Plot typically refers to the events and their ordering in a work of narrative fiction. Use this tag for questions regarding plotting, outlining, and narrative arc.
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How to assure your plot isn't a carbon copy of another story?
In what case is it justifiable for your own story to differentiate its plot from another, similar plot? For instance, I'm writing a story with a serial killer who whose motive sounds akin to the ...
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3answers
171 views
Fan-fiction and legalities [copyright etc.]
I contribute to a motoring website, well, one that's got Photoshop of cars, motoring history etc. - it's a small obscure site with only a few users.
Recently I've been learning InDesign and Quark ...
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2answers
64 views
Tips For A Good Medieval Fantasy Novel [closed]
I'm thinking of writing my first fiction novel based on a medieval fantasy setting and I know nothing about writing. Any pointers for this type of genre? I think I read somewhere that you need a hero, ...
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2answers
101 views
How to tell if my story is finished, or needs more?
Slightly obtuse title, let me elaborate.
I'm writing my first screenplay, and I'm trying to keep it simple while making it simultaneously wonderful. It's just a rom-com.
But as I write and modify ...
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7answers
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How to start a book off?
I have been working on my book (on and off...) for about 6 months. I have a good bit planned out with the plot, story line, and characters. I even have a small idea on how to start the story but ...
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3answers
126 views
Tracing dependencies and emergent plotholes during edits
The fiction I write currently hit a major snag and needs a big overhaul of a major part of the story. A whole, large thread is being injected, a second conflict running in parallel with the main one ...
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9answers
816 views
Any Technique to See if Your Idea is Original?
I usually get quite a lot of ideas for stories, but every time I want to develop them into a full fledged story, I get paranoid about how it might not be an original idea, and how it might be ...
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1answer
73 views
Flashback or dream as a means of hinting at more going on than meets the eye
I plan to use a dream or flashback as a way to show the reader the story has more going on behind the scenes. As well to sprinkle in a little of my main characters back-story.
I haven't written it ...
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3answers
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It is a sign of bad writing to have many scenes that are disconnected with the main plot?
So my novel look like this (I took this diagram idea from this site, but I'm not sure exactly from whom):
The beginning and end focuses on the mystery that the heroine is trying to solve (main ...
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1answer
82 views
Setting up for writing
I am a work professional and the writer by choice. I have been writing since a long but basically poems, short stories and my reviews on books that I read so far. But since yet I have been writing via ...
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5answers
97 views
Are there rules for, or guidelines on, time gaps between a plot's scenes/chapters?
I've been reading a host of old favourites, classics and authors outside of my usual reading pool, in an effort to dissect the writing (from plot, characters and environment to voice, pacing and ...
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What are some examples of modern original plots?
In a comment on this answer, a valuable community contributor suggested that it is possible to be totally original in writing, despite the fact that other valuable community members have stated that ...
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2answers
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Resource for generic plot hooks?
I'm in a long and painful recovery from many years of writer's block. Coming up with even quite simple story ideas costs me unreasonable amount of effort. Sometimes inspiration is generous and I'm ...
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4answers
95 views
How about a story as a series of anecdotes?
I have a concept for a story I'd like to do where my purpose for writing the story is simply to explore a hypothetical society by means of anecdotes about the members of the society. But this sounds ...
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1answer
79 views
Dealing with lackluster plot failure
So, I wrote the beginning of something about novel-sized.
I drafted totally sweet, lovable protagonists in an interesting, original relationship, I placed them in a solid world, I painted the ...
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6answers
872 views
Decide on a theme/overarching meaning before writing a short story?
When writing a short-story, is it typically a better practice to construct a point to exemplify through the short-story when writing to highlight a certain truth?
In other words, construct the ...
4
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4answers
386 views
I suck at plots. Is there a way to sort of train oneself to think of creative plots, specifically in scifi?
I'm pretty good in the writing department as far as prose, it's just that I'll sit down and have no idea what to write. Perhaps it's a creative problem, I just don't know. I cannot figure out any ...
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1answer
76 views
Is a chapter the equivalent of a sequence?
When I do my daily writing, questions often pop into my head, and I jot them down to ponder later on. I was going through all the papers on my desk today and couldn't help but wonder: are chapters in ...
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1answer
82 views
Faith, Hope and Love as the keys to victory in an action-adventure novel?
I'm at the outline stage of my novel writing.
It is pretty straightforward to think of an action-adventure novel's victory as attained by physical attributes and/or courage.
I'm looking for ...
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9answers
2k views
Can a book be written without an antagonist?
I have had this thought running through my head and wondered what your thoughts were on it. Can a book, a story I should say, be written without an antagonist or antagonistic theme? I have an idea ...
4
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2answers
142 views
Writing a novel which has the same structure and a particular theme in each chapter
I'm writing a novel that will have 9 chapters. Most of the chapters have the same structure:
The main character goes down a hole she found in her room.
She finds herself in a strange part of the ...
5
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4answers
224 views
Should my story's main obstacle be secret or common knowledge to the society?
I'm writing a teen dystopian adventure/thriller/romance novel. I've been thinking about the plot for awhile. I've got an idea I want to develop: a dystopian world where the government has gotten rid ...
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4answers
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How do you determine if a plot device is too coincidental?
I see lazy plot devices as anything that is too coincidental. Person One just so happened to be in the 'area' when Person Two was attacked (then they end up running into each other a bunch of times ...
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5answers
208 views
My first act is lengthy. And I cannot shorten it. Any Suggestions?
After the great amount of encouragement that you all gave me here, you'd be happy to know that I finally started writing my novel and I'm writing whenever I get time. Special thanks goes to Lauren for ...
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1answer
94 views
How long has the “scene” method been used for writing a novel?
