Questions tagged [plot-structure]
This tag is for questions regarding the plot structure of a fictional work, such as novels, screenplays, or radio dramas.
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What is an inciting incident?
I've been struggling to find a clear definition of what exactly an inciting incident is.
According to Masterclass, an inciting incident is:
The inciting incident of a story is the event that sets the ...
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How to slow down plot in slowburn romance?
My current work in progress is a slow burn romance between two characters who do not believe in love in their own way. MC simply does not believe in it due to bad experiences being proven, and LI (...
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What is necessary to hide your antagonist’s dirty deeds in plain sight before the big unmasking in 1POV?
This could be essentially the opposite of the question here, about introducing evil characters before they’ve done anything evil. I’m showing the “questionable” activities of a character before ...
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I’m feeling overwhelmed about writing a novel, can anyone help?
I’ve always wanted to write a book. I’ve finally gained enough courage to attempt to write a small novel, 100-150 pages. I’m 13, which I’ve learned is a small problem. I hate to say it, but I’m just ...
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What's the difference between a fantasy mystery novel and an adventure novel?
I'm setting out to write a mystery that is firmly rooted in the fantasy genre. The MC time travels to another historical era, where the MC has to solve a multi-faceted mystery (having both ...
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What is the difference between the 5-Act structure and the 6-Act structure of storytelling?
There is a YouTube channel called 6-Act Structure, which I will be citing as a reference, run by an Marshall Dotson who wrote The Story Structure Secret: Actions and Goals. The author argues in favor ...
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Does anybody know a good book on writing novels that covers complex storyweaving, multiplots, or parallel plotting?
Does anybody know a good book on writing novels that covers complex storyweaving, multiplots, or parallel plotting? I have a large collection of how-to-write manuals for screen and novel writing. ...
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How can I further develop this warrior fantasy story of mine?
My fantasy story is about an 18-year old knight who was trained from 5-years old to 18-years old as a knight. He is an expert when it comes to using a two-handed double-edged longsword as a weapon. He ...
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Properly writing satire/parodies
For a while, there were many good satires/parodies, such as Naked Gun, Hot Shots, and the early Scary movie films. However, we see them beginning more in decline, and also the rise of so many terrible ...
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Handling extremely long narratives
For a video game I will make in the future, I am for now trying to write out the entire story for it. However, it ended up being an extremely long fantasy epic. For all the events, story arcs, and ...
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What Kind of Plot Do I Have?
For quite a while I worked on writing a novel. After that went poorly, I tried to plot it. This too went poorly, but now, on the second attempt, it’s going pretty well. There’s just one problem.
I ...
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Would a real location for a book be more intriguing than a fictional setting?
I am a beginner to writing, so not sure exactly how to base the book I've started to write. I want it to be a real cozy romantic book where the characters kind of live in a cobble stoned village with ...
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How to write a good coup d'état scene?
I'm writing a story with a coup d'état scene where a free nation's government is betrayed and supplanted by a new tyrannical government; and thus, I'd like to know how quality coup d'état scenes are ...
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Is there a method to determining how many books long your series needs to be?
I set out to write a trilogy, and feel my characters, world, and story are complex enough to warrant it. However, the more I dig into it, I’m sensing three books isn’t enough. But it will be a huge ...
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How "resolved" do things need to be at the end of the first book of a trilogy?
Without going into detail... I'm trying to decide when to end the first book of my trilogy. There are two options that seem natural to me, but one feels more exciting and allows me to drag the tension ...
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What ways can be used to make a story secretly horror
I am trying to write the story for a game. It starts off well, only to end up really being horror. The goal is supposed to slowly become like that, but without the player figuring it out until it is ...
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When is it too late to introduce major characters?
Would you consider it too late to introduce major characters at the midpoint of book 1 in a trilogy?
By major characters I mean characters that aren’t the protagonist, don’t have POV chapters (my book ...
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Does the plot always have to be in proportion to a normal novel?
I am presently writing a novel, but it is going to be incredibly large (over 200,000 words when complete). I am aware that I will need to cut a lot of sections, but I'll be worrying about that later. ...
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Structuring TV episodes that each have a movie-long screenplay
TV shows nowadays are elaborate, lasting 45 minutes or more per episode, with each episode being a full-blown movie in itself, since they have their own screenplay the length of a Hollywood film.
What ...
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Are flash-forwards ever used as literary devices?
Flashbacks are common in books and movies. People only perceive linear time in that they only have knowledge of the past, even when those memories might seem to be artificially planted.
What are the ...
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Are there different types of plot revelation?
