one-sentence summary after you finish your book, but the hour is very respectful of the process. From there, you’ll be alternating between plot and character until you actually start writing the first draft. In between your iterations with character and plot will grow, and give you information for your story you might have missed otherwise.

While it may seem repetitive, the thing about writing is that it is repetitive. Think of how many times you’re going to read the same scene, chapter, or character before you think it’s close enough to right. The Snowflake Method just tries to get those iterations in before you have to overhaul a 90K-120K novel now.

Why Structure Matters for Creative Writers

If you hate plotting, give me a minute to defend the Snowflake method. I used to be a proud pantser—writing by instinct, no outlines, just vibes. If it’s good enough for Stephen King, it’s good enough for me, right? But here’s the problem: my stories would hit 13,000 or 30,000 words, and I’d feel completely lost. They’re still sitting unfinished because I had no roadmap.

The Snowflake method offers structure without killing creativity. In fact, structure enhances creativity by giving you a framework to innovate. When you know the skeleton of your story, you’re free to focus on the flesh—the dialogue, the twists, the emotional beats—without worrying about collapsing halfway through.

Many bestselling authors rely on structured approaches. Brandon Sanderson uses detailed outlines to craft his intricate worlds. J.K. Rowling famously plotted the entire Harry Potter series before writing book one. James Patterson creates chapter-by-chapter outlines for his thrillers. They prove that structure doesn’t stifle imagination—it amplifies it.

The Snowflake method helps you discover your story by bouncing between character and plot, each shaping the other. Yes, it involves some plotting—but it’s character-driven and flexible. If your story changes as you write, you can easily update your outline. That means you stay inspired without getting stuck.

Writing Exercise: Building Your Snowflake

Step 1: Choose one of the one-line story ideas from your phone or notebook. If you don’t have one, create a brand new concept right now in a single sentence. Set your timer for 5 minutes and write a one-sentence summary of your story. Remember Ingermanson’s advice—this is harder than it sounds. Focus on capturing the essence: who is your protagonist, what do they want, and what stands in their way? Revise it until it feels right.

Step 2: Now expand that sentence into a paragraph. You have 5 minutes to write a one-paragraph summary that includes your setup, major conflicts, and how the story ends. Don’t overthink it—just let the sentence guide you into the next layer of detail. What happens first? What’s the crisis? How does it resolve?

Step 3: Character layer. Pick your protagonist from that paragraph and write continuously about them for 5 minutes. What’s their name? What do they want more than anything? What’s stopping them from getting it? What will they learn or how will they change? Let your character inform your plot, and notice if any details you discover change what you wrote in your paragraph.

Bonus challenge: If you finish early, start sketching out your antagonist or the major obstacle in the same way.

Conclusion

The Snowflake Method isn’t about constraining your creativity—it’s about channeling it. Whether you’re staring at a one-line note in your phone or drowning in the middle of an unfinished manuscript, this iterative approach gives you a way forward. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. You just need that single sentence, that core idea, and the willingness to let it grow layer by layer. The beauty of the snowflake is that it’s both structured and organic, both planned and discovered. So, take that story idea that’s been sitting in your notes, and start building your snowflake. One sentence. One layer. One step at a time.

Additional Resources

Books:

• “Writing Fiction for Dummies” by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy
• “Writing a Novel with the Snowflake Method” by Randy Ingermanson

Online Tools:

• Randy Ingermanson’s official Snowflake Method website

Previous Post: The “Save the Cat” Beat Sheet: A Modern Approach to Structure

Next Post: The “Try/Fail Cycle”: Creating Compelling Obstacles