| All novels have either a plot or a story line. A plot | | | | old rut, day after day and bingo, in the first |
| is event-driven. With a plot, the emphasis is on | | | | chapter, something happens that jars her out of |
| events - things that happen and the protagonist | | | | her rut. |
| comes through relatively unchanged. A plot has its | | | | I like to think in terms of something that would |
| point of recognition delayed to near the end. A | | | | cause me to stop and think, well, now, what do I |
| story line is character-driven. With a story line, the | | | | do now, in this situation that I never expected |
| emphasis is on character and the protagonist | | | | and don't think I can handle. Abortion is a good |
| emerges changed, either for the better or the | | | | flash point which I use in working through |
| worse. In a story line, the reader may see the | | | | examples because it is such a painful and |
| point of recognition but the protagonist doesn't. | | | | emotionally laden topic. In real life, I never discuss |
| In a plot driven novel, you can plot the external | | | | it but, this is fiction. Okay...the character is living a |
| event that kicks off the chain of events that | | | | good solid happy life and suddenly discovers she is |
| forms the backbone of the novel. You can also | | | | pregnant, although she took all precautions. She |
| plot the point of recognition, the major | | | | cannot have child, not in her situation and she |
| complication and the ante-climax complication. | | | | cannot bear the burden of having an abortion. The |
| In the story line based novel, you also plot the | | | | fact is, she is going to have to do one or the |
| external event that kicks off the chain of event | | | | other. Chances are, at the end of this particular |
| and the major complication. However, you don't | | | | tale, her character will have changed. Certainly her |
| plot the point of recognition or the ante-climax | | | | view of who she was has changed. |
| complication because these come out of the | | | | As you begin writing, you may not know if she is |
| character which drives the story. In the story line, | | | | going to have an abortion or a baby, so you don't |
| the character changes and the point of recognition | | | | know the point of recognition or what will cause it |
| and the ante-climax come out of those changes. | | | | and you don't know the final decision yet. But you |
| In other words, you still need to have a | | | | do know the character and you explore that. |
| framework for your novel...you know what the | | | | You still need to outline - don't get caught up in |
| theme is, what the story idea is and what the | | | | just letting the character drive the story. There |
| major complication is. You still need to have a | | | | must be a roadmap - guideposts along the way. |
| beginning, middle and end for the novel. In the | | | | This is my own idea, but I think that each chapter |
| story line, you need to get right into the heart of | | | | in a story line novel should have a little |
| the character's personality in the first chapter. | | | | complication tossed in along the way, just to keep |
| You have the character jogging along in the same | | | | the pages turning. |