definition of plot in creative writing

• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write a Plot

I. What is Plot?

In a narrative or creative writing, a plot is the sequence of events that make up a story, whether it’s told, written, filmed, or sung. The plot is the story, and more specifically, how the story develops, unfolds, and moves in time. Plots are typically made up of five main elements:

1. Exposition: At the beginning of the story, characters , setting, and the main conflict are typically introduced.

2. Rising Action: The main character is in crisis and events leading up to facing the conflict begin to unfold. The story becomes complicated.

3. Climax: At the peak of the story, a major event occurs in which the main character faces a major enemy, fear, challenge, or other source of conflict. The most action, drama, change, and excitement occurs here.

4. Falling Action: The story begins to slow down and work towards its end, tying up loose ends.

5. Resolution/ Denoument: Also known as the denouement, the resolution is like a concluding paragraph that resolves any remaining issues and ends the story.

Plots, also known as storylines, include the most significant events of the story and how the characters and their problems change over time.

II. Examples of Plot

Here are a few very short stories with sample plots:

Kaitlin wants to buy a puppy. She goes to the pound and begins looking through the cages for her future pet. At the end of the hallway, she sees a small, sweet brown dog with a white spot on its nose. At that instant, she knows she wants to adopt him. After he receives shots and a medical check, she and the dog, Berkley, go home together.

In this example, the exposition introduces us to Kaitlin and her conflict. She wants a puppy but does not have one. The rising action occurs as she enters the pound and begins looking. The climax is when she sees the dog of her dreams and decides to adopt him. The falling action consists of a quick medical check before the resolution, or ending, when Kaitlin and Berkley happily head home.

Scott wants to be on the football team, but he’s worried he won’t make the team. He spends weeks working out as hard as possible, preparing for try outs. At try outs, he amazes coaches with his skill as a quarterback. They ask him to be their starting quarterback that year and give him a jersey. Scott leaves the field, ecstatic!

The exposition introduces Scott and his conflict: he wants to be on the team but he doubts his ability to make it. The rising action consists of his training and tryout; the climax occurs when the coaches tell him he’s been chosen to be quarterback. The falling action is when Scott takes a jersey and the resolution is him leaving the try-outs as a new, happy quarterback.

Each of these stories has

• an exposition as characters and conflicts are introduced
• a rising action which brings the character to the climax as conflicts are developed and faced, and
• a falling action and resolution as the story concludes.

III. Types of Plot

There are many types of plots in the world! But, realistically, most of them fit some pattern that we can see in more than one story. Here are some classic plots that can be seen in numerous stories all over the world and throughout history.

a. Overcoming the Monster

The protagonist must defeat a monster or force in order to save some people—usually everybody! Most often, the protagonist is forced into this conflict, and comes out of it as a hero, or even a king. This is one version of the world’s most universal and compelling plot—the ‘monomyth’ described by the great thinker Joseph Campbell.

  Examples:

Beowulf, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.

b. Rags to Riches:

This story can begin with the protagonist being poor or rich, but at some point, the protagonist will have everything, lose everything, and then gain it all back by the end of the story, after experiencing great personal growth.

The Count of Monte Cristo, Cinderella, and Jane Eyre.

c. The Quest:

The protagonist embarks on a quest involving travel and dangerous adventures in order to find treasure or solve a huge problem. Usually, the protagonist is forced to begin the quest but makes friends that help face the many tests and obstacles along the way. This is also a version of Campbell’s monomyth.

The Iliad, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon

d. Voyage and Return:

The protagonist goes on a journey to a strange or unknown place, facing danger and adventures along the way, returning home with experience and understanding. This is also a version of the monomyth.

Alice in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Wizard of Oz

A happy and fun character finds a happy ending after triumphing over difficulties and adversities.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Home Alone

f. Tragedy:

The protagonist experiences a conflict which leads to very bad ending, typically death.

Romeo and Juliet, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Macbeth

g. Rebirth:

The protagonist is a villain who becomes a good person through the experience of the story’s conflict.

The Secret Garden, A Christmas Carol, The Grinch

As these seven examples show, many stories follow a common pattern. In fact, according to many thinkers, such as the great novelist Kurt Vonnegut, and Joseph Campbell, there are only a few basic patterns, which are mixed and combined to form all stories.

IV. The Importance of Using Plot

The plot is what makes a story a  story. It gives the story character development, suspense, energy, and emotional release (also known as ‘catharsis’). It allows an author to develop themes and most importantly, conflict that makes a story emotionally engaging; everybody knows how hard it is to stop watching a movie before the conflict is resolved.

V. Examples of Plot in Literature

Plots can be found in all kinds of fiction. Here are a few examples.

The Razor’s Edge by Somerset Maugham

In The Razor’s Edge, Larry Darrell returns from World War I disillusioned. His fiancée, friends, and family urge him to find work, but he does not want to. He embarks on a voyage through Europe and Asia seeking higher truth. Finally, in Asia, he finds a more meaningful way of life.

In this novel, the plot follows the protagonist Larry as he seeks meaningful experiences. The story begins with the exposition of a disillusioned young man who does not want to work. The rising action occurs as he travels seeking an education. The story climaxes when he becomes a man perfectly at peace in meditation.

The Road not Taken’ by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could … Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim … And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. … I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost’s famous poem “The Road Not Taken,” has a very clear plot: The exposition occurs when a man stands at the fork of two roads, his conflict being which road to take. The climax occurs when he chooses the unique path. The resolution announces that “that has made all the difference,” meaning the man has made a significant and meaningful decision.

VI. Examples of Plot in Pop Culture

Plots can also be found in television shows, movies, thoughtful storytelling advertisements, and song lyrics. Below are a few examples of plot in pop culture.

“Love Story” (excerpts) by Taylor Swift:

I’m standing there on a balcony in summer air. See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns. See you make your way through the crowd And say, “Hello, ” Little did I know… That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles, And my daddy said, “Stay away from Juliet” And I was crying on the staircase Begging you, “Please don’t go”   So I sneak out to the garden to see you. We keep quiet ’cause we’re dead if they knew So close your eyes… escape this town for a little while. . . . He knelts to the ground and pulled out a ring and said…   “Marry me, Juliet, you’ll never have to be alone. I love you, and that’s all I really know. I talked to your dad – go pick out a white dress It’s a love story, baby, just say, ‘Yes.'”

These excerpts reveal the plot of this song: the exposition occurs when we see two characters: a young woman and young man falling in love. The rising action occurs as the father forbids her from seeing the man and they continue see one another in secret. Finally, the climax occurs when the young man asks her to marry him and the two agree to make their love story come true.

Minions have a goal to serve the most despicable master. Their rising action is their search for the best leader, the conflict being that they cannot keep one. Movie trailers encourage viewers to see the movie by showing the conflict but not the climax or resolution.

VII. Related Terms

Many people use outlines which to create complex plots, or arguments in formal essays . In a story, an outline is a list of the scenes in the plot with brief descriptions. Like the skeleton is to the body, an outline is the framework upon which the rest of the story is built when it is written. In essays, outlines are used to help organize ideas into strong arguments and paragraphs that connect to each other in sensible ways.

The climax is considered the most important element of the plot. It contains the highest point of tension, drama, and change. The climax is when the conflict is finally faced and overcome. Without a climax, a plot does not exist.

For example, consider this simple plot:

The good army is about to face the evil army in a terrible battle. During this battle, the good army prevails and wins the war at last. After the war has ended, the two sides make piece and begin rebuilding the countryside which was ruined by the years-long war.

The climax occurred when the good army defeated the bad army. Without this climax, the story would simply be a never-ending war between a good army and bad army, with no happy or sad ending in sight. Here, the climax is absolutely necessary for a meaningful story with a clear ending.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

• Book Writing

What is a Plot? Definition, Examples & Writing Tips

• By Yves Lummer

Wondering about the plot definition and its role in the realm of storytelling? You’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll explore the plot as a crucial element of storytelling fundamentals , helping writers and readers alike to appreciate and understand narrative components and story structure .

Whether you’re a novice writer or a seasoned author, it’s essential to sharpen your skills in constructing engaging and memorable plots. Unravel the secrets of captivating storytelling as we delve into plot examples and expert writing tips that will give your narratives that extra punch. Ready to embark on this narrative journey? Let’s get started!

What is a Plot?

A plot serves as the backbone of any narrative, guiding readers through a structured series of events that encompass key turning points and dictate the storyline . Understanding plot is crucial for both budding writers and avid readers, as it goes beyond mere events to create a compelling narrative filled with growth, change, and resolution. In this section, we will explore the comprehensive definition of plot, its significance in developing a coherent and gripping tale, and delve into how it encompasses various narrative elements like character development and story arc .

At its core, a plot transforms a series of incidents into a coherent narrative by connecting these events through a clear narrative structure . This structure consists of a coherent organization of events and character reactions that reveal a larger pattern and carries the reader on a satisfying emotional journey. A plot’s narrative structure often includes the initial setup, the introduction of a challenge or conflict, a series of complications, a climax, and a resolution. These are the foundational building blocks that shape the storyline .

Equally important, the plot facilitates character development , as it provides the context in which characters face challenges, make choices, and grow throughout the story. A well-structured plot can unveil the complexities of protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters, revealing their motivations, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses as they navigate their unique circumstances.

Furthermore, the plot is responsible for defining the overarching story arc , which covers the entire narrative from beginning to end. The story arc typically showcases the progression of the main character from their initial state to their fully developed one, as well as how their world has transformed by the end of the tale.

“A plot is not a series of disconnected events, but a sequence of interconnected incidents that together tell a story.”

In conclusion, a plot is the backbone of a narrative, offering a structured sequence of events, character development opportunities, and an engaging story arc that can truly captivate readers. By understanding the importance of plot and its various components, you can work towards crafting stories that leave a lasting impact on your audience.

Why is a Plot Important?

A well-crafted plot is indispensable to effective storytelling. It has the power to captivate an audience and sustain their interest till the end, setting the stage for story engagement and providing a solid foundation for creating engaging narratives . In this section, we’ll explore the storytelling importance of a cohesive plot and how it significantly impacts the overall reading experience.

The plot isn’t just a random assortment of occurrences; it’s what gives a story its meaning and emotional impact.

A compelling plot weaves together the characters’ journeys, their development, and the ultimate resolution, serving as a vehicle for the themes and messages the writer wishes to convey. It is the glue that binds all narrative components , driving the story forward and providing direction.

• Consistent Structure: A well-developed plot fosters continuity and coherence throughout the story, enhancing readability and ensuring important elements don’t fall by the wayside.
• Character Development: A strong plot facilitates the growth and development of characters, allowing readers to empathize, understand, and relate to their experiences.
• Pacing and Suspense: One of the most important factors in maintaining reader interest is pacing. A well-structured plot governs pacing and tension, striking a balance between action-packed scenes and moments of introspection or respite.
• Theme Establishment: A cohesive plot allows writers to convey their underlying themes and messages effectively, providing a framework for exploring topical issues and delivering meaningful insights.

In conclusion, an engaging plot is crucial in delivering a captivating and fulfilling reading experience. Its plot significance lies in its ability to seamlessly join the various components of a story, resulting in a powerful emotional impact and resonating with readers long after they’ve turned the last page. As writers, it’s essential to recognize the importance of plot and strive to showcase its full potential in our storytelling endeavors.

Story vs. Plot: What’s the Difference?

Novice writers often confuse the terms “story” and “plot,” even though they represent different storytelling elements . Both are crucial aspects of a narrative; however, each fulfills a unique role in shaping and forming the final output. In this section, we will discuss the key differences between a story and a plot , and how understanding these concepts will enable writers to create more compelling and engaging narratives .

A story refers to the raw chronology and sequence of events in a narrative. It encompasses the primary actions of the protagonists, the setting, and the relevant factors that constitute the overall tale. On the other hand, plot comprises those same events, strategically and deliberately arranged to deliver an enticing and emotionally impactful journey.

To better understand these concepts, let’s examine the key narrative differences and components that distinguish a story from a plot.

• Chronology vs. Structure: While a story follows a chronological order of events, a plot weaves those events in a purposeful manner to enhance the emotional effect and maintain the reader’s curiosity.
• Events vs. Relevance: A story consists of all events that take place, whereas a plot highlights only the relevant events that contribute to dramatic tension and character development , omitting unnecessary details.
• Fact vs. Art: Storytelling is the presentation of facts, while plotting is the art of assembling and organizing those facts in a way that maximizes interest and emotional response from the audience.

“The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died, and then the queen died of grief is a plot.” – E. M. Forster

By distinguishing between story and plot, writers can harness the narrative differences and strike a balance between raw events and controlled structure. This helps in constructing a compelling narrative that effectively connects with readers on an emotional level.

In conclusion, recognizing the nuances between story and plot is essential for writers to create captivating narratives. By mastering the art of arranging events in a meaningful and engaging manner, you’ll reach new heights in your storytelling endeavors.

Elements of a Plot Structure

Mastering the traditional five-part plot structure is fundamental to crafting compelling narratives. Each element, from exposition to denouement, plays a critical role in setting up the story, building suspense, climactic moments, winding down tensions, and providing closure. In this section, you will discover the purpose of each plot element and how they collectively serve to engage the reader and deliver a satisfying story experience.

The exposition is the opening part of a story where the literary structure is introduced. It sets the stage for the rest of the narrative by providing essential information on the characters, the setting, and the primary conflict. The exposition aims to establish the story’s foundation, giving the reader a grasp of the characters’ motivations and the world they inhabit.

• Rising Action

As the story proceeds, the rising action forms the majority of the story framework . In this phase, the main conflict develops and intensifies, with smaller conflicts and complications arising along the way. The tension builds, drawing the reader deeper into the narrative while showcasing the characters’ growth and setting the stage for the story’s climax.

The climax is the pivotal moment in the narrative blueprint when the tension peaks. Often referred to as the “turning point,” the climax presents the protagonist with a major challenge or decision. This critical phase showcases a key character’s emotional high point, either physical or internal, in a confrontation that could alter the story’s course.

• Falling Action

Following the climax, the falling action deals with the consequences and aftermath of the critical moment. Tension begins to subside as characters come to terms with what happened during the climax, and the story heads towards resolution. While the intensity decreases, the falling action serves to wrap up loose ends and set the stage for the denouement.

The final piece of the plot elements puzzle is the denouement . It provides closure for the characters and the story as a whole. The denouement may bring together different storylines, reveal the fates of the characters, and tie up any remaining loose ends. It leaves the reader with a sense of completion and satisfaction, knowing that the narrative has reached its conclusion.

Examples of Plot

Plots can take various forms, with many following time-honored archetypes that resonate with audiences across cultures and historical contexts. In this section, we will discuss some of the most enduring classic plot types , including The Quest, Rags to Riches, Overcoming the Monster, The Voyage and Return, and The Tragedy. By understanding these universal storylines and narrative archetypes , you can draw inspiration for your own stories or recognize these patterns in works you’re reading.

One of the most iconic plot examples , The Quest narrative, follows the protagonist’s journey to accomplish a specific goal or objective. Often, this goal requires the character to overcome numerous obstacles and challenges. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an excellent example of The Quest plot archetype, featuring a group of characters on a journey to destroy the One Ring.

Rags to Riches

The Rags to Riches plot centers on a protagonist who begins in a lowly state and, through hard work, determination, or a series of fortunate events, rises to greatness. Cinderella is a classic example of this narrative archetype, telling the story of a young woman who, despite her humble beginnings, ascends to royalty.

Overcoming the Monster

In the Overcoming the Monster plot, the central conflict revolves around the protagonist battling a great evil or antagonistic force, often on behalf of others or their society. In many cases, the “monster” can be a literal creature, but it can also represent evil organizations, oppressive systems, or personal fears. The Harry Potter series is a prime example of this plot type, detailing the struggle between Harry Potter and the dark wizard, Voldemort.

The Voyage and Return

The Voyage and Return narrative follows the protagonist as they embark on a journey to an unfamiliar world, where they experience various trials before returning home, often transformed or enlightened by their experiences. This plot archetype is prominent in works such as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Wizard of Oz, where the protagonists traverse magical lands before returning to their own reality.

The Tragedy

Finally, The Tragedy plot concerns stories marked by personal downfall or loss, often resulting from a character’s own flawed choices, circumstances, or fate. One of the most well-known examples of this plot type is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a story of star-crossed lovers whose tragic deaths are the result of unlucky events and personal misjudgments.

By understanding these classic plot types and their respective examples, you can gain inspiration for your writing and develop a keen analytical eye when recognizing these patterns in literature and cinema.

What Is a Plot Diagram?

A plot diagram is a valuable visualization tool that helps writers outline and organize the key components of their narrative structure . This handy instrument aids in comprehending and mapping out the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. In turn, it serves as a guide for balancing pacing and tension throughout a story. Popular frameworks like Freytag’s Pyramid play a pivotal role in crafting well-structured plots.

As a story outline tool , plot diagrams offer writers a visual representation of their narrative’s progression, depicting it as a chart or graph. They typically showcase transitions, subplots, and turning points – all essential elements that contribute to developing an engaging story.

A plot diagram challenges writers to focus on crucial story elements, ensuring a satisfying balance between character development and dramatic tension. – Gustav Freytag

One widely recognized plot chart , known as Freytag’s Pyramid , was developed by German playwright Gustav Freytag in the 19th century. It is based on the classical dramatic structure used in Greek and Roman plays, which involves five key stages. Freytag’s model represents the five stages (as listed below) as a series of steps or divisions, forming a pyramid shape:

• Resolution (Denouement)

Each part of the pyramid corresponds with a specific part of the narrative, denoting how the plot should unfold from the initial background information to the ultimate resolution. The table below exemplifies each stage and its role in the story:

By thoroughly understanding the components of a plot diagram and leveraging tools like Freytag’s Pyramid , you can create well-structured and engaging stories that successfully captivate your readers.

How to Plot a Story

Plotting a story can seem daunting, but by following these straightforward steps, you’ll be crafting a captivating narrative with ease. With techniques such as character development, thematic exploration, and subplot integration , you’ll create a solid foundation on which to build your story.

Identify the Central Idea or Theme

Begin by determining the core concept or message you wish to convey. This will serve as the guiding principle for your story, and aid in crafting a narrative that effectively expresses your intended theme.

Create Compelling Characters

Develop interesting, relatable characters that evolve throughout the story. Focus on their motivations, desires, and flaws, as these will help create engaging character arcs to keep readers invested in their journeys.

Establish the Setting

Choose a setting that complements your theme and characters, immersing readers in a world that enhances the story. Pay attention to the environment, culture, and time period, as these can significantly impact the plot and character development.

Outline the Plot Structure

Sketch the story’s plot structure, including the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Develop a cohesive series of events that logically progress, captivate your audience, and support your theme.

Plan Key Events

Outline the major events and turning points in your story. These pivotal moments help drive the plot forward, compelling readers to follow the character’s journey and anticipate the climax and resolution.

Develop Subplots

Integrate subplots to enrich your story’s depth and complexity. Ensuring they complement the main plot, subplots add variety, enhance character development, and help create a multi-layered narrative.

Consider the Narrative Arc

Reflect on the overall trajectory of your story, identifying how it progresses from beginning to end. Visualize how your characters evolve and the pacing of the narrative, ensuring it maintains reader interest and delivers a satisfying conclusion.

Build Tension and Pacing

Strategically design the story’s pacing and tension to evoke emotions and keep readers engaged. Be mindful of dramatic moments, action sequences, and quiet scenes, as proper balance is critical to maintaining interest.

Foreshadowing

Master the art of foreshadowing by planting subtle hints throughout your story, creating anticipation and suspense. When used effectively, this technique helps maintain reader fascination and sets the stage for impactful revelations.

By following these steps, you’ll be well-equipped to produce a gripping, well-plotted story that will resonate with your audience and leave them eager for more.

What is the difference between a story and a plot?

A story refers to the raw sequence of events as they happen chronologically, while a plot is the structure of those events deliberately arranged to maximize interest and emotional impact.

What are the five elements of a traditional plot structure?

The five elements of a traditional plot structure are Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.

Can you provide some examples of classic plot types?

Examples of classic plot types include The Quest, Rags to Riches, Overcoming the Monster, The Voyage and Return, and The Tragedy.

What is a plot diagram and how is it helpful for writers?

A plot diagram is a visualization tool that helps writers outline and organize the key components of their narrative structure . It helps map out the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, and serves as a guide for balancing pacing and tension throughout a story.

What are some essential steps to plot a story effectively?

To plot a story effectively, you should identify the central idea or theme, create compelling characters, establish the setting, outline the plot structure, plan key events, develop subplots, consider the narrative arc, and utilize techniques for building tension and pacing like foreshadowing.

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Definition of Plot

Plot is a literary device that writers use to structure what happens in a story . However, there is more to this device than combining a sequence of events. Plots must present an event, action, or turning point that creates conflict or raises a dramatic question, leading to subsequent events that are connected to each other as a means of “answering” the dramatic question and conflict. The arc of a story’s plot features a causal relationship between a beginning, middle, and end in which the conflict is built to a climax and resolved in conclusion .

For example, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens features one of the most well-known and satisfying plots of English literature.

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.

Dickens introduces the protagonist , Ebenezer Scrooge, who is problematic in his lack of generosity and participation in humanity–especially during the Christmas season. This conflict results in three visitations by spirits that help Scrooge’s character and the reader understand the causes for the conflict. The climax occurs as Scrooge’s dismal future is foretold. The above passage reflects the second chance given to Scrooge as a means of changing his future as well as his present life. As the plot of Dickens’s story ends, the reader finds resolution in Scrooge’s changed attitude and behavior. However, if any of the causal events were removed from this plot, the story would be far less valuable and effective.

Common Examples of Plot Types

In general, the plot of a literary work is determined by the kind of story the writer intends to tell. Some elements that influence the plot are genre , setting , characters, dramatic situation, theme , etc. However, there are seven basic, common examples of plot types:

• Tragedy : In a tragic story, the protagonist typically experiences suffering and a downfall, The plot of the tragedy almost always includes a reversal of fortune, from good to bad or happy to sad.
• Comedy : In a comedic story, the ending is generally not tragic. Though characters in comic plots may be flawed, their outcomes are not usually painful or destructive.
• Journey of the Hero : In general, the plot of a hero’s journey features two elements: recognition and a situation reversal. Typically, something happens from the outside to inspire the hero, bringing about recognition and realization. Then, the hero undertakes a quest to solve or reverse the situation.
• Rebirth : This plot type generally features a character’s transformation from bad to good. Typically, the protagonist carries their tragic past with them which results in negative views of life and poor behavior. The transformation occurs when events in the story help them see a better worldview.
• Rags-to-Riches : In this common plot type, the protagonist begins in an impoverished, downtrodden, or struggling state. Then, story events take place (magical or realistic) that lead to the protagonist’s success and usually a happy ending.
• Good versus Evil : This plot type features a generally “good” protagonist that fights a typically “evil” antagonist . However, both the protagonist and antagonist can be groups of characters rather than simply individuals, all with the same goal or mission.
• Voyage/Return : In this plot type, the main character goes from point A to point B and back to point A. In general, the protagonist sets off on a journey and returns to the start of their voyage, having gained wisdom and/or experience.

Aristotle’s Plot Structure Formula

Though this principle may seem obvious to modern readers, in his work  Poetics , Aristotle first developed the formula for plot structure as three parts: beginning, middle, and end. Each of these parts is purposeful, integral, and challenging for writers. It

can be difficult for writers to create an effective plot device in terms of making decisions about how a story begins, what happens in the middle, and how it ends. Here is a further explanation of Aristotle’s plot structure formula:

• Beginning : The beginning of a story holds great value. It has to capture the reader’s attention, introduce the characters, setting, and the central conflict.
• Middle : The middle of a plot requires movement toward the conclusion of the story, as well as plot points, obstacles, or various subplots along the way to maintain the reader’s interest and infuse value and meaning into the story.
• End : The end of a story brings about the conclusion and resolution of the conflict, generally leaving the reader with a sense of satisfaction, value, and deeper understanding.

