How Plot is like Walking

jfields

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How Plot is like Walking

« on: June 05, 2011, 10:53:46 AM »

Many times folks will bring a short story or even a novel and ask how folks got away with "x" when it flies in the face of plot "rules." First, it helps to know WHY we have those plot basics...what do they do? Most importantly, what do they do for the READER?

Creating plot by having a single main character with a clear personality that helps drive his actions does the following...
1. Make the main character feel more like a real person. Cardboard "whiny kid" or "perfect kid" or "religious kid" or "bad kid" or "bully" or "victim" characters don't feel real. People act out of their personalities and temperament and circumstances. Without YOU (as writer) knowing those things -- personality, temperament, circumstances -- for each character, then the character will feel "convenient" instead of "real."

2. Real main characters generate feelings in the reader. Think of your favorite book characters. What do you FEEL about them? Hannibal Lector scares me. Elvis Cole makes me smile every time -- he's just so sweet at heart even in the midst of so much trouble in his books. Eeyore makes me laugh because he personifies so many people I know -- but taken to the extreme. Flat characters (at best) can annoy you, but when an author makes a character REAL, then you begin to feel like you know them...and so you care.


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jfields

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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2011, 10:57:47 AM »

So, when I know what the first prong is for...it's to generate emotion in the reader...then if I tamper with the first prong, I have to do so for a dang good reason, because who wants to make the reader care LESS about the main character?

So, if I split the main character into two (bear and fox in my one example) I do so knowing that I automatically make the reader care less about the characters. In a short story, I'm weakening emotional connection because I just don't have time to make them both really really real in the way a main character must be real to generate feeling.

WHat might I gain? I can gain contrast, letting different kinds of kids relate differently. The big hulking kid can see the value in being small and the value in being big. The small kid can see the same. And they can see how they're strengthened by working together. I'm trading EMOTIONAL connection for theme...I'm giving the reader something to think about. But without emotional connection, I'm also going to need clear, interesting action so I can keep the reader reading...emotional involvement is a huge boon to keeping reader interest, without it, all the other ways to keep reader interest become harder but more important.


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jfields

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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2011, 11:02:32 AM »

The second prong of the plot -- apply pressure -- does the job of grabbing reader interest. When you apply pressure, the automatic reader response is to wonder what happens next. The main character has fallen into a deep hole -- what happens next? The main character has broken his mom's favorite vase -- what happens next? The more pressure you apply, the more desperate the reader is to know what happens next.

Think about it in your own day...suppose a friend comes over and tells you about her garden. If you like gardening, you may really enjoy the conversation -- but if her phone rings and she has to go...you can handle that too. BUT suppose your friend comes over and tells you someone broke into her house last night!! Then the phone rings and she has to go before telling you anything else! How do you feel? It's much harder isn't it? That's because the pressure (burglar!) triggered your natural human need to know "What happened next?"

Without pressure, you have to use something else to trigger that response. You can do it with a deep enough connection to character. If we truly love the character, we'll want to knwo what happens next even in a quiet story.


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jfields

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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2011, 11:09:17 AM »

We can also trigger it with humor. Since we love to laugh, we're often sad when a stand up comic is done. The person made us laugh and we wanted it to go on. We weren't in the middle of a story with the comic, but we were in the middle of an experience that cheered us, brightened out day, and probably gave us something to think about (humor often does when done well).

So if you lose the "what happens next" from story pressure, you must replace it with something else gripping. Some of these can work...in order of how well:

1. Humor -- done well, humor will always keep a reader reading.
2. We put the reader somewhere he would like to go. Such as getting to stay up late and take a walk through the woods with grandpa to see the creatures that most never see. Or we take the reader aboard a nuclear submarine. Or we take the reader into the dungeons of a castle. The novelty of the situation can capture interest when pressure is lacking.
3. Strong emotional connection -- if we care deeply about the character, we'll enjoy seeing them do things. But it's hard to trigger that caring without pressure...usually we have to use nostalgia. We make the reader care by showing the character in a situation we have all shared, often one that is very positive. That's one reason why "Good Night" books not only make parents happy but small children as well. They like seeing other small things/kids like themselves getting the same warm good night experience they have.


