Story vs. Plot: What's the Difference?

You have probably heard the line, “That story didn’t have much of a plot.”  So, how do you have a story with no plot or one with not much of one?  To understand, you have to know the fundamental difference between story and plot.  Although they are used interchangeably by many, there is a slight difference. According to fiction writing instructor, Janet Burroway, story is simply a chronological series of events, but plot is a series of events purposely arranged “to reveal their dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance.”  Let me illustrate.  The following is a story:

I got up early this morning and met some friends for breakfast.  I ordered a veggie omelet with a steaming pumpkin pie spice latte.  Afterwards, I went back home and took my dog for a walk.  Then, I did some writing.  After that, I ate lunch.  After lunch, I wrote for another couple of hours.  Then I met my friend for a game of tennis. After getting my you-know-what kicked in the game, I went back home and fixed dinner.  Upon finishing dinner, I loaded the dishwasher, took a shower, and went to bed where I read a book until I fell asleep.

Besides being downright mundane and boring, this story is nothing more than a series of events.  In order for this story to have life, it will need that thing that every good story needs: conflict.  So let’s say while I am at the restaurant with my friends, I notice a man who looks my way a number of times.  And then, when I take my dog for a walk, two men drive up, grab me, put me into their car, and drive away.  OK, so now the story is starting to come to life.  We now have the making of a story that has a plot.  

We have a conflict and a springboard for a number of possible complications that will hopefully escalate into a climax and final resolution. So, we see that plot gets much of its life from the fundamental elements considered necessary for a good story: conflict (or problem), crisis (or complications), climax, and resolution.  However, these four elements must be driven by scene, character, and dialogue which I will discuss further in upcoming blogs.