Freytag’s Pyramid

In 1863, Gustav Freytag (a German novelist) published a book that expanded Aristotle’s concept of plot. Freytag added two components: rising action and falling action . This dramatic arc of plot structure, termed Freytag’s Pyramid, is the most prevalent depiction of plot as a literary device. Here are the elements of Freytag’s Pyramid:

• Exposition : the beginning of the story, in which the writer establishes or introduces pertinent information such as setting, characters, dramatic situation, etc.
• Rising Action : increased tension as a result of the central conflict.
• Climax (middle) : pinnacle and/or turning point of the plot.
• Falling Action : also referred to as denouement , begins with consequences resulting from the climax and moves towards the conclusion.
• Resolution : end of the story.

Differences Between Narrative and Plot

Plot and narrative are both literary devices that are often used interchangeably. However, there is a distinction between them when it comes to storytelling. Plot involves causality and a connected series of events that make up a story. Plot refers to what actions and/or events take place in a story and the causal relationship between them.

Narrative encompasses aspects of a story that include choices by the writer as to how the story is told, such as point of view , verb tense, tone , and voice . Therefore, the plot is a more objective literary device in terms of a story’s definitive events. Narrative is more subjective as a literary device in that there are many choices a writer can make as to how the same plot is told and revealed to the reader.

Three Basic Patterns of Plot – William Foster-Harris

In his book, The Basic Patterns of Plot, Foster-Harris presented three types of plot.

• Happy Ending Plot: These plots end on a happy note when the central character makes a sacrifice or resolves the conflict. Also, there is a positive and light-hearted ending to the story.
• Unhappy Ending: In this type of plot, the central character acts logically that seems right and fails to completely resolve the conflict. The story also might end with conflict resolution but one or more characters lose something or sacrifice something.
• Tragedy : This type of plot poses questions by the end about the sadness and its reason as the central character does not make a choice for a sacrifice, or otherwise.

Master Plots – Ronald R. Tobias

The term master plots occur in the book of Ronald R. Tobias, 20 Master Plots . Some of the important ones are Quest, Adventure , Pursuit, and Rescue. These are followed by Escape, Revenge, The riddle , Rivalry, and Underdog, while Temptation, Metamorphosis, and Transformation follow them. Some others are Maturing, Love, and Forbidden Love. Sacrifice and Discovery are two other master plots with Wretched Excess, Ascension, and Descension following them. The important feature of these plots is that they all follow the style their title suggests.

Seven Types of Plots – Jessamyn West

Besides thematic plots, Jessamyn West, a volunteer librarian has listed seven basic and major plots for a story. His argument seems based on the type of characters.

• A woman against nature
• A woman against another woman, or a man against another man
• A woman against the environment or vice versa
• A woman against technology
• A woman against self
• A woman against supernatural elements
• A woman against religion or gods

Why it is Good to Break Traditional Plot Structures

Although most critics are very strict about a story having a plot, it is quite unusual to break the conventional structures and create a new one. This creativity is the hallmarks of a literary piece as breaking the traditional plot structure makes the literary piece in the process a unique addition to the long list of such other pieces. This also makes the writer flout new ideas about plot structures, making him a pioneer in such plots. It often happens in postmodern fiction to break away from traditions in creating plots such as Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut presents a non-linear storyline.

Linear and Non-Linear Plots

These two very simple terms, linear and non-linear in the literary world with reference to plots, define how a plot has been structured. A linear plot is constructed on the idea of chronological order having a clear beginning, a defined middle, and a definite ending. However, when an author, such as the referred novel in the above example shows, breaks away from the normal plot structures, it becomes a non-linear plot. It does not have any beginning or for that matter any ending or middle. It just presents fractured and broken thoughts or incidents in a way that the readers have to construct their own story.

Examples of Plot in Literature

When readers remember a work of literature, whether it’s a novel, short story , play , or narrative poem , their lasting impression often is due to the plot. The cause and effect of events in a plot are the foundation of storytelling, as is the natural arc of a story’s beginning, middle, and end. Literary plots resonate with readers as entertainment, education, and elemental to the act of reading itself. Here are some examples of plot in literature:

Example 1:  Romeo and Juliet (Prologue) – William Shakespeare

Two households, both alike in dignity (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love And the continuance of their parents’ rage, Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage; The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

In the prologue of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, the arc of the plot is told–including the outcome of the story. However, though the overall plot is revealed before the story begins, this does not detract from the portrayal of the events in the story and the relationship between their cause and effect. Each character’s action drives forward connected events that build to a climax and then a tragic resolution, so that even if the reader/viewer knows what will happen, the play remains an engaging and memorable literary work.

Example 2: Six-word-long story, often attributed to Ernest Hemingway

For sale, baby shoes, never worn.

This famous six-word short story is attributed to Ernest Hemingway , although there has been no indisputable substantiation that it is his creation. Aside from its authorship, this story demonstrates the power of plot as a literary device and in particular the effectiveness of Aristotle’s formula. Through just six words, the plot of this story has a beginning, middle, and end that readers can identify. In addition, the plot allows readers to interpret the causality of the story’s events depending on the manner in which they view and interpret the narrative.

Example 3:  Don Quixote – Miguel de Cervantes

“Destiny guides our fortunes more favorably than we could have expected. Look there, Sancho Panza, my friend , and see those thirty or so wild giants, with whom I intend to do battle and kill each and all of them, so with their stolen booty we can begin to enrich ourselves. This is noble, righteous warfare, for it is wonderfully useful to God to have such an evil race wiped from the face of the earth.” “What giants?” Asked Sancho Panza. “The ones you can see over there,” answered his master, “with the huge arms, some of which are very nearly two leagues long.” “Now look, your grace,” said Sancho, “what you see over there aren’t giants, but windmills, and what seems to be arms are just their sails, that go around in the wind and turn the millstone.” “Obviously,” replied Don Quijote, “you don’t know much about adventures.”

Don Quixote is considered the first modern novel, and the complexity of its plot is one of the reasons for this distinction. Each event that takes place in this overall hero’s journey is connected to and causes other actions in the story, bringing about a resolution at the end. This novel by de Cervantes features subplots as well, yet the story arc of the character reflects all elements of both Aristotle’s plot formula and Freytag’s Pyramid.

Synonyms of Plot

There are several synonyms that come close to the plot in meanings such as narrative, theme, events, tales, mythos, and subject , yet they are all literary devices in their own right. They do not replace the plot.

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What is Plot? A Writer’s Guide to Creating Amazing Plots

What’s plot? Discover the definition of plot, different types of plots, the various elements of a great plot including Vonnegut’s story shapes!

People are always stopping me on the street and asking, “What is plot? You look like a part-time writer, you should know!” I’m kidding. That never happens. But, if you came here for the basic definition for the plot, we’ve got that for you plus a lot more!

The Definition of Plot 

In fiction, a plot is the cause and effect sequence of significant events that make up the story’s narrative. These events can include things like an inciting incident, mid-plot point, climax, and resolution. 

But there is so much more to plot than this boring definition. So, today we are going to talk about what plot is all about. Let’s take a deep drive on plot and figure out how to use it for our own stories! We’ll start with types of plot.

Different types of plot 

If you google “different types of plot” one of the first hits you’ll get is something like, “the 1,500 basic types of plot!” Needles to say, the subject of plot types can be confusing, and the truth is your plot is what you make it. You don’t have to conform to anyone’s pattern. But, if you help getting started there are plenty of plots diagrams you can use. For this post, we’ll cover the most beneficial ones. 

Kurt Vonnegut’s Shape of Stories

A terrific source for outlining different plot types is the Shapes of Stories by famed writer Kurt Vonnegut. In case you’re not familiar, Vonnegut is the author of titles like Slaughterhouse-Five, and Breakfast of Champions. He also wrote a thesis, Shapes of Stories, arguing there were eight basic plot shapes that you could draw on a graph. He describes these story shapes as eight common character arcs.

Below is a short lecture Vonnegut gave on the concept:

The Eight Shapes of Stories

Man in a Hole:

With this plot your main character will get into some serious trouble. This trouble will upend your protagonist’s life and send them spiraling towards rock bottom. Through the plot of your story, the character will make their way out of trouble. By the conclusion the protagonist will be left off better than where they started, having crawled out of the hole. 

The hole is usually metaphorical, but by all means, stick your character in a real hole if you want. 

Boy Meets Girl :

Or girl meets boy. Like the hole from the example above, the person your character meets can be symbolic. Your character doesn’t have to meet a person; they can find something wonderful or life-changing. The character will experience the awesome benefits of this thing or person they found. Then, as it often does, tragedy strikes. 

At some point in the story, your character will lose the wonderful thing they found, and they will become deeply depressed. We’re back in the hole. However, by the story’s conclusion the character will regain the thing they lost. What’s more, they will get it back permanently, and, like with Man in a Hole, they will end better than they started.  

From Bad to Worse :

Are you a sadist? Well, do I have the plot for you! From Bad to Worse character arcs are exactly what they sound like. You start your character off in a terrible situation. Then things get gradually worse for them as the story progresses. By the end, your protagonist has lost all hope of things ever getting better. Because they won’t.

This kind of arc makes great horror stories. They also put your readers through the wringer. 

Which Way is Up?

Life imitates art in the Which Way is Up story arc. Things are confusing; events are ambiguous. It’s difficult to tell whether a turn of fate will benefit or harm your protagonist. These stories hit close to home, as with a reader’s life, we’re not guaranteed a happy ending. 

Great for thrillers and mysteries, this kind of story will keep readers on the edge of their seat. 

Creation Story :

In the beginning, there was light! Creation stories follow the pattern of a deity creating all of existence. God or some other deity will create humankind and then bestow gifts on them gradually, one at a time. 

One day you get a garden, then the next you get some animal friends. Later, you might get a spouse. These are pretty common stories to all cultures as they helped people describe the mystery of life. They’re not quite as popular in modern culture, but maybe you’ll be the one to revive them. 

Old Testament :

If you were to say you were going “old testament” on someone, that person is probably in for a bad time. Because let’s face it, the Old Testament isn’t the most cheery tome. Whether it’s Lot’s wife, or Abel, or the “OGs,” Adam and Eve, there’s a lot of fire and brimstone raining down on people. 

Old Testament stories build on the Creation story arc. A deity gradually rewards humankind. However, at some point humans suffer a sudden and drastic fall from grace. So, how would you update this story for a modern audience? Shrink it a little. 

You don’t have to write about all of humankind. Focus your story on one character- your protagonist. They are blessed by the gods, or society, or just parents with a fat bank account, but they lose it all. Slowly, your hero will have to earn their way back into the garden. 

New Testament :

New Testament stories follow the same track as their Old Testament counterparts, but humankind, or your hero, will overcome their fall from grace. Your hero is bestowed gradual gifts from some higher power, they experience a sudden loss of all those gifts, but regain them and achieve heavenly transcendence. This transformation is usually the result of your character’s internal growth. 

Cinderella 

Now to everyone’s favorite, a true Cinderella story. In this arc, your character begins at rock bottom, as low as they can be. They are probably born to a low station or suffered a devastating tragedy early in life. As bad things are for your hero, the one thing that can’t be taken from her is her resilience. She has hope that things can get better, but she at least knows they can’t possibly be worse. 

And things do get better. Your character experiences pure ecstasy for a short while. They discover what it means to be truly happy, but nothing lasts forever. Eventually, the clock strikes midnight, and that carriage turns back into a pumpkin. 

However, the experience of happiness has a lasting effect on your hero. She will never again be as low as she started at the beginning of the story because she now has the memory of being happy. At your story’s climax, your hero will regain what she lost and experience an everlasting happiness! 

Most stories you read or watch probably fit into one of these eight types of plots, or character arcs. So, if you’re struggling with the direction you’d like to take your story, use one of these basic plot arcs as your guide. 

Plot Structure

What is plot structure .

Plot structure refers to the story beats, or series of events, that make up your story.

Above, with the shape of stories, we discussed character arcs. Now, with plot structure, we’re talking about story arcs. Like the shape of stories or character arcs, there are many different ways to approach how you structure your plot. Let’s start with the most common plot structure you’ll find. 

Different types of plot structure

Freytag’s Story Pyramid 

You probably know this plot structure, also called the story pyramid. It’s the plot structure you learned way back in grade school. Freytag’s Pyramid breaks down to five plot segments. They are as follows:

Exposition:

In a story’s exposition you establish the ordinary world. Introduce all of the main characters, and show them in their everyday life. Introduce the setting of the story as well as the mood, and maybe hint at the conflict. You’ll end this section with an inciting incident that shatters the ordinary world and begins the conflict. 

Read more about inciting incidents here.  

Rising Action:

This is where the plot starts to move. The inciting event has caused some significant problems for your hero. During the rising action, your character is trying, and failing, to solve their problem. The character’s action will get increasingly drastic. Rising action will take up the majority of your story. 

This is the most thrilling part of your story; it’s the primary turning point. The climax is when the story’s main antagonist is finally confronted. The stakes are at their highest point. If your character loses, then they will die either literally or metaphorically. They will often have to overcome a character flaw to win.   

Falling Action:

This is a moment of final suspense when the hero seems to have lost. Freytag suggests as few characters as possible are involved at this point of the story and that there are fewer scenes than there were during the rising action. 

Catastrophe or Denouement:

The logical endpoint of your story. There should be some catharsis for your reader and a tying up of loose ends. Your hero may die in sacrifice at this point, or they may be triumphant. All conflicts should be resolved. A denouement sees your story ending on a high note. However, if you’re writing a tragedy, you’ll end with a catastrophe. 

Three Act Structure 

Popular for its simplicity, this is another plot structure commonly used in Western storytelling. As the name suggests, the design is subdivided into three acts with five plot points interspersed between them. Here they are: 

Act I – Setup:

The setup in this structure is very similar to the story pyramid’s exposition phase. The author will establish characters, setting, and tone. You want to show the characters in their everyday life. The setup will contain, or be concluded by, the inciting incident, which will disrupt your character’s life. 

• Plot Point 1: this plot point ends your setup. It is a dramatic event that represents the point of no return for your hero. Once this happens, they cannot return to their ordinary life. Think of it like a cave-in that seals your hero within the story. 

Act II- Confrontation:

Your character struggles to overcome their conflict set off by the inciting event. They will try one thing after the other, each time not achieving their goal and becoming more extreme in their measures. 

• Mid Point: happens in the middle of your story. It is the most dramatic turn up to that point. It raises the stakes for the hero exponentially. 
• Plot Point 2: This ends the second act of your story. The second plot point is when the hero prepares to confront their antagonist. This point will set up the final confrontation. 

Act III- Resolution:

The final battle or obstacle. The point where your character is truly tested. This act will change a fundamental part of your character’s life or personality as they overcome internal demons or external threats. 

• Climax: The most intense part of your characters struggle. They may have a sudden realization of how to end the conflict, or they may have to overcome a deep-seated flaw. 

Read more about Three Act structure here.

 Developed in Japan, Jo-ha-kyū is more of a concept than a structure. Still, it is used to structure stories, especially in theatre. In Jo-ha-kyū, things begin slowly, speed up gradually, and end fast. Jo-ha-kyū has three stages: 

Beginning :

Just like the other two structures, this is an exposition phase that moves at a leisurely pace. 

The story begins to intensify here. Things start to speed up at a gradual pace. The plot intensifies. 

The story moves at break-neck speed to its conclusion. All the conflict and loose ends are resolved. 

Kishōtenketsu

Kishōtenketsu is a Korean story structure that prioritizes a significant plot twist over a pattern of conflict and resolution. We’ll go over the four parts of this structure today. 

If you’d like to know more about Kishōtenketsu, you can read an entire post on the form here. 

The four components of Kishōtenketsu are: 

This is an introduction to characters, setting, mood, and any other important information. 

This is a development stage. The author expands on the characters and setting established in the introduction. 

TWIST! The twist is the most crucial part of the story. The dramatic twist takes the place of any conflict a typical story would have. 

The conclusion of your story. Everything is wrapped up, and things return to normal.  

Story vs. Plot 

So, what is the difference between story and plot? The two can be hard to define, but most people have decided that causality differentiates the two.

A story is a retelling of events in chronological order with no definable through-line. A plot is a series of events organized by cause and effect.

With a plot, on the other hand, there is a clear depiction of cause and effect. A story can be reported in a newspaper as- there was a five-alarm fire in an apartment building last night. One person died. Investigators believe faulty wiring was the cause of the fire. 

A plot would show us how these events are connected. A slumlord, building owner fires his hardworking superintendent to cut costs. Therefore, the faulty wiring in Mrs. Jones’ apartment is never fixed. On a cold night, Mrs. Jones plugs in a space heater to stay warm. With no one to repair it, the building’s furnace has been broken for months. A spark from the outlet catches the drapes on fire. The flames spread filling the bedroom with smoke. Mrs. Jones suffocates, and the slumlord cashes in on his insurance policy. 

Here we see the cause and effect pattern, and even a theme developing. 

Elements of a Plot 

The plot elements depend on the type of story you’re telling, and we’ve covered many of them already. Plot points, climaxes, raising, and falling action are all elements of different plots. Let’s cover a few essential factors that are common to most plot structures. 

Setup & exposition :

Most stories will start by introducing characters, settings, and a mood. Authors may also hint at a coming conflict or theme in this section. 

Action & confrontation :

A majority of the time spent in any story will show a character trying to overcome some conflict in their life. Usually, they try small actions at first; then, as they continue to fail, action will gradually become more drastic. These actions lead to an escalation of the stakes of the story. 

Climax & conclusion :

There is a high point of every story. A moment where the stakes are highest and failure means dire consequences for your hero. The character either overcomes their conflict or is consumed by it depending on the story you want to tell. 

Dramatic Contrast :

Stories, like any work of art, need contrast. Contrast is what makes a story interesting. Ordinary characters can contrast with extraordinary events. The setup of your story will contrast with the conflict. You don’t always need conflict to create this contrast. In Kishōtenketsu arcs there is no conflict, but a jarring and dramatic twist is what creates contrast. Your character’s personality can create contrast. They may start the story as a coward and end as a hero. 

Wrapping Up  

Ok, there are about twenty-five hundred words on plot. We’ve discussed what plot is, the different types of plot, what makes a story different from a plot, and plot elements. I’d love to continue, but I, literally, have nothing left to say. So, if you have any questions about plot, please drop them in the comments. I’ll answer them. Promise.

If you want to read more about plot, here is an outstanding book, Story Genius , that taught me plenty! 

Continued reading on plot 

“ In  Story Genius  Cron takes you, step-by-step, through the creation of a novel from the first glimmer of an idea, to a complete multilayered blueprint —including fully realized scenes—that evolves into a first draft with the authority, richness, and command of a riveting sixth or seventh draft.”

Resources :

Author’s Guide to Storytelling- Reedsy Blog

Five Elements of Plot- The Write Practice

1,462 Basic Plot Types- Daily Writing Tips

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What is Plot? Definition, Examples & 10+ Types of Story Plots

by Fija Callaghan

It’s been said that there are a finite number of stories in the world. It’s also been said that there are more stories in the world that we can ever imagine. Both of these things are true.

New writers often find themselves overwhelmed by the indescribably vast landscape of plot. Maybe you have an idea for a great main character, or a place where you want to tell your story from, or even some glimmers of things you want your characters to be doing in these places. But is that enough for an entire story? Not quite. Your story needs plot —the structural road map that will carry your readers through to the very end. But what is plot, and how do we find the plot of a story? Let’s take a look at some definitions, plot elements, and a few examples to show you how it’s done.

What is plot in a story?

In writing, plot is the sequence of events that guides a narrative such as a novel, short story, play, or film. Every time a character makes a choice or reacts to the consequences of a choice, the plot of the story moves forward. This pattern of cause and effect hurtles the protagonist and everyone around them towards the climax.

There are a few different ways to map out your plot , but in the end most stories follow a pattern of action and reaction. The protagonist takes a step forward, makes a choice, creates something, or puts some new energy into being—this is the action. Then, the reaction : the protagonist’s action triggers an effect that they didn’t expect, or an effect they did expect but that has unintended consequences. In response, the main character takes another action. And the plot pushes back, again and again and again.

How these actions and reactions progress will naturally fall into the rhythmic patterns of storytelling that we call story structure.

Why do I need plot structure?

It’s not uncommon for new writers (or even experienced writers) to have some hesitancy when it comes to formally structuring their work. There’s often the fear that letting your plot fall into a recognizable pattern will make it somehow less original, less distinct, less yours .

It’s understandable to feel this way, but the truth is that all successful stories will naturally follow these patterns because they speak to the rhythms of storytelling that we all have within ourselves. When the plot points of a film or novel deviates too far from these plot structures we will usually feel it in our bones; something in the narrative isn’t working. It’ll begin to feel too rushed and chaotic, or too slow and drawn out, and in either case we’ll begin to lose our sense of immersion. We start to disconnect from it without entirely understanding why.

Plot structure is really just a clear, approachable way of looking at why stories affect us the way they do, why readers and viewers become so invested in the rhythms of these stories, and how we can recreate those rhythms in our own work.

What’s the difference between plot and story?

Plot and story are two literary elements that are inextricably entwined, but are they the same thing? Not quite.

The most important difference is that story establishes a framework of events that supports a larger theme, while plot explores the cause-and-effect relationship of how these events inform one another. To put it another way—story is about the who, where, and when while plot is about the how and why.

For example, the fable “The Tortoise and the Hare” is a powerful story with a strong plot. The story is: “The tortoise and the hare agree to race. Because of the hare’s arrogance, the tortoise wins and learns a valuable lesson about tenacity and commitment.”

The plot is: “The hare challenges the tortoise to a race. The hare runs so fast and is so certain of his victory that he takes a nap before he reaches the finish line. When he wakes, he discovers the slow tortoise has finished the race before him.”

The story gives us a picture of the work as a whole including its character development and theme, while the plot shows us how the story comes to be. You need both in order to create a coherent narrative work that resonances with your readers.

Elements you’ll find in every plot

For any plot to work—whether it’s a short story, novel, screenplay, or any other narrative form—it needs a basic plot foundation. You can think of these essential elements as the “Three Cs” of plot structure: character, causation, and conflict.

Character is the backbone of any good narrative. The most important element of plot structure, a character’s choices are what drive the story forward and encourage readers to empathise with their journey (we’ll talk a bit more about the “Hero’s Journey” story archetype below).

For a reader to care about what your story is trying to say, you need engaging main characters.

Causation is the pattern of factors that influence the events of the plot. This begins with the inciting incident—an external factor that instigates a change in the lives of your characters—and continues with every choice your characters make.

Every turning point in your plot is directly caused by the events that have come before it.

Conflict is what drives your characters to make the choices that they do. One character wants something, and another character wants something, and the plot happens because those desires can’t exist at the same time. Each character takes steps to pursue their goals, and in doing so, unleash an unexpected maelstrom of story.

Sometimes the conflicting goal might come from something like an impersonal organisation, or even a force of nature. You can read more about finding the right conflict for your story here .

The 7 universal stories

Most scholars agree that there are a certain number of plot archetypes which all stories across all mediums follow. What they tend to disagree on is exactly how many plot types there are. Aristotle, John Gardner, Kurt Vonnegut, Christopher Booker, Ronald Tobias, and Georges Polti are all scholars and authors who have tried to compartmentalise the diversity of story. They’ve suggested that all stories are born from a handful of different plot archetypes.

Today, most writers agree on the “seven story format,” which states that there are seven grand, overarching master plots that contain within them all the stories in the world. Many stories will fit snugly into one of these well-worn patterns, or master plots, that have been shaped and perfected over time; others will draw from two or more of these plot archetypes.

Let’s look at the basic plots that form these seven universal stories.

1. The Quest

In a Quest plot type, the protagonist begins with a very clear objective; this may be of his or her own choosing, or it may be something that is thrust upon them. In any case, the main character goes on a journey and faces a string of nearly insurmountable obstacles in order to reach their all-consuming goal: a physical object, a sacred place, an achievement that they can see and feel.

