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All the greatest, most flowery writing in the world won't save a bad plot. But what is 'plot' exactly? And how do you make sure yours first- exists, and second, is good? That's what I'll be tackling in this post.
There are many different kinds of stories. One way to classify them is by what seems to drive the story forward- by what seemed most important to the author as they developed it. In this post, we'll focus on plot-driven stories. However, it's important to note that this isn't the only or best model to follow. There are two main plot categories that most stories fall into; plot-driven or character-driven.
Plot-driven Narratives
Plot-driven is where the emphasis is on the structure and sequence of the events within the story, and less on other elements like character development, for example. Most genre fiction falls into this category because most genre fiction is formulaic. The reader knows what to expect and they get dissatisfied when they don't get it. Think of how we expect the two main characters in a romance to end up together; or how we expect to learn the identity of the killer at the end of a spy thriller. Imagine if this didn't happen,-we would be disappointed. The writer thus writes to make sure they don't upset the reader's expectations. Some writers love this because it provides a structure to follow, which might simplify their writing process. Other writers might hate this because a predetermined structure might feel constricting and stifling to their creativity.
When writing a plot-driven narrative, focus on external conflict.
Remember that events outside of the characters drive this kind of story, so things need to happen to move the story from one plot point to the next. This sort of narrative relies on carefully outlined plot points.
Character-driven Narratives
Character-driven is when the story is more focused on character development than a richly developed plot. It's more about seeing how individual characters grow and change as well as how they interact with each other, and this is what drives the story forward. Most literary fiction falls into this category because it's often about examining the world through the experiences of the characters. Because the plot is secondary in this type of story, it tends to appeal to pantsers- writers who free flow without following a preplanned structure. They often feel this type of story allows them to exercise the full scope of their creativity. More structured writers may find this form of storytelling to be overwhelming as it offers no structural guardrails, so to speak.
When writing a plot-driven narrative, focus on internal conflict.
Remember that the internal struggles of the characters, both within themselves and with each other are what drives this kind of story. So, developing complex characters with a compelling story arc is critical. Otherwise, the story will fall flat.
For this post, we're going to focus on plot-driven stories as we explore just what plot is.
What is Plot?
Plot is one of those things that you barely notice if everything is going well, but that's impossible to miss when it's not there. As such, it's easier to define what it does rather than what it is. So let's start there.
Have you ever read a book and at the end you ask yourself what on earth that was about? Or you try to explain what the book is about to someone and realize you just can't. You know things happened, and you can describe those things, but it's unclear how exactly they relate to the other things that happened in the story. It's almost like the story is made up of individual events that don't really connect because something is missing- that something is the plot.
Plot is like the invisible tendons that bind your story together. Without it there is no story, there are just events. Things happen and that's it.
How to Write a Solid Story Plot
In a plot-driven narrative, you need a clear plotline for story planning so you don't write yourself into a corner. The following steps can help to make sure that your plot is clear, solid, and good.
1. Start with a high concept plot
This is a plot with a widely accessible storyline made up of easy to communicate subplots. Screenwriting focuses a lot on these kinds of plots for their ability to satisfy large masses of people, which increases the chances of blockbuster success. High-concept plots are simple, so many people can understand and like them. Complex plots require a greater understanding and often an increased attention span that not everyone has, so they appeal to a specific and generally smaller audience.
An example of a high concept plot is 'Imagine a world where one person is born old and ages backward'. This, of course, is the concept for 'The curious case of Benjamin Button'. It's a movie whose premise I still remember all these years later, but whose characters I do not. This is not a requirement but is often the case for high-concept plots.
Try the Elevator Pitch Test
The elevator pitch is the famed 2-minute summary of your book idea that you would give to an agent in the brief moments you'd have their attention were you to be stuck in an elevator together. As the sentiment goes, if you can't encapsulate the plot of your book in a couple of sentences (or a few minutes)- then the book has no clear plot. No plot means no agent will take it on.
Added to that, a book without a clear plot is a marketing nightmare. Book marketing and advertising teams rely on this condensed summary to market it to book bloggers, bookstores, and the general public. It informs the colors and graphics used in the cover design; its placement within a bookstore; etc. So, being able to capture the essence of your book in two sentences becomes a very important test.
