On Writing: Plot point generation #2
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A story is made out of meaningful stuff that happens. Each unit of meaningful stuff that happens is often referred to as a plot point. Here’s how to come up with them, before you consider fitting them into a structure.
-Could weather create delays and accidents? Could it obscure vision, or make someone weak or faint?
-What setting in your story could make some character to feel sad, fearful, nostalgic, angry, guilty, etc.? Think about the plot points that could be derived from that.
-Find in your setting specific places that have extra significance, or places where events recur. To make a place iconic, make something big happen there.
-Prior to the climax of the novel, find, brainstorm, try to apply six points at which your protagonist can demonstrate some heroic quality.
-How will you show what your characters feel? What will express their thoughts? What will reveal their inner struggles?
-Have your characters do things only they would do. Every character action represents that character. So when they act, have them act in a manner unique to them. Use every character action in your story to sell us on the unique nature of that character.
-What events would reveal character?
-Create stakes-raising dilemmas that give your protagonists opportunities to use their unique abilities. Let that explain why this character succeeded where others failed.
-Can you allow characters to do the things that characters with different labels (protagonist, villain, etc.) would do?
-How would a reflection character show the protagonist why and maybe how he can make it through the door, when he might slip back, have fear and doubt, second-guess himself?
-Figure out plot points in which the allies are there for your hero, stick by him, speak truth in love, reflect back what the hero needs to see in order to understand and move one step closer to his goal?
-In what plot point could the most “ally” character oppose your character regarding her goal?
-Can you find a moment for each of your main characters to want the opposite of their hearts’ desire? Can you make it bigger, more emotional?
-Where can you have characters say something other than what they mean (subtext)? Hint at something secret?
-Can you find/add five places in your novel where a character acts rashly, inconsistently, contrary?
-Imagine a moment when your protagonist is moved, unsettled or disturbed. This might occur when he’s facing a difficult choice, needing something badly, suffering a setback or surprise, having a self-realization, learning something shocking, or feeling in any way overwhelmed. Write down all the emotions inherent in this moment, both obvious and hidden.
-What’s the biggest way in which your protagonist can act out? What can she destroy? -Whom can she attack? What truthful thing can she say? What will shock others in the story?
-Let your characters make mistakes: protagonists, antagonists, and secondary characters.
-What events would push someone’s buttons relative to worldview and personal belief systems?
-What would a character’s belief/past experience cause him to do?
-What secrets does a character have, what lies he has told, to others and even to himself, that might cause plot point issues?
-Think of plot points that would suggest the main character will get just more entrenched in his flaw, making it impossible to change, and others which suggest the possibility of changing.
-What key moment in your novel showcases the primary reflection character/ally’s support?
-What is your protagonist good at doing? Throw them the opposite of what they’re best at and make them deal with it.
-Think up a moment in your novel in which the hero and the antagonist agree on something.
-Think of a moment in which the antagonist is actually vulnerable and / or empathetic.
-What is the primary antagonist and what key moment showcases the big conflict and issue between them?
-The impact character may or may not be actively trying to get the protagonist to see that Truth, but he’s going to be there at crucial moments in the story to help the protagonist see the error of his ways. He has the answers the protagonist is looking for (even though the protagonist won’t know that at the beginning of the story), and those answers are going to end up being pivotal to the protagonist’s ability to conquer the antagonist and the external conflict in his quest for his story goal.
-A character can’t change without something that impacts him by consistently and convincingly conflicting with his belief in the Lie.
-What events could show off or amplify the inner journey?
-Start by determining self-revelation, at the end of the story, then go back to the beginning and figure out the hero’s need and desire.
-Brainstorm actions that prove the transformation.
-Plant a redemptive action, the actions which could solve MC’s “fatal flaw”, and have the other person fail to do it.
-Think of a way of showing a character’s change by putting him in a similar situation but acting differently, even to the point of disagreeing with his previous action in similar circumstances.
-What event could bring about change for your protagonist?
-What event could bring about change for a secondary character?
-Throughout the story, the protagonist and his blind faith in his Lie are going to keep running smack into the impact character’s Truth. The protagonist may want to be left in peace with his Lie, but the impact character’s persistent presence keeps churning up the protagonist’s awareness of the Truth–and creating internal conflict.
