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Atricle Dump - Short Story Writing: Article 7: Plot Part 1
First, let’s talk about search engines. It is estimated that 75%-80% of website traffic comes through search engines. Research shows that only the first 2 pages of results are actually viewed by the consumer. So getting your site on the first 2 pages needs to be your goal. You are probably familiar with search engines already. Maybe you have even submitted your site to Google, Yahoo, or Exactseek. While submitting your site to search engines will usually get your site listed, it can still leave you with virtually no traffic and your sit
The theme is the backbone of the story, and should form an unbroken link from the beginning to the end. If you are developing a story, and not sure where it should be going, a consideration of the opening, or the proposed ending should reveal the theme and help you pull it together.
The opening paragraphs of the story should establish a situation which is unstable, which contains within it the necessity for change, and the ending should show the results of that change, and the achievement of some form of stability. The nature of the init
A very important question people often ask me regarding my new system is:"Devon...will your system automatically generate leads?"The fact that I get asked this question so often tells me a lot about the mindset/understanding of individuals.You see,People in MLM (in my opinion) are too focused on leads. The selling of "Home Biz Opp" leads is a Multi-Million dollar businessBut let me ask you this:Is it the LEAD you're looking for...or the SALE?When I tell people that I have an "automated s
As with every other aspect of short story writing, under ideal circumstances you won't need any rules about plot, and won't need to analyse what you are doing. A story will just arrive in your mind and demand to be written. You won't need to plan it in advance, and as you work you will know how to shape and direct it simply by following your instinct. The whole process will happen of its own accord and you will be too busy writing to think about 'plot' or 'theme' or 'suspense' or anything like that.
The ability to work instinctively, without reference to guidelines, is our aim, but it rarely happens without the writer first having given at least a little analytical thought to what makes a good story work. Similarly the ability to see where a story-in-progress which has got stuck might be going wrong, and how to put it right should become instinctive, but is unlikely to do so without at least a glance at some guidelines.
The guidelines which follow, therefore, are not hard and fast rules, but aids to thought, both for the planning of stories, and for the diagnosis of problems in stories which have gone wrong.
An event in a person's life
The most important thing about a short story plot is that it should be about and event in a person's life. The reader is drawn into a story by identifying with the central character, and it is this identification which should hold his attention all the way through. A finished story may well have a general meaning, such as: 'love will find a way' or: 'appearances can be deceptive', but it is not practical to set out with the intention of creating a story to illustrate such a message. We must start with a person - a person facing some kind of predicament, and work out the story in those terms.
A unifying theme
But it is also important that a plot should have a unifying theme - a purpose, to hold it together.
If the plot is what happens in the story, the theme is what it means, what it is about; not in a general sense, but in terms of the specific struggle in which the central character is engaged. Without a theme a plot becomes episodic - A happens, then B happens, then C happens, etc. without a sense of purpose or direction.
The theme is the backbone of the story, and should form an unbroken link from the beginning to the end. If you are developing a story, and not sure where it should be going, a consideration of the opening, or the proposed ending should reveal the theme and help you pull it together.
The opening paragraphs of the story should establish a situation which is unstable, which contains within it the necessity for change, and the ending should show the results of that change, and the achievement of some form of stability. The nature of the init
Today Google Inc. launches a new news archive search that allows you to search and explore historical archives and create timelines to view the results from particular time periods.The news search archive appears on the Google News homepage. “Archive listings also will be featured on the bottom of the regular Google Search results page within the next few days”, said Anurag Acharya, a Google distinguish
The guidelines which follow, therefore, are not hard and fast rules, but aids to thought, both for the planning of stories, and for the diagnosis of problems in stories which have gone wrong.
An event in a person's life
The most important thing about a short story plot is that it should be about and event in a person's life. The reader is drawn into a story by identifying with the central character, and it is this identification which should hold his attention all the way through. A finished story may well have a general meaning, such as: 'love will find a way' or: 'appearances can be deceptive', but it is not practical to set out with the intention of creating a story to illustrate such a message. We must start with a person - a person facing some kind of predicament, and work out the story in those terms.
A unifying theme
But it is also important that a plot should have a unifying theme - a purpose, to hold it together.
If the plot is what happens in the story, the theme is what it means, what it is about; not in a general sense, but in terms of the specific struggle in which the central character is engaged. Without a theme a plot becomes episodic - A happens, then B happens, then C happens, etc. without a sense of purpose or direction.
The theme is the backbone of the story, and should form an unbroken link from the beginning to the end. If you are developing a story, and not sure where it should be going, a consideration of the opening, or the proposed ending should reveal the theme and help you pull it together.