In the movie Sixth Sense, the revelation was that the child knew all along that his counselor was a ghost. The same director-writer use this literary device again in the finale of the movie ...
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When do you have too many plot arcs?
I have a story which could fit nearly any genre and still be engaging, and often times the back cover synopsis likes to brag about multiple elements, like "It has suspense, drama, rib-splitting ...
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Can revealing the series finale to open the series be effective?
Considering the Marvel film Deadpool II we open up with Deadpool detonating himself on a warehouse full of explosives, and then he tells the story on how we got there. That was one "book," ...
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Is the bildungsroman dead for contemporary audiences?
My story can't hide the fact that it is bildungsroman, but there really are few linear year-by-year character reveals on the shelves today. Nothing like The Curious Life of Benjamin Button is coming ...
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How do I know if my plotline is boring?
This is a question that often comes to my mind while writing. I can't know whether I should respect the sequence of events chronologically as they happened or try to include backstories/flashbacks.
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I want to write a magical story about witches and wizards but not make it like harry potter [closed]
I want the premise to be that throughout the 20th century, witches and wizards have faced a steep decline in numbers and due to the Cold War, secrecy has become more important, but with the fast ...
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Alternating time-frames and seemingly non related chapters
Chapter 1. A child is kidnapped, her friend (same age) is the protagonist is mentioned, she trie so send him a letter but it never reaches him.
Chapter 2. Takes place 10 years later but doesn't ...
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What to avoid when writing distant and inconsequential POVs?
I'm currently writing a sci-fi novel, where we've got some huge, solar system-spanning stuff going on, with huge stakes. I've got four POVs that are directly involved with this, whose decisions matter ...
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What is the difference between a horror and genre shift horror?
I think I have an ok good idea of what makes up a horror piece. But recently I've come across the term genre shift and wondered what exactly makes something not straight up horror but a piece that ...
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Novels with big time jump
In a father/son novel, there are two parts to the story: half the book follows the protagonist for a few years. Part two is twenty five years later. The story transitions with a 10 - 12 page narrative ...
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Least confusing way to structure 2 plot lines merging when one starts several years before the other
My story has two POV characters, Delilah and Jack, who start separate and meet ~ 1/4 of the way though. Delilah's story starts several years before the Jack's and is the entire reason he even has a ...
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How do I give characters logical reasons to be with each other?
It's an annoying problem with writing - I've got a bunch of characters that I've written, how do I keep them together for the adventure I want them to go on?
In some stories, this can be quite ...
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Denouement vs Resolution
What is the difference between a denouement and a resolution? Are they synonymous?
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Does Blake Snyder's Save the Cat only apply to a story as a whole?
I'm curious to know if it can apply to an episode, volume, season, or an individual book of a trilogy. If it does apply, how do you apply those individual episodes into a whole story whilst following ...
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Introducing suspense devices when protagonist is nearly omnipotent
Perhaps the most formulaic plot framework has the protagonist as an underdog where he/she must overcome incredible odds. Simply to illustrate, consider: LotR (they are but mere hobbits). While the ...
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Should I jump right into the story without MC introduction?
I'm writing a crime story. Basically it begins with a friend of the main character asking him for a meeting and then introducing the case to him.
What I would like to do is to show something about the ...
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Plot that focuses on non-violent conflict in fantasy setting. Examples and how is it possible in storytelling?
I'm focused on creating a story where I can explore cultural differences and highlight interactions that showcase Emotional Intelligence.
So many worlds center around violence as a main means of ...
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What is my story structure?
I am starting to write a story and have made an outline of the major plot points. I am looking at the outline but am not sure which story structure it follows. My outline goes like this:
Quick ...
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Linear beginning or flash-forwards? [duplicate]
I'm writing this fantasy story that focuses on two main characters.
The story was supposed to start with the male protagonist. So, in the first four chapters or so, we get to know his current ...
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How to make a story entertaining with an almost invincible character?
I'm writing this fantasy story with the MC slowly transforming into a non-human being. Which makes him invulnerable... Or at least quite resistant. The problem is that I'm still not fully sure which ...
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Is using the layout of anothers published work in danger of plagiarisim if nothing else is the same?
I started writing a book that uses the ‘layout’ or ‘style’ of another very popular book. I started it as a joke, but then fell in love with the characters and the idea. There is nothing the same in my ...
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What kind of plot structure or format does "South Pacific" follow?
In the movie, "South Pacific," the (probable) protagonist is one Lt. Joseph Cable. His problem is that he gets killed before the end.
About 10%-15% into the movie, we meet two other ...
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