Plot in a Nutshell

For my NaNoWrim-ing friends – thanks to the late Dwight Swain, I’ve broken down plot for you into simple but dramatic steps.

Setup:

Begin with an idea that hooks you. Ideas are everywhere.

Pinpoint the prize for which opposing characters are willing and ready to fight—murder, treasure, a missing child, honor …

Devise a central character who will take immediate aggressive action to win the prize.

As Alfred Hitchcock once said, decide what your hero will need to do, then give your hero the knowledge, skills, and abilities to make success plausible.

It’s good if the reader can like and approve of the hero. But don’t discount the lovable rascal, part hero, part villain. Feelings, not just greed or duty, should be the motivating force.

Pick a moment that will plunge the character into exciting action, then open the starting gate.
Complications:

Pit the hero against a worthy opponent. Remember: the hero’s strength equals the villain’s strength.

Outline the dangerous step-by-step action your character must take in the face of unanticipated developments to solve the murder, find the treasure, or rescue the missing child.
Payoff:

Work out a satisfactory conclusion in which the character your reader wants to win wins. A climax needs an unanticipated twist:

Someone thought to be dead is actually alive/or vice versa. The coins thought to be counterfeit are actually platinum. The child was not kidnapped but is hiding from the rescuer.

Be sure to plant elements that make the twist plausible. And make sure the winner deserves to win.

As in the infrastructure of a house, you must place the timbers correctly and solidly so the structure will hold. Once that structure is in place, you can add any sort of architectural embellishment, color, and decorative accents to flesh out your story. But only by previously envisioning the desired result will you know where to place the timbers.

Some writers struggle with plotting, while others get the plot down quickly and move on to the writing. Often the best plots can be scribbled on the back of an envelope. Try this “Nutshell” approach and see how it works for you.

 Pre-Order my new novel, Emissary, at: http://charthousepress.com/Chris-Rogers/