Can we use a spreadsheet to plot our novels?   Some authors do.   Here are thoughts about using Excel for outlining a story.   Also, most main characters in a novel tell the truth to the reader.   But some don't.   Sometimes an unreliable narrator is a strong tool for plotting.   Plus, should authors fiddle with the speed of time in our novels?   Hurrying time and skipping time?   Here are some techniques regarding the flow of time in our stories.