Part 2 of my collection of templates and questions about plot.
-------- Plot Template #4
Motivation and Reaction
Build up one Scene-Sequel from several Motivation-Reactions
Leave out steps, but never mix up order of steps
Motivation and Reaction are always in separate paragraphs
Keep Motivation down to just one paragraph.
Motivation
External, Objective Motivation:
Keep it simple and understandable to readers. Nothing subjective until reaction.
Reaction
Feelings / Emotional Reaction:
What are the unthinking instant feelings caused by the setback or disaster?
Reflex Response:
What is the first unthinking physical response to the setback or disaster?
Action and Speech:
After thoughts are flowing again in the POV character, what does he consciously say or do?
Notes:
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-------- Plot Template #5
Plot Idea Exercises
Pick an exercise and come up with 200 ideas,
then cherry-pick the best for a scene/story/chapter/novel.
Don’t hold back. Do these fast via stream-of-consciousness.
What-if game:
Take a TV show, commercial, or new article and ask, “What-if?”
Titles:
Come up with title ideas, from poetry, quotes, songs, etc.
Noun list:
Come up with a list of powerful nouns that associate with memories and emotions.
Issues:
List issues that push your buttons. News-web sites may help.
See it:
List a few things that you really want to write about, then choose one. Daydream about it. Visualize a story unfolding, then write it without regard for editing, good characterization, or good plot.
Hear it:
Daydream to moving music. Write the impressions, pictures, scenes, and characters inspired by the music.
Create a character:
Browse photos, job descriptions, your memories, obituaries; or visit a public place, like a restaurant, store, or public transportation for ideas. After fully developed ask, “What is the worst thing that could happen to this character?” Or, give your character an obsession and see where it leads.
Borrow (but don’t plagiarize!):
Morph, combine, or extract plot outlines from successful stories.
Flip a genre:
Take a genre and combine it with another genre. (i.e. space cowboy, James Bond in Roman army, …)
Predict a trend:
Browse the magazines at a news stand or online, such as Discover, Scientific American, Popular Science, Wired, Time, Newsweek, and US News and World Report. For interesting articles ask: Who would care? What would they do about it in a year or 10 years? How can this change/hurt/help society?
Opening lines:
Come up with a list of opening lines. Choose the best and develop it.
Prologues:
Write a prologue. These can turn into whole stories.
Word association (Mind map):
Pick a word or phrase. Quickly write an association. Continue until exhausted. Start over at the original word, and pick a new association. Come up with a story concept from what you've written.
Climactic ending:
Imagine the scene. Hear the sound track. Feel the emotions. Add and remove characters to heighten the conflict. Play around with variations until it is unforgettable. Who are the characters? What brought them to this point? Trace the story back to it's logical starting point.
Just start writing whatever comes to mind:
Just start typing and keep going until it leads somewhere.
Notes:
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-------- Plot Template #6
Overriding Story Objective
Character’s Overall Story Objective or Desire:
Describe the character's goal or desire attempted over the course of the entire story or series of stories. State the objective in terms of an action verb. Be very specific.
Overall Distancing:
What specific distancing events or oppositions occur over the course of the story?
Overall Denial:
What brick wall appears to prevent attainment of the character’s overall objective. The character may even consider giving up or just see no way of proceeding.
Overall Devastation or Desire Obtainment:
The character ends up worse off than at the story's outset, or has specter of doing so. Describe how the goal is reached or completely denied.
Notes:
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Note: I am archiving this post from an old blog that will disappear forever this year.