A story is made out of meaningful stuff that happens. Each unit of meaningful stuff that happens is often referred to as a plot point. Here’s how to come up with them, before you consider fitting them into a structure.
-Could weather create delays and accidents? Could it obscure vision, or make someone weak or faint?
-What setting in your story could make some character to feel sad, fearful, nostalgic, angry, guilty, etc.? Think about the plot points that could be derived from that.
-Find in your setting specific places that have extra significance, or places where events recur. To make a place iconic, make something big happen there.
-Prior to the climax of the novel, find, brainstorm, try to apply six points at which your protagonist can demonstrate some heroic quality.
-How will you show what your characters feel? What will express their thoughts? What will reveal their inner struggles?
-Have your characters do things only they would do. Every character action represents that character. So when they act, have them act in a manner unique to them. Use every character action in your story to sell us on the unique nature of that character.
-What events would reveal character?
-Create stakes-raising dilemmas that give your protagonists opportunities to use their unique abilities. Let that explain why this character succeeded where others failed.
-Can you allow characters to do the things that characters with different labels (protagonist, villain, etc.) would do?
-How would a reflection character show the protagonist why and maybe how he can make it through the door, when he might slip back, have fear and doubt, second-guess himself?
-Figure out plot points in which the allies are there for your hero, stick by him, speak truth in love, reflect back what the hero needs to see in order to understand and move one step closer to his goal?
-In what plot point could the most “ally” character oppose your character regarding her goal?
-Can you find a moment for each of your main characters to want the opposite of their hearts’ desire? Can you make it bigger, more emotional?
-Where can you have characters say something other than what they mean (subtext)? Hint at something secret?
-Can you find/add five places in your novel where a character acts rashly, inconsistently, contrary?
-Imagine a moment when your protagonist is moved, unsettled or disturbed. This might occur when he’s facing a difficult choice, needing something badly, suffering a setback or surprise, having a self-realization, learning something shocking, or feeling in any way overwhelmed. Write down all the emotions inherent in this moment, both obvious and hidden.
-What’s the biggest way in which your protagonist can act out? What can she destroy? -Whom can she attack? What truthful thing can she say? What will shock others in the story?
-Let your characters make mistakes: protagonists, antagonists, and secondary characters.
-What events would push someone’s buttons relative to worldview and personal belief systems?
-What would a character’s belief/past experience cause him to do?
-What secrets does a character have, what lies he has told, to others and even to himself, that might cause plot point issues?
-Think of plot points that would suggest the main character will get just more entrenched in his flaw, making it impossible to change, and others which suggest the possibility of changing.
-What key moment in your novel showcases the primary reflection character/ally’s support?
-What is your protagonist good at doing? Throw them the opposite of what they’re best at and make them deal with it.
-Think up a moment in your novel in which the hero and the antagonist agree on something.
-Think of a moment in which the antagonist is actually vulnerable and / or empathetic.
-What is the primary antagonist and what key moment showcases the big conflict and issue between them?
-The impact character may or may not be actively trying to get the protagonist to see that Truth, but he’s going to be there at crucial moments in the story to help the protagonist see the error of his ways. He has the answers the protagonist is looking for (even though the protagonist won’t know that at the beginning of the story), and those answers are going to end up being pivotal to the protagonist’s ability to conquer the antagonist and the external conflict in his quest for his story goal.
-A character can’t change without something that impacts him by consistently and convincingly conflicting with his belief in the Lie.
-What events could show off or amplify the inner journey?
-Start by determining self-revelation, at the end of the story, then go back to the beginning and figure out the hero’s need and desire.
-Brainstorm actions that prove the transformation.
-Plant a redemptive action, the actions which could solve MC’s “fatal flaw”, and have the other person fail to do it.
-Think of a way of showing a character’s change by putting him in a similar situation but acting differently, even to the point of disagreeing with his previous action in similar circumstances.
-What event could bring about change for your protagonist?
-What event could bring about change for a secondary character?
-Throughout the story, the protagonist and his blind faith in his Lie are going to keep running smack into the impact character’s Truth. The protagonist may want to be left in peace with his Lie, but the impact character’s persistent presence keeps churning up the protagonist’s awareness of the Truth–and creating internal conflict.
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