Plotting… it’s hard for me. Yep, you heard that right. Me, the planster who leans towards the plotting side, has a HARD time plotting. And not just coming up with ideas – I struggle with getting it all to weave together into a coherent story.
In all honesty, though, I’ve discovered that it’s not only the plotting part that’s hard. It’s getting inspiration – finding some way to craft a story I’m excited about, one that will keep readers turning pages, will make them laugh or cry, will teach them lessons, and, above all, does not have a sagging middle.
Admit it. Most of us struggle with that murky midground where you just have to keep typing to get your characters where you need them to be.
Or maybe I’m the only one XD
As a result of joining the Young Writer’s Workshop, though, I now have access to an amazing library full of top-notch lessons about everything from jumpstarting your novel to writing compelling characters to attracting an agent to staying motivated to coming up with a catchy blog name (yes, I have yet to read that lesson, heh heh). (Interested? Check it out here! I’d highly recommend YWW. Even though it’s expensive, it’s totally worth it. 😉 Don’t have the money? Story Embers is almost as good.)
But I’m not here to pitch for these programs, no matter how awesome they are. I’m here to give you a taste of an amazing, life-changing plotting strategy I have learned: a form of reverse plotting.
Let’s dive in, shall we? 😎
The Basics
Before we get into the meat, I’m gonna touch on the three key aspects that make up a good story: theme, plot, and characters.
Número Uno: Theme
Plot makes a story exciting. Characters make the story heart-wrenching. But theme is what makes the story great.
So what is theme? If we break it down to its most basic aspect, theme is the thing you want your readers to carry away with them. In Lord of the Rings, some of the obvious themes are perseverance, loyalty, and the war between good and evil (i.e. the whole journey to Mount Doom, Sam following Frodo into Shelob’s lair even after Frodo abandons him, the contrast between the obvious “good” species and “evil” species). In The Croods, some obvious themes are family love, courage, and doing what’s best for those around you (the tension between Grug and Epe, which is resolved in the climax; the “never not be afraid” motto switched to “never be afraid”; Grug’s constant sacrifice for his family).
You get the point.
One thing you can do to help find your theme is ask yourself a question, like “What are you willing to lose to save your world?” or “Can families work together?” Then, as you plot, find ways to weave that question and its answer throughout your entire story.
Número Dos: Plot
Once again, if we strip it down to its most basic form, plot is the sequence of events that make up a story. I.e. *was going to do this with LOTR but that book is way too big* Epe runs away from the cave at night and meets a boy who tells her the world is ending. The world ends. Epe and her family are catapulted into a new world. Etc. etc.
Since this whole article is about reverse plotting, I’m not going to get too in-depth into how to find a plot, but it’s based on a question as well – the question of what the hero has to reach (or lose, in some cases) before the story can be completed. This could be a Mount Doom, escape from a disaster, a crown, you name it. Find out what your character is working towards and suddenly you have the perfect formula for a story. 😉
Número Tres: Character
I don’t know about you, but if a story has cheesy characters, it ain’t worth reading.
Characters are the pulse of a story – if your readers don’t care about the characters, then you’d better come up with a pretty swaggy plot for them to stay interested. Characters tie in closely to your plot and theme, though – they are the link between the three key aspects. Usually your theme comes in the form of a lesson your character needs to learn or something they see someone else learn. Your plot is the events that happen to the character, pushing them to realize the lie they believe and the truth they need to learn. They’re all intertwined, but characters are the most important part.
Once again, a compelling character is built of many things, but one thing you REALLY need to determine if you’re going to have an impactful change is the lie the character believes. After you discover that lie, then you can find the lesson they need to learn. (I.e. *was going to do LOTR, but once again there’s too many characters to choose from* Fear is healthy vs. fear is crippling) Oftentimes the lie and truth are closely tied to your theme.
The Climax
Ok, now that we’ve gotten that not very brief overview of the three elements out of the way, we can dive into the juicy stuff: the actual plotting. 😉
I don’t know about you, but the climax is my favorite part of any story – whether to experience, to write, or to play music for. 😉 This is the most action-packed moment of your story – where everything comes to a head and the hero must either win… or fail. The stakes are high. The odds are impossible. How will – and can – he win?
Reverse plotting is the idea of working from the end of the story back. I don’t know who came up with it, but they were a genius. 😛 Therefore, since your climax is typically one of the last things to happen, it’s the first you plot. (Yes, I know, there is the falling action, but I plot the climax and falling action together since they’re intertwined anyway.)
We’ll work through the climax by implementing each of the three key aspects of a story: theme, plot, and characters.
But we’ll do it next time.
Now, don’t give me that look! It’s late and this is already enough for an article anyway. Adding the extra-article-length climax section will only make it long enough to take half an hour to work through, and I don’t want to bore you with that. 😉
Wrap Up
In summary, when you plot a story you’ll be revolving around three crucial elements: theme (the lesson you want learned), plot (the events that make the heart race), and character (the people that make the reader care). Reverse plotting is starting from the back (usually the climax) and working towards the front to create a solid, tight manuscript.
Alrighty, folks, that’s it!! What projects are you working on? How do you plot? Or are you a panster (a writer who flies by the seat of their pants)? Or, like me, are you both? Let me know in the comments!
Take courage, pursue God, and smile while you still have teeth! 😉
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