On Storycrafting: Part 3 - Story Structure (2 of 2)

This is part two of a series dealing with story structure and the rigors of planning a story based on structural choices. For the first half of Part 3 click here.

We've looks at act structures, discussed what we might define as an "act" in and of itself to give us a little freedom to mess around with or own version of act structure and gain a sense of what the structures themselves mean.

Now it's time to forge ahead and discuss what makes those structures come alive and mean something. Namely, the Plot Points.

Between the Act structure and the Plot Points used to hinge those Acts and manage the turns in the story, this composes the skeletal system of the story. The moving parts that everything else, the subplots, through lines, ABC story threads, etc., will make bring to life. The central plot of the story is what we're talking about here, and in the next post we'll call this the A story, so keep that in mind as we go through this.

Plot Points are also called Beats, depending on who is talking about them. The major plot points are the ones that act as thresholds from one act to the next, but there are other beats as well, some classic and some particular to a genre or series--if you want to develop your own unique formula for rapid development of novels unique to your 'brand' then you'll likely develop your own plot points as well. Understanding how to spread these points out and then use the B and C story threads to connect them together is part of how you can plan a novel length and then stick to it. The Four major plot Points There are four major plot points that your book will not function without--at least, not well. There are minor plot points as well, and those are coming up next but these four and the act structure constitute the working core of the story. 

These are the Inciting Incident, the First Plot Point, Midpoint, and Final Plot Point. Each has a different purpose and strength, and they'll be what you use to mark out the sections of your book and the different goals of each of those sections.

The Inciting Incident is the event that launches the story and sends the Protagonist(s) careening toward the first plot point. Writing stories 101, this point, the event the "something" in something happens. You can't have a story without an inciting incident because stories--the ones that sell and that people want to read--all begin with "something happens". If not, then you've got prose with no direction. Even an essay has a version of an inciting incident; you've got to have some reason to be writing, and delivering that reason, hooking the readers' attentions on the subject, is the inciting incident of the essay. This plot point should change something for the protagonist, present them with the need to make a choice that will be inevitable in some way, which will be made at the first plot point. It doesn't have to be the first thing that happens in the story, but it should be close to the beginning of the book. There's an earlier foreshadowing point you can use call "The Disturbance", but until you reach the Inciting Incident everything else is just setup. It continues to be setup until this plot point, and fifty thousand words of setup is boring to read, so get to the point and get to it in good time. 

There's a principle in effect here that trickles all the way down to the planning of individual scenes: "Get to the Point". This means, establish your premise quickly, make the promise to the reader about what kind of journey they're in for. The nature of the inciting incident will set the tone for the entire book, no matter how long or short it is, and by delivering it you are making a promise to the reader--one that will need to be fulfilled by the end of the book. 

In most murder mysteries, for instance, this plot point is the murder itself. In horror it is often the first demonstration of the presence of some terrifying element, though not necessarily the element itself (a mangled body, a strange occult event.) The most important thing to keep in mind is that this plot point should be an event, and the more actionable that event is, the better. In fact I'd go so far as to say that if your inciting incident isn't an actionable event (by which I mean that as a reaction the character must take some action) then you should consider rewriting it. In our ongoing example of the Genie story, the inciting incident would be the proposal to assassinate the senator. 

At this point, the true nature of the plot isn't yet revealed, but it should lead naturally to that revelation. Keep this in mind. Plotting the inciting incident last is often a good way to figure out how to deliver an event or change that lends itself to getting to the first plot point in a compelling and natural way.

The First Plot Point is where the story really begins. The inciting incident leads the character on a course to the first big reveal of the book--wherein we discover the true story, the subject that this book is really about. The first plot point should be delivered in such a way that the character's only possible reaction is to pursue the midpoint, whether they realize they're headed that way or not. This is one of the first places where the real stakes are established, although the stakes are present in the inciting incident as well if possible. Here, there can be no denying the presence of some serious stakes.

James Scott Bell has said (and he probably wasn't the first) that all stakes should be life or death--either physical, psychological, or professional. All characters have a choice at all times; the reason they make the choices they do needs to be compelling and realistic, and the consequences of making the other choice should be so severe to the character that the reader completely understands that the character had to make that decision. Physical death is the easiest--it's a matter of survival. Psychological death requires some good setup, but the consequences essentially mean that the character cannot live with her/himself if they take the 'way out' if there is one. Professional death means the characters way of life is at risk, the essence of how the character defines themselves in the world. If they don't make this choice, they'll never 'work in this town again', or stand to lose everything they have, or lose their career or family. Physical, Psychological, or Professional death. It's an excellent way to evaluate a character's position and the consequences, and to motivate them to make choices. Choices without motivation will seem as though the writer is, again, writing thoughtlessly and indulgently. 

The other element of the first plot point that's necessary in order to be compelling is that this choice commits the character to the story--they cannot turn back after this decision, and some authors call this the first 'point of no return' or 'gate of no return' or some such, for a good reason. 

