Blog - Related to Plot
Creating Character Led Conflict In Your Novel
Posted: Monday, 8th February 2010
Last month I began what turned out to be a series about Transactional Analysis. It was what I call a combi-article: one designed to help real people with real needs, but also to inform the creative writing of authors of fiction. Titled Conflict Resolution: Relationship Psychology – And Creating Fictional Characters, my intention was to show that there are a number of ways to heighten the suspense in your novel.
Articles on related themes: Creative Writing; Character; Plot
The Structure Of A Novel: Twelve Tips
Posted: Thursday, 26th March 2009
You’ve decided to start writing a novel but you’ve no idea where to begin. Or perhaps you’ve already made a start but haven’t a clue how to proceed. You thought that once you’d started it would simply flow, but now you’re finding that pulling all the strands together to bring the wretched thing to its conclusion isn’t quite that easy. In fact, you’re beginning to wonder if your story is simply going to end up in a drawer along with all the other half-finished best sellers, begun with the best of intentions.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
Crafting Fiction: Understanding How Scenes In Novels Are Constructed - Part 1
Posted: Friday, 27th February 2009
How do you go about constructing the scenes in a novel? Many writers simply sit down and write, in the belief that to do otherwise impedes the flow of creativity. Others ‘story-board’ the plot in a carefully assembled series of scenes for each character, arranged in sequence on a pin board. Yet others do something similar with hand-written index cards, or computer generated section sheets.
LEARN CREATIVE WRITING
Whatever your chosen method, creative writing is a little like riding a bike or driving a car. You may believe yourself to be doing it instinctively.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
Modern Morality: What Is Its Place In Contemporary Fiction?
Posted: Wednesday, 25th February 2009
What do you learn about life, characterisation, plot or theme from what you read, or watch on TV? Do you, in fact, analyse such elements as, say, individual responsibilities or manipulative behaviour? Or do you see drama and literature as merely entertainment?
I ask because my eldest daughter, knowing me well and being of similar mind, has sent me a book for my birthday. Titled Friedman’s Fables (read the Amazon review), it was written by the family therapist and rabbi, Edwin Friedman, who practised in Washington DC for over 35 years until his death in 1996.
Articles on related themes: Books, Reading & Words; Self Help; Assertiveness; Plot; Character; Theme
The Seven Plot Lines: Rebirth
Posted: Wednesday, 24th December 2008
It seems appropriate to be thinking of Rebirth as the last of the seven story plots on Christmas Eve, because the birth that we celebrate tomorrow is the one that is meant to bring rebirth to the human race.
Kasia Body’s review of The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker in The Daily Telegraph (2004) is titled: “Everything Ever Written Boiled Down To Seven Plots”. It continues by pointing out that “these seven plots are merely different perspectives on the same great basic drama".
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
Creative Writing Tutorial: Voyage And Return
Posted: Saturday, 20th December 2008
We’ve now looked at five of the seven plot lines which form the basis of all storytelling, and move on, today, to the penultimate Voyage & Return.
- Rags to Riches
- Overcoming the Monster
- The Quest
- Comedy
- Tragedy
- Voyage and Return
- Rebirth
VOYAGE & RETURN
Voyage and Return frequently follows not simply a physical journey, but an inner voyage of overcoming something that was previously alien. Thus, faced with something outside your normal experience, you may find your (inner) morals challenged. Or perhaps your belief system; your culture; even a commitment like a love affair, or a marriage. The point of the journey is that however far you may stray your return is the ultimate conclusion.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
The Seven Plot Lines That Form The Basis Of A Creative Writing Process
Posted: Thursday, 18th December 2008
I began this series by saying that, according to tradition, there are only seven basic plots which form the basis of all the stories ever told or written. They are:
- Rags to Riches
- Overcoming the Monster
- The Quest
- Voyage and Return
- Comedy
- Tragedy
- Rebirth
We’ve already looked at the first three, and discovered that some story plots are a combination of two or more of the above. Today, because they’re pretty self-explanatory, I’m going to touch, only briefly, on Comedy and Tragedy.
TRAGEDY
Writing a novel and getting a readership has never been an easy matter. Dickens attracted his followers by serialising his earlier works; Shakespeare by being a playwright.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
Seven Basic Plots: Part 3 - The Quest
Posted: Tuesday, 16th December 2008
I began this study on the seven plot lines that are said to be the basis of all stories, by examining what is meant by the rags to riches story, and that of overcoming the monster. Today I’m going to look at what it means to write about the quest.
THE QUEST
The Quest is the third of the seven plots, and may be described as a mission, an expedition, a hunt or a search for something. This may take the form of a mission to find something lost – perhaps a search for the lost lands of Atlanta, a Will, or buried treasure.
