“Take calcium,” my doctor said. “And exercise. You’ve got to keep your bones healthy. Without good strong bones your body won’t hold up for long.”
I would rather the doctor had told me to eat chocolate and relax in my armchair with a good book but I wasn’t about to argue. Some things are just too important to ignore.
When it comes to story the plot resembles the bones – the skeleton of the whole thing. The stronger the skeleton, the stronger the plot. But how do I put together a strong plot?
Here, courtesy of Carol Berg, an awesome writer of fantasy, is a quick and easy plot definition:
(This person) wants ((goal) because (motive) but (obstacle).
I know it looks like a mathematical equation but that’s her background and the analysis works. Let’s try it.
- The old detective tries to solve the murder because his boss will fire him if he fails but the murderer is holding the detective’s daughter hostage.
- Jack wants the giant’s treasure because he is poor but the giant guards it closely.
- The pretty girl wants to marry the young man because he handsome and of good family but he already has a gorgeous, rich, talented girlfriend.
You could apply this plot analysis in almost any genre. In a very short story then the plot works simply and directly towards a conclusion. With longer stories there can be additional complicating factors, more characters and sub-plots.
You can dress up the bare bones in any way you want. You can leave it in a nightshirt or cover it with layers of silk, satin, gold and jewels. The reader does not have to see, figure out, or be able to state the plot. He just has to enjoy the story and perhaps catch the message. It might be better if he cannot figure it out because that means your story is so good you have concealed it, just as your bones are concealed by your flesh.
You still need that strong plot skeleton, though, to keep your thoughts together and focused on the unity and true wholeness of the story.
You have a thousand stories – you just have to find them.
I have found one of my stories! Thanks for creating this site and providing the kind of easy-to-understand help in bite sizes. You have helped me see how to begin. Thank you!