The opening paragraphs of the story should establish a situation which is unstable, which contains within it the necessity for change, and the ending should show the results of that change, and the achievement of some form of stability. The nature of the init
Writing white papers is not an easy task for most companies, but every company needs them to effectively educate and market their products and services to potential customers. In many cases, white papers contain additional information and extra analyses, which aren’t included in other advertising or marketing materials. Your business can utilize white papers to reach a wider audience, but first you need to ask yourself these important questions:1-Who is your audience? Make sure you analyze and define your audience, so yo
An event in a person's life
The most important thing about a short story plot is that it should be about and event in a person's life. The reader is drawn into a story by identifying with the central character, and it is this identification which should hold his attention all the way through. A finished story may well have a general meaning, such as: 'love will find a way' or: 'appearances can be deceptive', but it is not practical to set out with the intention of creating a story to illustrate such a message. We must start with a person - a person facing some kind of predicament, and work out the story in those terms.
A unifying theme
But it is also important that a plot should have a unifying theme - a purpose, to hold it together.
If the plot is what happens in the story, the theme is what it means, what it is about; not in a general sense, but in terms of the specific struggle in which the central character is engaged. Without a theme a plot becomes episodic - A happens, then B happens, then C happens, etc. without a sense of purpose or direction.
The theme is the backbone of the story, and should form an unbroken link from the beginning to the end. If you are developing a story, and not sure where it should be going, a consideration of the opening, or the proposed ending should reveal the theme and help you pull it together.
The opening paragraphs of the story should establish a situation which is unstable, which contains within it the necessity for change, and the ending should show the results of that change, and the achievement of some form of stability. The nature of the init
Small victories build momentum. Small victories validate self-assurance. Small victories pave the way for later success. Small victories enable you to take bolder action. Small victories stretch your boundaries one mile at a time.This goes for everything: dating, sports, conversation, business, shyness, speaking in public and the like. You must win small victories first. For example:• If you’re terrified of public speaking, try giving a toast at the family dinner table.• If you’re a
A unifying theme
But it is also important that a plot should have a unifying theme - a purpose, to hold it together.
If the plot is what happens in the story, the theme is what it means, what it is about; not in a general sense, but in terms of the specific struggle in which the central character is engaged. Without a theme a plot becomes episodic - A happens, then B happens, then C happens, etc. without a sense of purpose or direction.
The theme is the backbone of the story, and should form an unbroken link from the beginning to the end. If you are developing a story, and not sure where it should be going, a consideration of the opening, or the proposed ending should reveal the theme and help you pull it together.
The opening paragraphs of the story should establish a situation which is unstable, which contains within it the necessity for change, and the ending should show the results of that change, and the achievement of some form of stability. The nature of the init
For most of the history of the Mutual Fund Industry average annual turnover hovered around 15 to 20 percent. This means that 15-20 percent of the funds portfolio changed each year. Put another way, the average holding period for a stock in a mutual fund portfolio was 8 years. Starting in the late 1970's and accelerating in the mid-1990's, average annual turnover is now 100 percent. Put another way, the average holding period is now less than one year. So, while preaching that a steady, long term approach was appropriate for their custom
The theme is the backbone of the story, and should form an unbroken link from the beginning to the end. If you are developing a story, and not sure where it should be going, a consideration of the opening, or the proposed ending should reveal the theme and help you pull it together.
The opening paragraphs of the story should establish a situation which is unstable, which contains within it the necessity for change, and the ending should show the results of that change, and the achievement of some form of stability. The nature of the initial instability should be mirrored in the finally achieved stability, and the connection between them is your theme. So you should be able to see the opening of your story reflected in its ending, and the ending reflected in the opening. If you cannot then the story hasn't yet gelled, and won't yet work.
In some cases you may not be able to define your theme in words, it may be just a feeling, and the story may well be an attempt to capture that feeling. There is nothing wrong with this, in fact it may be the way the best stories are conceived, but even if you can't define the theme you must have a sense of what it is. It must be there as the raison d'?tre of the story, giving it direction and holding it together.
Conflict
The progress from opening to ending should be logical, but not straightforward. A simple situation of instability resolving into stability does not make a plot. A conflict between opposing forces is needed, and should be integral to the theme. The conflict can be between the central character and other characters, between the central character and his circumstances, or between conflicting desires within the central character.
The conflict does not have to be violent or arouse extreme passions, nor does its nature necessarily have to be obvious or clear-cut. It can be as subtle as you like, but it must be there, holding the reader in suspense.
Copyright: Ian Mackean
http://www.literature-study-online.com/creativewriting/
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