The choice made at the first plot point also plays best when it is a reaction rather than an intentional choice. Driven by fear, or some other rash emotion in the face of the consequences otherwise, the character is making this decision to try and cope or manage the disaster that took them to this point. That doesn't mean they have to be frantic, just that their hand was forced in some way, and rather that carefully planning a strategy they simply did what they had to do, made the choice they had to make, in the moment. They may not necessarily grasp the consequences of that decision but of course there should be consequences. The graver the better.

In the Genie story, the first plot point would be the moment the main character picks up the lamp, make the choice to give into the temptation.

The Midpoint is so called because it takes place in the middle of the story. It's the turn. From the first plot point to the midpoint, the best, most engaging stories deal with characters struggling, or running (literally or metaphorically) and existing in a state of perpetual reaction and discovery rather than action. They're scrambling to gather information, but the killer is always one step ahead, or the zombie hoard cuts them off at every pass, or the love interest in a romance seems to be more of a hindrance and frustrating element than a true love. The protagonist is resisting until this point. 

JSB, who by now you realize I love, wrote a book I've mentioned before called Write Your Novel from the Middle, which I advocate reading. It's all about the nature of the midpoint moment, and what it's for, and how to use it to great effect. In essence, however, his point is that the character should at this point discover something or reflect on events in such a way that they are changed, galvanized into becoming proactive instead of reactive.

This can happen an infinite number of ways but essentially your character is going to have a realization, a change in outlook, due to the events and information that have been gathered to this point. Here the character is faced with a choice--one that they can actively choose between but which, once made, they cannot go back from. Here you decide what kind of a character you really have. Will the character become self-destructive? Will they try to run when the suddenly have the chance? (If they do, you better have a great idea for how to drag them back into the story kicking and screaming in a way that allows them to still be proactive afterwards). They may discover something germane to the plot, a key bit of evidence that suddenly puts everything in perspective for instance, or something that drastically changes what they thought to be true until this point. The best midpoints assault the character's sense of security and selfhood while hardening their resolve. 

In our Genie example, the midpoint may be the when the main character reflects on the (probably two) wishes he's made so far and their awful consequences, and perhaps even learns that he must let go of his dead family in order to be focused on fixing all the damage that's been caused. This might be initiated by a revisit with the senator, a scene where the MC actually does attempt to finally fulfill his task, only to realize that he too has been manipulated into playing along with the Genie's tricky magic. Does the finish the job, free himself, and focus on dealing with his wishes and their costs? Or does he willfully stand against the cruel push of fate and resolve himself to make things right, or turn the tables on his pursuers?

The Final Plot Point is the last big reveal, the last new information to enter the story. It's the information or encounter that pays off the hard work the characters have done from the midpoint to this one, proactively, and shows them what they have to face in order to resolve the conflict. If you haven't revealed the book's true antagonist until this point, now is the time. In romance, this is often the stark realization of the character's feelings for the hero/heroine. It might be the damning evidence needed to arrest that suspect, or the revelation of a character's true identity. Most importantly, this scene should be telegraphed from act one, foreshadowed and hinted at so that the readers, when they encounter this plot point, don't feel as though it's been thrown in there just to get your characters to the end of the book. 

In our example, perhaps the MC has chosen to fight fate and make things right, maybe with the help of the senator he refused to kill, who has been helping our MC unravel the mystery of the lamp as well as make right the wrongs brought about by his earlier wishes. But at the third plot point, the senator's ongoing pressure on the MC to make his last wish is revealed to be the ploy necessary for the senator to get the lamp back. He's already had his three, and until MC makes his wishes, the lamp can't be retaken. All along, the very reason the senator was set to be assassinated was from the outcome of his own wishes, which turned out to have caused conflict in the middle east. The MC holds the cards here, it seems, but the senator is a powerful and patient man... the MC is headed toward the resolution. Pursued now by his supposed ally and the men-in-black who first contracted him.

With an act structure in mind and these major plot points to help map out the major arc of the story, you've got enough information to take your premise, consider what sort of a structure you want your story to have, and the major plot points that will support that structure. But these plot points give only an overarching guide to where the story goes. How to fill in the spaces between them? With the minor plot points and the support of the B and C stories, which we'll talk about in the next post. 

Exercise time!

Now that you've got an idea for the major plot points, brainstorm variations on each of them for your story. Don't settle on the first thing that comes to mind. For each point, think up at least five or six alternatives. Remember the idea of elevating the concept--that applies to each step of the journey. Plot points aren't the scenes that deliver them, remember, but now is a good time to make some notes about how to deliver those plot points. For now, don't worry too much about how to get from one plot point to the other. There is always a way. Just consider the story itself, the logical but unexpected turns it can take, and what kind of a theme you want the story to have--these major points in the story will be the major lamp posts of that theme.