I've noticed that many authors discuss "building" their novels using scenes as the fundamental building block. Be it by software or notecard, the scenes are identified, arranged and written, then ...
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6answers
717 views
How does one avoid bland, generic fantasy while they write?
I have been mulling over the plot and characters for an elaborate fantasy work for a number of years now. The longer I mull things over, the more possessed I am that this story is worth telling. The ...
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4answers
570 views
Could a different structure for “Feast of Crows” have been a better solution to Martin's five-year-gap?
The latest two volumes of Martin's Song of Ice and Fire have been poorly received compared to the series' earlier books. What's interesting here is that Martin's original plan did not include these ...
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5answers
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Is it more advantageous to have an excerpt or a plot summary critiqued?
I'm considering opening up my current work in progress to critique. In the past I haven't had very much luck with the local writer's group, but I'm willing to try again. Maybe not with them, but ...
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1answer
130 views
How could the surprise-villain thread have been less contrived in “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone”?
Throughout Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry is certain that Snape is serving Voldemort, and bulling Quirrell into helping him. At the climax, we learn that Snape is protecting Harry, ...
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5answers
277 views
My cool character is doing nothing for the plot. How do I deal with him?
So I have this great character( not the main protagonist), who is funny and intelligent. Each scene I write for him is a delight.
But the problem is, he is doing nothing for the plot. I have tried to ...
2
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2answers
191 views
How do I maintain flow and interest when handling numerous plot threads?
I want to learn how to maintain the flow of a novel's plot - there are so many characters and events to organize. What I find most difficult is the way a writer needs to shift from one phase of the ...
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4answers
354 views
Creating a compelling story from a prebuilt world
I have during the last couple of years developed a fantasy world. It's a hobby project I work on when I have the time.
Every now and again I get some idea of a scene or an event and I place it on the ...
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6answers
832 views
Keeping track of multiple plot lines
How do you track several plot lines woven together?
I usually run 2 or 3 plot-lines in parallel, so I detail those plots each in a separate document. But as the book goes on, it is sometimes ...
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2answers
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How far into a speculative novel should one go before introducing the central conflict?
By speculative, I mean mostly science fiction, fantasy or intrigue.
For example Neal Stephenson's Anathem, which is a 900-page book, goes well past the 200-page mark before the central conflict ...
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3answers
173 views
How to summarize prolonged plot
I'm trying to write a summary of my book's plot for a query letter to literary agents, but my plot is extremely hard to summarize.
The reason is that the plot is fast-paced, erratic, and constantly ...
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1answer
125 views
I cannot determine my Protagonist's work-life. Any help?
My protagonist works in a pharma company and I really don't have a clue about how they work, what kind of a life they live and all.
It is required for the plot to make him work in a company which ...
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What to do when characters disagree with the plot?
I'm writing a romance novel and have hit a brick wall. The problem is every way I think the future lovebirds could meet and become friends is totally cliché. After thinking about it, I've realized ...
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4answers
273 views
How can I strike a balance between setting and plot?
I'm not a fan of Tolkien's work, but it's relevant to my question, so take it as a reference point.
I love linguistics, culture, and worldbuilding, but sometimes have difficulty focusing on specific ...
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6answers
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How do I re-interest myself in a plot I am working on?
I've been working on my plot for almost a year now and every time I open my Excel sheet (yes,I know its odd to plot a novel in an Excel sheet but I find it's kind of a clean and clutter free ...
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3answers
158 views
Should The Secret Antagonist have dual goals set in the ending of Act I of a 3-Act-Structured Mystery?
Okay, There's this antagonist in my plot who is supposed to secretly frame my protagonist (due to some undecided reasons) and also help him publicly to cover his tracks.
And since I'm working with the ...
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5answers
276 views
Write multiple trilogies or make a saga?
So I am currently writing a fantasy story that tends to be long.
This question is related to the following question: related
The main difference resides in that it is certain that the story will be ...
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3answers
234 views
Organization for epic fantasy writing [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Organizing your Universe?
I have some issues on the organization of my fantasy story.
For instance there are many factions that come into play during the story and I ...
5
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7answers
313 views
Are fantasy books expected to be trilogies?
Lately, more and more fantasy books I've seen are part of a trilogy. Is this because readers like it, or is it a cynical plot by publishers to draw out the story longer, so they can make more money? ...
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10answers
523 views
How do I construct a plot out of my many setting/character details?
In my creative writing, I typically am inspired by short interactions between things: An overheard conversation. A person's jealousy of a friend's talent. A humorous misinterpretation...
I tend to ...
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3answers
274 views
How to cover different perspectives/levels of thinking in one story?
I was reasoning with a friend about why movies/novels often get highly successful while other, despite having an interesting story/topic, dont get much attention. We came to speak about Matrix, Pulp ...
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5answers
256 views
Can I write my sub stories separately?
I am writing a novel with two groups of characters. They will have their own adventures, and meet somewhere after the middle to take on the main villain.
Now in the book, the stories will be ...
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2answers
341 views
On copyright laws and plots
I was pondering a lot on the issue with copyrights on plots. Is having an identical plot infringing someone else's copyrighted work?
I am fully aware that the character names are copyrighted and ...
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4answers
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What's a typical trilogy structure?
Is there a typical structure for a fantasy trilogy?
To be more specific, would they usually follow the three-act structure, with an act per book? And would each book need a self-contained story arc ...
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1answer
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YA novels with good plot structure [closed]
I'm looking to improve my plotting skills, specifically for a YA novel I'm working on. I want to analyse how chapters start and end, tension is built up, plotlines are weaved together.
I was ...
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8answers
348 views
Is it so bad to end up with a “done before” plot?
I'm not delusional about the nature of the science fiction novel I'm (very) slowly working on. A brief run down might be as follows:
Set 10's of millennia in Human's future but in a neighbouring ...
