{"id":1032,"date":"2019-02-13T13:19:03","date_gmt":"2019-02-13T18:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/?p=1032"},"modified":"2019-02-13T13:19:03","modified_gmt":"2019-02-13T18:19:03","slug":"plotting-plot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/13\/plotting-plot\/","title":{"rendered":"Plotting Plot"},"content":{"rendered":"

On November 25, 2018, Superb\u2665Girl wrote, I have a problem\u2013a big one.<\/em><\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t for any WIP in particular, but my writing in general. I have total confidence in the my world-building, and I quite love my characters\u2013but for the life of me, plot is something I just can\u2019t tackle.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many of you chimed in.<\/p>\n

Melissa Mead: I approach plot with great trepidation and trembling. Which is probably why I write sooo slowly.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been checking out the Snowflake Method recently. (Note: I haven\u2019t actually BOUGHT anything. I just read the article: https:\/\/www.advancedfictionwriting.com\/articles\/snowflake-method\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Sara: I have plot troubles too. Sometimes it\u2019s so hard to find the solution to things, or to even create a substantial problem in the first place. My advice is lots of trial and error, exploring everything you think of, and research, both on plotting in general and on whatever your subject is.<\/em><\/p>\n

Kyryiann: I mainly start with the character and the world as well. As a pantser, I tend to come up with plot as I go, starting with just one main idea \u2013 like \u201chey, it would be cool to write a story about a spy!” \u2013 and building it up and branching out from there.<\/em><\/p>\n

Writeforfun: It\u2019s funny, I\u2019m the other way around! I always start with plot! Although, you can\u2019t really have a plot without a vague idea of the sort of characters that are in it, I suppose, so perhaps you could say that I start with characters as well as the plot. For me, I have to know what the story is about before I can really develop any of the characters or bother with the world it\u2019s in. The exception to that would be the sequels I\u2019ve written to one of my original books, which naturally came with a pre-made cast of characters; but even those I only wrote because I had a story in mind that they happened to fit into nicely.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now that I think about it, I think my current book may be the first one I\u2019ve intentionally started without a plot already formed in my head \u2013 after my computer crashed and I lost my previous stories, I needed a fresh start. There are certain personalities and themes that I\u2019m drawn to in stories, so I tried to think of a character and plot that would include one \u2013 in this case, a misfit with self-confidence issues who must learn to accept himself \u2013 and figure out what sort of plot would explore that. I started thinking of things that would challenge and grow my character as an individual, as well as the grand-scheme conflict (in this case a looming war) to introduce some bigger dangers. I thought of how a few more characters could help further the story, even bring a bit of their own into it\u2026and from these fragments I pieced together the idea for my tale. As the story came along, the characters kind of evolved into it. Once I had the story and characters, I came up with a world to put them in. I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s backwards \u2013 but it worked for me, at least!<\/em><\/p>\n

Perhaps I begin with plot because I am a planner; I simply must have at least a general idea of where my plot is going. If I don\u2019t, I\u2019ll simply meander into nothing but pointless dialogue before giving up. Having a concept of where I\u2019m going keeps me on track; the surprise for me, then, is seeing exactly how things unfold, how conversations go, unexpected subplots that pop up, and the occasional character that surprises me and breaks out of the plan I had set.<\/em><\/p>\n

But, at least for me, it all starts with an original plot!<\/em><\/p>\n

Christie V Powell: KM Weiland\u2019s website has a lot of ads for her printed books, but all of the information is available for free on her blog. Her series on Story Structure starts here: https:\/\/www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com\/secrets-story-structure-complete-series\/<\/a><\/em>
\nAnd her series on incorporating character arcs into plot starts here: https:\/\/www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com\/write-character-arcs\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Last year, I started a story just pantsing, and it turned into a huge mess that\u2019s taken me over a year, so far, to edit into something publishable. I did two for NaNo this year that are a lot smoother and will take a ton less editing, because I have the story structure in place. So having an organized system works a lot better for me.<\/em><\/p>\n

I also liked the book \u201cStory Genius\u201d by Lisa Cron, which has a similar system for using character to create plot.<\/em><\/p>\n

Song4myKing: Unfortunately, I don’t have nearly as much time to write as I would like, so I usually have mulled the story around and around in my head and gotten a good sense of what will and what won’t work before I even start to write. Some of my stories have sprung from an intriguing world-building idea. One story comes from one of the biggest threats my characters in that world face, just because of the nature of the people and their environment. Another one came out of my wondering how this environment came to be, thousands of years earlier. Both of these have a fairly obvious place to begin, and I know where I want it to end up.<\/em><\/p>\n

But the two stories I’ve gotten most excited about developed a little less logically. The seed ideas for both of them were dreams. Basically, when I woke up, I had a scene in my head complete with action, characters, and emotion. And I wanted to figure out what in the world was going on, and it had to make sense in the wide-awake daylight. I think the emotion helped. For one thing, it made me care. For another, it gave me a direction to start searching. I thought of a number of different scenarios and discarded them, because they didn’t really pack the right emotional wallop. Either that, or they had the right emotion, but lacked in the common sense department. Then once I had a context that seemed to fit, that context was the plot. It was a conflict, and it had to have a beginning, and it had to go somewhere. And I had to follow it and figure out where I wanted it to end up.<\/em><\/p>\n

I haven’t yet tried to stir up this process artificially, but I want to try it the next time I’m stuck, or wanting to start something new. Here’s how I might try it: take a snippet of overheard or imagined conversation or a little action with its reaction, add two or three faces from a WIP or from random strangers on Pinterest character boards, pick an emotion (a negative one), add a second emotion that could be connected but is not a synonym to the first one, mix well, mentally narrate the scene, then stare out a window on a rainy day and ask “Why?”<\/em><\/p>\n

