Tips of How to Plot a Compelling Story!

Plotting is arguably the toughest storytelling skill to learn. And the skill that most separates the average writer from the good one. The amateur from the pro. But good news. Plotting can be learned and honed.

A plot is an escalating series of logically connected events that should excite your audience and hold it in terrible suspense as the plot drives to an intense outcome.

A writer can develop his mind to be able to create plots.

Learning to plot first entails understanding explicit knowledge of what plotting is. Learning this understanding is then followed by countless practices applying this knowledge.

There are NO shortcuts to learning how to plot. If you want to be a skilled and proud storyteller, plotting is a writing fundamental you must know.

Actionable Writing Tips

As subscribers to my Story Guy Newsletter will know, I am a great believer in the adage:

Ask the right question and you get the best answer.

Here are six questions for you to ask to help you learn plotting:

1) To develop your story concept into a plotline, ask questions of it. That is, milk your central conflict by seeing implications for conflicts and events in it. One such specific question: Who is the worst antagonist for this protagonist?

2) To get your plot climax, ask of your protagonist and his main goal/problem: What is the worst thing that can happen to him/her?

3) Escalate your protagonist’s main conflict by asking: How does this problem get harder and harder during the story?

4) Do the conflicts of the protagonist and antagonist clash back and forth like a tennis match?

5) What is the worst choice your protagonist has to make? How does he struggle between these two options?

6) How does everything in your plot drive towards the act and sequence climaxes?

To stress my main point:

Plotting is developing your central conflict into a logical and dramatic series of connected conflicts/events that drive to a climax. If you don’t have this type of structure, your story will most often be illogical, flat, and contrived. If you have a great story concept and do develop it into a plot, your chances of having a compelling and resonant script are much higher. Plot that course.

If you want to discuss getting expert help to develop or vet your plot, reply with PLOT.

.