There’s a lot to unpack in the new Author Dashboard powered by Marlowe 3.0. Our updated model is significantly more powerful than the first two versions of Marlowe, and we’ve taken great care to optimize it for a more user-friendly experience filled with actionable feedback.
Today, let’s take a deep dive into the Plot analysis section of the dashboard, available to all Marlowe Pro subscribers. To access it, log into your account at authors.ai. You’ll land on your My Documents page. Upload your manuscript or select one you’ve previously uploaded.
Click on the Plot analysis tab in the sidebar and you’ll be taken here — one of the most in-depth sections of your personalized report. The first time through, you may want to watch the three-minute video walkthrough of Marlowe’s plot turns analysis by our CEO, Alessandra Torre.
The graph at top, created by our data scientists with input from bestselling authors, offers a high-level snapshot of the major plot turns in your novel. Hover over any peak or valley to see what’s happening in your story at that point.
Identifying your story’s highs and lows
Marlowe looks for the emotional high points and low points of your narrative — scenes that reflect shifts in the story’s valence, or emotional temperature, which propel the story forward.
Think of the graph as capturing the emotional arc of your story — a visualization of your characters’ emotional journey. Upward slopes represent moments of conflict resolution, where the mood turns hopeful or positive (joy, excitement, love, relief). Downward dips show darker moments or complications that create new obstacles and challenges for your protagonists.
You should see plenty of peaks and valleys. If your plot line looks relatively flat, that may signal a lack of tension or variation to keep readers turning pages.
Our data scientists have analyzed thousands of bestsellers and uncovered consistent patterns. It’s important to consider not only where your plot turns occur but also their intensity. One key finding: 90 percent of bestsellers include at least one high point and one low point that extend into the tinted blocks at the top and bottom of the graph. Does yours?
Plot turns and story elements to revisit
Marlowe identifies the major emotional plot turns in your manuscript and lists them concisely in the “Major plot turns” subsection of your report. Across hundreds of manuscripts, we’ve found that Marlowe can detect these within seconds — a task that might take a human editor hours.
Marlowe also identifies the major subplots that branch off from your main storyline. As you scroll down the page, you’ll find additional subsections, including:
- Foreshadowing. Here, Marlowe evaluates whether your story’s major action scenes and plot twists — both external and internal — have been properly foreshadowed. No event should feel like a convenient deus ex machina. Ask yourself: Is the foreshadowing clear without being too obvious? Does it enhance tension and intrigue? Marlowe highlights key events or behavioral changes that could benefit from stronger setup, as well as any foreshadowing without a payoff.
- Unresolved plot threads. Not every minor thread needs a tidy conclusion, but major ones do. Before sending your manuscript to beta readers (whose feedback can be brutally honest), run it through Marlowe to catch unresolved plot holes and unclear storylines.
Plot revisions to consider
We believe authors should remain at the center of the creative process. Artificial intelligence can only go so far in suggesting revisions that fit your unique narrative. Some of Marlowe’s recommendations will resonate immediately, some won’t, and others might not fit perfectly but could spark new ideas that lead to surprising and rewarding story developments.
As you gain more experience, you’ll develop an intuitive sense of how to weave in plot turns naturally — so they don’t feel forced or melodramatic. You’ll begin to recognize the rhythm of a well-told story, with twists and revelations that emerge at just the right moments, whether near the midpoint or leading up to the climax.
For newer authors, the “Tips on plot turns” and “Techniques for mastering plot turns” subsections provide guidance on tried-and-true literary strategies. A strong plot turn raises the stakes, shifts the story’s direction, and propels the narrative into the next conflict or major event.
Don’t write your novel in a vacuum — see how bestselling authors do it. That’s what the SELECT COMPS button is for. Choose up to four comparable titles to see how top authors in your genre handle plot turns in their bestselling novels.
Have questions about any of this? Join the conversation in the Authors A.I. Facebook group — I’d love to discuss it with you there.