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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2011, 11:16:01 AM »

The third prong -- resolution. This both satisfies -- bringing the "what happens next" push to an ending we both need and enjoy -- and allows the reader to let go. A story that doesn't end with resolution can leave the reader emotionally uncomfortable, frustrated or just plain mad at the story. Resolution also gives hope -- if this character under this pressure was able to find a solution, maybe life will be okay after all.

That's the problem with a "rescue" ending. If you swoop in with Mom or Dad and rescue the kid character, that is realistic -- Mom and Dad rescue in real life too. But ultimately it builds fear. What happens if Mom and Dad aren't handy? Would I be doomed? By resolving with the child as driver, you encourage a child to believe in himself.

But, if you don't have pressure...ending the story can be much harder. What makes resolution in a story with no pressure? Sometimes you can end with surprise -- Max comes home from his visit to the Island where the Wild Things live and finds his supper waiting for him and it's still hot. This is a surprise for Max. He was told he was going to go without dinner because he was being wild. But it's deeply satisfying because he CHOSE to come home and when he got there, he discovered hs was still loved (as symbolized by the hot dinner.)


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jfields

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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2011, 11:18:54 AM »

In a story that is about a new place, experience, the logical ending is at the end of the experience -- or at the point where the character reaches the end of it's newness. This is a less satisfying ending, but it will feel logical and most readers will be fairly comfortable with it. But it's weaker...and as a writer, you need to know that it's weaker.

In a story that reminds us of an experience, the nostalgia or "good night" story (for example) -- the ending again comes with the end of the experience. But having a little surprise or twist at the end will strengthen that kind of ending. Still, you don't want to much jolt at the end of a nostalgia/good night story since the whole tone is more lulling.


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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2011, 11:20:21 AM »

So lots of working stories have variations on the plot "rules" or even walk away from them entirely, but you need to know WHY you're walking away and WHAT you bring to the story to replace the value of the plot "rules." Now that you know what the "rules" are there to do...vary them knowing that your story does those same things, just in a different way.

In other words, work your way through sitting up, crawling, and toddling before you try to run off and leave plot behind. The more you understand the very basic plot, the more you're vary it for the good of the READER instead of just because it's easier for you (always a bad reason) or you just felt like it (sometimes a good reason as long as it's coupled with the good of the reader.)


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Rick Starkey

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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2011, 11:58:18 AM »

These are great. Sometimes it's like I lose focus on where I'm going and my plot gets lost, or left behind. It's like I'm trying to run before I can crawl.


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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2011, 03:42:37 PM »

Jan.

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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2011, 04:54:08 PM »

Quote from: Cat on June 05, 2011, 03:42:37 PM

Jan.

I ~~think~~ KNOW I love this board. You are aMAZING!!

Yep yep.


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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2011, 05:02:45 PM »

Quote from: ColoradoKate on June 05, 2011, 04:54:08 PM

Quote from: Cat on June 05, 2011, 03:42:37 PM

Jan.

I ~~think~~ KNOW I love this board. You are aMAZING!!

Yep yep.

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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2011, 06:58:51 PM »

Quote from: mmmgood on June 05, 2011, 05:02:45 PM

Quote from: ColoradoKate on June 05, 2011, 04:54:08 PM

Quote from: Cat on June 05, 2011, 03:42:37 PM

Jan.

I ~~think~~ KNOW I love this board. You are aMAZING!!

Yep yep.

Yep yep yep. Grin


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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #12 on: June 05, 2011, 07:17:53 PM »

I fifth Cat's declaration, and second that, O King of Zombie Spheres.

This is definitely more to think about, Jan. Thank you for your examples.


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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #13 on: June 05, 2011, 07:48:32 PM »

Quote from: hardt on June 05, 2011, 06:58:51 PM

Quote from: mmmgood on June 05, 2011, 05:02:45 PM

Quote from: ColoradoKate on June 05, 2011, 04:54:08 PM

Quote from: Cat on June 05, 2011, 03:42:37 PM

Jan.

I ~~think~~ KNOW I love this board. You are aMAZING!!

Yep yep.

Yep yep yep. Grin


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Re: How Plot is like Walking

« Reply #14 on: June 05, 2011, 07:50:26 PM »

Cnkey? Okey? Crikey!

Oy, those smilies are making me dizzy.


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