Remember, no idea is too crazy to play with! The freedom of mental narration is that no one else can possibly read it but yourself. No one else will know how many weird possibilities you entertained before you found what worked.<\/em><\/p>\n

These are great!<\/p>\n

I want to summarize them for everyone to use, but first, a quick word about plot. What\u2019s at its dark heart? Conflict! Trouble! Misery for our MCs! That\u2019s what we most need to keep in mind when we think about plot.<\/p>\n

Kyryiann comes up with a main idea, like a story about a spy. Spy suggests danger. We ask where and upon whom our spy is spying. Why? What\u2019s the mission? As we answer these questions, provisionally at the beginning, our world, our characters, and our plot emerge. We remember that we have to make trouble, often, if not constantly.<\/p>\n

Writeforfun: Knowing what the story is about and what themes she\u2019s drawn to, like self-acceptance. Here we start with a theme: self-acceptance. Which, naturally, suggests that at the outset our MC doesn\u2019t accept herself. And what does that imply? Yes! Conflict! We think about which aspects of herself she doesn\u2019t accept and whether or not she\u2019s right. What can we bring in to force a climax? Are we writing an action-oriented story, or an interior one? Because the kind of conflict will be different. What other characters can we bring in to intensify her dissatisfaction? Who will hurt her? who will help her? Who will do both?<\/p>\n

Like Writeforfun, I\u2019m charmed by seeing where a bare-bones story takes me as I flesh it out. Surprises abound.<\/p>\n

Christie V Powell has to have a story structure in place before she starts writing, which means that discovering the conflict and the way it works out start earlier, and the steps to resolution will be planned, probably in an outline. We can do that, too, so that we see our way clear to the end. Our characters struggle, but we\u2019re secure!<\/p>\n

Song4myKing mulls her ideas over and gets them somewhat set before she starts. I do that, too, but usually once my story is underway.<\/p>\n

Some of her plots come from world-building, and Superb\u2665Girl enjoys world-building. In this case, we think about the opportunities for conflict in the world. For example, Winston Churchill said (two months after I was born\u2013I just looked it up) that democracy is the worst system of government, except for all the others. Suppose we have our world ruled by a committee of the wise. What could go wrong? We probe and uncover what does\u2013the conflict. We think about the characters we have in mind for the committee. How will they be part of the mess? What will their personalities lead them to do in response? What can we have them do to intensify the trouble? Who will suffer to make matters better?<\/p>\n

Song4myKing was lucky enough to be graced twice by dreams that matured into stories. A useful aspect of the dreams was the emotion. We can use that. We start with a feeling, probably not happiness: foreboding, fear, out-of-control giddiness, or something else. Working backward, we wonder what caused it. Who was involved?<\/p>\n

Many writers begin with a character who wants something he can\u2019t have easily. Again, we\u2019re looking for conflict. Superb\u2665Girl loves her characters. After we decide which ones are our MCs, we need to think about what would make them miserable. And next what will keep them miserable? And what might they do to become less miserable? How might they fail? How might they succeed, a little? Who in our cast will make them unhappier? What are the actions that will go with all of that?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m with Melissa Mead, in that plot is the hardest part for me, which is one reason that I often go to fairy tales for inspiration, because they already have a plot, and I can borrow it. I\u2019m helped by the gaps in the original versions of these stories. My plot emerges as I figure out why Cinderella obeys her stepfamily, why the evil queen in \u201cSnow White\u201d is so influenced by her mirror, why the prince kisses Sleeping Beauty.<\/p>\n

We all can go to these stories for plot, because they lend themselves to so many interpretations. Same with folk tales, tall tales, myths, Bible stories. And we can dip into history. Many of the big moments have been explored fictionally, but history is enormous and full of drama and lends itself to all kinds of interpretations, like the American Revolution or, really, any war, with vampires\u2013all that delicious blood! We can bring in fantasy elements. The last czar of Russia can be a dragon. Henry VIII can be a wizard, who doesn\u2019t understand what it\u2019s like to be human.<\/p>\n

Here are four prompts:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Henry VIII is<\/em> a wizard, and a tad self-centered. Kill off his last wife, Catherine Parr, in any way you like and give him a seventh, who can be your MC. Write what happens.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Read or reread Jane Eyre\u2013or read a plot summary. Branch off from the original with the tale of St. John Rivers, the suitor turned down by Jane.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Go with the spy idea. Your MC is spying on the secret society, the NVLM. She has to infiltrate the group even though they can all read minds and she can\u2019t. Write how she does it. Keep going and write the story.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Callie can\u2019t stand her own puppy-dog nature. She\u2019s nice to people even if they\u2019re unpleasant to her. If someone blames her for anything, she can barely stay inside her skin, she\u2019s so upset. Someone comes into her life who is distinctly unkind, someone who, for whatever reason you decide, is going to be around for awhile\u2013a new family member, a schoolmate, a teacher, a boss. Write her story.<\/p>\n

Have fun, and save what you write!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On November 25, 2018, Superb\u2665Girl wrote, I have a problem\u2013a big one. This isn\u2019t for any WIP in particular, but my writing in general. I have total confidence in the my world-building, and I quite love my characters\u2013but for the life of me, plot is something I just can\u2019t tackle. Many of you chimed in. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1032"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1032"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1033,"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1032\/revisions\/1033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gailcarsonlevine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}