The Lord of the Rings is a classic example of a Quest plot, in which the main character goes through a series of trials in order to reach an object of great power. King Arthur’s story of the Holy Grail and King Solomon’s Mines are other Quest stories.

In contemporary settings, a quest can also be for things like intercepting a hastily sent email, gaining entry into a prestigious institution, or finding a rare copy of a valuable book.

2. Voyage and Return

These types of stories were popular in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. They feature a protagonist who goes off to discover a fascinating new place, full of treasures and creatures barely imaginable, before returning safely home with a wealth of new stories to share.

The Hobbit ’s well-known alternate title There and Back Again makes it clear that we can expect it to follow this age-old pattern. Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and Where the Wild Things Are are other classic examples of the Voyage and Return.

Although this plot type lends itself very well to fantastical settings, that doesn’t always have to be the case. A protagonist can “voyage and return” to an unfamiliar country, cultural landscape, or class of society.

3. Rags to Riches

This plot type tends to follow this arc not once, but twice: the protagonist begins in a place of disprivilege before coming upon a sudden change in fortune—whether that manifests as money, influence, attention, or love. Then—usually due to their own rash actions—the protagonist loses their newfound glory and has to work to get it back.

The difference in these two story arcs is that the first time the protagonist is usually given their “riches” as a twist of fate, while the second time the protagonist is forced to prove themselves worthy of the riches. Cinderella is a classic Rags to Riches plot, as is the fable of The Ugly Duckling , and Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess .

We tend to think of these reversal-of-fortune plots as stories of wealth and class, but they can also come in the form of newfound respect, beauty, or influence.

Many of these stories have their roots in Christian mythology, but today Rebirth stories are simply a character arc so dramatic as to affect a complete transformation. Usually these plot types begin with a deeply flawed character who, rather begrudgingly, begins to see the error of their ways and how they can become a better person.

A Christmas Carol is a classic archetypal example of how a thoroughly dislikeable man can, through powerful experiences and deep personal introspection, become someone who makes a positive impact on the world. Beauty and the Beast and The Snow Queen are faerie tales that also follow this plot type.

Today’s screenwriters know that the ability to make people laugh sells better than just about anything; it’s rare these days to see a film or TV series, no matter the genre, that doesn’t have some lighthearted moments in it.

In classic literature, however, the term “comedy” refers more to a continuous push and pull of dramatic irony—the reader or viewer always knows more than the characters, and we watch with bubbling delight as the cast of players gets themselves into one predictable scrape after another. In many ways, classic comedies show us our own flaws and give us permission to recognize those flaws as part of being human.

That’s not to say that comedies can’t have surprises—often the clever twists and unearthing of hidden secrets are the most satisfying parts of a well-written comedy. But no matter what path they take, the distinguishing characteristic of literary comedies is that they always have happy endings.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a classic example of comedy. P. G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster , and Bridget Jones’s Diary are other stories that follow these patterns.

Contrary to comedies, a tragedy plot structure shows us our human failings and how they can be irreparably damaging. They usually follow a character with a major flaw or weakness that leads to their inevitable undoing. Often these are weaknesses that we can find within ourselves, which makes the protagonist’s downfall all the more resonant and compelling.

The Great Gatsby is an example of a modern tragedy, in which the choices the protagonist thinks will lead him to the love of his life are the same choices that send him hurtling towards his ultimate collapse. Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray and the quintessential tragedy Romeo and Juliet are other stories that show the power of human limitation.

7. Overcoming the Monster

The lifeblood of folk myths, this plot archetype shows an inspiring but very human character facing an opponent made out of nightmares. The “monster” in this case might be a literal creature from the dark; it might be a person behaving monstrously, like a serial killer in a thriller novel; or it might be a monster that lives inside of us, like mental illness or addiction.

Classically, however, the monsters faced were very real otherworldly antagonists. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a famous example of an Overcoming the Monster story, and the legends of Beowulf and Saint George and the Dragon are ancient stories that have influenced our idea of monsters today.

Drawing on the 7 universal plots to create your own story

These seven plot types have existed since the first cave drawings appeared out of charcoal and firelight—since our ancestors spun stories out of shadows so they could hold onto the light a little longer. Many, many more stories will be written in the generations to come that follow these ancient rhythms.

But don’t feel that you need to limit yourself to just one of these structural outlines. Many successful stories draw from several of these archetypal patterns to create something powerful and new. The Wizard of Oz , for example, follows a character who explores a strange and wondrous land (Voyage and Return), goes in search of a mysterious power in order to help her friends and return home (the Quest), and faces a fearsome witch with her own reasons for taking our heroine down (Overcoming the Monster). This classic tale weaves together several plot archetypes to create something that readers have returned to again and again for generations.

When you begin writing, these seven plot structures will give you an idea of the patterns that storytellers have followed and recognized as great universal truths. Your work will probably draw on several or even all of them as it becomes a part of the neverending tapestry of story.

Plot structures to guide your fiction writing

Now that you know a little more about what the plot of a story is and why it matters in creative writing, let’s look at some classic ways to develop the plot of your story. By using a specific plot structure like ones outlined below, you can create a coherent series of plot points and connected events that will make you story work —every time.

How to plot your story using the three act structure

Human beings have always liked the number three. It’s the number from which our brains begin to recognize pattern, and so over the centuries that number has gained a lot of sacred significance in cultures all over the world. We see it in Christian mythology’s holy trinity, in the triquetra and three sacred trees of the Celts, in three wishes, in three crossroads, in the three witches of Macbeth, and in the three stages of life. “Three” feels complete. This is why the three act structure has remained such a powerful part of our storytelling consciousness for so long.

The first act

Despite being a third of the plot’s structural blueprint, the first act only takes up about a quarter of the plot. However, it packs in quite a lot of important information for such a small section.

The first act does three very important things from which our story can emerge: firstly, it introduces us to the world of our characters. In fantastical settings this includes our worldbuilding —our understanding of the world’s mechanics, politics, systems, beauties, and struggles. Much the same can be said of historical fiction; the first act helps the reader understand the story’s time and place, along with the strengths and limitations that come with that time and place.

Even in contemporary settings we’ll see the world of our protagonist, where they spend their time, who they spend it with, and their relationship to the world around them. This is called exposition , and without it as the foundation of our plot our story can’t exist.

The second is the inciting incident —the moment where our plot is launched into motion. This can be the arrival of a new character or a new piece of information, a disaster that changes the landscape of the protagonist’s world (physically or emotionally), a birth, a death, a choice—something that irreparably ruptures the characters’ world into a before and an after. This is where our story begins.

Lastly, the first act introduces us to our dramatic question . This is directly related to the inciting incident; it creates a question in the reader’s mind that the writer promises to answer by the time the plot reaches its close. Will the hero manage to save the city from imminent destruction? Will the boy reach the girl he loves before it’s too late? Will the heroine manage to escape and find her way back home? These questions are essential to create tension for the reader. Amidst the twists and turns the plot takes as it reaches its conclusion, this dramatic question stays with us continuously until the very end.

The second act

The second act is our major player; it takes up about half of the plot, or the second and third quarters. Once your main character has been thrown into a new set of circumstances by the first act, the second act will raise higher stakes and throw more obstacles in the protagonist’s way. This is where most of your story’s major events will occur.

In a way, the second act almost functions like an entire story arc unto itself. The protagonist spends the first half of the second act reacting to their altered world and being forced to make new choices that will power the direction of the rest of the plot. Around the middle of the second act (the middle of our plot) we reach the midpoint —a false climax that forces our characters into a new kind of action. In The Wizard of Oz , for instance, the midpoint comes when the central characters finally reach their ultimate goal of seeing the Wizard to ask for his help—only to find that the Wizard is not at all what they expected, and they now have a whole new journey ahead of them.

After the midpoint of your plot, into the second half of the second act, your characters will begin to shift from simply reacting as best they can to what they have been given to taking action against it. The choices they make in this third quarter of your plot will bind them to their fates for good, even if they don’t know it yet. Things start to happen much quicker as the characters gain the strength to fight for everything they stand on the precipice of losing.

The third act

Contrary to the first act, which starts off gentle and slow-burns its way towards the second one, the third act erupts with a roar. In this final quarter of the plot, all the writer’s carefully arranged pieces are falling into place. The point of no return for your characters has come and gone like an exit in a rear-view mirror, and now there’s nowhere to go but forward full force towards the plot’s climax.

Where the first and second acts have been a series of choices that your protagonist has made, the third act focuses on the protagonist owning the consequences of these choices and fully committing to seeing them through. This takes us to the climax of the plot—the final piece that will have readers clinging to the edges of their seats, the moment that answers the dramatic question once and for all.

Then, once the dust settles, the characters are left with the new world they have created and the new adventure of trying to find their place in it. Freytag called this the falling action and denouement , which we’ll look at below.

How to Plot Your Story Using Freytag’s Pyramid

Originally laid down by Aristotle and later expanded on by novelist Gustav Freytag, Freytag’s Pyramid is a roadmap of storytelling composed of five pieces : Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement. This plot structure is also called the “Dramatic Arc,” and has much in common with the three act structure, approached in a slightly different way.

1. Exposition

The exposition’s role is to immerse your readers in the world of your story. This means establishing your main characters and setting, and giving them a clear idea of what your protagonist’s “normal” world looks like. How they spend their days, the struggles that they face, the things they take for granted. What they have to lose.

This section shouldn’t take up a huge amount of real estate in your plot, but it’s essential in snagging your reader’s interest. Exposition is the foundation on which the rest of your plot, themes, and character arcs are built.

2. Rising Action

The rising action kicks off with the first pivotal moment: the inciting incident . This is the moment where an external force careens into the protagonist’s everyday life (which we introduced in our exposition). In the Harry Potter series, this is the arrival of an innocent-seeming letter written in vibrant green ink. In Pride and Prejudice , the plot kicks off when an eligible new bachelor moves into the neighborhood. The inciting incident is the nudge that gets the plot rolling towards a storm your characters will never see coming.

After the inciting incident the events of the plot begin to gain momentum as the characters react to the new circumstances they’ve been thrust into. Sometimes called “progressive complications,” this portion of the plot is about building up the stakes for your characters within the story’s conflict. Its role is to force the protagonist to make increasingly difficult choices in order to achieve what they want—and what they want might very well change over the course of the plot.

Throughout these progressive complications your character becomes more and more invested in the events of the plot and begins making active choices rather than reactive ones. It’s these choices that lead us to the plot’s climax.

The story’s climax is the emotional crux of the plot, for both the main character and the reader. It’s the thing that will keep the reader huddled up in their blankets with a flashlight long past their bedtime. This is the moment where the protagonist’s fate hangs in the balance as they make one last big, dramatic choice that changes their world—externally or internally—forever. It could be when a driven career woman finally decides to give up everything to be with the man they love, or the moment when a damaged, conflicted hobbit fights with his own desires inside the fires of Mount Doom. The climax is the point when everything you’ve built since the opening of your plot comes together.

If the writer has done their job well in the exposition and the rising action, the reader will be fully engaged in this moment and will experience it with your characters right beside them.

4. Falling action

After the wild, earth-shifting storm of the climax, the landscape of the protagonist’s world will be forever changed. This might be on a larger scale, or it might simply be in their own perspective and values. The falling action shows us how they adapt to this new world and ties off any lingering questions still unanswered. This is also the place where the writer can take a little more time to explore theme and any lessons they want the reader to come away with.

You can think of the falling action like reverse exposition. Like the initial exposition, it shouldn’t take up a lot of space in your plot, but should show your readers what the characters have learned as a result of the story and where they’re headed next.

5. Denouement

The denouement is the resolution, or closing, of the plot. It’s the final scene, moment, or idea the readers see before they finally close the book. In Shakespearean work, this is often when the last character standing faces the audience and shares with them one final pearl of wisdom. This is a small moment, but it should leave the reader feeling that the plot has tied off effectively.

Once you’ve written your denouement and given all of your characters an “ever after” of some sort or another, communicated your theme and tied off any last uncertainties, you get to indulge in one of life’s greatest, most luxurious pleasures:

Writing The End .

How to plot your story using the 8-point arc

Originally set down by writer Nigel Watts in his book, Writing A Novel and Getting Published , the 8-point arc has similarities to Gustav Freytag’s system while expanding on several plot points. It’s composed of eight steps that take the plot of a story from the opening lines to the resolution.

This section establishes the world of your protagonist and what their day-to-day life has looked like up until this moment. For example, the stasis in Cinderella would be a scene of her sweeping ashes from the hearth for her horrible stepfamily.

The trigger is what we might also call the inciting incident—the moment where everything changes. It could be a new character, a new discovery, something being given to the central character, or something being taken away. In Cinderella , the trigger would be the moment they receive an invitation to the prince’s ball. This is the first major turning point of your story.

Because of the trigger, the protagonist now has a concrete objective which leads to the story’s central conflict. This might be to find something, retrieve something, or pursue a pivotal piece of information. The quest in Cinderella is to find a way to attend the ball. She does this by attempting to make her own dress in secret. (Things do not, of course, go according to plan.)

The surprise is what we may also know as progressive complications, or rising action. There will probably be several surprising revelations and obstacles along your protagonist’s journey. This is where your tale will show most of its character development. The first major surprise moment in Cinderella is when her fairy godmother arrives and offers her a way to go to the ball incognito.

All along the path of your narrative, the protagonist will be making choices. However, there will come a moment where they need to make a critical choice between the way things were and the way things could be, projecting the story in a new direction. Cinderella’s critical choice happens when she goes to the ball knowing that she’s risking her family’s wrath.

The climax happens as a direct result of everything that has come before—stasis, trigger, quest, surprise, and especially the critical choice. This is where the protagonist’s journey becomes all or nothing. In Cinderella , this would be the explosive scene where the clock strikes midnight and Cinderella flees from the ball while her clothes and carriage fall to pieces around her.

Because of the effects of the climax and the choices that led to it, the protagonist experiences a reversal of fortunes and of the self. Cinderella has gone back to her wicked family, but she is no longer the same woman she was. The prince arrives to sweep her off her glass-clad feet and carry her into a new life.

The resolution is a reflection of the stasis stage; it establishes the new world order and ties off any loose ends in your story. We see Cinderella begin her happy ending with the prince while the wicked family, depending on the telling, might be graciously given a place in the royal court or they might vanish into obscurity. This is the reconstructed stasis where new stories can begin.

How to plot your story using the Fichtean Curve

The Fichtean Curve story structure is a mainstay of action, thriller, mystery, and horror stories, but it can be applied to any genre. It’s characterised by its intense rising action and episodic complications that build to a big finish. This narrative works best for novels, rather than short stories.

This plot structure is made up of three essential parts: the rising action , the climax , and the falling action . You’ll recognise some of these steps from Freytag’s pyramid, but the Fichtean curve uses them a little differently.

In the Fichtean Curve narrative structure, the rising action forms the bulk of the story. The story begins in media res—i.e., without preamble; it hits the ground running. The inciting incident happens right away and kicks off a series of miniature story arcs, each with its own build up and climax. Every mini climax marks a turning point in the plot. This forms the rising action of the story. These episodic story arcs are great for holding your reader’s attention across the whole story.

“Voyage and Return” and “Quest” story archetypes fit into this narrative structure well, because every stage of your protagonist’s journey can become a story of its own.

Then, each of these miniature story arcs builds on the one before it until they reach the pivotal climactic battle of the story as a whole. While the story until this point has been constructed of smaller stories, each of them has led to this final showdown that characterises the main plot: facing the true monster at the heart of the story’s conflict, meeting the killer face to face, saving the city from complete destruction. This is your story’s climax .

Finally, the story reaches its falling action . This is when your readers get to see how your characters have grown and what they’ve learned from their actions. In a mystery, you’ll explore what happens to the criminals after they’ve been caught; in a horror or fantasy, your readers will see how the central characters move forward after their triumphs and losses.

The falling action won’t take up too much of your story, but it will wrap up any lingering questions your reader might have, tie off all the loose ends in your character’s journey, and hint at what’s to come in your characters’ futures—a happy ending, or a new beginning.

How to plot your story using the Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey, also known as the monomyth , is one of the oldest and most culturally predominant story archetypes in literature. We see it in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , Star Wars , The Lord of the Rings , and countless other stories of good triumphing over evil. This story follows a central empathetic hero through 12 essential stages as they come into their power and emerge from a cataclysmic conflict forever changed.

Overlaid with the three-act structure, the plot of a story using the Hero’s Journey looks like this:

Act I: Departure

This includes the first 5 steps of the Hero’s Journey: the Ordinary World, the Call to Adventure, Refusal of the Call, Meeting the Mentor, and Crossing the Threshold.

Act II: Initiation

This includes steps 6—9: Progressive Complications (or Tests, Allies, Enemies), the Inmost Cave, the Ordeal, and the Reward.

Act III: Return

This includes steps 10—12: the Road Back, Resurrection, and Return.

Let’s look at each of those stages in a bit more detail.

The Ordinary World

This expository section establishes who your protagonist (the “hero”) is, what their normal world looks like, what they need, and what they have to lose. This tells the reader everything they need to know about your main character before their adventure begins.

The Call to Adventure

In this section, the hero experiences a shift in their understanding of the world (the inciting incident) that drives them onto a new path. How your protagonist reacts will show the reader more of who they are and who they have the potential to become.

Refusal of the Call

Here the hero fights against the impulse to begin this new adventure, fearing loss or change. They may cling to the world they knew and understood, even if it wasn’t perfect, rather than embark into the unknown.

Meeting the Mentor

At this point in the story, the hero meets someone or something that gives them what they need to face the journey ahead of them. This might be knowledge, training, items of power, or even self-confidence.

Crossing the Threshold

The “threshold” is the first point of no return the protagonist faces, where they make a choice to continue and are no longer the same person they once were. This is the first step in their inner transformation.

Progressive Complications (or Tests, Allies, Enemies)

Now that your protagonist has crossed the first boundary between the old world and the new, they’ll begin finding new friends, new enemies, and new challenges. Some of these challenges may be met with resounding success… others, not so much. This is the rising action of your story.

The Inmost Cave

This is the “calm before the storm” where the hero and their allies come together for a moment of recalibration and reflection. They may mourn their losses, celebrate their victories, and plan for the battles to come.

This is the hero’s first major, climactic battle; it usually appears about halfway through the story. Everything in their journey will have led to this moment, and everything that happens from this point forward will be a result of the action the hero takes during this ordeal.

After their major battle, the hero celebrates their victory and the spoils they have won. This might be a physical object, a personal goal, a reconciliation with another character, or a transformative experience.

The Road Back

The protagonist sets off on their journey home, but new complications have arisen from their ordeal and subsequent victory. Now they have to face the new world they have built around themselves.

Resurrection

This is the moment of final crisis for the hero and their loved ones, and the crux of the character’s transformation. The hero faces their ultimate battle and emerges from it changed forever. This scene brings all the themes, character arcs, and lessons together in one epic moment.

The hero finally returns home to the world they left behind, and is forced to carve out a new place within it. They take the spoils they have won, the lessons they have learned, and the experiences they have gained and use them to build a life that incorporates the old with the new.

You can dive into some plot examples and learn about these 12 stages of the Hero’s Journey in more detail here.

Bonus no-structure plot structure: How to plot your story using the snowflake method

If the idea of pre-designing your plot outline from start to finish seems a little scary, you’ll love Randy Ingermanson’s snowflake method of story plotting—an approachable, organic way to explore the world of your plot before committing it to the page. It was inspired by a mathematical formula and works because unlike more cognitive plot structures, the developmental stage more closely follows the way stories are actually born.

It begins with an idea

Keep it short and snappy and hold onto it because later, once your story is written and polished, it’ll become your sales pitch. Something like… ehhh… a teenager travels back in time to prevent his parents from breaking up. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

Check Out Your Characters

You’ve already got three: the kid and two grownups. Write out one or two lines about your protagonist. Maybe he’s creative but also really wants to look cool, so let’s say he plays guitar in a garage band. Give him a name. It can be something silly—you can always go back and change it later. How about… Marty McFly.

Take a look at your settings

You’ve got two so far: the modern day and the time we travel back to. We’ve decided that Marty plays in a band (it’s probably not very good), and maybe he’s looking for a chance to play live. Maybe a talent show or something, so he can impress a girl. Then there’s his parents’ time: think sparkling, pastel-toned nostalgia. You’re writing this all down, right?

Circle back

A teenager travels back in time to prevent his parents from breaking up. Now we know a little more about the teenager, but how does he go back in time? A spaceship? Nah, let’s keep it believable. How about… a car. A really fast car.

Can you see the plot beginning to glimmer in the rough?

Story. Characters. Setting. They begin as simple, unrefined shapes that grow in depth and dimension as you allow more details to come through. The idea behind the snowflake method is that, like a real snowflake, it begins as a tiny crystal and grows layer upon layer.

Write a sentence or two about each of these three components. Then go back and expand each one into a paragraph. By this point you’ll start picking up on other characters waiting in the wings of your plot; give them each a paragraph or two. Get to know them, gently, one layer at a time. You’ll be astonished at how much of your plot is there waiting for you to uncover it. But—and this is important— you need to write it down . It’s through the act of writing that you dig away the raw material to reveal the plot hidden underneath.

Once you’re able to see the roads of your plot more clearly, write a few paragraphs each about your beginning, middle, and end. Then, when you’re ready, when your crystalline plot is humming with possibilities, begin. It’s that easy.

Bringing plot structure into your own story

The three act structure, the dramatic arc, and the snowflake method have all worked well for writers who have used them to create powerful stories. Every writer is an individual, and the one that works best for someone you know or admire might not be the one that feels most natural to you. It’s only through trying, doing, creating, and writing that you’ll learn how to bring your own stories into being.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is the plot of a story the 5 parts of the narrative.

General Education

When we talk about stories, we tend to use the word "plot." But what is plot exactly? How does it differ from a story, and what are the primary features that make up a well-written plot? We answer these questions here and show you real plot examples from literature . But first, let’s take a look at the basic plot definition.

What Is Plot? Definition and Overview

What is the plot of a story? The answer is pretty simple, actually.

Plot is the way an author creates and organizes a chain of events in a narrative. In short, plot is the foundation of a story. Some describe it as the "what" of a text (whereas the characters are the "who" and the theme is the "why").

This is the basic plot definition. But what does plot do ?

The plot must follow a logical, enticing format that draws the reader in. Plot differs from "story" in that it highlights a specific and purposeful cause-and-effect relationship between a sequence of major events in the narrative.

In Aspects of the Novel , famed British novelist E. M. Forster argues that instead of merely revealing random events that occur within a text (as "story" does), plot emphasizes causality between these events:

"We have defined a story as a narrative of events arranged in their time-sequence. A plot is also a narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality. 'The king died and then the queen died,' is a story. 'The king died, and then the queen died of grief' is a plot. The time-sequence is preserved, but the sense of causality overshadows it."

Authors typically develop their plots in ways that are most likely to pique the reader’s interest and keep them invested in the story. This is why many plots follow the same basic structure. So what is this structure exactly?

What Is Plot Structure?

All plots follow a logical organization with a beginning, middle, and end—but there’s a lot more to the basic plot structure than just this. Generally speaking, every plot has these five elements in this order :

• Exposition/introduction
• Rising action
• Climax/turning point
• Falling action
• Resolution/denouement

#1: Exposition/Introduction

The first part of the plot establishes the main characters/protagonists and setting. We get to know who’s who, as well as when and where the story takes place. At this point, the reader is just getting to know the world of the story and what it’s going to be all about.

Here, we’re shown what normal looks like for the characters .

The primary conflict or tension around which the plot revolves is also usually introduced here in order to set up the course of events for the rest of the narrative. This tension could be the first meeting between two main characters (think Pride and Prejudice ) or the start of a murder mystery, for example.

#2: Rising Action

In this part of the plot, the primary conflict is introduced (if it hasn’t been already) and is built upon to create tension both within the story and the reader , who should ideally be feeling more and more drawn to the text. The conflict may affect one character or multiple characters.

The author should have clearly communicated to the reader the stakes of this central conflict. In other words, what are the possible consequences? The benefits?

