Plot your story using the universal story form for structure and impact.
A Plot Planner mimics the universal story and is the framework for developing a gripping story. Rather than creating a dry, episodic list of scenes to cover, arrange your story by cause and effect to best engage the reader.
Think of the Plot Planner as the route or map of the journey you envision for your story. When you first plan your plot, your route is likely to be sketchy with lots of gaps and dead ends. These gaps will smooth over and fill in as you come to know your story and characters better. Along your story's route, the plot elements of dramatic action, characters, and thematic significance will rise and fall, like waves cresting. The flow of these elements is like the flow of energy the Chinese call “qi” (pronounced “chi”). The qi is the mainstay of life force, inherently present in all things.
Within your story, the energy undulates. Although every story has its own energy, a universal pattern of energy rising and falling repeats itself. The greater your understanding of this stable format, the better able you are to determine where and when to allow the energy to crest, to make your story most compelling to the reader. Allow the energy of your story to direct the flow of your scenes. The closer you can re-create this pattern in your presentation to the reader, the stronger and more compelling your story. A plot planner helps you map your story's energy and direction.
DESCRIPTION
All great stories have a beginning, middle and end.
1. The Beginning
The beginning usually encompasses one quarter of the entire story. Most of us start out strong in the beginning, but struggle to keep the momentum going.
2. The Middle
The middle is the longest portion of the project – one half of the entire story. It commands the most scenes, and is where many writers fall short. When the allure of the beginning is over, the story starts getting messy. Writers often know the beginning and the end of their story, but bog down in creating the middle. Crisis is the meat of the middle.
Place crisis – the scene of greatest intensity and highest energy in your story thus far – around the three-quarter point in your story, when your audience needs a recharge to combat fatigue, frustration, and irritation. Crisis is where tension and conflict peak – it is a turning point in your story. Crisis is developed through the scenes to provide the greatest impact in the energy flow of your story.
The crisis is the false summit of your case, where the audience can perceive the true summit. Here, your story’s energy drops after the drama of the crisis, giving your audience the opportunity to rebuild energy in anticipation of reaching the climax.
3. The End
The final quarter of your presentation represents the end, which comprises three parts: the build-up to the climax, the climax itself, and the resolution. The build-up to the climax represents the steps you take to lead the reader to envision how the story should end. The climax is the point of highest drama in your story, the crowning moment when the thematic significance of your story becomes clear to the reader. The resolution is your opportunity to fully tie together that significance and make your story complete.
PLOT PLANNER BENEFITS
A Plot Planner helps you visualize your story. Use a Plot Pl
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Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Martha Alderson, M.A.,
on 7/15/2010
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Blog: Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: novel, beginning middle and end of a writing project, screenplay or memoir, plot your writing project, plotting out a story, plan the plot of your story on a Plot Planner, parts of a story, Add a tag
5 Comments on Plot Planner, last added: 7/17/2010
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Wow, this post is really interesting! I'm currently planning a new novel, so I might incorporate this idea. Thanks for sharing!
Me thinks the plot whisperer is really doing some magic! I was just stating to plot a trilogy and durn if this isn't what I really needed.
Can I admit I love you? Well if I can't I've already did.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for this post. I want to plot my second far better than I did the first. This is filed for reference, thanks again.
Great information--this will be helpful for revision as well as pre-planning as I am trying to learn to plot more deliberately and purposefully. I have never been quite clear on the false summit 3/4 way through, followed by the actual climax closer to the end--it makes perfect sense now. Thanks for posting this! Great blog, I'm looking forward to exploring your other articles.
Laura, Great good luck with your new novel.
Sylvia, thank you for your declaration of love for me! Makes me feel warm all over. Thanks!
Glynis, The more we write, the better we write. Glad to hear you're already planning your next project.
Ruth, Glad things are clearer. May get a bit murky again but you're always welcome back. Have fun exploring!
Thanks to each of you for visiting and commenting!
Happy Plotting...