#creating plot

What if it's not character that's your problem, but the structure of your story? How do you plot?!

While the plot of a novel is a series of events unique to your tale, the structure of it is probably very similar to other works and as such, falls into one of these plot types.

Vs Fate (luck, destiny) - Have your character fight against the inevitable - a prophecy, a prognosis. Percy Jackson never actually escapes the prophecies, and the characters of Fault of Our Stars fight cancer every step of the way.

Vs Self (need vs want, need vs morals) - Have your character fight their own nature. This is a common plot structure for character-driven novels and is often the basis of a character arc. Think Diana Prince in Wonder Woman 84 torn between her want (her lover) and her need/morals (saving the world)

Vs Society - Rebellion! Society can vary - maybe it's the ruling class, maybe it's the patriarchy, maybe it's capitalism (solarpunk, anyone?). In any case, characters in these stories are fighting the structural aspect of a society or the establishment upholding it. Luke Skywalker is going against the Empire, and the ladies of Hidden Figures are fighting racism.

Vs Supernatural - This is when the threat is a supernatural element, which isn't every fantasy story. Think the Exorcism or monster-of-the-week TV shows.

Vs Technology - This is when technology is the bad guy your characters must stop. It can be in an action movie - like Terminator - or it could be in a political drama about the atomic bomb.

Vs Family - These plots can be similar to the vs society setup, but the group your character is fighting against is more personal because it's their family (found or not). Encanto is a good example of this - Mirabel struggles with her place in the family while her siblings struggle with the pressure to keep Abuela happy.

Hi @the-forgotten-traveller​

This is an excellent question! What a wonderful problem to have. I’m not being sarcastic here… I honestly believe you are in a great situation.

Plot bunnies are fun and exciting to chase if you can already see them bounding around just out of your reach. However your situation is different because you can’t see the field of bunnies yet.  Plot bunnies are ideas about  how your characters react to different situations and interact with each other.  Find bunnies by thinking about scenarios. Here are some example questions to get you started… 

What would you main character do if their kid sister was in trouble? What would they do if they found out  the magical power source that keeps balance in their universe needed recharging? How would your characters react to interplanetary visitors abducting them?  Where does your character see themselves in 5 years? What would they do if time stopped tomorrow? How far would they go to get that promotion?  What would they say to win over their true love? How would they talk a stranger down from a ledge? What would they accidentally order from a french restaurant and then politely eat, even though they don’t like it?  

 Once you imagine the first part of the scenario, let the scene unfold in your imagination and see how far  you can follow it. See if it leads you anywhere. When you come to a wall,  ask a new question and tie it into whichever situation your character is in. It’s a fun mental exercise to play before you even start to write. 

Michelle Albert’s writing cheat sheets at Inkalicious have been making the rounds for a few years now for their excellent quick-glance info on everything from characters to plot.

I intend to participate in NaNoWriMo this month, I really do. But I have a word count of 0 as of this post. It’s not that I’m gripped by anxiety over taking the plunge. Nor is it that I’m lazy. I just have other deadlines that need to be finished first.

So for all of you who haven’t started--whatever your reasons--tomorrow’s only Day 4 and it's still not too late. Especially when you realize you only need two things for a draft: Plot and Characters. Some may wonder why I excluded Voice, and that’s because Voice can be worked on and refined during the revision process. 

Plot

Create an outline. There are many ways, including index cards, a scene-by-scene chart, or a visual story map using PowerPoint.

5 Things You Must Know Before You Start Your Novel

The pros and cons of 3 traditional plotting methods, plus how the writer uses a mix of all three for herself.

A “mini course” for outlining your plot, complete with writing exercises.

Comprehensive list of what you’ll need to know for your story and plot.

For the outline haters, some words of wisdom: Treat your outline merely as a map to prevent you from getting lost or scrapping your story, rather than an inflexible law you must follow.

Characters

Know your characters.

Know your characters’ goals, paying special attention to opposing goals (having a goal blocked by the antagonist or another character creates drama).

The Ultimate Character Builder template.

Understand your main characters’ masks (what weak personality traits they try to hide from the world and how they do it).

Keep track of your core characters' personality traits and goals in character sheets, which are just as helpful as a plot sheet. 

Supporting characters also benefit from character sheets. But since we’re in the thick of NaNoWriMo, I think it’s fair to focus on your protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) while the supporting crew waits for revision time.