Plot Structure Systems

 

When I first started learning about story structure, I first adopted the model made by Christopher Booker in "Seven Basic Plots" (a fascinating but extremely lengthy read). Once I started looking at other plotting systems, I noticed a lot of similarities. It bugged me at first, because I'd already learned one set of terminology and didn't want to learn another. But if you look at it, the systems are all very similar to one another. 

Most of these plots have, at their base, the seven-point story structure. These are the bare bones that make a story work, and a huge variety of authors use it. 

KM Weiland adds details about the key event and inciting incident. She has a ton more interesting information on her website, from how to integrate a character arc into this system, to how Marvel movies use (or don't use) structure in their movies, to archetypal character arcs based on a human's life cycle. It's all fascinating stuff!

I wanted to break down story structure further, so I took the typical three-act story and broke each act into parts. This takes a long novel and breaks it up into manageable pieces. With the overall picture managed by this outline, my creative mind has more space to work on emotion, theme, growth, detail, and other aspects of writing.

Save the Cat uses different terminology, but still, many of the points line up. It was originally designed for screenwriters but adapted to novels. Save the Cat has more specific story advice and details than the other methods.

Seven Basic Plots divides all stories into seven different categories. These are plots, not genres, and different examples of these can be found in most traditional genres. All seven plots follow a basic pattern.

The Hero's Journey is much older than these methods but is still in use today. It follows a specific type of story, one that is often used today.

There is more information out there to dive into. This blog gives an excellent rundown of several different methods of organization.

Feel free to compare the information and make your own guidelines--or simply wing it. Have fun!

Story Structure for kids (and other beginners)

I've been writing stories since I was a young child, yet I didn't publish my first story until I was 28. That's about twenty years of practice before my stories were ready. I learned by trial and error and developed skills slowly over time. 

The biggest issue with my early stories was that they had no structure. I just wrote whatever came to mind. After a lot of practice, I finally developed a feel for how stories needed to progress. I only discovered story structure after I had written my first book, The Spectra Unearthed, yet that one does fit the beats of a structured story. 

Note: The color coding matches up to my system, which I will discuss later. Note that I have three shades of blue in the middle when I should have only two.

Again, it took me twenty years to get to that point, and about four years of working on that one book. Some authors still write by instinct, and their stories still end up having structure even if they don't do it deliberately. Personally, I find that story structure lets me write faster, and my stories turn out better.

 Nine steps for a simple story

Today I gave my kids a nine-step formula for writing a structured story. I had them write down one sentence per step. When I write, I use a similar formula, though for me, one step equals about three chapters.

1. Who and what is your character? What do they want? Why are they interesting?

2. What will happen to your character? (passive) 3. How does your character choose to change? (active) They choose to interact with step #2. 4. Who or what is stopping your main character? 5. What does your character learn about themselves and the world? 6. What can your character lose? What will happen if they don't win? 7. What goes wrong? 8. What happens when your character faces what's stopping them in step 5? 9. How has your character changed?

Half steps for a more advanced story

For more advanced writers, you might want to add half-steps in between some of these major beats:

2.5: What was your character's life like before the story? 3.5: What is your character's new life like now that they have chosen to change? 4.5: How does your character react to their troubles? 5.5: How does your character prepare to face their troubles? 6.5: What convinces your character to keep trying? 7.5: What hidden strengths can your character draw on to rise above everything that went wrong?

Next, my kids and I looked at KM Weiland's Story Structure database to learn how stories that we already know and love fit our model. We used Harry Potter 1. I've also used the movies Frozen and Aladdin.

(More advanced) My structure system

I used my own story structure system to come up with those nine steps. Many different authors have come up with different story structure systems. They all have similarities, but some of them use different labels for the same point. I started using KM Weiland's model, but soon adapted it for myself. 

Here's a quick overview of my system:

I took the three acts and broke them into eight pieces. Each piece has a specific job and ends in a specific "beat" (which I defined in the steps above).

Look at how my "climax" beats align to the steps/questions from earlier:

1. Who and what is your character? What do they want? Why are they interesting? (Characteristic Moment/Hook)

2. What will happen to your character? (Key Event)

3. How does your character choose to change? They choose to interact with step #2. (First Plot Point)

4. Who or what is stopping your main character? (First Pinch Point)

5. What does your character learn about themselves and the world? (Midpoint)

6. What can your character lose? What will happen if they don't win? (Second Pinch Point)

7. What goes wrong? (Second Plot Point/Low Point)

8. What happens when your character faces what's stopping them in step 5? (Climax)

9. How has your character changed? (Resolution)

Story Structure in The Spectra Books

For my first few Keita's Wings books, I used story structure to turn a messy rough draft into a publishable story. Now I also use it to create an outline before I start writing. I update my outline as I go to help me keep track of where I am in the story and what I need to do next.

