what is a plot?

i talk a lot about plot. but what does that term even mean? how do you assemble one?

that's a broad topic. i cant teach you exactly how to make an awesome plot (it's hard for me too a ha ha), but i can give you some basic skeletons and things to base your ideas on.

THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS:

so in like 2004 this dude came to the startling conclusion that all these kazillion bazillion books dudes have written throughout time can be plopped into like 7 categories. so he, in turn, wrote a book about it.

overcoming the monster-

this is when there's a foe that threatens the hero's home or the hero himself and the hero sets out to defeat the evil.

examples: harry potter, star wars, beowulf

rags to riches- the hero gets a whole bunch cool stuff like a gf and cash money, loses it all by being stupid, and then gains it back and grows as a person.

examples: great expectations, aladdin, cinderella

the quest- the hero and his squad go out to either find a thing or go to a place, but it's super hard and there's a whole buncha stuff blocking their way like temptations and such.

examples: iliad, lord of the rings, harold and kumar go to whitecastle (the quest can be for anything, guys--), necromancer for hire: arc 3

voyage and return- the hero goes to a strange place and, after facing challenges, returns with the experience

examples: alice in wonderland, the odessey, the wizard of oz, necromancer for hire: arc 1

comedy- note: not just bein' funny. comedy, in this sense, is more of when the conflict gets more and more weird until everything is finally made clear in the end. includes a light hearted character and a happy ending. central motif is overcoming a challenging and everything being okay in the end

examples: a midsummer's night dream, four weddings and a funeral, mr. bean

tragedy- your hero has a flaw which is ultimately their end. a lot of focus on pitying a character that fell from grace. usually has a literal death, but metaphorical is good too.

examples: hamlet, death note, julius caesar

rebirth- something forces your character to become a better person and change their ways.

examples: the frog prince, despicable me, a christmas carol

keep these archetypes in mind and use them to construct your story. screw with the foundations and create an original story!

what now? you got a bit of an idea for a storyline, but youre not really sure where to go with it.

try using a plot diagram!!

this will plot your book into five main groups:

exposition

rising action

climax

falling action

conclusion

let's break this down-

the exposition is the very beginning. heres where we establish some characters, the setting, and the basic stuff you stuff at the start of the book. too much exposition is boring.

rising action will take up the bulk of your book. this is where it starts getting a little juicy, and the story starts picking up. if it's an action story, there are small fights and encounters with the villain.

the climax is the part we're all waiting for. this is when everything goes down- the main villain is fought, the hero confronts his bullies, and the party finally find the amulet.

the falling action is still pretty important, but the story begins to wind down. youve fought the bad guy, but now you gotta start the journey home, face the effects of the fight, etc. too much of this will make the story seem tiresome and boring.

the conclusion is when all the little plot ribbons are tied up like a lil present. all the character arcs have been ended, and everything is over. the end. fin.