Resources for learning how to craft plots

Question

The main problem for someone moving from non-fiction to fiction is the development of a plot. It is especially frustrating to someone who already knows how to string words together and "write well", who can express himself in the medium, to be unable to write a story.

I found a book 20 Master Plots by Ronald B. Tobias, that covers very general large-scale structures. But is there anything like lists of detailed facets that can be perused? For example, a survey of plots concerning an abduction: what are the different reasons and motivations that have been used in successful stories?

Answer 1

Study writers known for being especially good at it or being at the vanguard of writing style. (or...building plotlines) I'm into the new "anti-Disney" style I see more and more.

1. Stories don't have to have a happy ending
2. Plot holes can be left dangling
3. Purposely angering or frustrating the audience works great!

ALL artists ultimately seek authentic, emotional moments. I don't care HOW my readers react, mainly that they DO.

FOR me, the modern master is David Chase. (spoiler alert). Chase spends most of season 3 of "The Sopranos" building up to final "payoff" moment. The plot and everything about it points toward Dr. Melfi giving Tony the name of her rapist. Lagging us all the way up to the final minute of the final scene.

-[loooooong pause]....

• Tony- "There somethin' you wanna tell me?"
• [looooooonger pause].................
• Melfi "No."
• [fade to black]
• [roll credits]

Chase led us down a comfortable primrose path of revenge, protection and love. Then he pulled it away ... "no carrot" I'd never seen this style (I've seen it copied!) so I credit him w/ it.

It is also worth noting that in season 3's "Pine Barrens," Paulie & Christopher screw up a collection stop, so they try to kill the guy, bind him and drive south to bury him. "The Russian," ultimately escapes and is NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN. That's a DEEP plot-hole to leave dangling; Tony launders all his $ through the man's best-friend.

Create feelings; any way you can. Connect with your audience on a human level, even if you intend to frustrate 'em, cause 'em anxiety, anger, who cares? it's boring writtig that evokes zilcho. The plot(s) will start to develop organically as you create.

Writers should have no need to be boxed into any plot method or structure. Prose is best when boundless.

Answer 2

I'd suggest reading a lot of folk and fairy tales, and classic story collections like "The Arabian Nights" and "The Water Margins." The reason is that those stories are almost all plot, they've stood the test of time, and they have emotional/archetypal resonance. We tend to be most familiar with a few simplified Disney-version fairy tales, but there are thousands of such stories from all around the world, and some of them can be quite elaborate and complex. Of course, your story probably isn't about a princess, a peasant and a dragon, but maybe in your version the princess is a wealthy heiress, the peasant is a blue collar worker and the dragon is a big corporation. Or maybe in your modern version, the gender roles are reversed --or both protagonists are the same gender. But the same underlying plot is at work.

You could also try fictionalizing something from real life. Even when writing non-fiction, you have to coax a compelling narrative out of the events, and here you have the added advantage of being able to change the facts to suit your narrative needs.

As a final suggestion --maybe you should seek a co-writer. Not everyone is good at all things. I'm sure I'm not the only person out there overflowing with plots, but weak on the execution.

Answer 3

If, in the end, it has been detailed in a 'how to' book it will have been done and so therefore you don't want to do it. Except for large scale structures nobody can tell you how to construct a plot: that is the difficult thing to do. Many people can be taught to write well: vary sentence structures; use a variety of vocabulary; etc. Coming up with original ideas for plots is something completely different. Although I spend a lot of time encouraging it, I don't think it can be taught.

Answer 4

Any hollywood writer would tell you that this is "super easy".

how to craft plot.

1. have a prophecy or a bunch of prophecies. if you don't want to be overly bound to the prophecies.. just have some wise men explain that prophecy is a tricky business.

2. have an existential struggle. Doesn't matter what it is: someone trying to kill someone, economic depression, war dragons, zombies, virus, zombie virus, aliens, cgi army, or just one really bad guy. The threats don't really require explanations and if they are sentient beings they don't even need any relatable motivations. It could be power, immortality, or just the joy of ending the world. It doesn't matter (no one cares)

3. a journey: now here is where you create your cast of characters. you might want a slightly larger cast these days, to subvert expectations and kill off some of them once in a while. The audience LOVE the Chosen one, the one that was promised, etc. etc. you can play it straight, or you can have a number of possible candidates to keep the readers guessing.

4. Baubles: this drives the journey. It can be absolutely anything.. the characters need something to do.. so you give them something to do.. like chasing random shiny stones through the galaxy/universe. Or it could be a flash card for an amnesiac to remember what to do the next day.

5. You need a setting.. pick something you are familiar with .. if you are familiar with nothing.. create a fantasy world... or just copy a theme you want.. (aliens, end of the world, climate change, sky beam, cgi army are all very popular).

This my friend is how MOST professional fiction writers do it.