| "By failing to plan, you are planning to fail." | | | | creating conflict. |
| Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) | | | | This could be a conflict between the characters |
| A good story is made up of a logical beginning, a | | | | you have already introduced, or it could be an |
| bumpy middle and a satisfying end. But a good | | | | inner conflict within the thought processes of your |
| plot is made up of more than just these three | | | | protagonist. Perhaps your plot involves an |
| basics. | | | | adversary or an obstacle for your hero to |
| Plotting an entire novel is a complex task, best | | | | overcome. |
| summed up by saying it is the author's way of | | | | Whatever type of conflict you choose to insert |
| showing the reader the events as they are | | | | into your story, it must be clearly drawn so that |
| unfolding. A successful plot depends largely on | | | | the reader is left in no doubt as to the difficulty |
| how the author chooses to display those events | | | | facing your hero. Reversals are a relatively simple |
| as they unfold. | | | | way to introduce conflict and tension to a plot line. |
| A carefully crafted plot-line, interwoven with | | | | Introduce a reversal of events, which stops your |
| clever characterizations, tightly written dialogue | | | | protagonist from reaching her goal. Your heroine |
| and enough action to hold a reader's attention are | | | | will be surprised by the change in events, and |
| only some of the factors which determine | | | | forced to act upon the new situation at hand. |
| whether a book is a memorable journey, or | | | | Just as you bring this first conflict to a satisfying |
| merely a story moving through the motions from | | | | resolution, step up the tension another notch, and |
| start to finish. | | | | introduce another, more demanding obstacle to |
| Let's look at some of the ingredients you will need | | | | impede your hero. |
| to include into a successful plot-line. | | | | The obstacles you insert should become |
| The Hook | | | | increasingly more difficult, building toward one |
| Beginning a long story, such as a novel-length | | | | major climactic scene. |
| work, with a detailed description of the | | | | Sub-Plots |
| surroundings, the setting and the people who will | | | | As in real life, no person ever lives their life |
| be involved in the rest of the story is no fun for | | | | focused on one solitary event. The same should |
| a reader. The author has offered his reader no | | | | be true for your characters. |
| real temptation to continue turning pages to find | | | | Your hero will not be single-mindedly consumed by |
| out what happens next. | | | | the obstacle you have placed in his path. He will |
| You must lure the reader into wanting to continue | | | | still have family, friends, a job, romantic |
| deeper into your fictional world by introducing | | | | involvements, responsibilities, a social life, and |
| some form of action at the outset. This will throw | | | | many other things, although none of these outside |
| your audience into the thick of things, and tempt | | | | things should over-shadow the main point of your |
| them to keep turning pages to find out what | | | | story. They are simply the mundane trivialities of |
| happens next. All the creatively-crafted description | | | | life that will make your story more believable, |
| in the world won't hold a reader's interest as well | | | | because your hero will still have to face these, no |
| as a strong opening action scene. | | | | matter what other horrors he might be facing. |
| Action, in this instance, does not specifically mean | | | | But be warned. A sub-plot is not a good excuse |
| a wild car chase, or a shoot-out. But it should | | | | to add a lengthy romantic interlude (unless, of |
| involve some aspect of conflict, difficulty or | | | | course, you are writing romance!). Nor is it a place |
| obstacle which will entice a reader into wanting to | | | | to 'pad' your novel to increase the word count. |
| find out how your character got himself into that | | | | Climax |
| predicament in the first place. | | | | This is often the hardest part of a novel-length |
| Characters | | | | work to plan for, and even harder to write. You |
| The best stories are usually about interesting, | | | | may know in your mind that the hero beats the |
| likable people facing extraordinary situations. | | | | bad guy, the girl gets her man, and they live |
| Heroes are never perfect. In fact, it is usually | | | | happily ever after, but what about the details |
| because of his or her flaws that a hero becomes | | | | behind your characters getting all these things? |
| more endearing. | | | | Have you created a believable build-up to this final |
| Work on displaying your protagonist's strengths | | | | pay-off? Having a great showdown scene without |
| and weaknesses through his actions and dialogue. | | | | explaining why it is a necessary step for your |
| Showing your reader how a character reacts to a | | | | characters to take can make your reader feel |
| situation tells more about that person than a | | | | cheated, and make your story seem contrived. |
| lengthy, boring chunk of narrative can. Similarly, | | | | Are there any reasons why this conflict couldn't |
| how your hero reacts to the characters around | | | | be resolved another way? If there is any other |
| him can highlight much about his personality. | | | | possible outcome, you can be sure that your |
| Villains should be no exception to this rule. Allowing | | | | audience will think of it, and wonder why you |
| your protagonist to defeat the 'bad guy' just | | | | didn't. Set up your obstacles so that the only |
| because he is a bad guy will make your villain | | | | possible remaining outcome is the big final climactic |
| appear weak and one-dimensional. Creating a | | | | showdown you have planned. Your readers will |
| worthy opponent capable of defeating your hero, | | | | probably see it coming, but at least they won't |
| complete with intelligence, skill and charm, will | | | | feel cheated. |
| make your story more engaging because of its | | | | Denouement |
| realism. | | | | A 'denouement' is the 'wrapping up' of all the little |
| It will also force your audience to care more | | | | loose ends of your story. |
| about what happens to your hero, especially when | | | | It is almost like the epilogue in a film, or the "They |
| you make it clear that your hero could possibly be | | | | lived happily ever after" portion of a story. |
| beaten by this worthy opponent. | | | | After such an intense climactic scene, it is often |
| Introducing strong leading characters during your | | | | necessary to include a wrap-up. This has the dual |
| 'hook' will involve your reader with their situation | | | | effect of tying up all of the sub-plots to a |
| immediately, but it is ultimately the characters | | | | satisfying conclusion, and also showing your |
| themselves, and how they handle their | | | | audience that life after the big showdown is still |
| predicament, that will remain fixed in the memory | | | | continuing, although with some very apparent |
| of a reader long after the book has been finished. | | | | changes. |
| Conflict | | | | Remembering to include all of these things into a |
| Once you have your reader firmly hooked, and | | | | novel can seem daunting, but if you spend a little |
| you have him caring about what happens to your | | | | time in the planning stage, your story will benefit |
| characters, you must step up the tension by | | | | from it in the end. |