Writing Your Way [Writing Tutorial]

Plot Types

Here is the basis of all stories; PLOT

Yes, I know that it seems a little intimidating but luckily you've already read how to write one in the previous chapter lol. If you haven't read it yet...I'm hoping you already know how to write a plot. Here are a few very basic types of plots to choose from;

1. Quest: One of the most common plots you'll ever encounter when it comes to reading. What is a Quest plot? It's when the protagonist is searching for either a person, place, or thing that's tangible (quantitative like a noun; I.e. immortality)

2. Adventure: Another very common plot base. What is an Adventure plot? It's when the protagonist is in search of a fortune. What's the difference between a quest and an adventure? Well, a quest is a trip to accomplish something while an Adventure is a trip without a distinct destination.

(And if anyone is also curious about a Journey: It is when the trip is more important than the destination)

3. Pursuit: The plot is literally just a hide-and-seek game lol, one person chasing another.

4. Rescue: This plot is when the protagonist is searching for someone or something, usually the victim, another protagonist or the villain.

5. Escape: Plot involves the protagonist being confined against their will who wanting to escape from something. Usually, it's from the villain and this does not include escaping from their inner demons...

6. Revenge: It's retaliation by the protagonist who is against the antagonist/villain for real or imagined injury.

7. The Riddle: This plot involves the protagonist's search for clues to find the hidden meaning of something in question that is deliberately enigmatic or ambiguous.

8. Rivalry: Plot involves the protagonist competing for the same object or goal as another person aka their rival.

9. Underdog: This plot is when the protagonist is competing for an object or goal that is at a great disadvantage and is faced with overwhelming odds.

10. Temptation: This plot involves the protagonist that for one reason or another is induced or persuaded to do something that is unwise, wrong or immoral

11. Metamorphosis: This plot is when the physical characteristics of the protagonist change from one form to another reflecting their inner psychological identity.

12. Transformation: This plot has the process of change in the main characters as they journey through a stage of life that moves from one significant character state to another.

13. Maturation: The protagonist faces a problem that is a part of growing up dealing with it and emerging into a state of adulthood. (from innocence to experience)

14. Love: This is a basic overcoming of obstacles to engage in finding true love. That's about it, there are many types of love but like...eh

15. Forbidden Love: This is when the protagonist overcomes social mores (morals) and taboos to create a relationship.

16. Sacrifice: The character is motivated by a higher purpose (I.e. love, honour, charity for the sake of humanity.

17. Discovery: The plot that is the most character-centred of them all and it involves the main character having to overcome an upheaval(s) in their lives and thereby discovering something important within them to get a better understanding of life.

18. Wretched Excess: Involves the character, by choice or by accident, pushed the limit of acceptable behaviour to the extreme and forced to deal with the consequences (generally deals with the psychological decline of the character.)

19. Ascension: a rags-to-riches plot deals with the rise and success of a character due to a dominating feature/trait that helps them succeed.

20. Decision: The opposite of Ascension, instead of the character rising, the plot deals with the fall/destruction of a dominating trait that eventually destroys them.

Anyway, these are the basic plot types, if there are more, I'm sure you can use them and also write in the comments which ones aren't on this list.

Not to mention that these plots can be combined as well. Not everything is so linear. I hope you realise that you can even use all of them at once if you know what you're doing of course.

Again, these are just tips and make sure you use this as a reference, not a cheat sheet!

Now that you know the very basics...get to writing!

I'll next talk about characters and all the stuff dealing with them. What makes a great character and what you can do with them.

Now get to writing!!