Here are some of the finished outlines for some of my books (some of them are cropped to remove spoilers).

Mira's Griffin:

Keita's Wings series

These are color coded instead of labeled by section. Act 1 is yellow, Act 2.A-B are green, Act 2.C-D are blue, Act 3 is red, and I colored the resolution yellow as well.

DreamRovers

I broke up each chapter into scenes for DreamRovers to help me keep track of the three point of views. 

Yes, I am a bit obsessed with spreadsheets.

Story structure is a huge topic and I hope this is useful. This is an amazing age when more information abounds if you wish to search for it. Have fun!

Introvert at the doctors'

I struggle with doctor visits. The only doctor I've ever actually liked was my midwife for two of my kids. I've never really teased out why, before now. 

I am very much an introvert. As such, it takes a lot of social energy for me to talk to people. I can answer questions without too much trouble, but taking the initiative in a conversation is difficult. I have to think up my statement/question, consider my phrasing, find the right time to bring it up, and then judge reactions carefully. It takes a lot of mental effort. If I'm confronted unexpectedly, there's a good chance my brain will go blank and I will struggle to put two words together. I'm not shy. I don't dislike people. This is just how my brain works. 

So, the reason I don't like doctor visits is because the communication breaks down so easily. Requiring so many steps means it's easy for things to go wrong. I will forget questions or statements I wanted to make. If I do remember, I have to find the right time to say it. If I don't feel like I'm being heard, I will have an even harder time forcing myself to let down filters enough to speak. And if I disagree with something, getting that through the filters is even harder (if I've ever disagreed with you face to face, you may consider us the closest of friends). Most likely, the negative thoughts will stay trapped, festering in my head. 

And return visits? Much worse. I've already put a lot of social energy into this, but I can't be sure how much the doctor remembers. It adds several more filters: I can't expect them to remember--I know they're busy and I'm just one person--but I don't want to repeat what they already know. This is assuming it got through the very first filter: do I even remember what I need to convey?

 As for the one midwife I actually liked: on our very first visit, we had a conversation where we related to each other as individuals. Every time I brought something up, she answered without judgment, dismissal, or conflict. I grew to trust her. I even had her personal number on my phone, and she was nothing but supportive on the couple times I used it. She wasn't just a doctor. She was my friend.

My Writing Process

 I've probably written about my writing process before, but it's an ever evolving, ever refining thing. Right now, I'd like to describe the stages that a story goes through before I publish it.

This is the system I use. It works for me, and it's fast--I can publish at least a book a year, start to finish, with my method. But this is a very individual exercise, and everyone works a bit differently. You'll want to adapt what you learn and come up with your own.

Step 1: Daydream. This is where I do my "pantsing". I watch it in my head like a movie, and throw in whatever seems appealing. It's a mess, and that's fine. Most likely, I'll eventually tire of it, and the whole story moves to "the compost of my imagination". Ideas get recycled and reused in different forms. Eventually an actual story emerges, ready for the next step.

Step 2: Outline. I'll make a form with the basic story structure, which I've adapted from KM Weiland's blog. I'll fill in just a couple lines for each major beat. (Key moment, inciting incident, first plot point, first pinch point, etc.)

This is for a book I have yet to write, and it will change a lot before it's finished. That's perfectly fine.

Step 3: Rough draft. I usually do this for NaNoWriMo or in that style. I'll use the outline as a rough guide, so I know where I'm heading next, and then just get all those words out, unedited, unpolished. If I realize that an earlier part needs to change, I'll go up and make a note, right in the document. I may even stop and do some brainstorming (stream-of-conscious typing about the story) or write notes and suggestions to myself.

Step 4: First draft. I take the mess that is the rough draft, look at all the notes I've made, and turn it into something presentable. This is the stage that takes the longest. 

Being me, I'll also make all kinds of spreadsheets to help me keep track of where the story is and what needs to happen next. Here's the one from my DreamRovers series:

Step 5: Get feedback. Some of these steps will be going concurrently. I'll be submitting chapters for beta-readers before I've finished the whole first draft, for instance.  I have three main beta-readers right now, plus at least one stranger to my style/world, if I can find one. Reading out loud might happen anywhere in the process. It's great for catching plot holes as well as mistakes. My kids enjoy being my test audience. Both the beta-readers and my kids act as motivation to get that next chapter done on time.

Step 6: Polishing. This will include making changes that I've found, as well as incorporating advice from the feedback I've received. This will take several drafts.  

Step 7: Proofing. I'll make the cover and do the formatting, then order a copy of a physical proof from amazon. This will allow me to pick out mistakes and make changes that I wouldn't have noticed in another format, like a screen.

Step 8s and beyond: Publish! And market like crazy. But that's another topic... 