This is the part of the plot that sets the rest of the plot in motion. Excitement grows as tensions get higher and higher, ultimately leading to the climax of the story (see below).

For example, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , the rising action would be when we learn who Voldemort is and lots of bad things start happening, which the characters eventually realize are all connected to Voldemort.

#3: Climax/Turning Point

Arguably the most important part of a story, the climax is the biggest plot point , which puts our characters in a situation wherein a choice must be made that will affect the rest of the story.

This is the critical moment that all the rising action has been building up to, and the point at which the overarching conflict is finally addressed. What will the character(s) do, and what will happen as a result? Tensions are highest here, instilling in the reader a sense of excitement, dread, and urgency.

In classic tales of heroes, the climax would be when the hero finally faces the big monster, and the reader is left to wonder who will win and what this outcome could mean for the other characters and the world as a whole within the story.

#4: Falling Action

This is when the tension has been released and the story begins to wind down. We start to see the results of the climax and the main characters’ actions and get a sense of what this means for them and the world they inhabit. How did their choices affect themselves and those around them?

At this point, the author also ties up loose ends in the main plot and any subplots .

In To Kill a Mockingbird , we see the consequences of the trial and Atticus Finch’s involvement in it: Tom goes to jail and is shot and killed, and Scout and Jem are attacked by accuser Bob Ewell who blames their father for making a fool out of him during the trial.

#5: Resolution/Denouement

This final plot point is when everything has been wrapped up and the new world—and the new sense of normalcy for the characters—has been established . The conflict from the climax has been resolved, and all loose ends have been neatly tied up (unless the author is purposely setting up the story for a sequel!).

There is a sense of finality and closure here , making the reader feel that there is nothing more they can learn or gain from the narrative.

The resolution can be pretty short—sometimes just a paragraph or so—and might even take the form of an epilogue , which generally takes place a while after the main action and plot of the story.

Be careful not to conflate "resolution" with "happy ending"—resolutions can be tragic and entirely unexpected, too!

In Romeo and Juliet , the resolution is the point at which the family feud between the Capulets and Montagues is at last put to an end following the deaths of the titular lovers.

What Is a Plot Diagram?

Many people use a plot diagram to help them visualize the plot definition and structure . Here’s what a basic plot diagram looks like:

The triangular part of the diagram indicates changing tensions in the plot. The diagram begins with a flat, horizontal line for the exposition , showing a lack of tension as well as what is normal for the characters in the story.

This elevation changes, however, with the rising action , or immediately after the conflict has been introduced. The rising action is an increasing line (indicating the building of tension), all the way up until it reaches the climax —the peak or turning point of the story, and when everything changes.

The falling action is a decreasing line, indicating a decline in tension and the wrapping up of the plot and any subplots. After, the line flatlines once more into a resolution —a new sense of normal for the characters in the story.

You can use the plot diagram as a reference when writing a story and to ensure you have all major plot points.

4 Plot Examples From Literature

While most plots follow the same basic structure, the details of stories can vary quite a bit! Here are four plot examples from literature to give you an idea of how you can use the fundamental plot structure while still making your story entirely your own.

#1: Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Exposition: The ghost of Hamlet’s father—the former king—appears one night instructing his son to avenge his death by killing Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle and the current king.

Rising Action: Hamlet struggles to commit to avenging his father’s death. He pretends to go crazy (and possibly becomes truly mad) to confuse Claudius. Later, he passes up the opportunity to kill his uncle while he prays.

Climax: Hamlet stabs and kills Polonius, believing it to be his uncle. This is an important turning point at which Hamlet has committed himself to both violence and revenge. (Another climax can be said to be when Hamlet duels Laertes.)

Falling Action: Hamlet is sent to England but manages to avoid execution and instead returns to Denmark. Ophelia goes mad and dies. Hamlet duels Laertes, ultimately resulting in the deaths of the entire royal family.

Resolution: As he lay dying, Hamlet tells Horatio to make Fortinbras the king of Denmark and to share his story. Fortinbras arrives and speaks hopefully about the future of Denmark.

#2: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Exposition: Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights to meet with Heathcliff, a wealthy landlord, about renting Thrushcross Grange, another manor just a few miles away. While staying overnight, he sees the ghost of a woman named Catherine. After settling in at the Grange, Lockwood asks the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, to relay to him the story of Heathcliff and the Heights.

Rising Action: Most of the rising action takes place in the past when Catherine and Heathcliff were young. We learn that the two children were very close. One day, a dog bite forces Catherine to stay for several weeks at the Grange where the Lintons live, leading her to become infatuated with the young Edgar Linton. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Heathcliff runs away for three years, and Catherine and Edgar get married. Heathcliff then inherits the Heights and marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella, in the hopes of inheriting the Grange as well.

Climax: Catherine becomes sick, gives birth to a daughter named Cathy, and dies. Heathcliff begs Catherine to never leave him, to haunt him—even if it drives him mad.

Falling Action: Many years pass in Nelly's story. A chain of events allows Heathcliff to gain control of both the Heights and the Grange. He then forces the young Cathy to live with him at the Heights and act as a servant. Lockwood leaves the Grange to return to London.

Resolution: Six months later, Lockwood goes back to see Nelly and learns that Heathcliff, still heartbroken and now tired of seeking revenge, has died. Cathy and Hareton fall in love and plan to get married; they inherit the Grange and the Heights. Lockwood visits the graves of Catherine and Heathcliff, noting that both are finally at peace.

#3: Carrie by Stephen King

Exposition: Teenager Carrie is an outcast and lives with her controlling, fiercely religious mother. One day, she starts her period in the showers at school after P.E. Not knowing what menstruation is, Carrie becomes frantic; this causes other students to make fun of her and pelt her with sanitary products. Around this time, Carrie discovers that she has telekinetic powers.

Rising Action: Carrie practices her telekinesis, which grows stronger. The students who previously tormented Carrie in the locker room are punished by their teacher. One girl, Sue, feels remorseful and asks her boyfriend, Tommy, to take Carrie to the prom. But another girl, Chris, wants revenge against Carrie and plans to rig the prom queen election so that Carrie wins. Carrie attends the prom with Tommy and things go well—at first.

Climax: After being named prom queen, Carrie gets onstage in front of the entire school only to be immediately drenched with a bucket of pig’s blood, a plot carried out by Chris and her boyfriend, Billy. Everybody laughs at Carrie, who goes mad and begins using her telekinesis to start fires and kill everyone in sight.

Falling Action: Carrie returns home and is attacked by her mother. She kills her mother and then goes outside again, this time killing Chris and Billy. As Carrie lay dying, Sue comes over to her and Carrie realizes that Sue never intended to hurt her. She dies.

Resolution: The survivors in the town must come to terms with the havoc Carrie wrought. Some feel guilty for not having helped Carrie sooner; Sue goes to a psychiatric hospital. It’s announced that there are no others like Carrie, but we are then shown a letter from a mother discussing her young daughter’s telekinetic abilities.

#4: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Exposition: Bella Swan is a high school junior who moves to live with her father in a remote town in Washington State. She meets a strange boy named Edward, and after an initially awkward meeting, the two start to become friends. One day, Edward successfully uses his bare hands to stop a car from crushing Bella, making her realize that something is very different about this boy.

Rising Action: Bella discovers that Edward is a vampire after doing some research and asking him questions. The two develop strong romantic feelings and quickly fall in love. Bella meets Edward’s family of vampires, who happily accept her. When playing baseball together, however, they end up attracting a gang of non-vegetarian vampires. One of these vampires, James, notices that Bella is a human and decides to kill her. Edward and his family work hard to protect Bella, but James lures her to him by making her believe he has kidnapped her mother.

Climax: Tricked by James, Bella is attacked and fed on. At this moment, Edward and his family arrive and kill James. Bella nearly dies from the vampire venom in her blood, but Edward sucks it out, saving her life.

Falling Action: Bella wakes up in the hospital, heavily injured but alive. She still wants to be in a relationship with Edward, despite the risks involved, and the two agree to stay together.

Resolution: Months later, Edward takes Bella to the prom. The two have a good time. Bella tells Edward that she wants him to turn her into a vampire right then and there, but he refuses and pretends to bite her neck instead.

Conclusion: So What Is the Plot of a Story?

What is plot? Basically, it’s the chain of events in a story. These events must be purposeful and organized in a logical manner that entices the reader, builds tension, and provides a resolution.

All plots have a beginning, middle, and end, and usually contain the following five points in this order:

#1: Exposition/introduction #2: Rising action #3: Climax/turning point #4: Falling action #5: Resolution/denouement

Sketching out a plot diagram can help you visualize your story and get a clearer sense for where the climax is, what tensions you'll need to have in order to build up to this turning point, and how you can offer a tight conclusion to your story.

What’s Next?

What is plot? A key literary element as it turns out. Learn about other important elements of literature in our guide. We've also got a list of top literary devices you should know.

Working on a novel? Then you will definitely want to know what kinds of tone words you can use , how imagery works , what the big difference between a simile and a metaphor is , and how to write an epilogue .

Interested in writing poetry? Then check out our picks for the 20 most critical poetic devices .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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What is a Plot? Definition, Examples of Literary Plots

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » What is a Plot? Definition, Examples of Literary Plots

Plot definition: Plot is the way an author develops a series of events in a text.

What is a Plot?

What does plot mean? Plot is the storyline of a text. An author puts together a series of events to create a story. The sequence of that series of events is the plot.

Typically, an author develops a plot in such a way to pique the reader’s interest. That said, the storyline is not usually resolved until the near end of the text.

A simple example of plot using the fable The Tortoise and The Hare,

• A race was run between a tortoise and a hare
• The hare was sure he would win.
• He stopped frequently along the way to display his confidence.
• The tortoise did not think he would win but never gave up.
• The hare became distracted.
• The tortoise crossed the finish line first and won the race.

Structures of Traditional Plots

The exposition is the introduction to the story. Characters and setting are introduced.

Rising Action

The rising action presents a central conflict within a character or between one or more character. The conflict builds during the rising action.

The climax occurs when the conflict is at its peak and when there seems to be no viable solution to the conflict.

The falling action occurs after the climax when the reader is still unsure if the protagonist will be able to resolve the conflict.

The denouement (also called the resolution) is the conclusion to the plot. Typically, the conflict is resolved at this point.

The Function of Plot

The plot should be developed in such a way to interest the readers and to keep them guessing at the next points.

A good plot is one that has well-developed characters who are engaging in several conflicts.

Plot Examples in Literature

Readers put down a book because the storyline is uninteresting to them; furthermore, readers continue to read a text because of its plot components.

Some good examples of literary plots are held within the works of Shakespeare. Most Shakespeare plays follow the traditional plot structure, where Act I serves as the exposition, Act 3 the climax, and Act 5 the denouement.

Uses of Plot in Everyday Language

• The result is a story at once fabulist and searingly precise, driven by a deadpan voice that manages to do equal literary justice to the suspense of the plot, the author’s version of historical truth and the emotions evoked by its protagonist, the young runaway slave Cora. – The Wall Street Journal
• Book groups have been a popular plot device in commercial fiction. It’s a handy way to get a group of people together, and they’ll always have something to talk about. – The Washington Post

Summary: What is Plot in Literature?

In summary, a plot is the basic storyline of a text. Most plots follow a traditional pattern, where the climax is the turning point of the text. A good plot generally leads to an interesting novel, as plot encompasses most literary elements.

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Last updated on Nov 07, 2023

What is Plot Structure? Definition and Diagram

Plot structure is the order in which the events of a story unfold. In western storytelling traditions, it’s usually built out of five stages: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. 

From Westworld and Jane Eyre to your grandma’s favorite childhood anecdote, most stories seem to follow this architecture. It dates back to Aristotle’s Three-Act structure , which divides a story into a beginning, middle, and end, and it was further elaborated on by German novelist Gustav Freytag, among others, who proposed a “technique for drama” — a five-stage plot structure that is now better known as Freytag’s pyramid .

In this post, we’ll look at the basic elements of plot structure in more detail. We’ll use Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring as an example with each stage. Though it may seem strange to demonstrate a five-step process with the first part of a trilogy, each book in The Lord of the Rings series has a complete plot with a distinct start and finish.   

Plot Structure in Five Steps:

1. Exposition

2. rising action, 4. falling action, 5. resolution.

Which plot structure is right for your book?

Take our 1-minute quiz to find out.

To kick off your story , you'll need to introduce your main characters and the world they inhabit , thus laying the groundwork for the story ahead. This segment is known as the exposition , and it serves to present the 'ordinary world' or the status quo for your characters. 

Example: “One ring to rule them all.”

In Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring , the 'ordinary world' is depicted through the lively and peaceful lives of hobbits in the Shire. It's only when an inciting incident jolts your character out of their comfort zone that the real action of the story gets underway. In this case, Frodo Baggins inherits a ring from his cousin Bilbo, but Gandalf reveals to him that it's the Ring of Power sought after by the dark lord Sauron 一 Frodo must embarks on a quest to destroy it.

☝️ We dive deeper into each of these five stages in this article on story structure . Also, if you’re keen to try to incorporate these “beats” into your own writing, get our free template below. 

FREE RESOURCE

Three Act Structure Template

Craft a satisfying story arc with our free step-by-step template.

Once your protagonist is on a journey to accomplish something, the story truly comes alive and things start to happen. This sets the stage for a series of events in which the character faces ever more challenging internal and external conflicts , and makes both allies and enemies.  

Example: “I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way.”

Frodo and his companions face many challenges, like the dreadful Black Riders, the freezing mountains, and the tension among some people in the group that the ring stirs up. The Fellowship, now made of nine valuable members, learns that Saruman has joined the enemy side. 

This part is known as the rising action , it forms the bulk of the narrative, and it culminates in the narrative's emotional high point — the climax. 

The climax in a story is the point where tension reaches its peak. It’s a pivotal moment or event that marks the point of no return for the character. 

Example: “Fly, you fools.”

As the fellowship passes through the Mines of Moria, they confront a menacing creature, a Balrog. Gandalf fights off the beast, allowing the others to escape, but at the cost of his own life.

While the climax may not be the final obstacle for a protagonist, it is usually what induces them to truly take action to resolve their problem. 

Following the climax, the story's tension begins to wane as unresolved issues and minor conflicts start to find closure. This beat serves as a sort of decompression chamber, allowing both characters and readers to step back from the intensity of the climax, and process “all that happened.”

Example: “You suffer, I see it day by day.”

Following the tragic loss of Gandalf, the Fellowship takes refuge in the mystical woods of Lothlórien, where they grapple with the gravity of their quest and reflect on their individual responsibilities. Boromir is seduced by the ring's power and tries to steal it from Frodo, though the hobbit manages to escape.

The resolution (also called denouement ) is the final phase in the story's plot structure, which wraps things up. While it often blends with the ‘falling action,’ the key difference is that the resolution offers closure to the story's main conflict. Essentially, it fulfills the promise of the premise set in motion by the inciting incident. That said, story endings can vary 一 some give a clear resolution, while others leave room for interpretation.

Example: “I’m going to Mordor alone.”

As for Frodo, he decides to separate from the group, fearing more of its members will be corrupted by the ring, and to continue the journey to Mordor alone (well, secretly followed by his best buddy Sam.) As The Fellowship of the Ring is only the first installment in a trilogy, the story's ultimate closure isn't reached until the final book. In spite of this, Frodo undergoes a significant character arc 一 from an unlikely and hesitant hero, dependent on other’s support, to a true leader determined to complete his mission.

And there you have them, the five key elements of plot structure. Whether you’re writing a novel or a short story , dissecting its basic architecture can help you craft a cohesive and engaging narrative that keeps the reader turning the page.

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How to Summarize a Plot

5 Components of a Plot in Narrative Essays and Creative Nonfiction

• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Every story that you read follows a series of events that range from the introduction of a conflict to begin the story and a final resolution at the end; this is the plot of your story. Basically, it’s what happens throughout the narrative, and it appears in in both fiction and non-fiction work. When you write a plot summary, you’ll essentially condense a novel into a short essay, touching on the key points of the material. You’ll want to introduce the main characters, setting of the story, and the main conflict of the narrative, including the five basic components of the plot: introduction, rising action , climax, falling action , and finally, a resolution.

Some outlines will break down a plot into more segments (exposition, inciting incident, central conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) but the premise is the same - a pattern of rising and falling action that looks essentially like an arc or a bell curve when you consider the level of drama the characters experience.

Understanding and Introducing the Conflict

To properly summarize a plot, start by figuring out the main problem that the story will solve. This could come from understanding the main characters, who are crucial components of the plot. Who are they and what are they trying to achieve? Most characters have a mission to accomplish, often it is finding, saving, or creating something or someone. Understand what drives the main characters, and that will help you in the first step to summarize the plot.

The conflict that we discover at the start of the narrative will get kicked off by an inciting incident that triggers the rising action, which grows over time. In Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” we are introduced to two characters from feuding families who ultimately fall in love. The conflict comes from their love for each other despite their families’ disapproval.

Rising Action and Climax

The rising action will introduce key components of a story that build upon the drama and conflict. This is where we see Romeo & Juliet marry in secret, and Romeo & Tybalt engage in a duel that ultimately leads to Tybalt’s death.

Eventually, the action and conflict hit what is called the climax, the point of no return. This is the peak of excitement, fear, drama, or whatever the emotion is that relayed through the narrative. You’ll want to tie together the rising action and the catalyst for conflict. The climax could lead us on a journey of positive resolution or even a journey of tragedy, but it will often change the characters in some way and is the reason why the problem can now start to be solved. In Shakespeare ’s story, there are essentially two points of climax: Romeo is banished and Juliet refuses to marry Paris.

Falling Action and Resolution

Finally, as you work your way back from the climax to the resolution, you’ll want to focus on how the main characters respond to the peak of action. Some aspect of the climax will trigger a response in the main characters which will drive them towards the final resolution. Sometimes, you’ll even find that the main characters learn a lesson and grow as individuals, but either way, the resulting actions shift the story and begin the falling action. Juliet drinks the potion which causes Romeo to believe she has died and kills himself. Upon awakening and discovering that her love has died, Juliet does the same.

Eventually, the story will return back to the original baseline resulting in a final resolution. In “Romeo & Juliet” the resolution isn’t that they both have died, but rather, the action their families take in response to their deaths, the end of the feud.

Creating the Summary

Remember that the plot is not the same as the theme of the narrative . If you’re not sure what the difference is between the plot of a story and the theme, you’re not alone. While the plot is what happens, the theme is the underlying idea or message within a story. The plot is concrete occurrences within the narrative, but the theme can be more subtle and even at times, implied. The theme can be harder to discern whereas the plot is more obvious. In Romeo & Juliet, we see themes of love and hate that appear throughout the plot.

Don’t forget, the key part of summarizing a plot is that you’re summarizing. You don’t need to include every detail that you encounter. When you read the text, it’s important to pay attention to what happens and where you see action coming into play, and write down key moments. Look for the basic information of who is involved, what are they doing, when are things happening, where is the action happening, and why?

Take notes and even write down things that you’re not sure if they are vital at that moment, but seem interesting or important. When you finish the story, you’ll be able to review your notes and better understand what aspects of the narrative were most important and start to eliminate the notes that don’t enhance the plot. That way, when it comes time to summarize the plot , you can easily pare down your notes and have an outline of what happens and the crucial moments that represent each of the five components of the plot.

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• How a Narrative Arc Structures a Story
• What Is Resolution in Literature?
• How to Find a Narrative’s Climax
• How Denouement Is Used in a Narrative
• What Are the Parts of a Short Story? (How to Write Them)
• Writing the Parts of a Stage Play Script
• How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story
• Definition and Examples of Narratives in Writing
• How to Identify the Theme in a Literary Work
• Use a Concept Map for Your Literature Midterms and Finals
• 50 General Book Club Questions for Study and Discussion
• How to Write a Great Book Report
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• What Is Drama? Literary Definition and Examples

Plot and Structure: How to Use Structure and Subplot to Add Suspense

by Joslyn Chase | 22 comments

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You can't write a great story if you don't master plot and structure. But what is the best structure for a novel? How do you plot a novel?

Working on structuring a nonfiction book? Check out our nonfiction book structure guide here .

Figuring out your plot structure is essential for your story's success. Even if you have an exciting idea for a story, great characters, and a memorable setting, you still need to put your protagonist through events that have high and escalating stakes, and structure them for maximum effect.

If you want to write a great story, you need to include  the elements of suspense . You can do this by using writing techniques and devices like:

• engaging your reader on a deep level,
• making your reader care about your characters,
• sequence of events
• cliffhangers
• planting clues
• foreshadowing

But without a sound plot and structure, you risk failing to thrill your readers. Today, we’ll look at dramatic structure and learn how you can build an effective plan for your entire plot. By planning for success, you can create a story packed with suspense, with all the right twists in all the right places.

Definition of Plot and Structure

What is story plot? What is the best structure for a novel?

Plot is the series of events that make up your story, including the order in which they occur and how they relate to each other. Structure (also known as narrative structure), is the overall design or layout of your story.

While plot is specific to your story and the particular events that make up that story, dramatic structure is more universal and deals with the mechanics of the story—how the chapters or scenes are broken up, how conflict is introduced and amplified, where the climax is placed, how the resolution plays out, and so on.

You can think of plot and structure like the DNA of your story. Every story takes on a plot, and every piece of writing has a structure. While plot is unique to your story, an understanding of effective structures and devices can help you develop better stories and hone your craft.

Searching for Structure

From the beginning of my writer’s journey, I knew story structure had to be a vital part of creating successful stories. But I wasn’t sure how to best construct a story, which of the many models would produce the best results for me.

I started writing short stories using a nine-point, three act structure consisting of hook, backstory, and trigger in act one. Crisis, struggle, and epiphany in act two. And plan, climax, and resolution in the final act.

This worked fine. At first. But as I expanded into longer writing forms like novellas and novels, I realized I needed something more. And something better-suited to the types of suspense fiction I like to write.

I explored several models of story structure, including the Algis Budrys seven-point story structure of simply putting a character in a setting with a problem and then employing try/fail cycles until the climax where he succeeds or ultimately fails before ending with a validation.

I found a lot to like in Syd Field's model for storytelling. I tried the Lester Dent Master Plot Formula for dramatic writing and found it works quite well for writing an exciting short story. But again, these models weren’t a perfect fit for me. My search continued.

Hitting Paydirt

Just as I began writing my first novel, I stumbled upon Shawn Coyne’s Story Grid and I knew at once that it would be a game-changer for me. I wrote Nocturne In Ashes and Steadman’s Blind using Shawn’s Five Commandments of story to structure each scene and the overall shape of the books.

Following this pattern, I learned an incredible amount about how to hit all the right points in a three-act structure and make sure each scene is vital and has a turning point. But my writing process is still evolving. Though I would never trade my experience with the Story Grid structure which really helped me get a handle on the micro view of storytelling, I was still looking for something ideally suited for writing mysteries and thrillers.

Let me tell you about what I’ve been using lately!

Six Elements of Plot That Strengthen Story Structure

When Joe Bunting published The Write Structure , I purchased it right away. However, it sat on my virtual reading shelf for a couple of months before I cracked it open and began reading.

Once I finally got started, I was delighted to find that The Write Structure resonated with me in so many ways and I knew I could use this pattern to write anything from a short story to a full-length novel and make it shine.

The book is filled with great tips, techniques, and advice for writers, backed up by examples and Joe’s own experience as a best-selling author. He takes you step-by-step through the six elements of a plot that will guide you in writing a stellar story and shows you how to develop each element effectively.

These are the six plot elements, as set forth in The Write Structure:

The Exposition is where you introduce your hero and establish the story setting, your hero’s world. By focusing on the core value at stake from the very beginning, you confirm genre for your readers and introduce dramatic tension by setting up conflict and forcing your character to act on a choice.

In most types of suspense fiction, the story will turn on a core value of Life vs. Death or perhaps a Fate Worse than Death. Often, the internal value at stake is Good vs. Evil. Crime stories, on some level, usually deal with issues of justice and good guys vanquishing bad guys while lives are in danger.