2. Write a clear and detailed outline of your story
Outlining your story is critical for a plot-driven narrative. You need to know that the plot points work and that they can sensibly take your story from start to end. An outline allows you to check if the story works at the idea level before you start writing. In this kind of story, the plot isn't something you want to try and figure out as you go. Remember, it's the entire backbone of your story. So, having clear story beats and being able to interlay subplots within the main plot is a crucial first step.
Let's look at an example. Imagine you wanted to write a plot based on a 'hero's journey' kind of story. An outline could look like this:
Hero is introduced and we learn their starting character i.e. who they are at the beginning
Hero receives quest/ challenge
Hero sets off to face this challenge
Hero meets challenge, fight is extremely difficult for the hero who is forced to grow and change in some way
Hero perseveres and ultimately succeeds
Hero returns and we learn their ending character i.e. who they are in the end
Add Subplots within the main outline
This outline hits all the beats to keep the story moving forward. Now, you can (and should) add subplots that will give life to the story and make it more interesting. This can be done in the form of introducing a love story subplot. This could look as follows:
Hero is introduced and we learn their starting character i.e. who they are at the beginning
A love interest is introduced
Hero receives quest/ challenge
Hero sets off to face this challenge
He leaves his love interest, certain the quest is far more important (heartbreak, conflict)
Hero meets challenge, fight is extremely difficult for the hero who is forced to grow and change in some way
He realizes how important love is and sets out to win back his love
Hero perseveres and ultimately succeeds (in both battle and love)
Hero returns and we learn their ending character i.e. who they are in the end
3. Include plot twists
Plot-driven books can have a higher risk of becoming formulaic and thus, predictable. Even readers who love genre fiction and know what to expect don't want to read a book they could have written themselves. Nobody should be able to guess the beginning, middle, and ending of your story. To avoid this, it's important to write in plot twists- surprises that your reader would never expect. It keeps the story fresh and I honestly don't know a single person who doesn't like a good plot twist. Keeping with our example above, a plot twist could look as follows:
Hero is introduced and we learn their starting character i.e. who they are at the beginning
A love interest is introduced
Hero receives quest/ challenge
Hero sets off to face this challenge
He leaves his love interest, certain the quest is far more important (heartbreak, conflict)
Hero meets challenge, fight is extremely difficult for the hero who is forced to grow and change in some way
His love interest is hurt and believing all hope is lost, and feeling slightly vengeful, marries his best friend
He realizes how important love is and sets out to win back his love
Hero perseveres and ultimately succeeds (in battle but not in love)
Hero returns and, in a fit of rage, kills both his former lover and his best friend
We learn their ending character i.e. who they are in the end
Notice how this story (with the plot twist) and the story just above (without the plot twist) are completely different stories. They are even different genres of books. One is triumphant and the other is a tragedy. That's the power of a well-placed plot twist.
4. Avoid Plot Holes
A plot hole is a gap in the storytelling that essentially renders the story silly. It's a blind spot in the plot. If you've ever watched a movie or read a book and thought 'Why didn't they just do X?', that story probably had a plot hole, and your solution would have fixed it- but then there would be no story. Plotting out your story before writing is the best way to avoid plot holes, which is why a detailed outline is so important.
An example of a premise with a plot hole:
A boy learns that his tears can summon a genie that can grant him anything he wants. So, he finds violent ways to hurt himself, getting ever more gruesome in an effort to make himself cry and get more wishes. Eventually, he stabs his best friend whom he loves, and he cries as he watches his friend die.
Plot hole: Why doesn't he just chop onions? That would make him cry and he wouldn't need to hurt himself or other people. This is a plot hole because there is a glaring answer to the 'problem', but if it were applied (and he did chop onions), then this story as it exists is just silly at best.
Conclusion
If you are writing or planning on writing a plot-driven story, it's important that you have a solid plot. Planning and outlining this before starting the writing process is crucial so you can identify and eliminate any plot holes and so you can be sure there is enough external conflict to drive the story forward. The steps outlined above will help you to do this.
I hope this post is helpful, and please share any additional steps that work for you.
Happy plotting,
Nonjabulo
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