Plot by Chapter?
Jul 12, 2021 8:30:08 GMT -6
Post by ScienceGirl on Jul 12, 2021 8:30:08 GMT -6
I've never thought about this before... maybe coming from being a cross between a plotter and pantser.
As I'm going through these different studies in 20 Master Plots and retyping all my notes, my mind keeps going through all the stories I've written and books I've read over the years. And I'm not sure I could confine the books themselves to one specific plot. I do believe there's a lot of value in having an overall plot in mind with your story. And I also believe that Ronald Tobias isn't the only "expert" out there. My English teacher sister might call this literary sacrilege...
HOWEVER... I'm starting to think more in the line of plotting by chapter and not by book. Yes, there's the overarching story. Girl has unrequited love, a missing mom, a life she doesn't appreciate. She's kidnapped and thrown into a different world where she starts learning to appreciate and then she's rescued by the unrequited love. She's confronted by antagonist and goes with him willingly to save her father. She's rescued again, antagonist is caught, she realizes that the love is not fulfilling her emptiness, and sees that her strength comes from a much, different place.
So a rescue plot, maybe? But it's both character AND action driven.
AND there are a couple of pursuit scenes. There's a mystery, so those clue scenes are peppered throughout the story.
What is this story even about!!!
LOL it's a conundrum.
Being spread out into three books, I'm starting to see that they all have different plots.
The first book is defninetly more about her internal conflicts and learning who she is as a person, even though the rescue is there the whole story. She's finding herself, so maybe it's more of a quest. IDK The second is probably closer to a true rescue plot. And then in the third, the mystery that has always been there is finally coming to fruition.
But, when you think of it by chapter...
In chapter one, you just get the basic introduction of story. But chapter two sets up the mystery for the whole series. And then chapter three she's kidnapped. Chapters 4-6 are a sort of internal discovery period. Things happen, but it's more about her realizing who she is and what she wants to stand up for. The trivial things she used to care about matter less, etc.
She's rescued about halfway in the story, but they have to hide and flee.
With that in mind, consider the structure of an individual chapter. What if we write them with an Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 just like you would a story? What if I had in mind that a certain chapter would be a pursuit, for example, and tried to make sure all the elements of pursuit were there?
Might be something that could help with that droopy middle syndrome that happens when we full-on pants a novel.
Maybe I just need more sleep
Thoughts?
As I'm going through these different studies in 20 Master Plots and retyping all my notes, my mind keeps going through all the stories I've written and books I've read over the years. And I'm not sure I could confine the books themselves to one specific plot. I do believe there's a lot of value in having an overall plot in mind with your story. And I also believe that Ronald Tobias isn't the only "expert" out there. My English teacher sister might call this literary sacrilege...
HOWEVER... I'm starting to think more in the line of plotting by chapter and not by book. Yes, there's the overarching story. Girl has unrequited love, a missing mom, a life she doesn't appreciate. She's kidnapped and thrown into a different world where she starts learning to appreciate and then she's rescued by the unrequited love. She's confronted by antagonist and goes with him willingly to save her father. She's rescued again, antagonist is caught, she realizes that the love is not fulfilling her emptiness, and sees that her strength comes from a much, different place.
So a rescue plot, maybe? But it's both character AND action driven.
AND there are a couple of pursuit scenes. There's a mystery, so those clue scenes are peppered throughout the story.
What is this story even about!!!
LOL it's a conundrum.
Being spread out into three books, I'm starting to see that they all have different plots.
The first book is defninetly more about her internal conflicts and learning who she is as a person, even though the rescue is there the whole story. She's finding herself, so maybe it's more of a quest. IDK The second is probably closer to a true rescue plot. And then in the third, the mystery that has always been there is finally coming to fruition.
But, when you think of it by chapter...
In chapter one, you just get the basic introduction of story. But chapter two sets up the mystery for the whole series. And then chapter three she's kidnapped. Chapters 4-6 are a sort of internal discovery period. Things happen, but it's more about her realizing who she is and what she wants to stand up for. The trivial things she used to care about matter less, etc.
She's rescued about halfway in the story, but they have to hide and flee.
With that in mind, consider the structure of an individual chapter. What if we write them with an Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 just like you would a story? What if I had in mind that a certain chapter would be a pursuit, for example, and tried to make sure all the elements of pursuit were there?
Might be something that could help with that droopy middle syndrome that happens when we full-on pants a novel.
Maybe I just need more sleep
Thoughts?
You add them to your profile as you do them around the forum.