During this exposition phase, use specific details and descriptive elements to sink your reader deep into the story and make them care about your hero and worry over what will happen next.

Inciting Incident

Once your reader is grounded in the story world and emotionally invested in your character, something needs to happen to interrupt the established pattern and rock your character’s world in some way. An  Inciting Incident begins the story arc that will eventually culminate in the climactic scene and ending resolution of your story.

The inciting incident should be inspired by, and reinforce, the core value at stake in the story. In a crime story, this event—whether coincidental or triggered by a story character—works best when it reflects a conflict between life and death or something worse.

The way you pace your story and deliver information to your reader is paramount to your story’s success, right from the very beginning.

Rising Action

Rising Action  is where you raise the stakes and ratchet up the tension in a buildup toward the dilemma. These are the try/fail cycles, the struggle to understand the antagonistic force and find a way to defeat it through trial and error.

When thriller writer, Lee Child, was asked to divulge his recipe for creating suspense, he said it’s not so much about the ingredients as it is about making your family hungry, making them wait. This is where you spin out uncertainty and worry, making your reader hungry for the payoff.

I've written several articles about how to increase tension in a story's plot by focusing on the  elements of suspense. The writing techniques I've taught in these articles, such as how to create cliffhangers, write an action scene, and plant clues and red herrings, will help you develop rising action in your story. Learn more about how to use these powerful techniques in your stories by reading each article (linked in the previous sentence).

All of these writing skills will help you keep the story pace moving along through the middle, where many writers flounder.

Now we get to the crux of the story, where the rubber meets the road. The Dilemma boils down to a choice your protagonist must make—a difficult and crucial choice.

There are two types of choices that create the most conflict and drama. The first is often called the Best Bad Choice, where there is no happy alternative and your character is forced to choose from a menu of unsavory options.

For instance: Does Katniss cut down a tracker jacker nest and kill some of the tributes, or does she wait for the tributes to kill her?

The other variety of tough choices involves having to decide between conflicting goods, otherwise called an Irreconcilable Goods Decision. In this scenario, someone benefits while someone else is harmed. There is no win/win.

For example: Does Kramer hire someone to take care of his son in order to work a prestigious job, or does he step down from his career to be a reliable parent?

The dilemma is the heart of your story. It’s where your hero demonstrates his true character development. If you’ve created a sympathetic protagonist readers care about, they will be desperate to learn how he chooses and what happens as a result of that choice.

Your hero faces a difficult choice in the dilemma, but the Climax is where she acts on that choice and reaps the consequences of that action. This is the payoff you’ve been building toward since the beginning. This is the summit readers want to reach when they open a book.

This is also where your hero gains or ultimately loses what she seeks. In suspense fiction, that sought-after objective is usually solving a crime and bringing the perpetrator to justice. Or it might be revenge, rescue, or the acquisition of wealth or power.

Whatever it is, it centers on the conflict between the core values at stake—life or death. The events in your story have transformed and prepared your protagonist for this final confrontation.

Now it’s showtime.

Knowing your story's climax also helps to hone your skills of foreshadowing . You’ll be able to properly place your setups and readers won’t feel cheated.

It’s also a good idea to make sure you’ve honored reader expectations and delivered a story suited to what suspense fans crave.

Writers are sometimes tempted to skip writing the Denouement of the plot, or give it short shrift.

Don’t. If you want readers to look back fondly on your story and pick up your next book, give them the closure they desire.

Readers need a moment to savor the climax and feel the release of tension. If you’ve done a good job creating compelling characters, readers won’t want to say goodbye right away. Let them spend a little more time together.

This is where you validate your protagonist’s arc and reflect on how she’s changed. Even if the world around her is back to normal, she’s not the same person who started the story.

This is also where you wrap up any loose ends and it’s the perfect place to bring secondary plotlines to a close. Read below to learn more about subplots.

A Sound Structure for Suspense

The Write Structure addresses the complexities involved in putting together a story that works on multiple levels to engage an audience, and it does so in a user-friendly way. Instead of overwhelming, it simplifies the process so that you can actually create a plan for your own full-length book in just eighteen sentences.

In  The Write Structure, you’ll learn the nitty gritty details about how to craft these six elements in your story to develop your idea into a full-blown, living, breathing creation that readers will love. The process gives you the tools to create the right structure for your book while still leaving plenty of room for flexibility and creativity.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of the process is how it can be geared toward a particular genre—in our case, that means mysteries, thrillers, and adventure stories. In my opinion, that makes The Write Structure an excellent model for writing suspense fiction.

Plot AND Structure: Don't Forget Subplots

If you use the six elements of plot, you'll develop a sound structure for your suspense story—or any story. However, these vital scenes in the structure won't uphold a story that can stretch the length of the novel. In order to develop the plot, you need secondary storylines, or subplots, too.

How do you use subplots?

What Are Subplots?

A plot is a series of linked moments, a chain of events with one leading into the next. In a short story , you’re better off sticking with a single plotline in most cases. Anything longer than a short story, however, is enriched by weaving in one or more secondary plotlines, or subplots.

You can see this clearly in just about any television episode. There’s an A plot and a B plot. The A plot is the main story. The B plot forms a supporting storyline that plays off the A plot and may highlight theme or act as a foil or contrast to the A plot.

Sometimes the plotlines tie together at the end. Other times, they simply run parallel and the secondary plotline has its own conclusion, usually in one of the last scenes in the book.

Here's an example of how a subplot may operate to support the main plot.

Mr. Monk Goes to The Circus

In the television show, Monk, there’s an episode where Monk solves the murder of a circus ringmaster. That’s the A plot.

The B plot is introduced when Monk and his nurse, Sharona, go to the circus to investigate.

Here’s a clip from the episode:

The B plot comes into play when Sharona encounters the elephant and freaks out. We learn she’s terrified of elephants due to a traumatic scene she once witnessed at a zoo.

• Monk is oblivious to her distress—his only concern is that she isn’t responding to his needs. Sharona gets upset because she has to deal constantly with his phobias and idiosyncrasies, yet he has zero compassion for her over her fear of elephants. He enrages her by telling her to “suck it up.”
• Sharona starts a campaign to teach Monk a lesson. This campaign manifests at various points throughout the A plot when she refuses to hand him a wipe, drinks from his water bottle, coughs in his face, and messes up his orderly magazines. When he protests, she tells him to “suck it up.”
• Monk sends her flowers. He calls her to talk about the issue and when she finally opens up and begins sharing her feelings, Monk gets distracted and hangs up on her to follow a lead from the A plot.
• Monk discusses the problem with his therapist, Dr. Kroger. Of course, Kroger understands why Sharona’s angry, but he refuses to explain it to Monk, insisting that Monk will have to figure it out for himself—the answer is inside him.
• Monk and Sharona continue arguing. Just as she’s telling Monk he’ll never get it, Monk tells Sharona’s son to put his bicycle away, saying, “Let’s give your mother a break.” She points out that he was showing empathy at that point. It’s a start.
• Monk arranges for Sharona to confront her fear by meeting with the elephant and his master, unaware that the killer plans to use the elephant as a murder weapon to eliminate a witness. Sharona watches as this event in the A plot plays out and the elephant crushes his master’s skull, killing him.
• This makes things worse and now Monk feels really bad. He pampers Sharona, tucking a blanket around her and trying to make her cocoa, but she ends up doing all the work, as usual.
• In the story’s climax— the A plot —the culprit tries to escape and is stopped by the elephant. Sharona comes face to face with the creature and Monk soothes and empathizes with her. Then over-empathizes and won’t shut up with the empathizing. Sharona remarks that she’s created a monster.
• Sharona feeds carrots to the elephant and tells Monk she’s over it—maybe there’s hope for him. But Monk is still Monk and we know he’ll be back next week, still victim to a thousand debilitating foibles, to solve another baffling crime. (This is the Denouement.)

Do you see how the secondary plotline plays off the main plotline, intersecting it in some spots, adding dimension to the story’s climax, and providing the perfect ending? This is what subplots do.

Including subplots will elevate the tension and create depth to your main plotline.

Do You Really Need Subplots?

You don’t need to include a secondary plotline in your novel. But if you don’t, you’re passing up a great vehicle for adding depth, interest, emotion, tension, and excitement to your story. That said, it’s essential that readers understand who the book is about.

There should be one main character—your hero—whose story carries the most weight and whose arc comprises the main plotline. Readers should not be confused about who this is, so take care not to overwhelm that main arc when developing your secondary plots.

A secondary plotline can center on just about anything, including a character, setting, theme, motif, or problem. It can enter the story at any point and leave at any point—no need for it to run through the entire story unless that’s what serves the story best.

Every subplot, however, should be tied up by story’s end. The only reason you might consider leaving a secondary plotline open at the end of the story is so that it can function as a lead-in to the sequel.

For example, in my thriller novel, Nocturne In Ashes, the main story arc about stopping a serial killer is wrapped up in the end. But one of my subplots involved a police detective’s efforts to gain entry into an elite private security organization. That story line left a dangling thread to be picked up in the sequel.

One more thing—secondary plotlines must relate somehow to the main plotline and not exist just to take up space or add complexity. They must have a valid story reason to be there.

Joe Bunting’s book, The Write Structure, also addresses how to handle subplots in structuring your story.

A Plan for Your Book Sets You Up for Success

Ultimately, the best way to structure your book is to find a process that works for you and the types of fiction you want to write. That may entail exploring and adapting, learning and growing as you move through your own writer’s journey and learn the craft of writing.

You may not want to use the same plan for every story. I still structure my short fiction differently than my full-length books and I decide project by project how I’m going to do it.

I do think it’s important to make some kind of plan before you begin writing. When all is said and done, if you produce a story with all the right elements to attract and hold readers all the way to the end, you have a well-structured story.

You can get there by making a plan to guide you—like signposts along your journey. Or you can stumble around through rewrite after rewrite until you finally arrive. Either way, structure is what you need to make it work.

Why not embrace plot and structure and make it your traveling companion on the road to success?

Want to learn more about plot? Check out The Write Structure which helps writers make their plot better and write books readers love. It's only $5.99 for a limited time.  Check out The Write Structure here.

How about you? Do you use the six elements of plot and subplots in your stories? Tell us about it in the comments .

Using your current writing project, formulate a possible secondary plotline for your story. Write a paragraph to describe how the plotline begins in relation to the main plotline, and another paragraph to explain how it ends. Write one more paragraph to outline some points along the way.

If you don’t have a work in progress, practice by watching an episode of your favorite television series and outlining the B plot, like I did with Monk.

Write for fifteen minutes . When you’re finished, if you’d like to share your work, post it in the comments. And please provide feedback for your fellow writers as well!

Joslyn Chase

Any day where she can send readers to the edge of their seats, prickling with suspense and chewing their fingernails to the nub, is a good day for Joslyn. Pick up her latest thriller, Steadman's Blind , an explosive read that will keep you turning pages to the end. No Rest: 14 Tales of Chilling Suspense , Joslyn's latest collection of short suspense, is available for free at joslynchase.com .

22 Comments

I plot using Scapple, a Scrivner product – 10 bucks. It allows me to make mind maps of my developing stories. After I decide to go forward I make a paragraph for each mind map spot. Usually I don’t end up actually keeping to the plan as the story takes off at some point and has a mind of its own, but the plotting before prevents mind boggling sequence of events problems in the editing phase.

While I do agree Scapple is ok – there is freeware and open source software for the casual or pro writer. I’ve always done brainstorming and mind maps physically. I’d rather spend money on an actual blackboard or even smartscreen, than purchase software that limits the visible map field to the size of your screen. Most advice giving writers are in it for the money, and when a fellow as me that is financially secure looks for advice, all I see are price tags on creativity. I’d rather smith them myself through trial and failure, as anyone who is passionate about the craft, should.

My WIP uses the narrative arc plot structure. The exposition is where the narrator (Alex) meets her new neighbor (Alicia) and the two discover a dead body. Rising action is the process of solving the mystery. Climax is when they identify the killer and confront her. The very brief falling action is the loose ends being tied up. And the resolution is when their friendship is cemented at the end of the adventure.

The two doors also works. The disturbance is when they discover the corpse and the first point of no return is when Alex decides to help Alicia investigate the murder. The second is a moment when they’re in the woods at midnight, making their way to an abandoned theater to look for clues, and they have to leave the path. Alex is apprehensive but decides to follow Alicia. The literal act of stepping off the path metaphorically represents the moment when Alex decides to leave her old self behind.

Taking a moment to actually think about the physical plot structure can help when you’re trying to sequence events. It’s something I’ll try to be more aware of when I’m planning.

I have a character, a girl who was kidnapped after birth from a king. She was kidnapped by a servant of the king 13 years ago from when my story is set. My story is set in a sort of modern dystopia in a fiction location but the main character is a detective who finds her only in convenience of her misbehaving on the streets. She doesn’t know she is the daughter of a king and the servant who is kept in hiding doesn’t tell her.

However there are multiple POV”s and I don’t know how to develop a simple plot where she finally finds out where she is from. Does anyone have any suggestions???

Hey, I don’t know if you realize this, but you posted this as a reply to my comment instead of making your own comment on the post. You might want to do that so more people see it.

And to give some advice, I would say reexamine which POV’s you’re using in your story. If you’re trying to tell a narrative about this girl’s birth, the narrators should be people who are somehow related to her life or the kidnapping. You may have to sacrifice some of your narrators if they’re getting in the way of telling the story. Kill your darlings, as they say!

Personally, I like to let the story offer hints on how to tell it. I’ve done multiple pov tales where the story’s scenes come alive with great dialog and interaction. I’ve been told by a smart person, he said get out of the way and let the story flow. It’s sometimes hard to get out of the way, wanting to control the story that wants to be written. If the story is inspiring, exciting and you can’t wait to share it… get out of the way and let it out. I’ve been told by so many all these restrictions… don’t do this, you can’t do that, you should do this or that isn’t how it’s done.

Have you read the great literature from the masters? Even Tolkien was long winded with descriptions and details. It would have been impossible to make such grand movies without all of it. But it isn’t the sort of writing you’ll find today by the modern masters. King,Rowling, Brown, and many more are of a different type, their writing is more urgent and filled with emotions and actions.

So find the voice inside, the one that’s uniquely your own and tell the story within raging to be born… set your mind free and let your story take wing.

Well I won’t be sharing my practice today, which was option one, because I plan on doing this idea for NaNoWriMo and don’t want to spoil it. 😉 but I will share how I began developing my plot for another WIP First I started with a first draft. I wrote the whole thing without a care about character development, grammar or other things you worry about in the editing process. That draft SUCKED. I can tell you as much. For a while I let it simmer not looking at it and content with the fact that I had completed a book even if it was only a first draft. After about a month or so i picked it up again. I laughed and laughed like there was no tomorrow. there were errors all over the place and It was simply hilarious to me at the time. I set it down again for about a year but that dint’ stop me from thinking about it. Unknowingly i went through the processes mentioned in the blog post. That first draft has nothing to do with the novel I have now, besides the fact the some of the characters are the same. Well there’s my experience with this post. Thanks for sharing it with us Matt Herron!

Number 3, I choose you!

My character, Jade, has to make a decision between life and death. Not for herself. The main villain is a fallen angel called Dark, and has a kind of traumatizing back story. Jade feels pity toward him, but he’s the main villain, and doing destruction and causing mayhem.

At one point, Dark goes out of control, and starts planning to kill everyone Jade loves. Jade get made, like anyone else would, and get confused on what to do. So she decides to talk to him, and see if he’s willing to stop. (Jade prefers the kind approach, or is at least trying it.) The conversation goes terribly wrong, including it getting interrupted several times, due to another group of bad guys destroying thing.

Jade then actually has to make a choice between killing Dark or letting him live. For an entire chapter (In its rough draft state), she just thinks about her options, and then talks to her friends about it. Of course they say kill him, but what’s right isn’t always popular, and what’s popular isn’t always right.

Jade thinks that killing Dark would be wrong, but Dark isn’t the most stable or good thing in the universe. At all. And there’s really no way to fix him, or help him heal. Jade would end up looking for information of Dark, to get a better feeling toward what he’s feeling, but finds that his record aren’t clean. He’s as bad as it gets.

But Jade actually wants him to live, even to understand him. Understand the pain, and the sorrow. She looks up his back story, finding it’s full of terrible stuff. She feels pity toward him, and wants to help him. One problem; she doesn’t know how.

Yeah, I know. I probably wrote this terribly. But, we all did at one point.

If you ever wrote this story I’d like to read it. It sounds interesting. What’s the title?

You know, they tell you a script is linear. You go with that cause you’re green. And these people appear to be experts. There’s all kinds of them. Turns out a script is not linear at all. It resembles the graph representing Google stock. Not only that, but you can put your own graph line in there and loop it back to the second scene. And you can explode a line on the rebound. So, to all you experts, you are hindering creativity. There’s no absolute way to write.

Yep. Because reality usually doesn’t follow a simple line. I think this is helpful to some degree though.

It’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly scripts wiptsy, really….

And a bit of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff

I agree, but there still needs to be structure. I learned that the hard way.

I think the three act structure can be fatal especially if you don’t understand it (like how I didn’t!) There can be multiple turning points in a story, and it might look like a cubic graph–or sin or cos–or maybe the stock exchange. The three act structure is just a very rough template for the main climax, but there can–and should be–many.

This is the simplest explanation I ever read about plot structure. It gave me a better understanding of the subject matter. Well done!

Hears some advice for you kids: the bad writers borrow, the great writers steal!

Here’s my advice, kids: the bad writers borrow, the great writers steal!

What is the series of related events that gives the story its structure? Plot, exposition, or setting?

Characters, Theme, Plot, and Genre are the elements of structure.

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What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Read This Next:

• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)

What is Creative Writing? A Key Piece of the Writer’s Toolbox

Not all writing is the same and there’s a type of writing that has the ability to transport, teach, and inspire others like no other.

Creative writing stands out due to its unique approach and focus on imagination. Here’s how to get started and grow as you explore the broad and beautiful world of creative writing!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a form of writing that extends beyond the bounds of regular professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature. It is characterized by its emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or poetic techniques to express ideas in an original and imaginative way.

Creative writing can take on various forms such as:

• short stories
• screenplays

It’s a way for writers to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a creative, often symbolic, way . It’s about using the power of words to transport readers into a world created by the writer.

5 Key Characteristics of Creative Writing

Creative writing is marked by several defining characteristics, each working to create a distinct form of expression:

1. Imagination and Creativity: Creative writing is all about harnessing your creativity and imagination to create an engaging and compelling piece of work. It allows writers to explore different scenarios, characters, and worlds that may not exist in reality.

2. Emotional Engagement: Creative writing often evokes strong emotions in the reader. It aims to make the reader feel something — whether it’s happiness, sorrow, excitement, or fear.

3. Originality: Creative writing values originality. It’s about presenting familiar things in new ways or exploring ideas that are less conventional.

4. Use of Literary Devices: Creative writing frequently employs literary devices such as metaphors, similes, personification, and others to enrich the text and convey meanings in a more subtle, layered manner.

5. Focus on Aesthetics: The beauty of language and the way words flow together is important in creative writing. The aim is to create a piece that’s not just interesting to read, but also beautiful to hear when read aloud.

Remember, creative writing is not just about producing a work of art. It’s also a means of self-expression and a way to share your perspective with the world. Whether you’re considering it as a hobby or contemplating a career in it, understanding the nature and characteristics of creative writing can help you hone your skills and create more engaging pieces .

For more insights into creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Styles of Creative Writing

To fully understand creative writing , you must be aware of the various styles involved. Creative writing explores a multitude of genres, each with its own unique characteristics and techniques.

Poetry is a form of creative writing that uses expressive language to evoke emotions and ideas. Poets often employ rhythm, rhyme, and other poetic devices to create pieces that are deeply personal and impactful. Poems can vary greatly in length, style, and subject matter, making this a versatile and dynamic form of creative writing.

Short Stories

Short stories are another common style of creative writing. These are brief narratives that typically revolve around a single event or idea. Despite their length, short stories can provide a powerful punch, using precise language and tight narrative structures to convey a complete story in a limited space.

Novels represent a longer form of narrative creative writing. They usually involve complex plots, multiple characters, and various themes. Writing a novel requires a significant investment of time and effort; however, the result can be a rich and immersive reading experience.

Screenplays

Screenplays are written works intended for the screen, be it television, film, or online platforms. They require a specific format, incorporating dialogue and visual descriptions to guide the production process. Screenwriters must also consider the practical aspects of filmmaking, making this an intricate and specialized form of creative writing.

If you’re interested in this style, understanding creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree can provide useful insights.

Writing for the theater is another specialized form of creative writing. Plays, like screenplays, combine dialogue and action, but they also require an understanding of the unique dynamics of the theatrical stage. Playwrights must think about the live audience and the physical space of the theater when crafting their works.

Each of these styles offers unique opportunities for creativity and expression. Whether you’re drawn to the concise power of poetry, the detailed storytelling of novels, or the visual language of screenplays and plays, there’s a form of creative writing that will suit your artistic voice. The key is to explore, experiment, and find the style that resonates with you.

For those looking to spark their creativity, our article on creative writing prompts offers a wealth of ideas to get you started.

Importance of Creative Writing

Understanding what is creative writing involves recognizing its value and significance. Engaging in creative writing can provide numerous benefits – let’s take a closer look.

Developing Creativity and Imagination

Creative writing serves as a fertile ground for nurturing creativity and imagination. It encourages you to think outside the box, explore different perspectives, and create unique and original content. This leads to improved problem-solving skills and a broader worldview , both of which can be beneficial in various aspects of life.

Through creative writing, one can build entire worlds, create characters, and weave complex narratives, all of which are products of a creative mind and vivid imagination. This can be especially beneficial for those seeking creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Enhancing Communication Skills

Creative writing can also play a crucial role in honing communication skills. It demands clarity, precision, and a strong command of language. This helps to improve your vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, making it easier to express thoughts and ideas effectively .

Moreover, creative writing encourages empathy as you often need to portray a variety of characters from different backgrounds and perspectives. This leads to a better understanding of people and improved interpersonal communication skills.

Exploring Emotions and Ideas

One of the most profound aspects of creative writing is its ability to provide a safe space for exploring emotions and ideas. It serves as an outlet for thoughts and feelings , allowing you to express yourself in ways that might not be possible in everyday conversation.

Writing can be therapeutic, helping you process complex emotions, navigate difficult life events, and gain insight into your own experiences and perceptions. It can also be a means of self-discovery , helping you to understand yourself and the world around you better.

So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, the benefits of creative writing are vast and varied. For those interested in developing their creative writing skills, check out our articles on creative writing prompts and how to teach creative writing . If you’re considering a career in this field, you might find our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it helpful.

4 Steps to Start Creative Writing

Creative writing can seem daunting to beginners, but with the right approach, anyone can start their journey into this creative field. Here are some steps to help you start creative writing .

1. Finding Inspiration

The first step in creative writing is finding inspiration . Inspiration can come from anywhere and anything. Observe the world around you, listen to conversations, explore different cultures, and delve into various topics of interest.

Reading widely can also be a significant source of inspiration. Read different types of books, articles, and blogs. Discover what resonates with you and sparks your imagination.

For structured creative prompts, visit our list of creative writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Editor’s Note : When something excites or interests you, stop and take note – it could be the inspiration for your next creative writing piece.

2. Planning Your Piece

Once you have an idea, the next step is to plan your piece . Start by outlining:

• the main points

Remember, this can serve as a roadmap to guide your writing process. A plan doesn’t have to be rigid. It’s a flexible guideline that can be adjusted as you delve deeper into your writing. The primary purpose is to provide direction and prevent writer’s block.

3. Writing Your First Draft

After planning your piece, you can start writing your first draft . This is where you give life to your ideas and breathe life into your characters.

Don’t worry about making it perfect in the first go. The first draft is about getting your ideas down on paper . You can always refine and polish your work later. And if you don’t have a great place to write that first draft, consider a journal for writing .

4. Editing and Revising Your Work

The final step in the creative writing process is editing and revising your work . This is where you fine-tune your piece, correct grammatical errors, and improve sentence structure and flow.