If you'd like to check out the finished results, you can find my books at www.thespectrabooks.com

I hope you find something useful here. Enjoy!

Introduction to Introverts

At church the other day, as part of a conversation I mentioned that some of my sisters and I are introverts. "No, you're not!" my friend said, as if this were a horrible insult. 

At a family reunion, I sat beside the campfire reading a library book entitled "The Introvert Advantage". One of my uncle's friends started lecturing me. "Don't you believe that book," he said. "You have to be bold to survive in this world. You can't be an introvert." I wondered if his attack was meant to force me to stand up for myself. I was tempted to lose my temper and tell him that he didn't understand introversion, or me, and in fact, he might well be one himself. I didn't. 

At a social gathering, two women were discussing their friendship. "It's not that I dislike people," one said, "I just forget that I'm supposed to contact my friends from time to time. Having friends is so much work!"  

Her partner responded: "Well, then, let's be friends, and we won't worry about contacting each other." 

I shared the exchange with my husband. His favorite part of the story was that I listened to the whole thing and said nothing. 

In a very introverted way, I missed an opportunity in those situations. Now I'm going to take it. 

What is an introvert? Knowledge and theories have been increasing in recent years, but misunderstanding remains. We’re not shy; we're not sad. We can't just change the way our brains work. We make up about a quarter of the population of the United States.  Part of the difficulty is that introverts tend to be especially interested in learning about themselves and how minds work, so those who are learning and studying about introversion are by and large introverts themselves. So, for interested introverts and empathetic extroverts, please enjoy the following explanation.  

At its most basic, introverts are people who gain "social energy" from within, while extroverts are people who gain energy from without. An introvert is not necessarily shy: I have a great friend who is outgoing and connects with people, but then needs time to herself to "recharge" once people are gone. Extroverts can enjoy alone time, but then you need human interaction to feel complete. Introverts need to figure out themselves on their own in order to connect with people. We still like other people. We still need other people. But we need more time alone in between. Like most things, introversion-extroversion is a scale, not an on-off switch. I am very firmly on the introvert camp, but I have friends and family who are more introverted than I am, or who are introverted in different ways. My husband is pretty close to the middle. 

I heard of a study that defined extroversion as a requirement for happiness. However, they determined how happy people were by rating statements like "I have lots of friends" or "People say I'm fun to be around." That's not happiness to an introvert. A better statement would be "I am comfortable with who I am". A more interesting study suggested that introvert brains are more sensitive to dopamine and other brain chemicals. Therefore, we need less stimulation, and are overwhelmed by too much of it. If my husband and son are trying to talk at the same time while music is playing, I want to hide under a pillow until at least two of those competing things go away. I don't like loud noise, big crowds, or complications. If someone confronts me with strong emotion, my first instinct is to withdraw, and flee if possible. Often in social situations, our brains move too slow: once we're comfortable, we'll think of all the things we wish we'd said if only we'd thought of it at the time. If I feel comfortable—or even able!—to argue, tease, or debate with you, consider it the highest of compliments.  

Innies (my affectionate nickname for introverts) do have things to learn from our extrovert friends. These skills will take effort, but we can learn them: Talking to strangers. Making phone calls. Keeping in contact. Taking initiative. We also need to take care of ourselves (and extroverts can use it too!). It's okay to open up to people and tell them what you need. It's okay to take breaks. It's okay to be alone sometimes. Find what activities help you recharge—writing, reading, crafting, anything that fulfills you. I find scripture reading to be particularly helpful. Insider's tip: Social media may not be as demanding as other interactions, but it doesn't count as a break.  

Introverts still need friends. We make great listeners. We make great talkers, too, if we trust you and are discussing something we've already thought about. We might prefer social media or texting to visits or (shudder) phone calls. We definitely prefer small groups to large crowds. If an Innie calls you a friend, consider it a huge honor. My number of close, non-family friends is... let me think. One. Two... I can think of other people I like to be around, but for people I feel more or less comfortable with... I'm going to stick with two. I like enthusiastic people. I admire them. But come up to me too eagerly and I'm going to feel like you're a St. Bernard puppy who's been left alone for three days—jumping, barking, licking my face... Yikes! Space, please! Sit down, let's find some common ground and we'll talk. Let me learn to trust you. Get too personal before I'm comfortable and I'm going to clam up, dodge or give empty answers, and wish you would go away. Check out this poem I wrote when I was fourteen, long before I knew of introverts and extroverts. If I've been hurt before, or have reason to mistrust you, this will be a very long, difficult journey. But give me time, give me space, give me breaks, give me opportunities to prove that I can be myself around you without judgment... give me these, and I will prove that I can be a great friend. I can also be a listening ear and a better support to others who still need friendship and trust.