Articles on related themes: Books, Reading & Words; Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
The Seven Story Plots: Parts 1 & 2
Posted: Sunday, 14th December 2008
It is said that there are only seven basic plots, to which all storylines adhere. Of these seven plot lines perhaps the best known is the rags to riches story. This, after all, is the basis of many of our favourite nursery rhymes and fairy stories. Think Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk. In one the despised and downtrodden youngest sister gets her Prince Charming; in the other, the poverty-stricken Jack and his mother procure the goose that lays the golden egg.
BEST KNOWN: THE RAGS TO RICHES STORY
This rags to riches plot dates back many thousands of years.
Articles on related themes: Books, Reading & Words; Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
Creative Writing Techniques: How To Find Ideas For Plots
Posted: Monday, 1st December 2008
It seems that these days almost everyone is writing a book! Despite the fact that we’re told that computers have dumbed down and depleted our appetite for reading, increasing numbers of would-be authors are emerging. So with apologies to those who may already have read the following, I’m revising an article I wrote some time ago when I was leading Creative Writing Classes.
ARE YOU WRITING A BOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME?
If you’re like most would-be authors, you’ve probably been thinking for years about your book. The one that’s been inside you waiting to get out. Whether it’s fiction writing or a short biography, that’s good.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
Plotting Stories: Off-Topic Blogs May Be The Best Growing Medium For Your Budding Novel
Posted: Wednesday, 19th November 2008
One of the benefits of modern technology is that, as a writer, you have more information at your finger tips about who is connecting with your blog personality, and which content for your blog attracts most readers, than ever you could in the real world. So it’s exciting to know that, since I began blogging four months ago, I’ve had just short of six thousand page views, from forty-eight countries around the world, including places like United Arab Emirates, Croatia, Peru, China, Indonesia and even Afghanistan, in addition to the more obvious UK and USA.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
The How-to of Creative Writing - Plotting is a Journey
Posted: Friday, 26th September 2008
This is the last Post in this Series. Over the past few weeks you’ve been learning how to Plot your Story. Complete the process of writing your book by subscribing FREE to the next series.
SUBSCRIBE NOW *FREE* TO THE NEXT SERIES: CREATIVE WRITING – CRAFTING THE STORY. Your contact details will be kept secure at all times, and will NEVER be divulged to any third party.
PLOTTING IS A JOURNEY WITH A BEGINNING. . .
Remember I told you that plotting a story is like marking points on a map, before you undertake a journey.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
The How-to of Creative Writing - Where To Begin
Posted: Saturday, 20th September 2008
Related Posts: Joining up the Dots
HOW TO PLOT A NOVEL & HOOK YOUR READER
At what point do you decide if you’re going to like the book you’ve picked up to read? Almost certainly, it will be by the time you’ve reached the bottom of the first page. If the narrative hasn’t hooked you by then, you’re unlikely to read on.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
The How-to of Creative Writing - Joining Up The Dots
Posted: Saturday, 13th September 2008
LINKS TO PREVIOUS SESSIONS
How did you get on with the last session? I hope the update on all the previous tutorials was a help. For those of you who’ve just joined, the post titled The How-to of Creative Writing – What Makes A Story A Plot? – will link you to all relevant sessions.
STORY & PLOT
In the last post, I stressed the importance of conflict in plotting a story. That is as true of an inspirational true-life story or testimony as it is for a novel. We looked at E.M.
Articles on related themes: Plot; Writing & Publishing A Book
The How-to of Creative Writing - What Makes A Story A Plot?
Posted: Wednesday, 10th September 2008
I’m sorry I’m rather late with this week’s How-to of Creative Writing. I’ve been developing my website in the hope that it will make it easier for visitors to navigate. Also, I wanted to make sure that my readers – you! – understand what it’s all about. I hope you’ll take a look around and let me know what you think. I’m open to any suggestions for improvement. I may have been a published author for nearly twenty-five years, but I’m a novice when it comes to websites and blogs! I need your feedback, please, to help me get it right.
Articles on related themes: Writing & Publishing A Book; Plot
CREATIVE WRITING - Creativity in Conflict
Posted: Friday, 5th September 2008
DEALING WITH CONFLICT – DO YOU KNOW HOW?
Ever felt that you fall out with your partner / colleague / mother about the same thing, over and over? Not sure why this happens? Even less sure what to do about it?
This Post will, I hope, be of interest to anyone reading it, not simply to aspiring writers. I wrote a couple of days ago about the need to bring credibility to the characters we create. Now I’m going to show you how you can bring creativity to the way you manage conflict – in your own lives, as well as the lives you write about.
Articles on related themes: Writing & Publishing A Book; Plot; Character
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