Editing is also an opportunity to enhance your storytelling . You can add more descriptive details, develop your characters further, and make sure your plot is engaging and coherent.

Remember, writing is a craft that improves with practice . Don’t be discouraged if your first few pieces don’t meet your expectations. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on how to teach creative writing or creative writing activities for kids.

Tips to Improve Creative Writing Skills

Understanding what is creative writing is the first step. But how can one improve their creative writing skills? Here are some tips that can help.

Read Widely

Reading is a vital part of becoming a better writer. By immersing oneself in a variety of genres, styles, and authors, one can gain a richer understanding of language and storytelling techniques . Different authors have unique voices and methods of telling stories, which can serve as inspiration for your own work. So, read widely and frequently!

Practice Regularly

Like any skill, creative writing improves with practice. Consistently writing — whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly — helps develop your writing style and voice . Using creative writing prompts can be a fun way to stimulate your imagination and get the words flowing.

Attend Writing Workshops and Courses

Formal education such as workshops and courses can offer structured learning and expert guidance. These can provide invaluable insights into the world of creative writing, from understanding plot development to character creation. If you’re wondering is a degree in creative writing worth it, these classes can also give you a taste of what studying creative writing at a higher level might look like .

Joining Writing Groups and Communities

Being part of a writing community can provide motivation, constructive feedback, and a sense of camaraderie. These groups often hold regular meetings where members share their work and give each other feedback. Plus, it’s a great way to connect with others who share your passion for writing.

Seeking Feedback on Your Work

Feedback is a crucial part of improving as a writer. It offers a fresh perspective on your work, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Whether it’s from a writing group, a mentor, or even friends and family, constructive criticism can help refine your writing .

Start Creative Writing Today!

Remember, becoming a proficient writer takes time and patience. So, don’t be discouraged by initial challenges. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process. Who knows, your passion for creative writing might even lead to creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Happy writing!

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

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Prompting Creativity: Revisiting Aristotle’s Advice on Plot and Character

• First Online: 10 October 2021

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• Mark Rossiter 3  

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Which is more important in creative writing, plot or character? Students almost always say the latter, but Aristotle in his Poetics disagrees. Plot for him is everything and he goes on to define what he calls a complex plot and how it is they move us. This chapter re-examines his work, setting it against more contemporary perspectives and with reference to the author’s own short fiction. Practical exercises developed through years of workshop experience enable writers to explore the question for themselves, producing story fragments that can be a springboard to further creative projects.

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To reiterate: Aristotle is talking about tragedy, but as we’ll see, his advice applies to the nature of narrative itself, its structure and its mechanics.

This pattern can be contrasted with well-known dramatic structural forms such as Freytag’s Technik des Dramas , more commonly known as Freytag’s Pyramid, which describes five acts: “the introduction […] the rising action […] the climax […] the return […] the catastrophe” (Freytag 1900 , p. 115), and Joseph Campbell’s monomyth or hero’s journey, whose 12 steps include “The Call to Adventure […] The Road of Trials [...] Apotheosis […] The Crossing of the Return Threshold […] Freedom to Live” (Campbell 2004 /1949, pp. vii–viii).

I do recommend you write your own scenarios, tuck them away and return to them later. Meantime, here are some my students have used: a person sees a reflection of themselves in a mirror or a window in the street; casually opening the car glove box; in a share house/hostel/prison; two people argue in a cinema/gallery/bistro; I think you’ve had enough; a goldfish bowl; alien incursion; sorry, it’s overcooked; are you positive?

Alison, J. 2019. Meander, Spiral, Explode—Design and Pattern in Narrative . New York: Catapult.

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Campbell, J. 2004.  The Hero with a Thousand Faces . Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1949).

Freytag, G. 1900. Freytag’s T echnique of the Drama  (J. Elias, and M.A. MacEwan Trans., 3rd ed.). Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company.

Hemingway, E. 1964. A Moveable Feast . New York: Scribner.

James, H. 2007. The Art of Fiction. In The Critical Tradition , ed. D.H. Richter, 464–475. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Kuehl, L. 1978. Joan Didion, The Art of Fiction No. 71. The Paris Review . Accessed 5 January 2021. http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/3439/the-art-of-fiction-no-71-joan-didion

NY Book Editors. n.d. What is Literary Fiction? NY Book Editors. Accessed 6 January 2021. https://nybookeditors.com/2018/07/what-is-literary-fiction/

Rossiter, M. 2005. The Dogs. Island , 118–121.

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Rossiter, M. (2021). Prompting Creativity: Revisiting Aristotle’s Advice on Plot and Character. In: Adelaide, D., Attfield, S. (eds) Creative Writing Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73674-3_8

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What is Creative Writing?

Written by Scott Wilson

Creative writing is any kind of writing that employs creative literary or poetic techniques in the service of either fiction or non-fiction writing. It involves original composition and expressiveness of the individual author.

Ask ten creative writing professors what creative writing is, and you’ll get eleven different answers. Turn to the dictionary and the definition invokes invention and incorporation of imagination. But what are the limits of imagination? Where does invention begin?

Every sentence in every work ever written began as an act of creation in the mind of the writer.

Creative writing may be most easily defined by what it is not…

• Technical writing
• Professional or business writing
• Scholarly or academic writing

Creative writing is the entire body of the writer’s craft that falls outside the boundaries of the ordinary.

Yet you will find many entries in the canon of those fields that might also be considered creative writing. No one would consign Truman Capote’s groundbreaking In Cold Blood to the sterile cells of mere journalism. But that haunting novel is unquestionably also an important work of investigative reporting.

So, what is creative writing, if a non-fiction novel of a horrific quadruple murder falls into the same scope as a classic of American literature like To Kill a Mockingbird ?

It has to do with style and art. Creative writing goes to the heart of the individual expressiveness of the writer. It breaks the boundaries of the typical. That’s an exercise of artistic skill that can happen in any topic, toward almost any goal. And it’s the heart of what it is to be a writer, no matter what you write about.

Defining creative writing isn’t easy. Rooms full of the best authorities routinely disagree. But what is creative writing , isn’t the most interesting question to ask here. Instead, we would be best served by asking another:

Why Is Creative Writing Important?

Storytellers were plying their craft thousands of years before the written word was invented. The creative spark doesn’t belong to words. It may not even depend on language. It draws instead on a deep part of what it is to be human. Invention, imagination, the urge to create… these are all deep and vital parts of the human experience.

Creative writing is important because it is evocative.

That well of creativity flows forth in many arts and forms of expression. But in creative writing it has found a medium where it can be both preserved and shared. It’s a method of human connection that has no expiration date, no geographical or even cultural limit.

Writers touch the souls of their contemporaries first. But like Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and Lady Murasaki, their reach may also span generations.

Creative Writing Fuels Communication in All Forms of Writing

Although fiction is the first refuge of creative writing, that expressiveness serves the purposes of just about any kind of author.

The goals of most other forms of writing are focused on various kinds of literal communication. A journalist seeks to convey the facts and the context of important news stories. Technical writers need to communicate the details of operating programs and machinery, clearly describing all kinds of minute details with zero ambiguity. Business communications are created with a view toward clarity and concision—helping readers get the main points of the piece quickly and without confusion.

Creative writing can also help to serve these purposes.

Creative writing taps into a different level of communication. While it may, and often does, aspire to other goals like offering clarity and detail, it also goes toward developing emotional connection. The reader will take away more than mere words from a piece of creative writing.

Creative Writing is Important For Making Other Kinds of Writing Compelling

Just as importantly, creative writing entertains. In a story about the importance of algorithmic and high-frequency trading, all kinds of technical details must be absorbed to make sense of the issues. Both technological and economic concepts have to be introduced. In a comprehensive article about the subject, readers from outside the field could be expected to nod off about two pages in.

But put the story in the hands of Michael Lewis, and you get Flash Boys , a New York Times Best Seller.

It’s not important that Flash Boys did well because it was entertaining, however. It’s important because the market trends and activities it described have real impacts on many of the readers. Retirement funds, college savings, family investments… all are affected by the story Flash Boys tells. Today, millions of readers who would never otherwise have understood how their investments were being handled can make an informed assessment… thanks to creative writing.

How To Separate Creative Writing From Less Creative Forms of Writing

In general, it’s safe to say that a piece of writing is creative when it makes use of literary devices such as:

• Narrative development
• Imagination and invention

In Cold Blood passes this test due to Capote’s use of characterization, plot development, and world-building. It’s considered today to be a pioneering example of the non-fiction novel, a paragon of the creative writing world.

The original crime reports, local newspaper articles, and subsequent court documents detail the same events with the same participants. Yet they are not works of creative writing. The incident is described in dry, straightforward, technical language. The timeline is linear and offered without consideration of pace or drama.

Both Capote and the authors of those other articles and documents set out to inform. But Capote’s goal was also to captivate.

New Journalism Tells the Story of How Creative Writing Has an Important Role in Non-Fiction

Books like Wolfe’s The Right Stuff mixed truth and dramatization, documentation and invention, to tell larger stories about serious events. In dramatizing those stories, New Journalism writers also drew more readers and achieved broader awareness of the stories.

At the same time, long-form New Journalism pieces, deeply researched and documented, were able to report stories in depth in a way that traditional journalism often did not. By invoking plot, characterization, and narrative structures, the New Journalists could keep readers involved in long and complex issues ranging from crime to politics to culture.

New Journalism is important in defining what is creative writing because it is clearly an example of both creative and journalistic writing. It demonstrates the ways that creative writing can serve other forms of writing and other kinds of writers.

Of course, it’s also possible to come at the divide from the other shore. Categories of writing that are clearly creative in nature include:

• Novels and novellas
• Flash fiction and short stories
• Plays and film scripts

These works incorporate elements of storytelling that may not always be present in other forms of writing. A newspaper article will often have a setting, action, and characters; creative writing will offer plot, pacing, and drama in describing the same story.

What is Creative Writing Coursework Like in College Degree Programs?

All university students are exposed to basic coursework in English language and communication skills. These all go to the elementary aspects of writing—the ability to construct a sentence, a paragraph, a paper. They teach grammatical rules and other elements that make a work readable to any reader of the English language.

Even the general education requirements in college programs touch on creative writing, however. Students may be assigned to write essays that explore creative styles and imagination. They’ll be assigned to read novels and stories that are time-tested examples of the finest kinds of creative writing. And they’ll be asked to explore their impressions and feelings, and to exercise their imaginations and analyze the intent of the author.

Creative writing programs go beyond the basics to touch the imagination of the writer.

Creative writing exists just on the other side of those general English and literature courses. Students in creative writing classes will be asked to take the extra step of creating their own stories using the techniques they have learned.

In fact, they may be encouraged to break the same rules that were so laboriously learned in their regular English writing classes. Creative writing works to allow writers to tap into their own imagination and emotion to forge a deeper connection with readers.

Student Workshops Offer an Interactive Way of Learning What Creative Writing Is All About

Creative writing degrees will go much further into developing a sense of what creative writing is. they continue to include many reading assignments. but instructors also introduce concepts such as:.

Genre is the method used to categorize written works. Creative writing programs explore the tropes and expectations that exist for different genres and deconstruct them for better understanding.

Story structure and form

The structure and form of a novel and a short story are very different. Creative writing programs explore different formats and how they impact creative storytelling.

Plot is not a universal feature of creative writing, but a good plot can make or break a creative work. Classes look at the features and composition of plot, and also teach plotting.

Voice, tone, and creative expression all come out of the narration of a piece of creative writing. Creative writing courses explore both the textbook forms of narrative and show how to use it to serve plot and story.

Style and rhythm

One clear feature of creative writing in all genres is that it rests on a sense of rhythm and of styling that other types of writing ignore. Many courses found in creative writing degree programs explore the ways in which writing style serves story and hooks the reader.

In addition to formal classes, students will better learn why creative writing is important and the purposes it serves through workshops. These informal gatherings are designed to foster discussion, to present examples of different types of writing, and to critique and hone individual creative writing skills .

Through that process, creative writing degrees help students better identify what creative writing is and how to use it effectively.

Creativity is Important No Matter What Your Career Goals in Writing May Be

Creative writing training allows writers in any genre to develop more complete, more meaningful, and more memorable ways to get a point across. Using the skills and techniques learned in creative writing courses can inject humor, gravity, and other sensations into any piece of writing. And those very techniques can improve concision and clarity.

Figuring out what creative writing is and what it is not, is the first thing you should leave behind in a writing career. The dry definitions of the dictionary or droning English professors are the last place you should look.

Creative writing is the process of engaging your imagination and talent to serve the purpose of whatever piece of writing you are working on. And that’s why creative writing is important.

Helping Writers Become Authors

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The Ultimate Glossary of Writing Terms

I still clearly remember the day I learned what “WIP” meant. I was a newbie on a writing forum, and everybody was using special writing terms like “WIP.” It got to the point where I wanted to scream: What’s a WIP? And why don’t I get one tooooooo? Then I googled it. Oh. Work-in-progress. That’s what it means. Of course.

As with any specialized occupation, writing comes complete with an equally specialized lexicon. Nowadays, I take for granted terms like “WIP,” “MC,” “ deus ex machin a,” and “head hopping.” But there was a day when all I could do was slack my mouth and glaze out in confusion.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt this way.

Introducing the Ultimate Glossary of Writing Terms

Action beat.

A description of the actions (gestures, facial expressions, or even thoughts) that accompany a speaking character’s words. An action beat should be included in the same paragraph as the dialogue as an indication that the person performing the action is also the person speaking.

For further study:

• Action Beats

Active Voice

The opposite of passive voice.

Active Voice:  Beautiful giraffes roam the Savannah.

Passive Voice: The Savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes.

In active voice, the person or thing performing the action serves as the subject of the sentence. In passive voice, the subject is the person or thing being acted upon . In linguistics, the actor in a sentence is called the “agent,” and the passive receiver of action is called the “patient.” These are independent of “subject” and “object,” but which is which determines the voice of the verb.

• Active Voice vs. Passive Voice: How to Use Both to Get the Most Out of Your Writing

Alliteration

A stylistic literary device identified by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words, or the repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables of a phrase.

Example: P eter P iper p icked a p eck of p ickled p eppers.

For further study

• 4 Tricks for Picking the Perfect Word

Alpha Reader

An alpha reader is among the first to read a completed manuscript (MS) or work-in-progress (WIP) and is usually a close friend of the writer. The role of the alpha reader is to provide cheerleader-like support and encouragement rather than constructive criticism.

See also:  Beta Reader

• Is Now the Time for an Alpha Reader?

A person (or force) standing in opposition to the protagonist.

• How to Choose the Right Antagonist for Your Story
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• Evil, Insane, Envious, and Ethical: The Four Major Types of Antagonists

Antagonistic Force

Whatever is standing in opposition to the protagonist’s goal. Could be a human, but could also be an inanimate obstacle.

• What if Your Antagonist Isn’t a Person?
• The Pixar Way to Think About Story Conflict

A protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, and morality. These individuals often possess dark personality traits such as disagreeableness, dishonesty, and aggressiveness.

Examples: Captain Mal in Firefly or Holden in  The Catcher in the Rye .

• 4 Ways to Make Your Antihero Deliciously Irresistible

A “type” of character, which is commonly repeated across literature.

Examples: The Mentor, the Magician, etc.

• 8 ½ Character Archetypes You Should Be Writing
• Three Character Archetypes in Fiction

“As you know, Bob…” A method of dumping exposition through dialogue, infamous for its awkwardness and lack of realism. It involves an otherwise unnecessary conversation between two characters that the author forces on them solely to inform readers of what the characters both already know. Writers often choose this technique to reveal important background information without taking readers out of the story, but it usually works against them by taking the characters out of the story instead.

• The Sneaky Secret Life of “As You Know, Bob…”

Back Matter

The additional parts of a book, appearing after the main body of the text (i.e., acknowledgements, historical notes, explanatory notes, end notes, an afterword, index, bibliographies, and appendixes). Also called End Matter.

Information about past events or thoughts that shaped the characters or story world.

• Backstory: The Importance of What Isn’t Told
• The #1 Problem With Backstory (and Its Simple Fix)
• Give Me 3 Minutes and I’ll Give You a Better (and Darker) Backstory
• The Only Rule About Backstory That Matters
• When Not to Tell Your Character’s Backstory

An important event or turning point within a story.

• The Units of Story: The Beat

Beta Reader

Beta readers provide feedback during the writing and/or editing process. They are not explicitly proofreaders or editors, but can serve in that context. Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes, continuity problems, characterization, and believability. The beta might also assist the author with fact-checking.

For further study :

• A Quick Guide to Beta Reader Etiquette
• 15 Places to Find Your Next Beta Reader
• Relax! Beta Readers Aren’t Scary: Here Are 3 Truths About Them

Black Moment/Low Moment

The part of the story when everything looks hopeless and the situation is at its lowest point. Usually coincides with the Third Plot Point.

• How to Figure Out the Worst Thing That Can Happen to Your Character
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 12: The Third Plot Point
• The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 9: The Third Act

A short summary of what the book is about, meant to hook the reader.

• How to Write a Book Blurb That Sells

Burly Detective Syndrome

Frequently referring to a character by a description (“the burly detective”), usually out of fear of overusing the character’s name or pronoun (see Stutter).

• Most Common Writing Mistake: Referencing Characters by Title Rather Than Name

The name of the author printed at the head of the article or on the cover of the book.

Character Arc

The personal/inner transformation the protagonist undergoes over the course of the story. Usually, the character learns something through the main conflict in order to become a better person by the story’s end.

For further study: 

• How to Write Character Arcs

Chekhov’s Gun

This is a dramatic principle that requires every single element within a story to be necessary and irreplaceable. The term was coined when Anton Chekhov wrote a letter to A.S. Lazarev, indicating that if a loaded gun is present in one scene it should be fired in a subsequent scene in order to avoid being superfluous. If you give something attention, such as the gun, it must be because it has some import later in the narrative.

• Chekhov’s Gun: What It Is and How to Use It
• Setup and Payoff: The Two Equally Important Halves of Story Foreshadowing

A genre fiction centered on contemporary women and women’s issues that is often written in a light, humorous tone. Generally, it deals with the protagonist and her relationships with family, friends, and/or romantic interests. Often referred to as women’s commercial fiction.

Any situation in a story that has been used too many times in literature, to the point it loses meaning and/or becomes cheesy.

• Turn Clichés on Their Heads
• Are You Creating Your Own Personal Clichés?
• 3 Ways to Make Clichés Work in Your Writing

Cliffhanger

The ending of a chapter or book in a moment of high suspense and tension, used to compel readers to read on or buy the next book in an installment.

• Is the Cliffhanger Ending Overrated?

Climactic Moment

The moment in the Climax where the overall goal is reached or not reached. This is the moment when the protagonist defeats the antagonist or visa versa.

• Want Readers to Adore Your Book? Learn How to Ace Your Climactic Moment
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 14: The Climax
• How to Structure a Whammy of a Climax
• The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 10: The Climax

Climactic Turning Point

The beginning of the Climax, halfway through the Third Act (at approximately the 88% mark in the book).

The finale of the story, featuring the final and decisive confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonistic force, determining whether or not the protagonist will succeed or fail in gaining the main plot goal. Takes place in the final eighth of the story (the second half of the Third Act), starting around the 88% mark, and lasting until the last or next-to-last scene.

• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Climax
• What Is the Role of Theme in a Story’s Climax?

The overarching opposition fueling the entire plot of a story and presenting obstacles to the protagonist on a macro and micro level.

• What’s the Difference Between Conflict and Tension?
• Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 31: One-Dimensional Conflict
• The Four Different Types of Conflict in Dialogue
• 5 Ways to Keep Readers Riveted With Conflict

Contagonist

A term unique to Dramatica ’s list of archetypes. As defined by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley, the Contagonist “hinders and deludes the Protagonist, tempting it [ sic ] to take the wrong course or approach.”

• What’s a Contagonist? (How to Keep Story Conflict High Without the Antagonist)

Content Editing

A content editor looks at the big picture: character arcs, plot arcs, tone, and pacing. Also may comment on POV issues and/or narrative voice. A content edit is the first edit a story should go through after the rough edges have been knocked off the first draft.

• Your Novel Is a Hot Mess! How to Edit Your Book
• 5 Steps to a Thorough Book Edit

Copy Editing

The process of ensuring that a piece of writing is correct and consistent in terms of grammar, spelling, and punctuation; that it is logically structured and audience-appropriate; and that the intended meaning of the text is communicated clearly through suitable word choice and style.

• How to Edit Fiction: Watch Me Correct My Own Story in Real Time
• 6 Tips for How to Organize Your Novel’s Edits
• 5 Ways to Trim Your Book’s Word Count

Court Intrigue

A subcategory of epic fantasy that’s currently popular and is the fantasy equivalent of Dumas’s The Three Musketeers . Good examples of this are Robin Hobbs’s Assassin trilogy, George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, Martha Wells’s The Element of Fire , and Dave Duncan’s The King’s Blades trilogy.

A mystery novel that usually features a bloodless crime, with very little violence, sex, or coarse language (but not always a pure “clean read”). Usually, the person solving the crime is an amateur and has the support/friendship of a police officer/detective/medical examiner. Readers usually identify with the main character because they are positive and socially acceptable (even their small faults).

Creative Nonfiction

The use of literary style and writing technique to tell a true story. It’s an embellishment, but only for the sake of telling a story that teaches a lesson or conveys a change of heart or mind. Narrative, dialogue, setting, and voice are just a few creative writing tools used to grab a reader’s interest and leave them changed somehow at the end.

• What Non-Fiction Authors Can Teach Novelists

Critique Partner/Critter

A partner with whom a writer exchanges manuscript critiques, in order to get knowledgeable feedback about how to improve a story. Critique partners receive no payment, only your critique of their own writing in return. (See also Beta Reader and Alpha Reader.)

• Questions for Critique Partners
• When You’ve Chosen the Wrong Critique Partner

Cyberpunk explores the fusion between man and machine. A key element is the perfection of the Internet and virtual reality technology. In a cyberpunk novel, characters can experience and interact with computers in a 3D graphic environment so real it feels like a physical landscape. The society in which cyberpunk is set tends to be heavily urban and usually somewhat anarchic or feudal. The “father of cyberpunk” is William Gibson, author of the seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer . Other authors defining this ever-evolving virtual reality include Neal Stephenson and Rudy Rucker.

The wrap up after the story is done. The wind down from the action of the Climax. Sometimes not included in the full arc of the story, but tells afterward details.

• Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 15: The Resolution
• The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 11: The Resolution
• The Characteristic Moment Belongs at the End of Your Book Too

Deus Ex Machina

Literally translates “god from a machine” and was originally a reference to the “god” (played by an actor lowered onto the stage on a “machine”) who descended at the end of the Greek and Roman plays to solve all the mortal characters’ problems and put everything in order for a happy ending.

• Deus Ex Machina : Latin for “Don’t Do This in Your Story”

Deuteragonist

A secondary protagonist and the driver of a subplot. Can be a sidekick.

Developmental Editing

Editing concerned primarily with the structure and content of a book that starts near the beginning of the manuscript’s life. A developmental editor works to give the book focus and direction (mostly towards what is “marketable”) by helping to develop author’s ideas, and so will point out inconsistencies in aspects such as logic, voice, and audience.

For further reading:

• What Is a Developmental Editor and What Can You Expect?

Words spoken by a character, conventionally enclosed in quotation marks. Dialogue should sound realistic, without attempting to reproduce real speech verbatim. Indirect dialogue, also known as reported speech, is a narrative summary of dialogue.

• Get Rid of On-the-Nose Dialogue Once and For All
• How to Write Funny Dialogue

Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags and/or action beats let readers know which character is speaking.

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: How Not to Use Speaker Tags and Action Beat

A subgenre related to steampunk, although it is driven more by the culture of the 1920s through the early 1950s. Technology is strongly influenced by diesels.

• Storming: A Dieselpunk Adventure

Fiction of almost or exactly one hundred words, but not over. Something you write for fun. Or practice. Or both. Both is good.

