7) Set up the Plot
Plot is what happens, the storyline, the action.
“It is how you set up the situation, where the turning points are, and what the characters do at the end of the story.”
- Jerome Stern
“A plot is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic and emotional significance.”
- Jane Burroway
Understanding these story elements for developing actions and their end results will help you plot your next story.
- Explosion or ‘Hook’. A thrilling, gripping, stirring event or problem that grabs the reader’s attention.
- Conflict. A character versus the internal self or an external something or someone.
- Exposition. Background information needed for seeing the characters in context.
- Complication. One or more problems that keep a character from their intended goal.
- Transition. Image, symbol, dialogue that joins paragraphs and scenes together.
- Flashback. Remembering something that happened before the story takes place.
- Climax. When the rising action of the story reaches the peak.
- Falling Action. Releasing the action of the story after the climax.
- Resolution. When the internal or external conflict is resolved.
- Brainstorming. If you having trouble deciding on a plot try brainstorming.
- The next step is to select one action from the list and brainstorm another list from that particular action.
Take time to set up the plot...
Jam