Plot

It is possible that my posts have become erratic and bimonthly, at best. Actually, more than possible, as it is backed up with the irrefutable evidence of my posts being erratic and barely bimonthly. I sincerely apologize for whatever inconvenience this may have caused you, as instead of giving up on me, you have proceeded to frequent my blog. Neglect, however, cannot be the best way to get ratings up. Though I have a rather hectic schedule, increased by some major news I recently received, I will endeavor to post more often. (Subtext: don't get your hopes up.)

Today, I proceed to outline a few major points of plot. This is not the basics of plot, just as my previous posts were not the basics of characters or the basics of . . . I've forgotten what the stuff before characters was about, but I bet it wasn't basic! I most likely should have included this earlier, but these are not explanations of what a character is, what a plot is, etc. These are finer tips intended as revisions to experienced or even amateur writing. They just aren't guidelines on how to start a book. 

PLOT

The elements of a plot:

Act I – Beginning – Setup

Act II – Middle – Conflict

Act III – End – Resolution

1.    Exposition

2.    Rising Action

3.    Climax

4.    Falling Action

5.    Resolution

         Don’t forget cause and effect.

         Your hero must go through a permanent, life-altering change, or the stakes are not high enough/personal enough. (This corresponds to the character arc: if the journey does not change them, they fall flat, thus the name FLAT or STATIC CHARACTER. If they do manage to evolve, or devolve, over the course of the story, then they are a ROUND or DYNAMIC character. But this is more about their change effecting the plot, not as much who they are, and who they become.)

Sequence of Events:

1.    Ordinary life. Your story should pull the hero away from his ordinary life. Before that can happen you must show the reader what the life is like. This will help the reader understand the impact the crisis will have on that life and on the hero. Show the reader what kind of person your hero is. Give her a moment to connect with him in a setting she can understand and relate to. Give her a reason to care about your hero.

2.    Story starting point. Something happens to change the course of your hero’s life. Some authors refer to this as the disturbance, the inciting incident, or a call to action. It may be something subtle or something catastrophic. Either way, it signals to the hero, and to the reader, that this is no ordinary day. The story’s starting point should occur as early in the book as possible.

3.    Heeding the call. Your hero makes a decision or a decision is made for him. One way or the other, he leaves his ordinary life to embark upon whatever challenge the plot presents to him. After all, what kind of hero would he be if he didn’t? Nevertheless, he should hesitate to jump in. If the decision to take the challenge is easy for him, the challenge isn’t daunting enough.

4.    Allies and enemies. The hero leaves his normal life and enters unfamiliar territory. He discovers who his allies and enemies are and begins to learn the rules of his new world, new relationship, new case – whatever his new situation may be.

5.    Approaching the dark moment. Your hero goes to confront the enemy, usually on the enemies own turf.

6.    Dark moment or climax. Here, your hero faces his biggest challenge, his most difficult battle. Test him to the limits before allowing him to triumph. Make it seem as though he must lose, as though there’s no way out.

(This is where my story cuts off, but apparently it goes on. What the face?)

7.    Return. The hero overcomes the dark moment and begins the journey home.

8.    Permanence of the change. Just as your story must have a life-altering turning point for the hero, the change they perpetrated must be revealed as permanent.

And, just for good measure, a note on building suspense: 

1.    Make at least one character especially violent or adversarial.

2.    Spring surprises that keep you guessing.

3.    Mislead your reader so that the twists are even more shocking.

4.    Do you worst to the hero to make them tougher.

5.    Take away that which is most important to your hero to make them tougher.

6.    Haunt your hero with memories of a past failure.

7.    Turn the environment loose upon your characters.

8.    Employ phobias and fears to make their issues more difficult to overcome.

9.    Never make anything easy.

10.Show that the danger is real; hurt your hero, kill a good guy, or both.

11.Impose a deadline to keep the suspense up.

12.Prevent your hero from running away; make your hero’s need to stay in the conflict stronger than his desire to escape it.

13.Include a final twist near the end; it must surprise the reader and it must seem inevitable (the ending, that is).

14.Use these techniques in combinations.

That ought to be enough for now, right? I promise, I will be trying to post more, much more. 

Again, I am very contrite about any disturbance my negligence may have incited. Please, don't

give up on me. I will post soon, quite soon . . . maybe some quotes . . . or I'll finish this series 

of novel revisions, whichever. Either way, see you soon, Earth (and any extra-terrestrial readers, 

I don't discriminate.)