I am an introvert, and I'm proud of it. I may think differently than you do. I'm learning to balance people-time and alone-time. I bet you are too, whether you are Innie or Exie. Give me space and I would love to be your friend. I need to express myself, and if conversations are too uncomfortable, a blog will do. Thanks for reading! 

My Writing Process

Every author and writer has a different process for drafting and editing. They go through a different number of drafts or stages before getting to the book you see on the shelf. This is my process:

1. Rough Draft

Usually I use NaNoWriMo to get this draft down, though in grade school I used a notebook for the same effect. For the rough draft, you are not allowed to stop and edit. You have to churn out a certain number of words a day, and it's not going to be pretty. It's a mess that you cringe to think of anybody ever looking at. It might even include passages like these (from a yet untitled novel about griffins):

 Tyra rolled her eyes. “What about the other women in the vale?”

“Aren’t any. White Leader’s a top hunter. He gets first pick of humans, and until Runa he always went for males.”

#It seems like all this explanation should be earlier. Or maybe not.

His other two picks were both men, tall and strong. Both were fishermen. Name1 had a wife and two youngsters at the village. Name2 was older, with his four children all grown. None of them spoke to each other. 

The chain that had been attached to her collar lay in a corner.

Edit: she’s still wearing it.

Tyra examined it. 

A girl screamed again. Tyra was getting tired of the screaming, though her heart had sped up again without her permission. (I counted the word 'scream' ten times in this section).

Since I am not allowed to edit, I sometimes go back and add a line explaining the changes that I'd like to make. Occasionally I include several paragraphs brainstorming how this section ought to go, or outlining what I think should come in the next couple sections. The rough draft has no chapters, but I do have heading titles to help me find the sections quickly.

Again, the rough draft is for nobody's eyes but mine. If you're working on NaNoWriMo, congratulations! You've got a start! But please please please do not assume that you have a full publishable story on your hands. Yes, amazon will publish it for nothing, but it gives indie authors a bad name.

Ahem, coming off the soapbox...


2. First Draft

This draft takes the longest, often several months. I start by listing out every scene in the novel with a few key words. For example, here's the first chapter of The Spectra Uprooted:

Part 1: Introduction 

Chapter: Harvest Festival 

Wrestling match 

Eating 

First raid: numbers scare off raiders, Bract worries they will be back

Zuri is brought in/Keita’s identity revealed 

“captured” by grasslanders

I move these clips around into chapters and add in a few lines for scenes that I think ought to be added.  My goal is to have the story build to a climax in each chapter, with all of the scenes in that chapter adding up to it.  Once I've got this guideline, I fill out the scenes that I've described that still need added. Also, because I'm slightly OCD about page numbers, I keep track of chapter length on an excel sheet, which I've already described. I also make the changes that I noted during the rough draft. 

When I'm almost done with the first draft, I go back to the beginning and read each character's voice as if I were doing an audiobook. This helps me make the characters' dialogue distinct from each other.

By the time I am finished with the first draft, I have a decent story that I am willing to share with beta-readers. The plot and characters are in place and in order. Going over each scene allows me to rewrite most of it, so some of the more awkward prose gets corrected.

3. Prose Draft

The prose draft mostly involves cutting extra words to make the story flow better. Red flags of words to change include could and 've had to, -ly adverbs, passive voice, etc.  I like to use prowritingaid for a free analysis of my first few pages, looking for problems that I'm likely to find in the rest of the work. After working on the computer, I request a physical copy from Staples, where the extra words are more obvious. Here's a page from The Spectra Uprooted:

This copy can also be shared with beta-readers. I can leave it with friends to add comments.

After I make the changes I've marked on my physical copy, I format to the correct page size and add the maps, acknowledgments, and other material. Once this is done I start working on the cover, which means that I can't make any more major changes without risking a change to the cover's spine width. My beta reader and I go over it one more time and then I request the proof copy.

4. Proof copy

There's nothing so exciting as getting the proof copy in the mail! At last, it looks like a real book!

Now I get to read the whole thing, pretending I'm a reader. I also circle small changes and especially typos that need fixed. I might have to add a label to the map or make sure all the fonts match. And, if I'm designing my own cover, I check to make sure that's working (if not, I have to order a proof all over again, which is not fun).

Timing:

From start to finish, this process takes about a year to complete. I choose my own due date when I first start writing, usually my angel baby's birthday (September 5th). That gives me time to work on marketing and side projects and preparation before NaNo comes around again. 

So, there's my writing process. What's yours?

2021 Note: The books I used as samples are now published. Mira's Griffin changed quite a bit since those snippets! Keita's Wings (the new title for my first series, of which The Spectra Uprooted is third) is now complete. I've written a new blogpost with more information about my writing process, along with changes I've made in the past four years.