Plot Structure

The most important aspects of writing your novel are character, setting and plot. Which of the three bears most importance will depend on your writing style and the genre of your novel. For instance mystery and thriller stories are often heavily dependent on plot rather than characterization, fantasy loves to dwell on setting and romance is heavily focused on characterization.   

Plot is how you tell your story. To its bare bone, plot simply means that as a writer you give your main character a conflict or two and he/she has to overcome it to meet their goals. It is the series of events that lead to your character finally meeting their goal. Since plot is basically hooked on conflict, there are four basic plots every writer will choose from. It’s either man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. self or man vs. technology.  Often plot can be described in two sentences. Example;

Nancy Wickham, an English treasure hunter discovers that the artifacts she recently discovered are missing. She sets out to find them.

No one is born with the storytelling skill or the unique ability of thrilling us all with memorable characters who undergo exciting conflicts that they escape by the skin of their teeth.  However anyone can learn it.

CREATING A COMPELLING PLOT

1.      Create an interesting conflict  that will capture your mind and the mind of your readers. Creating a good conflict simply means giving your character a compelling and noble goal (something they really need) then throwing obstacles to prevent them from reaching it. The first chapter of your book should introduce the conflict not just introduce the character. The protagonist may even have to sacrifice everything to meet their goal.

2.      Create a unique character that is not going to give up after every obstacle if anything their resolve is just going to grow stronger. Give them a specific way of talking. Make them the least likely hero a reader would expect. Everything they do should match their character.

3.      Make your descriptions, short active and specific.

4.      The plot should be logical and no plot strands left hanging.

5.      Give your plot a time constraint or deadline. If she doesn’t get out of the castle with the sword by six fifteen the dragon will break into the city and set everything on fire. 

6.      Create a resolution that allows your characters to continue existing after this particular story. Except for romance stories where readers usually want happy endings, most times you can leave the ending hanging…did they catch him? is the monster still alive?

Good plotting therefore is a lifelong learning experience and the more your write the better you become at it.  It is therefore important to read up on the aspects of plot. Once mastered these element will help you master the art of narrative.

Most successful plot masters structure their novels into five main parts. These are;

1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Complications
4. Crisis
5. Resolution

As you create each part ensure that you note down the timelines for the novel itself so that you can keep track of the events unfolding.