Writing a Novel’s Plot

by C. Patrick Schulze

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As an author learns how to write a novel, he must develop the skill to pen an effective plot, or that string of events through which your major characters move.

The first concept to understand about plot is the recipe. Gather your two needed ingredients, story and conflict, then blend them together and bake it up. You must have both ingredients, story and conflict, for it to taste just right.

Another way to look at this concept is a story asks the questions of what and how, whereas the plot asks the why.

Your plot is not just a jumble of unrelated events. It’s comprised of a series of events that follow naturally from one to the next.

Read this for more on PLOT.

A secret to plot is that it is directly related to your major characters’ personalities, especially your hero’s. As one event occurs, the character’s persona encourages him to make a decision as to how to respond to this occurrence. This, in turn, forces the next event. This relationship between characterization and plot is why there are so few plot lines but so many stories.

Of course the main rationale for plot is to entertain your readers, but other than that, what does it do? It’s primary purposes include:

1. Move your story forward and toward its conclusion

2. Give life to your characters

3. Foreshadow coming events.

4. Propel your hero toward his goal and past his many obstacles

Though some disagree with the number of elements in a plot, I see seven major components to plot. They are:

1. Your hero or protagonist: You need someone, or something, to move through your story.

2. The setting in which your hero finds himself: Everything happens somewhere and at some time.

3. The goal your hero must achieve: Every protagonist needs a great quest of some sort.

4. The conflict he faces: During his quest, your hero will come upon difficulties that hamper his forward movement toward his goals.

5. The turning point of your story: At some place in your story, the major character must make a decision that alters everything.

6. The near disaster your hero must endure: Every hero must face an ultimate challenge that can, at least metaphorically, kill him.

7. The resolution of the story. Your story needs an ending, don’t you think and shouldn’t it all come out for the best?

Once you grasp these basic fundamentals, you’re well on your way to an effective storyline.

Now, here are some general tips as to how to develop your plot.

Plot develops by way of the adversity your characters face. Their physical and emotional responses to this adversity is what develops your plot. Imagine “Lord of the Rings” if none of those characters faced problems. Wouldn’t quite have the punch, would it?

You plot should foreshadow all major conflict points. Though mysteries may have a bye in this regard, your plot should identify all troubling events that are yet to transpire. To reword this, what happens early in your story sets up what is to happen later.

Your hero must at some point, take things in hand. He’s the good guy in your narrative and he needs to possess the strength and fortitude to do what his challenge requires of him.

Nothing happens at random. Every part of your plot should have a reason for being in your story.

The plot is not only about your hero. Each of your major characters, of which there should be no more than three, has their own agenda. And these agendas most often conflict with those of the other primary characters.

Your plot should show the personalities of your major characters. That is, the way they react to what happens to them should give your reader a better understanding of who these people really are.

If you’ll insure your plot drives your story and not the other way around, you’ll find your writing life will have a better chance to thrive.

Now, what else might you wish to know about plot?

Until we meet again, know I wish for you only best-sellers.

C. Patrick Schulze

Author of the emerging novel, “Born to be Brothers.”

8 Tips for Writing Compelling Imagery

In novel writing, the descriptions you create relative to setting can have a major impact on the power of your writing.

Many new authors write descriptions but often miss the concept of imagery altogether. Think of a description as a photograph, if you will. The average writer looks over the photo and writes the various things he sees. This is not necessarily the best way to convey what you wish your readers to envision. Here’s a typical description.

The construction of the building was of stone. It squatted on the wide field, surrounded by landscaping that suffered from neglect. The thin windows looked more like slits one might see in castles of old.

Instead, you might try to write in a way that incorporates the images you see into the action. For example the above description might be reworded as such:

He strode into the stone building and noted the poor quality of the landscape. Once inside, he wondered as to the purpose for the narrow windows which allowed little light to enter the rooms.

Paint your verbal pictures in nibbles more than great gulps of information. This means you should avoid writing descriptions of setting in long narratives. A rule, and we all know rules are created for us to break, says to put no more than two sentences together when describing your scene. Try not to fall into the trap where long descriptions will draw your reader’s attention from the main story.

Use your characters’ senses. The following example will demonstrate this concept.

Once inside, he noticed a soft clanging that drifted through the building. It sounded somewhat like someone hammered on bronze. He tiptoed farther in and noticed an odor waft up from beneath the floorboards. Old food, perhaps?

Pepper dialogue with imagery. That is to say you might consider allowing your characters to impart images of things happening when they speak.

“I can’t seem to stop these goose bumps from rising, no matter what I do.”

Use verbs that convey action. Words such as twirled, jumped, scurried or plotted show action by their very nature.

Use adverbs that convey action. An example might be a character’s shredded credit card. “Shredded” shows an action but is used to describe the noun. Another example is a groaning piece of equipment.

Use ordinary things in other than ordinary ways. For example, what about using an automobile to pull a tow truck or having a car chase a dog?

Think small. Have your characters take note of some of the smallest of details in your setting. Could you make use of the tiny nubs on the treads of a new tire? When might you point out the indentation at the bottom of a wine bottle? Can you imagine ever employing the scratches on a cell phone screen in your novel?

Do any of you have other examples as to how a novel writer might employ more compelling imagery? I’d appreciate your suggestions.

As always, I wish you best-sellers.

C. Patrick Schulze