Inciting Incident. Every story has this event. The Inciting Event is responsible for throwing the protagonist
headlong into the path of trouble/conflict or problem.
Plan. It’s what the Main Characters decides to do, to thwart
the obstacle, to bypass the roadblocks and overcome the Antagonist. This is a
course of action the MC decides upon to tackle the problem at hand.
Game. Every conflict is like a game where there is only one
winner; either the protagonist or the antagonist. The result depends on who
plays smartly and aggressively. The game and its rules come into play here. Who
has the odds stacked against them? Who is the Dark Horse?
Changing Obstacles.
These obstacles in the story keep changing, very often they
grow not only in size, but also change their direction and shape. The introductory
of sub - plots comes into focus here.
This change of direction can get the protagonist into more trouble and make the
antagonist more powerful.
Plot
Twist. These curves in the path of the plot
help to set the pace. Many times plot twists happen when new characters arrive or the old ones wave a
goodbye.
Sometimes
even the unexpected actions of few trusted characters bring about a twist in
the plot.
Dark Moment. This is the moment when the Main Character is left completely
alone. He or she has to now trek the route to victory only on the sheer
strength of his or her own efforts. External help may or may not
come. But the war started has to be waged and the battle fought.
Epiphany. The moment of Epiphany
brings about an illumination. It’s the moment when things fall in place
and the path ahead is clear as though someone has showed the Protagonist a
roadmap complete with detailed directions. A light bulb literally lights up.
New Plan. With the moment of Epiphany a new course of action is
charted, new plans made. Once again there is a change of speed.
Cliffhanger. The Cliffhanger sees the execution of the new
plan/s. Will they bear fruit? Will the protagonist fall flat? Will the
antagonist win because of the protagonist’s foolishness. It’s the moment that
adds tension.
Climax. The final battle is fought. The protagonist is all set
to do or die, while the antagonist is all ready to kill or be killed.
Ending. Where perfect resolutions find their true place and the
loose ends are tied together.
These are the plot points I loosely base my stories on. They are like a
rough map that help me chart the course of action the protagonist takes and the
plans he or she makes. What about you all. How do you plot your stories? We all
would love to get familiar with your individual processes, as I am sure we can
learn a lot from it
Yep, most good stories have these plot points. We once had a debate in creative writing class about whether or not following this classic story structure hurt spontaneity and we concluded that it did not, it only helped because it gave a structure in which spontaneity could blossom.
ReplyDeleteJai
I think I recognise this in most stories. You can also use this to plan a synopsis. Thanks Rachna.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better than Jai!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your explanations of each term. I'm familiar, as are most writers, I think, with the terms: plot, climax, resolution, protagonist, antagonist, etc. But I like how you dealt with the entire list, as part of the whole story plan. I'm sure every story needs plot twists and cliff hangers as well as the rising action and climax, etc. this is a nice road map.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you for this!!! I'm going to measure up my WIp right now and see if I hit all of these points. I love maps like this, I'm a nerd that way. =)
ReplyDeleteI like this - it's similar to the plot structure I'm using for my Nano novel.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing it with us!
This is a good breakdown. I would essentially use these points with varying emphasis depending on the type of the story.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out and the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2011
This is a great way of mapping the structure of a novel. It's a similar plan to what I've used in the past.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff! Love the breakdown here. Like Lee said, it could vary by story but it's all there.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend! :)
This is really useful. My only worry is it shows me now how much I'm missing in my novels!
ReplyDeleteYes. These are all excellent elements of a novel, especially plot points that are a major part of screenwriting. I learned a lot a few years ago when I tried to write several screenplays (which more and more I'm thinking about going back to). I learned about plot points, and how action is character, character is action. And about the importance of the scene. Dialogue isn't the main thing in a film; some films have very little. But in a book dialogue can be paramount. Also in a book, you can get inside the mind(s) of the character(s). I'd highly recommend studying the art of screenwriting; it helped me a lot when I finally wrote my full length book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the helpful information, and for stopping by my blog. I always enjoy seeing your lovely face and reading your comment.
Ann Best, Author @ Long Journey Home
Ann Best, Author @ Long Journey Home
Nice post, Rachna. For a new writer it can seem like a daunting task. But it all just falls together as we write. :)
ReplyDeleteYou've got it exactly right Rachna! These are all great elements that make a good story, although they can vary depending on the story :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent post with the explanations of each of the elements. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome post, Rachna!
ReplyDeleteI never get tired of reading about plot structure!
ReplyDeleteThanks for laying it out there. Now all we have to do is come up with a brilliant story!!!