Dumb Mechanic

Where a character explains something to a character who doesn’t know anything about the subject. For example, a mechanic explains what is wrong with a machine to someone who knows nothing about mechanics. It’s vital the ignorant character’s lack of knowledge be realistic and believable.

See also, “As you know, Bob” (i.e., a character telling another character something they both know.) The Dumb Mechanic is slightly better than “As you know, Bob,” but the core problem is the same.

• Are You Making Your Characters (and Yourself) Look Stupid?

This describes an imagined community, society, or world, in which everything is unpleasant or undesirable. It is the opposite of utopian, and literally means “bad place.”

The additional parts of a book, appearing after the main body of the text (i.e., acknowledgements, historical notes, explanatory notes, end notes, an afterword, index, bibliographies, and appendixes). Also called Back Matter.

Epic Fantasy

Sweeping in scope, epic fantasy usually concerns a battle for rulership of a country, empire, or entire world. Drawing heavily upon archetypal myths and the quintessential struggle between a few good people against overwhelming forces of evil, epic fantasy is best represented by author J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Other authors of epic fantasy include New York Times ‘ bestselling Raymond E. Feist ( The Serpentwar Saga ) and Adam Lee ( The Dominions of Irth ). Some other popular epic fantasy authors are Robert Jordan, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks.

A separate section at the end of a work often commenting on the work as a whole and/or serving as an addendum.

• How to Write an Epilogue That Works
• One Way to Tell if Your Prologue (and Epilogue) Is Unnecessary

The part of the story where background information about characters, events, setting, etc., is provided.

A genre of speculative fiction. Sci-fi typically aims for scientific plausibility, while fantasy often incorporates magical systems. Stories may contain elements of both or be exclusive to one or the other, but all such stories explore fantastic worlds and scenarios.

• Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
• One Handy Way to Add Instant Originality to Your Fantasy Novel
• Waiter! There’s a Smphurphle in My Fantasy Novel: Do’s and Don’ts of Made-Up Words
• Are You Asking These Important Questions About Your Fantasy Setting?

The opening act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the First Act comprises the first quarter of the story. It is primarily concerned with introducing characters, settings, and stakes, as well as setting up the main conflict. It includes such important structural moments as the Hook, the Inciting Event, and the Key Event. It ends with the First Plot Point.

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Act
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The First Act
• How to Take the Guesswork Out of What Scenes Belong in Your First Act

First Person

A point of view in which readers “see” through the eyes of the main character. It uses pronouns such as “I” and “me.”

For example: “I walked into the house.”

• 3 Ways You Can Use a First-Person Narrator to Tell a Better Story
• Don’t Even Think About Using First-Person Unless…
• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Is Your First-Person Narrator Overpowering Your Story?

First Pinch Point

An important structural turning point that occurs in the First Half of the Second Act at the 37% mark. It emphasizes the threat of the antagonistic force, shows what is at stake for the protagonist in the conflict, and introduces important new clues about the nature of the conflict.

• What Are Pinch Points? And How Can They Make Your Book Easier to Write?

First Plot Point

The first major plot point in the story, marking the end of the First Act and the beginning of the Second. It takes place around the 25% mark. This is where the protagonist fully encounters the story’s conflict in a way that the choice to leave behind the Normal World of the First Act and enter the “adventure world” of the Second Act.

• Never Confuse the Key Event and the First Plot Point in Your Book Again!
• The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Plot Point
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The First Plot Point

Short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the past.

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Are Your Flashbacks Flashy or Flabby?

Flash Fiction

Extremely short fiction. Some flash fiction markets have a limit of 50 words, while others allow up to 1,000 words. Like longer fiction, flash fiction includes conflict and resolution, but some elements may be implied and left to readers’ imaginations. Due to its extreme brevity, flash fiction tends to focus on a single turning point or revealing moment.

Flashforward

Short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the future.

• Hook Readers With a Sneak Peek
• Foreshadowing

Involves planting hints early on in a book to prepare readers for important revelations and events that occur later in the story.

Front Matter

The material preceding the main body/text of a work: including the title pages, printing/publishing data and/or a table of contents, foreword, preface, author’s note, dedication, etc.

A category of fiction (e.g., romance, mystery, or fantasy). “Genre fiction” is generally considered popular fiction as opposed to literary fiction.

• Definitions of Fiction Categories and Genres
• What Is Genre Fiction?
• Literary Fiction vs. Genre Fiction

Ghost Writer

One who undertakes the physical labor of writing an article, book, or memoir for someone else, usually in secret. One who produces written content as a third party for someone else, nominally for a fee in exchange for all credit for said written content belonging to someone else.

• 5 Writing Lessons I Learned Ghostwriting for New York Times Bestsellers

Happily Ever After. Romance writers use this to describe a genre as well as a moment. “A great HEA read.” Or, “you do get your HEA?” Most often seen with Harlequin and the “cozy” genre.

Head Hopping

A common gaffe that occurs when the narrative breaks “out of POV” and jumps without warning from the perspective of one character into the perspective of another.

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Head-Hopping POV

Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey is a narrative structure or pattern, identified by Joseph Campbell as being the common thread in many historical and mythological stories and purported to be the strongest psychological storyform. At its most basic level is it is a classic adventure storyform, featuring a hero who must overcome opposition and save his world. However, it can be applied to vastly different types of stories. Also known as the Monomyth.

• The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
• The Hero’s Journey: An Author’s Guide to Plotting

Historical Fiction

A literary genre where the plot takes place in the past, often (but not always) including historical figures.

• 7 Easy Ways to Research a Historical Novel
• Why Your Novel May Not Be Historical Fiction After All

Any moment of interest designed to “hook” a reader’s curiosity. Specifically, it applies to the opening Hook in the book’s first chapter, which piques reader curiosity about the plot and protagonist and convinces them to read the book.

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Hook
• How to Drive Your Readers Wild With Hints and Story Hooks—Without Frustrating Them
• Think You Wrote a Great Hook for Your Book’s Beginning? Find Out Why It May Not Be Enough

Refers to well-known, respected publishing houses.

Impact Character

A character who is a strong catalyst for change in the protagonist, causing inner conflict and helping put the plot into motion.

• The Impact Character: Why Every Character Arc Needs One

Inciting Event/Incident

The moment that “officially” kicks off a story’s main conflict/plot. This is the protagonist’s first brush with the conflict—the Call to Adventure, which the character will start out by rejecting to some degree. Usually takes place after the story’s initial set-up, at the 12% mark, halfway through the First Act. This is the first prominent turning point in the story.

• Your Book’s Inciting Event: It’s Not What You Think It Is
• The Secrets of Story Structure: Inciting Event and Key Event
• Maximize Your Story’s Inciting Event

An undesirable writing method in which the author “dumps” information or extensive description on the reader all at once, instead of weaving the information into the action of the story.

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Info Dumps
• This Is How to Transform Info Dumps Into Exciting Plot Reveals
• How to Use Dialogue to Avoid Lengthy Info Dumps

In Medias Res

The Latin term for “in the middle,” which is applied to idea of beginning a story in the middle of things .

• Dostoevsky and the Art of In Medias Res
• In Medias Res : How to Do It and How Not to

Internal Dialogue

Reproduces a character’s thoughts and is often (though not always) indicated by italics.

• The Do’s and Don’ts of Internal Monologue
• 5 Ways to Write Character Thoughts Worth More Than a Penny

If the Inciting Event is what gets your plot rolling, the Key Event is what sucks your protagonist into that plot. Even if you have a great big Inciting Event (like, say, the beginning of a war), it can’t affect your character until the Key Event drags him into the mess (as would happen if he were drafted into the Army).

Books for children.

Line Editing

This form of editing means going over a manuscript line by line and editing it for grammar errors as you go. It doesn’t entail any extensive rewriting, but there may be some use of color editing to liven up flat prose, and there may be some reduction of redundancies (such as repeated information). This type of editing may include the use of a style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style.

• Is a Professional Editor a Waste of Money?

Single sentence story summary, specifically used as pitch. See Premise Sentence.

• 6 Reasons a Premise Sentence Strengthens Your Story

Love Interest

A principle secondary character for whom the protagonist has romantic interest (and/or the romantic subplot itself).

• How to Take Advantage of Your 4 Most Important Characters

MARY SUE (female), MARTY-STU (male)

Begun by fan fiction writers but now a part of writers’ general vocabulary. A derogatory term for a character who is able to do everything, with unrealistic abilities.

• How to Spot (and Kill) Your Mary Sue Characters

Short for Main Character. The lead of the story.

• Protagonist and Main Character— Same Person? The Answer May Transform Your Story!

An experienced adviser who offers—sometimes reluctantly—to show the hero “the way.” Usually a trustworthy ally, the mentor figure will often impart an object or piece of information that will prove vital later in the hero’s quest. The name itself comes from a character in Homer’s The Odyssey . Examples include: Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars , Gandalf from Lord of the Rings , and “Irv” in Cool Runnings (a less trustworthy mentor figure).

• 4 Ways to Write a Thought-Provoking Mentor Character

Main Female Character. The female lead in a romance story. Usually gets the guy in the end.

Middle Grade fiction, targeted to children ages 8 to 12 years old. Typically features a main character in the same age range and avoids “mature” content such as graphic violence or sexually explicit material. That’s not to say the stories are simplistic, of course.

Microfiction

Extremely short fiction. Some flash fiction markets have a limit of 50 words, while others allow up to 1,000 words. Like longer fiction, flash fiction includes conflict and resolution, but some elements may be implied for the sake of brevity and left to readers’ imaginations. Due to its extreme brevity, flash fiction tends to focus on a single turning point or revealing moment. (See Flash Fiction.)

The Second Major Plot Point in a story’s structure. It occurs in the middle of the book, halfway through the Second Act, at the 50% mark. This is where the protagonist experiences a Moment of Truth, which allows a better understanding of the antagonistic force and the external conflict, as well as the internal conflict driving the character arc. It signals a shift from the reactive phase of the first half into the active phase of the second half.

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Midpoint
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Midpoint
• How the Perfect Midpoint Moves Your Protagonist From Reaction to Action
• How to Transform Your Story With a Moment of Truth

Main Male Character. The male lead in a romance story. Usually gets the girl in the end.

An image or phrase with thematic significance that is repeated throughout the book.

• Strengthening a Thematic Motif Through Repetition

MPS: Missing Parent Syndrome

The rather common occurrence in which the protagonist is underage but the parents and/or guardians are somehow left out for the majority of the plot. This can be due to death (Frodo in Lord of the Rings ) or boarding school ( Harry Potter ) or visitation to another world ( Narnia ) or just about any other reason.

“Manuscript.” A yet unpublished work, whether written or typed.

New Adult (Fiction) is aimed at an older age group than Young Adult (12-18) and focuses on new adult experiences such as the first serious relationship, first serious job, going to college, and moving out on their own.

The overall progression of a story. Also, specifically, the summary aspects of the writing, as distinct from dialogue, direct thoughts, and “shown” action. “Internal narrative” is told from a character’s point of view and, often, in his or her voice.

• Keep Your Story Moving With a Cohesive Narrative
• 6 Steps to Create a Fantastic Narrative Voice
• Top 4 Editing Tricks for Creating a Seamless Narrative

Normal World

The initial setting in the story, meant to illustrate the characters’ lives before they meet with the story’s main conflict. This world may be destructive to the protagonist (in which case, the protagonist must learn to move away from it and live without it), or it may be healthy (in which case, the protagonist will have to leave it in order to defend it). The Normal World may be a definitive setting, which will change at the beginning of the Second Act, when the character enters the “adventure world” of the main conflict. However, it may also be more metaphorical, in which case the setting itself will not switch to a new setting, but rather the conflict will change the setting around the protagonist.

• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Normal World
• 5 Misconceptions About Your Story’s Normal World
• Provide Contrast Using Your Character’s Normal World

A fictional prose work with a relatively long and often complex plot, usually divided into chapters, in which the story traditionally develops through the thoughts and actions of its characters.

A story that runs from around 40K to 50K words. Normally, it has no subplot and no more than two POV characters. One of the harder forms to sell traditionally, though this is changing.

• 3 Reasons You Should Consider Writing a Novella Right Now

A short novel that is often about romantic relationships and is usually not very serious. Word count is 7,500 to 17,500 words.

A type of point of view (POV), in which the narration is told from an omniscient or “all-knowing” perspective (sometimes the author’s, sometimes just generally), in which things the characters would have no way of knowing are shared with readers. One of the most difficult types of POV to do well.

• What Every Writer Ought to Know About the Omniscient POV

On the Nose

A poor style of writing that presents the story in a way that is too straightforward, without irony or subtext. Especially common in dialogue, in which characters always say exactly what they’re thinking or feeling.

Your manuscript has been submitted, usually by your agent, to a list of editors at publishing houses who may or may not have agreed to read it.

A sketch of every event that makes up the structure of a story, which is written before a first draft to edit out any structural weak spots beforehand.

• How to Outline Your Novel
• What Should Your Book Outline Look Like? [Free Download]

The rate at which a story progresses and events unfold.

• Here Are Five Great Ways to Pace Your Story
• 4 Pacing Tricks to Keep Readers’ Attention
• 5 Ways to Use Pacing to Write a Powerful Story

Writers who prefer to write “by the seat of their pants,” meaning without previous outlining.

• Can You Structure if You’re a Pantser?
• The Mirror Moment: A Method for Both Plotters and Pantsers
• Thinking About Outlining Your Novel? One Pantser’s Story

A speculative fiction genre that involves elements such as vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, elves, etc. Often set in modern-day urban settings. Often romantic in nature.

• How to Tell the Difference Between Fantasy and Paranormal

A writer who prefers to write a book after going through an outlining process.

Passive Voice

The opposite of active voice.

Examples:  

Active Voice: Beautiful giraffes roam the Savannah.

• To Be or Not To Be: In Defense of the Passive Voice

Pinch Point

A scene or event that adds pressure to the heroes and reminds readers of the antagonist’s plan or presence within the narrative. One of two turning points that take place in the Second Act (at the 37% and 62% marks, respectively).

One of the major turning points in a story’s structure. See also First Plot Point, Midpoint, and Third Plot Point.

• What Are Plot Points?
• Are Your Plot Points Too Weak?
• A Matter of Timing: Positioning Your Major Plot Points Within Your Story
• Point of View

The first stage of the writing process, which generally includes brainstorming, planning, mapping, researching, and outlining. Prewriting encompasses everything a writer does before beginning the first draft, and it accomplishes such goals as determining the intended theme, organizing plot points, and establishing characters. See also Outlining.

• 6 Tasks You’ll Love Yourself for Checking Off Your NaNo Pre-Writing List

A separate, introductory section to a work.

• Skip the Prologue!
• When Not to Skip the Prologue
• Find Out if Your Prologue Is Destroying Your Story’s Subtext

Proofreader

Someone reading through a completely edited work to find and/or correct typographical errors (i.e., typos).

Protag/Protagonist

The character whom the story is about and who is most directly affected by the antagonist. This character may be the narrator/POV character (such as Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen), or the protagonist may be a character who is viewed by someone else (as Atticus Finch and Heathcliff are viewed by Scout and Nelly Dean, respectively).

• 3 Ways to Choose the Right Protagonist
• The Only Reason You Should Ever Choose a Protagonist

Query Letter

A letter written when seeking representation from a literary agent. It describes your story and shows agents why your book is worth their time and effort and is a good fit for their agency.

• How to Write a Great Query Letter

Query Trenches

Generally refers to looking for representation from a literary agent (although it is possible to directly query publishers).

Red Herring

A false clue meant to mislead the reader. It creates a false trail for the reader to follow. A red herring can be an object, a character, part of the setting, etc.

The final section of the story—usually the last two to three scenes in the final chapter. This is where any final loose ends are resolved after the main conflict has already been decided.

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Resolution
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Resolution

The power to evoke enduring images, memories, and emotions.

Rising Action

A series of events within the book’s conflict building up—with greater and greater tension—to the story’s Climax.

A fiction genre focusing on romantic love.

• Romance University

R&R: Revise and Resend/Resubmit

An agent or editor saw something they liked in your work but felt it need a significant revision. They’d like you to make the changes they suggested and resubmit it. It doesn’t necessary mean they’ll take it though.

A scene is a sequence of events that happens at a particular place and time and that moves the story forward. The scene consists mostly of “showing” though it may contain some “telling.” The scene has a particular structure that gives the story motion.

• How to Structure Scenes in Your Story
• How to Write Interesting Scenes
• 7 Questions You Have About Scenes vs. Chapters

Scene Sequence

A series of scenes with an overall related focus. A sequence has a unified focus which can usually be summed up in a simple idea (e.g., a rescue, a wedding, a trial, a battle). Scene sequences have their own defined beginning, middle, and end within the overall story.

The division of a Scene into a scene (the action that happens when a character has a goal , then conflict interferes with that goal and there is an outcome ) and its sequel (the character reacting to the previous outcome, then facing a dilemma , and finally making a decision about it that will determine what the character’s goal is in the next Scene).

• Learn How to Structure Your Scenes–in 5 Minutes!
• Incidents and Happenings: Scenes That Aren’t Actually Scenes

Science Fiction

Aka Sci-Fi. Fiction that incorporates scientific elements such as futuristic societies, advanced technology, and alien worlds. Though usually aiming for scientific plausibility, it ranges in realism from currently understood physics and biology to highly speculative science.

(A) A self-contained story that continues within the world of a previous story. It typically follows the characters, setting, or themes from the original, but with a new story premise and problem.

(B) The second half of a Scene, following the scene (goal, conflict, disaster). It contains the reaction, dilemma, and decision that the character has in response to the events of the scene.

• How to Write a Sequel That’s BETTER Than the First Book

Serial Fiction

Novel (or longer) length fiction written in installments and published at regular intervals, either on a blog, in a magazine, or as small e-books.

• How the Amazon Kindle Serials Program Works

Every character has his opposite, which allows the author to draw important contrasts and plumb the depths of his theme. Just like the Antagonist is the opposite of the Protagonist, the Skeptic character archetype is the opposite of the Sidekick. This is someone who doubts everything, particularly the Protagonist’s choices.

The middle act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the Second Act comprises the biggest part of the story, from the 25% mark to the 75% mark. It is primarily concerned with developing the main conflict. It includes such important structural moments as the First Pinch Point, the Midpoint, and the Second Pinch Point. It begins with the First Plot Point and ends with the Third Plot Point.

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Half of the Second Act
• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Second Half of the Second Act

Second Pinch Point

An important structural turning point that occurs in the Second Half of the Second Act at the 62% mark. It emphasizes the threat of the antagonistic force, shows what is at stake for the protagonist in the conflict, and introduces important new clues about the nature of the conflict.

Second Plot Point

See Midpoint.

More than one book telling the same or related stories.

• Creating a Book Series: Great Idea or Think Again?
• FAQ: How to Write Character Arcs in a Series
• How to Outline a Series of Bestselling Books

The physical place in which the story’s events happen.

• 16 Ways to Make Your Setting a Character in Its Own Right
• 4 Setting Questions That Will Deepen Your Characters
• Ineffective Setting Descriptions

Science Fiction, aka Sci-Fi. Fiction that incorporates scientific elements such as futuristic societies, advanced technology, and alien worlds. Though usually aiming for scientific plausibility, it ranges in realism from currently understood physics and biology to highly speculative science.

Science Fiction & Fantasy. A combined genre of speculative fiction. Sci-fi typically aims for scientific plausibility, while fantasy often incorporates magical systems. Stories may contain elements of both or be exclusive to one or the other, but all such stories explore fantastic worlds and scenarios.

The period of time when you put aside your work in progress, in order to be able to come back to it later with fresh eyes.

• Why You Should Walk Away From Your Writing

Short Story

A story too short to be divided into chapters, usually under 7,500.

• Let’s Write a Short Story

(In contrast to Telling): Conveying an atmosphere, emotion, or mood by relating the movements or expressions of objects or players rather than stating facts about them.

Showing: The boughs bowed and swayed, dumping their icy load onto the quivering children.

Telling: The frightened children got soaked by a load of snow falling from the branches.

Showing: His face paled and his hands trembled as he slunk through the doorway.

Telling: He felt nervous and hesitated to enter the room.

• Showing and Telling: The Quick and Easy Way to Tell the Difference
• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Are Your Verbs Showing or Telling?
• Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 33: Telling Important Scenes, Instead of Showing
• 3 Tips for Improving Show, Don’t Tell
• 8 Quick Tips for Show, Don’t Tell

Sidekicks, by definition, are almost always with the main character, which allows the conflict to be ongoing. A person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc.

• Why Your Hero Needs a Yappy Sidekick

Speaker Tags

In its most basic form, this consists of the speaker’s name and a speech-related verb ( said , shouted , asked , etc.). Often the simplest way of indicating which character is speaking.

• Most Common Writing Mistakes: How Not to Use Speaker Tags and Action Beats
• Most Common Writing Mistakes: Avoiding “Said”

Speculative Fiction

Speculative fiction is a fiction genre speculating about worlds that are unlike the real world in various important ways. In these contexts, it generally overlaps one or more of the following: science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, superhero, utopian, dystopian, apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and alternate history. It is often used as an umbrella term for science fiction and fantasy when considered as a single genre. The term is used this way in academic and ideological criticism of these genres, as well as by some readers, writers, and editors of these genres.

• What Is Speculative Fiction?

Standalone Book

Either a book that is not part of a series, or a book that is part of a series but does not depend on the other books in the series to make sense. Used most often in the former sense to indicate a book that has no sequels.

Standard Manuscript Format

The standard way editors, agents, and publishers want your manuscript formatted before you send it to them.

The cover page should be separate from the rest of the manuscript. It should include:

– name of the manuscript and author (or pen name) – approximate word count (rounded to the nearest hundred) – Your name, address, phone number, e-mail, and website – Your agent’s details (if you have an agent)

font: Twelve point, Times New Roman or Courier New Black.

margins: One-inch margins on all four sides.

indent: Half-inch paragraph indentations for the first line of each and every paragraph.

space: Double space; no extra line between paragraphs.

align: Align left.

page numbering: Number pages beginning with the actual story (don’t count or put page numbers on the title page).

scene breaks: Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the number sign (#) in the center of the line.

page header: Include your last name, the manuscript’s title, and the page number in the page header of every page except for the title page. Align the header to the right.

chapters: Begin chapters on new pages (insert a page break or format using styles). Center the chapter title, even if it’s only Chapter One (or Chapter 1), about one-third of the way down the page. Skip a couple of lines and begin the text of the chapter.

end: Center a number sign (#) on an otherwise blank line one double-spaced line down from the final line of text of the final chapter or epilogue at the end of the manuscript. Or write The End. (The end should be labeled so an agent or editor isn’t looking for extra pages that aren’t there.)

italics: Use italics for italicized words (versus underlining them).

character spacing: Use a single character space, not two spaces, between sentences.

The standard document format is MS Word (.doc) If you have a newer version of MS Word, Open Office, Pages, or something else, save the document in .doc (This is usually found somewhere like, File>>Save As, “MS Word 97-2003 (.doc)” Almost everyone can read .doc files.)

Finally, check the publisher or agent’s website. Some will have specific fonts, spacing, or other ways they want things done that might vary slightly from the general guidelines.

• Formatting 101: how to format your novel for submission

A subgenre of fantasy fiction which is largely determined by its setting, which is typically an alternative-Victorian reality, laden with steam-powered technology. Corsets are optional.

Using the same word or phrase twice, recently enough that the reader remembers it; depends partly on how distinctive the word is. Can be distracting if not used intentionally.

A subcategory of a major genre. For example, “sword and sorcery” and “portal fantasy” are subgenres within the fantasy genre, while “cozy” and “noir” are subgenres within the mystery genre.

A secondary thread of the story, with its own beginning, middle, and end, the subplot may or may not be directly connected to the main plot, and generally involves supporting characters.

• 5 Tips for Organizing Subplots
• Can a Character’s Arc Be a Subplot?
• Does Your Story Need Subplots?

