We talk about arc & plot & structure in the Book Writing World like we talk about the weather: every day. Angie teaches an ongoing class about it. And in the ongoing mentoring and workshop classes, we are forever seeking solutions to our structure and plot problems.
Elizabeth and Angie were kind enough to create a “crib sheet” earlier this year, as a means – not a formula! — to strategize about our stories make certain we incorporate all of the essential elements to make our books complete.
Crib sheet:
Traditional narrative arc, a.k.a. plot pyramid a.k.a. Aristotle’s Incline: Inciting incident, rising action, falling action, and resolution
The Hero’s journey: Departure, initiation, return
Seven basic plots: The quest, voyage and return, rebirth, tragedy, comedy, overcoming the monster, rags to riches
Rules of threes: Try and fail, try and fail, try and succeed
Many of our books incorporate more than one of the seven basic plots, and often incorporate the rules of three as well as elements of Aristotle’s Incline. I think my novel in progress, Shadow Gardens, uses two of the seven plots as well as the rules of three.
What questions about narrative arc do you have? And what plots and rules do you need to use to finish your book?
Devi Laskar is a founding member of the Book Writing World. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, is a rabid Tar Heel basketball fan and will be reading some of her work on April 9 at the Sacramento Poetry Center in CA.
Devi, I never saw this. Thank you for posting it.
Melanie