Writing, Self-Publishing, Book Marketing

Write Your Book: Structuring Your Plot

February 2, 2010 at 12:39 pm mbutler22 Leave a comment

It is 2 a.m. and I am fighting sleep. In the morning, when I sip my coffee, eyes half open, I may regret my decision to read just one more page. One more page, then write, then one more page — that was my thought process. I was…or am…entangled in the gradual climb of characters that I have come to care about and their story that is now part of my own. I have succumbed to the plot.  

The Plot — how is it done? What magical ingredient is blended in with the words to turn pages? And where do we, as writers, discover and develop our own hook?

A plot is simply the casual sequence of events within a story along with the Why each event happened — the plot draws you into the character’s lives and helps you to understand each character choice. Narrative tradition calls for developing stories with particular pieces — plot elements — in place.

1. Exposition — the information needed to understand a story. The exposition is when you introduce the reader to the setting, the characters and the situation (conflict) in which they find themselves. Show how the situation drives the character from their normal life toward a different conflicting situation, beginning the outline for the story.
2. Complication (Action) — situations which develop the story through a series of complications and obstacles and the rising and falling of tension. Continually raise the stakes of your character’s emotional journey. Remember to advance both inner and outer conflicts, having them work together to show hope and disappointment. Include unexpected turns of events by surprising your readers with character actions and the surrounding events.     
3. Climax — the moment when tension runs deepest and stakes are at their highest and danger its worst. For example, right before an expected story turn, the character reaches the point in which all is lost and the goal unreachable. But then, characters then draw upon new strengths or lessons that can bring the story to a conclusion. 
4. Resolution — ties together any loose ends and allows the reader to see outcomes of character decisions. A resolution shows evidence of positive changes in the characters and surrounding events.

When writing your story, keep in mind that there is not a single right or wrong way to develop plot structure. Good structure can have multiple forms, so try not to over focus on the plot. Allow your plot to become a natural outcome of the route of your story — emerging from your setup of characters, their conflicts and the setting. Layout the sequence of events and determine which story techniques work. Use tips and advise solely as a map. The finding of your own path deep within yourself is the pleasure of writing and will lead you through the creation and development of your story’s plot.

Tomorrow: Insight into the Importance of Conflict.

–Melissa

Entry filed under: Writing. Tags: Developing Plot, Plot, Plot Development, Plot Structure, Self-Publishing, Tips on Plot, Tips on Plot Development, Writing.