Many years ago, more than fifty, I went to hear a NYTimes Best Selling Author speak at an all day event in Pittsburgh. The first thing he said was "A plot is just a plan." The plan is where your characters play their roles. I took this to heart and read books on writing and focused on Plot.
Just what does this mean. Think of the plot of your story being like planning a trip using a road map. There is a starting place. Why are the characters in this particular place? What do they plan? How does the plot and setting effect their decisions and directions.
Once the characters have set off on their way toward the goal they have selected, you come to the middle. This may be where the characters remain on the road or perhaps take a side trip of two. The middle of the plot shows the decisions they make and what changes those decisions may cause.
The end of the journey shows they have either succeeded, failed or changed their initial goal. This includes the crisis, the moment of decision and then the characters leave the plot, happily My Places
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or sadly but always the road ends in a satisfactory way.
I agree with that notion. The plan can also change. Sometimes the itinerary gets affected by unforeseen events. And sometimes, when I decided where the story needs to go, my characters enjoy finding new places to explore. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYes, Janet, for sure the interweaving of plan/plot, along with the characters' 'travels' make for a great read. You are an inspiring and prolific author!
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