Red Sneaker 3: Perfecting Plot

Created: 2022-03-23T21:23:21-05:00

Protagonist must want something (motivation)
Must be stopped from obtaining it (conflict.)
Talents of the character and conflicts of the plot must be in agreement (ex. Nerds to solve nerd shit, chads to do physical shit.)
Realism is not important but verisimilitude (the emulation of realism within the confines of the story) is.
Main characters cannot “host” stories for others; the plot must be designed with them in mind.
Managing tension: reader has to care about someone involved in a plot.
Subplot resolution should not be “bigger” than the main plot. “Leave more undone than was done.”
Cheap thrills: random surprising elements thrown in for effect. Useful for faking out the audience but should be used sparingly.
Proper surprises: a surprising element which is part of the plot. Plot twists.
Fair play mysteries: when all of the important evidence to a criminal plot are presented to the viewer prior to being invoked though the reader may not actively realize it.
Surprises lose impact the more they are used.
Time in books is assumed to have a chain of causes and effects. Events happening through coincidence is seen as
Readers “do not want to see the hand of the writer.”
Inner, personal and external conflicts.
Inner conflict. Problems with the self, personality, inner demons and temptation.
Personal conflict. Problem between characters. A book based on them is a “melodrama.”
External conflict. Problem with outside forces. Organizations.

Sequels

Sequels have difficulty matching plots to characters for several reasons:

Character is already established and cannot be changed to match the plot
Character has to be stretched some to a new plot because recycling the same character skillset can get boring.

Basic prototypical plots:

Education plot: maturation, coming of age, adventure serves to teach the hero something.
Disillusionment plot: the reverse of an education plot; hero starts off as something and falls apart or becomes more cynical.
Testing plot: heroes resolve is tested by an onslaught of problems but continues to persist.
Redemption plot: hero starts as villain and through trials becomes a hero.
Corruption plot: hero starts as a hero and through trials becomes the villain.