What’s a plot, anyway?

You might be one of those writers who likes to have the story all worked out in your mind before you write your novel. You preplan, plan, and revise the plan before writing. Maybe you have index cards all over your wall or you store your scenes in your computer.

Or you might be one of those seat-of-the-pants writers who loves to plop down each day at the computer or over a pad of paper and just write, letting the story flow without planning, anxious to see what your wild writer’s mind comes up with.

You could also be a ’tweener who does a bit of planning but still seeks some surprise and spontaneity in the daily output of words.

No matter what kind of novelist you are, there’s one thing you will have when you’ve completed your manuscript—a plot.

It might be a lousy plot, a disjointed plot, a mess, or a masterpiece. But the plot will be there, staring you in the face.

The only question at that point will be, “Does it work?”

By “work” I mean connect with readers. That’s the function of plot after all. The reading experience is supposed to transport people, move them through the power of story. Plot is the power grid that makes it happen.

You may be one of those writers who doesn’t care if your novel connects with readers. You write what you want, the way you want it, and that’s that.

Writing is its own reward. If someone happens to like it, fine. But you don’t want to be bothered with bourgeois concepts like plot.

Fine. No one’s forcing you to connect with readers. But if you want readers, if you dream of writing novels that get published and sell, then you have to give plotting its due. Because that’s what agents, publishers, and readers think about when they open books. Consciously or not, they are asking questions:

•What’s this story about?

• Is anything happening?

•Why should I keep reading?

•Why should I care?

These are all plot questions, and if you want to make it as a writer of novel-length fiction, you must learn how to answer them satisfactorily, wonderfully, surprisingly.

I`ll talk to you next time and feel free to share your comments with me:)

See you soon!

Cristina Istrati

Discover how YOU can write a book and sell it with Cristina Istrati`s “I`ve Decided! I want to write my Own Book !”. Cristina helps you with the writing process, and demystifies the publishing trade. Read Cristina’s site and subscribe to her popular freelance writing ezine, Fab Freelance Writing Ezine.