Six Tips for Plotting

Author James Frey offers six tips for plotting in his article titled “The Philosophy of Plot,” written for The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing, that I think are worth exploring. 

 

1.      Chart each major character’s development through actions.

In all good stories, the characters must experience some form of transformation.  In other words they must change, for better or for worse.  And, you must have a general idea of how you want your characters to transform prior to writing the first page in order to work out the actions that must accompany these transformations.  Granted the transformations may evolve in ways you don’t expect, but they are required for a strong plot.

2.      Chart each major character’s actions and indicate his or her motivations.

Motivations lead to actions, and actions reveal who your characters are.  Your characters will seem more real if you, the writer, understand the motivations of your characters.

3.      Spend some time brainstorming.

Of this point, Frey says to “make lists of what the character might do.”  He also goes on to say that you should write whatever comes to mind.  Later you can weed out the actions that don’t work.

4.      Conduct interviews with your characters or write diaries in their voices.

These are good ways to get to know your characters apart from yourself.  You can get inside their heads and in a sense become them, which helps you create more realistic characters.

5.      Follow the “Would he really?” test for believability.

The key here is to not have your character do something out of character.  Don’t confuse the reader with the unexpected.  If your story is going to end with your character doing something brash or outrageous at the end of the story, prepare the reader by having the character do something early on that fits the behavior.

6.      Make sure your characters are well orchestrated.

Which would be more interesting: a cop pitted against another cop, or a cop pitted against an alien?  I think it is safe to say that most would say the latter.  Why?  The larger the contrast, the more curious the reader becomes about the outcome. 

Frey uses the example of a “sweet, naïve, refined young ballet dancer” paired with an “old, sour, burned-out, cynical, former prima donna.”  Just keep in mind that there needs to be contrast.  Same verses same will often make for a stagnant plot.              

Frey also says, “All good plots, whether for serious fiction or for entertainments, result from dramatic characters who are on fire to obtain goals and who work like hell to achieve them.”