Fiction: PlotFiction: Plot

Creative WritingCreative Writing

Three By ThreeThree By Three

We all know classic story descriptions. Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets

girl. Stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Cinderella can’t go. She goes anyway.

Cinderella gets Prince.

We all know classic story descriptions. Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets

girl. Stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Cinderella can’t go. She goes anyway.

Cinderella gets Prince.

Three Sentence PlotThree Sentence Plot

Break your story idea down into three sentences of three words each.

That will give you a beginning, middle, and end to help you understand the foundation of your story.

By having to choose three verbs, you’ll be forcing yourself to consider three important parts of the action.

Break your story idea down into three sentences of three words each.

That will give you a beginning, middle, and end to help you understand the foundation of your story.

By having to choose three verbs, you’ll be forcing yourself to consider three important parts of the action.

Characters & PlotCharacters & Plot

Characters and Plot are closely related. Get a character in your head. Get to know

him/her/it. Place said character in a situation and see what

happens. Ask yourself What if? Decide what the character will do in that situation.

Characters and Plot are closely related. Get a character in your head. Get to know

him/her/it. Place said character in a situation and see what

happens. Ask yourself What if? Decide what the character will do in that situation.

What If? ExamplesWhat If? Examples

Chalene had a fight with her mom. How would she react?

“Top-ten-of-his-class” Joe dropped out of college to become a mechanic. How would his parents react?

Todd got a girl pregnant.

Chalene had a fight with her mom. How would she react?

“Top-ten-of-his-class” Joe dropped out of college to become a mechanic. How would his parents react?

Todd got a girl pregnant.

When to use what if…When to use what if…

Stuck? Ask yourself What if? Come up with five ways to continue the

story. Choose the best one, the one that feels

natural.

Stuck? Ask yourself What if? Come up with five ways to continue the

story. Choose the best one, the one that feels

natural.

Let’s try it.Let’s try it.

Imagine that you’ve started a story…

Paul, a young boy, shoplifts with his cousin. The story opens when they take something more expensive than they have ever taken before. This raises the stakes immediately.

After writing 2.5 pages, you get stuck. Ask yourself what if, and come up with five

answers to the question.

Imagine that you’ve started a story…

Paul, a young boy, shoplifts with his cousin. The story opens when they take something more expensive than they have ever taken before. This raises the stakes immediately.

After writing 2.5 pages, you get stuck. Ask yourself what if, and come up with five

answers to the question.

5 Answers5 Answers

Paul decides to admit to shoplifting, but hopes not to implicate his cousin.

Paul is excited by shoplifting something more expensive, and talks his cousin into going back again soon.

The store security guard notices their theft and decides to set a trap.

Paul feels brave now and steals something from his stepfather--something Paul has wanted for a long time.

There is a time shift to five years later when Paul commits a major burglary.

Paul decides to admit to shoplifting, but hopes not to implicate his cousin.

Paul is excited by shoplifting something more expensive, and talks his cousin into going back again soon.

The store security guard notices their theft and decides to set a trap.

Paul feels brave now and steals something from his stepfather--something Paul has wanted for a long time.

There is a time shift to five years later when Paul commits a major burglary.

DesiresDesires

Remember, all good characters want something.

Think about what your character might do in order to fulfill his/her desires.

Remember, all good characters want something.

Think about what your character might do in order to fulfill his/her desires.

Opposing ForcesOpposing Forces

Consider the obstacles your main character will encounter.

These drive plot, too.

Consider the obstacles your main character will encounter.

These drive plot, too.

ConflictConflict

A story without a conflict is boring. Problems drive stories. Try magnifying the problem, the tension and

shrillness, even to the point of absurdity or hyberbole.

Add stress, between characters and within characters.

Why? I want you to see the need for tension, but I also want you to know what can happen when there is too much.

A story without a conflict is boring. Problems drive stories. Try magnifying the problem, the tension and

shrillness, even to the point of absurdity or hyberbole.

Add stress, between characters and within characters.

Why? I want you to see the need for tension, but I also want you to know what can happen when there is too much.

Try ThisTry This

Exaggerate this conflict. John and Sue are next door neighbors. Their

parents have known each other for years, and they’ve known each other since they were born. They’re juniors in high school, and they decide to start dating. She gets pregnant.

Exaggerate this conflict. John and Sue are next door neighbors. Their

parents have known each other for years, and they’ve known each other since they were born. They’re juniors in high school, and they decide to start dating. She gets pregnant.

Story Machine CardsStory Machine Cards

You have ten index cards in front of you. On the first five, list labels associated with what

they do (jobs, activities, etc.) On the second five cards, list a mildly strange or

unusual behavior. These do not have to be associated with the labels on the other cards. In fact, it would be better if they were not.

You have ten index cards in front of you. On the first five, list labels associated with what

they do (jobs, activities, etc.) On the second five cards, list a mildly strange or

unusual behavior. These do not have to be associated with the labels on the other cards. In fact, it would be better if they were not.

Shuffle the Story Machine Shuffle the Story Machine

Shuffle each pack of cards SEPERATELY. Now, ask “Why did Card A do Card B?” “Why did the fashion model pick up the paper on the

driveway?” Continue to flip cards until you find a question that’s

worth answering. There are many possible pairings. Reshuffle if necessary.

The event suggested by the machine may work best at the beginning of the story, but think of what would happen if you placed it at the end or in the middle.

Shuffle each pack of cards SEPERATELY. Now, ask “Why did Card A do Card B?” “Why did the fashion model pick up the paper on the

driveway?” Continue to flip cards until you find a question that’s

worth answering. There are many possible pairings. Reshuffle if necessary.

The event suggested by the machine may work best at the beginning of the story, but think of what would happen if you placed it at the end or in the middle.

Remember: You’re the Boss!Remember: You’re the Boss!

You have the final decision on any story you write.

As peers and teachers, our job is to react and guide you as a writer.

You have the final decision on any story you write.

As peers and teachers, our job is to react and guide you as a writer.

Another strategy for writing:Another strategy for writing:

Choose a well-known story and make it your own.

Change something in the original story: even one small change can alter the entire course of the story.

Cinderella could become a man. The three little pigs could become cats.

Choose a well-known story and make it your own.

Change something in the original story: even one small change can alter the entire course of the story.

Cinderella could become a man. The three little pigs could become cats.

Story #3Story #3

Choose a story you know well. Start at the beginning of the story, and make at least 5 changes to the story as you begin to tell it in your own words.

Place a star at the start of each change so that I can identify what you were trying to do.

Length: 2-3 pages.

Choose a story you know well. Start at the beginning of the story, and make at least 5 changes to the story as you begin to tell it in your own words.

Place a star at the start of each change so that I can identify what you were trying to do.

Length: 2-3 pages.