Substantive Editing

A detailed and complete editing of a book, involving not just suggestions for the overall story, but also line-by-line editing of the prose itself. This is the most intensive type of editing.

The meaning beneath the dialogue—what the speaker really means, even though it’s being said directly.

• Subtext: The Art of Iceberging
• I Just Figured Out What All My Favorite Stories Have in Common—and It Blew My Mind
• The Only 5 Ingredients You Need for Story Subtext

A description of the book’s content. Sometimes written as marketing copy—with a hook and no spoilers—to convince readers to buy the book. Sometimes written as a complete description of the plot—including spoilers—to convey the entire story to a potential agent or editor.

A detailed description of your story’s complete plot (including spoilers and the ending), written in either one or three pages, for the purpose of sharing with a literary agent.

A line of text—usually a short, tantalizing sentence—which appears under the title of the book on the front cover and also in catalogue listings.

(In contrast to Showing): Conveying information by stating facts about them, instead of relating the movements or expressions of objects or players.

• Telling Important Scenes, Instead of Showing
• Are Your Verbs Showing or Telling?
• Three Places Where You Should Tell Instead of Show

The moral statement at the heart of the story, usually a general, universal principle, which is then conveyed via the story’s specific message, as proven by the protagonist’s character arc and specifically his inner conflict between a Lie and a Truth.

• Plot, Character, and Theme: The Greatest Love Triangle in Fiction
• Want a Powerful Theme for Your Novel? Play Devil’s Advocate!
• What’s the Difference Between Your Story’s Theme and Its Message?

The final act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the Third Act comprises the final quarter of the story, from the 75% mark to the 100% mark. It is primarily concerned with the final, climactic confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonistic force. It begins with the Third Plot Point, includes the Climax, and ends with the Resolution.

• The Secrets of Story Structure: The Third Act
• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Third Act
• How to Write a Flat Character Arc: The Third Act
• How to Write a Negative Character Arc: The Third Act

Third Person

The uninvolved narrator of the story, who refers to the actual players by name or as he/she/they, e.g.: “Peter ran in and hugged Susan.” Contrast this with a “first-person narrative,” e.g.: “When I saw Susan at the bar, I ran up and hugged her.”

• Everything You Need to Know About Writing a 3rd-Person POV

Third Plot Point

The Third Plot Point in a story’s structure occurs in between the Second and Third Acts, at the 75% mark. This is where the protagonist experiences the lowest moment of defeat and is faced with a choice about whether the quest is worth the effort—symbolically representing whether or not the character will embrace or reject the Lie. The character then enters the Climax ready for the final confrontation with the antagonistic force.

• Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Third Plot Point

Three-Act Structure

The three-act structure is an approach to story structure that divides a fictional narrative into three parts, often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution.

• Structuring Your Novel
• 5 Secrets of Story Structure

A story element or plot device that is particular to certain genres or stories, to the point they become a storytelling cliche. Examples include love triangles in Young Adult fiction or the “chosen one” in fantasy and science fiction.

Turning Point

A major moment in the story when the plot “turns” by changing in a dramatic way, almost always as the result of a “reveal” or twist that presents the characters with new information about the conflict.

Unreliable Narrator

The narrator’s unreliability might be obvious to the reader throughout, it might be revealed gradually, or it might come as a revelation that provides a major plot twist. Common examples are Vladimir Nabakov’s Humbert Humbert from Lolita  and Alex from A Clockwork Orange . A lesser known example is Micky DeWitt from Flank Street .

Upmarket Fiction

A type of fiction that is an amalgamation between commercial fiction (something with a wide audience that fits into a typical genre) and literary fiction (something that doesn’t fit exactly into a standard genre classification). Upmarket fiction can appeal to audiences of both commercial and literary fiction. It offers exceptional writing that doesn’t fit into a mold, yet has the potential for mass appeal.

Urban Fantasy

A subcategory of contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy is set in a contemporary city. Often co-existing with the familiar city life is a hidden, magical aspect of the city frequently including magical creatures. Charles de Lint is one of the primary authors of urban fantasy. To some extent, Mark Helprin’s A Winter’s Tale is an urban fantasy as well as Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere .

The tenor and style of a story’s narrative. Authorial voice is the “sound” unique to the author. However, each author can and will use multiple variations of voice for each character’s POV and dialogue as well.

• Writing Voice: 6 Things You Need to Know to Improve It
• What Every Writer Needs to Know About Finding Your Writing Voice

World Building

(A) The act of designing a story world, including its culture, language, technology, magic, biology, landscape, history, etc. The author does this to build a consistent backdrop for the story. It is especially important for science fiction and fantasy (and even historical novels), in which the story world may be much different from the world readers inhabit.

(B) The art of distilling the elements of a story world, building the world within the minds of readers. This can be done through setting descriptions, exposition, dialogue, or character actions and interactions. In most cases, avoid info-dumping exposition and AYKB dialog. Instead, weave in the worldbuilding as a seamless part of the story itself.

• How to Decide if You Should Use a Real-Life Setting in Your Story

Young Adult (Fiction), a genre aimed at adolescents ages 12-18. Often told in first-person with fast pacing. Focuses on new, fresh, “first time” experiences and coming-of-age experiences. There is often a strong romantic subplot. This genre, like romance, includes many other subgenres under it such as YA Romance, YA Fantasy, and YA Mystery.

Work-in-progress. The story or novel the author is currently writing.

An adjective for when you say a writerly thing. If you wear a blazer with leather patches on your sleeves and sit at a coffee shop with your laptop, it could be said that you’re being writerly. 😉

Writer’s Block

A state in which the writer doesn’t know how to proceed with writing. It can result from simply not knowing what should happen next in the story, or from larger life issues, such as depression.

• Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration
• 7 Things to Try When Writing Is Hard
• Are You Struggling to Be Creative? This Might Be Why

The “vomit” draft, part of pre-writing. The writer “vomits” up whatever story ideas they have without concern as to structure, consistency, or sense. Used to a) explore world/worldbuild, b) explore/develop characters/character interactions c) develop and/or test plot elements d) anything the author wants.

Can You Think of Any Terms This Glossary Is Missing?

Help me turn this into a tool we can all reference and that will help other authors understand what it is we’re talking about when we use crazy terms like “logline,” “pinch point,” and “MS.” Post your suggestions and definitions in the comments, and I’ll update the list.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinion! What writing terms aren’t listed here and should be? Tell me in the comments!

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K.M. Weiland is the award-winning and internationally-published author of the acclaimed writing guides Outlining Your Novel , Structuring Your Novel , and Creating Character Arcs . A native of western Nebraska, she writes historical and fantasy novels and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors.

What a fantastic idea, K.M.!

Here we go…

Words spoken by a character, normally enclosed in quotation marks. Dialogue should sound realistic, without attempting to reproduce real speech verbatim.

Internal dialogue reproduces a character’s thoughts, and is often (though not always) indicated by italics.

Indirect dialogue, also known as reported speech, is a narrative summary of dialogue that’s taken place.

Dialogue tags and/or action beats let the reader know which character is speaking.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/8-tips-for-awesome-dialogue/

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/on-the-nose-dialogue/

THIRD PERSON The uninvolved narrator of the story, who refers to the actuals players by name or as he/she/they, e.g. “Peter ran in and hugged Susan”. Contrast this with a ‘first-person narrative’, which may be present tense (“I gape at the sight of Susan standing at the bar, rush up and hug her tight.”) or past tense (“When I saw Susan at the bar, I ran up and hugged her.”)

TAGLINE A line of text – usually a short, tantalizing sentence – which appears under the Title of the book on the front cover and also in catalogue listings, e.g.: Title: Aquila Tagline: Can Silvanus Escape That God?

SHOWING (In contrast to TELLING): Conveying an atmosphere, emotion or mood by relating the movements or expressions of objects or players rather than stating facts about them, e.g. “The boughs bowed and swayed, casting their icy load onto the quivering children” instead of “The frightened children got soaked by a load of snow falling from the branches.” Or “His face was white and his hands trembled as he slunk through the doorway” instead of “He felt nervous and hesitated to enter the room.”

A genre fiction centered on contemporary women and women’s issues that is often written in a light, humorous pace, and that generally deals with the protagonist and her relationships with family, friends and/or romantic partners. Often referred to as women’s commercial fiction.

MENTOR An experienced advisor who offers – sometimes reluctantly – to show the hero “the way”. Usually a trustworthy ally, the mentor figure will often impart an object or piece of information that will prove vital later in the hero’s quest. The name itself comes from a character in Homer’s The Odyssey.

Examples include: Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, and “Irv” in Cool Runnings (a less-trustworthy mentor figure).

Good stuff, thx!

Trope—A story element or plot device that is particular to certain genres or stories, to the point where they become a storytelling cliche. Examples include love triangles in young adult fiction or the “chosen one” most common in fantasy and science fiction.

Protag/Protagonist—The character whom the story is about and who is most directly affected by the antagonist. This character may be the narrator/POV character (such as Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen) or the protagonist may be a character who is viewed by someone else (as Atticus Finch and Heathcliff are viewed by Scout and Nelly Dean, respectively).

MC – Short for Main Character. The lead of the story.

Info Dump – An undesirable writing method where the author “dumps” a lot of information or extensive description on the reader all at once, instead of weaving the information into the action of the story.

Anti-Hero – A character who is not the main Antagonist, or a supporting character of the Protagonist, but one who opposes the hero or the hero’s ideas in some way.

An ANTI HERO is a protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, and morality. These individuals often possess dark personality traits such as disagreeableness, dishonesty, and aggressiveness.

Like Captain Mal in Firefly or Holden in The catcher in the rye

I still don’t understand the concept of the anti-hero for some reason.

It is tricky. I think there are several definitions out there. Sometimes they are even split into Anti-Hero and Anti-Villain, but I still think that the application within stories of an Anti-Hero is pretty broad.

If you are still having difficulty, consider this, an Anti-hero is a hero who doesn’t act like a hero and who probably doesn’t want to be a hero or ‘good’ in the typical sense of the word. An anti-villain is a villain who acts more like a hero, but who ultimately proves themselves a villain even if they are ‘soft’. There are plenty of good broad definitions out there, but this helped me think of it in a broad sense.

Let’s use the example of a evil lab. Inside the lab there are innocent people. The protag needs to destroy the lab. A hero would try to get all the innocent people out before blowing it up. While an anti-hero may just blow it up. In an anti-hero’s mind, the ends justify the means.

Thanks, all the examples are very helpful. Sounds like an antihero can play up a lot of drama.

STUTTER (WRITING)

BURLY DETECTIVE SYNDROME

Frequently referring to a character by a description (“the burly detective”), usually out of fear of overusing the character’s name or pronoun (see Stutter (Writing)).

Cool never heard of these.

May I add R&R? This one was driving me crazy when I was reading it. I had to search everywhere for the definition!

R&R: Revise and Resend/Resubmit An agent or editor saw something they liked in your work but felt it need a significant revision. They’d like you to make the changes they suggested and resubmit it. It doesn’t necessary mean that they’ll take it though.

Good one. Never heard of it either.

1) An antagonistic character who bears personality traits commonly associated with noble and heroic characters

2) A heroic character who bears personality traits commonly associated with villainous or disreputable characters.

This is a popular one today. Third time I read it and it still makes no sense to me. Think my brain is shutting down and rebooting.

“Point-of-view”

Whoo! You’re today’s super-definer!

HISTORICAL FICTION

A literary genre where the plot takes place in the past, often (but not always) including historical figures

So the only difference between regular fiction and historical is the time period correct?

As I understand it, that’s fairly accurate. Within that, though, excellently written historical fiction also tends to focus in a much deeper way on the details of bringing an unfamiliar era to life (which would be approached much differently/taken for granted in a story with a more contemporary setting).

As time passes, though, the historical “cut-off” date is always bumping up, so as you can see, the line between the two is sometimes rather transparent. 😉

For a bit more, you can read Katie’s article here: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/why-your-novel-may-not-be-historical/

What a great idea! Awesome list worth sharing.

A separate section at the end of a work often commenting on the work as a whole/serving as an addendum.

CLIMATIC MOMENT-the moment in the climax where the overall goal is reached or not reached, the moment when the protagonist defeats the antagonist or visa versa

YA-young adult, usually a genre

BLURB-a short summary of what the book is about, meant to hook the reader

Pacing–the rate at which a story progresses and events unfold.

I wish I knew more about the pacing process. Some books are paced differently than others and wonder is there a method to the madness.

Most issues with pacing have to do with story structure. Check out Katie’s Structure series for more information (and the Story Structure Database for plenty of examples).

Stories can be divided into four roughly equal parts (Act 1, Act 2A, Act 2B, Act 3), each with its own mission relative to the story’s development, and the turning points (“Plot Points”) between them form the major story pacing milestones. Actually, you can divide the story even further with the Inciting Incident, two Pinch Points, and the Climax at the odd eighth marks.

Story structure is all about keeping things balanced and well-paced. If you can hit all the major milestones where they need to go, all the while raising stakes, conflict, and tension right up to the climax, your story’s pacing should take care of itself.

Wow, that’s awesome. That’s what I need to master. The elements of story structure. Thank you!

Oh, and the difference in pacing that you sense for different stories is more likely due to different types of conflict or story problem than to any difference in structure. Lots of action-based conflict will feel faster paced than relationship drama, but everything will still follow the same basic structure behind the scenes.

That’s true. I definitely sense it in movies and books. Didn’t know it was due to differences in conflict though. But looking back it makes perfect sense. Hindsight is 20/20 right?

Some books were unevenly paced in different parts but the overall story was great. The one I’m thinking of had a lot of relationship drama, so pace seemed slower.

Storming was very balanced in its entirety so I didn’t really notice the pace so much. I just felt drawn into the story. Finished Cinder and had the same feeling. Currently reading the Einstein Prophecy and it’s having the same balanced affect on me. The ones that are balanced tend to be page turners!

With cars if your tires are not balanced it could be a bumpy, not so pleasant ride. It seems even more so with story structure. Cool. I think I’m finally learning something!

If I drank, I’d grab a cool one.

Ditto what Scrutinizer said. Pacing demands are different for different types of stories, but the key is to make it so seamless that readers don’t even think about it. Glad you felt that way about Storming !

“As you know, Bob…”

A method of dumping exposition through dialog, infamous for its awkwardness and lack of realism. It involves an otherwise unnecessary conversation between two characters that the author forces on them solely to inform the reader of what the characters both already know. Writers often choose this technique to avoid taking the reader out of the story to reveal important background information, but it usually works against them by taking the characters out of the story instead.

For further study: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/as-you-know-bob/

This one is funny. Had a hardy chuckle! I’m definitely guilty of AYKB.

Holy fudgeknuckles Batman, what a great idea! I Love it.

One of the most recent definitions I’ve thoroughly enjoyed is that of the impact character in relation to engineering character arcs. SO AWESOME. Seems like this impact character/s are strong catalysts for change in the protagonist causing inner conflict and help put the plot into motion. This has greatly helped my understanding of the story.

IMPACT CHARACTER=

1. “Impact character” probably isn’t at the top of your list. But it should be. Because you can’t create a character arc without one.

2. “Impact character” is the term coined by Dramatica authors Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley to describe what is just as accurately termed by editor Roz Morris the “catalyst character.” This is the character who slams into your protagonist, catalyzes him into change, and has a major impact on his life.

3. The impact character is the one who enables, empowers, or sometimes just plain forces another character(s) to change.

4. The impact character may be a friend, or he may be a foe.

5. If the antagonist represents the story’s outer conflict, then the impact character represents the inner conflict.

6. Just like the antagonist, the impact character is a conflict-causer. Just like the antagonist, he’s at odds with the protagonist. But unlike the antagonist, the conflict isn’t necessarily the result of opposing goals. Rather, its core is the opposing worldviews of the protagonist and the impact character. The protagonist believes the Lie; the impact character (lucky dog!) already knows the Truth.

Even in posting this I learned something new! Conflict helps produce plot. What’s a plot without conflict right? It’d be a pretty stale story. The conflict can be external and internal, and both are essentially related to the antagonist and impact character. So if I understand this correctly the impact character is the catalyst for change in the protagonist helping him/her overcome the inner conflict that enables them to overcome the outer conflict represented by the evil antagonist to achieve their goal to live happily ever after….or not.

Further reading: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/impact-character-2/

BETA READER

(paraphrasing from Google as it seemed like an excellent summary)

“Beta readers provide feedback during the writing and/or editing process and are not explicitly proofreaders or editors, but can serve in that context. Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes and problems with continuity, characterization, and believability. In fiction and non-fiction, the beta might also assist the author with fact-checking.”

Novella: a story that runs around 40K to 50K words. Normally, it has no subplot and no more than two POV characters. One of the harder forms to sell traditionally, though I’ve ready recently this is changing.

Good one! I knew it was shorter but didn’t know the details.

Mimesis: where syntax echoes, mimes the narrative.

I’ll have research this one.

(And btw, did I mention that I LOVE this whole idea?! THANK YOU SO MUCH! ;D)

YA – Young Adult (Fiction), a genre aimed at adolescents ages 12 -18. Often told in first person with fast pacing. Focuses on new, fresh, ‘first time’ experiences and coming of age experiences, and there is often a strong romantic subplot. This is a genre that, like Romance, includes many other genres under it such as YA Romance, YA Fantasy, and YA Mystery. Differentiate from NA – New Adult (Fiction) which is aimed at an older age group and focuses on new adult experiences such as the first serious relationship, first serious job, going to college, and moving out on their own.

“Manuscript” (In writing lingo: a yet unpublished work whether written or typed)

Unreliable narrator. The narrator’s unreliability might be obvious to the reader throughout, it might be revealed gradually, or it might come as a revelation that provides a major plot twist. Common examples are Vladimir Nabakov’s Humbert Humbert, and Alex from A Clockwork Orange. A lesser known example is Micky DeWitt from Flank Street.

Alliteration: A stylistic literary device identified by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words, or the repetition of the same sounds of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables of a phrase.

PROOFREADER

Someone reading through a completely edited work to find and/or correct typographical errors (i.e. typos).

SUBTEXT: is the meaning beneath the dialogue; what the speaker really means, even though he’s not saying it directly. As humans, we often don’t articulate our thoughts exactly.

Subtext in Dialogue – The Writer’s Toolbox – Ask The Writer – Gotham … https://www.writingclasses.com › toolbox

I’d like to add “on submission” or “on sub” especially juxtaposed with being “in the query trenches”.

I recently heard two writers who are in the query trenches referring to themselves as being on sub and realized there is some confusion out there about the difference between the two.

Query Trenches: generally refers to looking for representation from a literary agent (although it is possible to directly query publishers)

On sub: your MS has been submitted, usually by your agent, to a list of editors at publishing houses who may or may not have agreed to read it.

Oh, that also makes me wonder if “house” was on your list, referring to publishers.

Perfect! Thanks, Merriam. I added “House” as well.

I am building a similar list myself, going beyond the ordinary of literary terms and picking what I think should be learned by all writers. A few of your words are on my lists. I welcome you to look through my list to see if it helps you. I did words for the A to Z challenge. I would list them here, but there are nearly 70 words.

AtoZ 2014: http://writing.chrisvotey.com/atoz-2014/ AtoZ 2015: http://writing.chrisvotey.com/atoz-2015/

Awesome! Thanks, Chris.

Kidlet: 1. a diminutive child. 2. term of endearment between parent/child; older to younger sibling.

Thank you, sincerely, for this resource. Definitely raised hand (!), baffled by various terms, WIP, MC, YA et al.

Hah. That made me laugh so hard I almost have to include in the glossary. 😉

LOL… that’s great, so glad to hear! 😀

Of all the things I’ve almost been included in, this would rank among the top!

Can’t credit for the idea, although sadly my memory fails to provide me with the name of whoever came up with the idea.

These definitions almost seems to be too simplistic.

1. Sidekicks, by definition, are almost always with the main character, which allows the conflict to be ongoing https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/why-your-hero-needs-yappy-sidekick/

2. a person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc. (Merriam-Webster)

You go, you guys! This is awesome. We’ll have this puppy filled out before you know it.

A scene is a sequence of events that happens at a particular place and time and that moves the story forward. The scene consists mostly of “showing” though it may contain some “telling.” The scene has a particular structure that gives the story motion. Showing using the following tools: • Action. • Dialogue. • Interior Monologue. • Interior Emotion. • Sensory Description. Telling using the following tools: • Narrative Summary • Exposition • Description

I like this one. Thx!

Creative Nonfiction:

The use of literary style and writing technique to tell a true story. It’s an embellishment, but only for the sake of telling a story that teaches a lesson or conveys a change of heart or mind. Narrative, dialogue, setting, and voice are just a few creative writing tools used to grab a reader’s interest and leave them changed somehow at the end.

I echo many of the other commenters: this is a great idea!

Here’s a definition you could add:

COPY EDITING

For Further Reading:

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-i-self-edit-my-novels-15-steps-from/

Nice. I’ll have to follow that link for more info. Thx.

If you are going to include AYKB, you should also have the Dumb Mechanic dialogue.

Dumb Mechanic Where a character explains something to a character who doesn’t know what they are talking about. The example from the name is a mechanic explaining what is wrong with a machine to someone who knows nothing about mechanics. It’s vital that the lack of knowledge needs be real and believable. It also needs to be limited to the needs of the moment. So a gear-head stopping to fix a lawyer’s car might explain a air bubble in the gas line, if that was the problem, but not how an engine works in detail.

I’m learning stuff here too! I’d never heard it called that.

Here’s one that wasn’t on the list but which you might want to include:

The first stage of the writing process, which generally includes brainstorming, planning, mapping, researching, and outlining. Prewriting encompasses everything a writer does before beginning the first draft, and it accomplishes such goals as determining the intended theme, organizing plot points, and establishing characters.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/6-tasks-youll-love-yourself-for-checking-off-your-nano-pre-writing-list/

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/book/outlining-your-novel/

Good one! Thanks!

SWEET. I absolutely adore prewriting. I’ve never heard it defined like this.

At first I was like “Pshaw! I know tons of writing terms! And then I started to scroll down the page and my mouth dropped open. MFC? SF? SFF? What? I need this index! What a brilliant idea, K.M.Weiland. 😀

Hah. I’m learning stuff too!

ALPHA READER

See also: BETA READER

I’ve provided a personal take on the subject here: http://www.iennivens.com/advice-for-new-writers-in-an-age-of-interactivity . Feel free to link to or borrow from my post if you find it helpful in clarifying the role.

Nice! Never heard of the alpha reader.

The glossary idea is great with lots of good info. Although I feel like a babe taking in his mother’s milk, growing and making sense of the world around him.

Gotta go, think I’ve got a poopy diaper.

Thank you for all your contributions!

I should be thanking you for all of your contributions ?

Tried my best to come up with some definitions. I hope this helps!

FIRST PERSON A point of view where the main character of a story is also the narrator. The reader “sees” through the eyes of the main character, so to speak. It uses pronouns such as “I,” and “me.” E.g., “I walked into the house.”

EXPOSITION The part of the story where background information about characters, events, setting, etc. is provided. Generally, the exposition can be found at the beginning of the story. However, other background information can be placed throughout the story as it is needed.

I’m amazed you didn’t have “writer’s block” entered. Could it be a case of… you know?

Hah. Must have been. Please feel free to add your definition!

In case you haven’t already Googled this.

Novellette A short novel that is often about romantic relationships and is usually not very serious. Word count is 7,500 to 17,500 words.

Thanks K.M. This is very cool and a lot of work. Cant’ wait to see the final version.

If you have “Scene,” you should probably also have “Sequel”:

For further study: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-write-a-sequel-thats-better-than-the-first-book/ https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-structure-scenes/ https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/structuring-your-scenes-pt-7-three/

To finish up the acronyms:

MMC: “Main Male Character” The male lead in a romance story. Usually gets the girl in the end.

MFC: “Main Female Character” The female lead in a romance story. Usually gets the guy in the end.

MG: Middle Grade fiction, targeted to children ages 8 to 12 years old. Typically features a main character in the same age range and avoids “mature” content such as graphic violence or sexually explicit material. That’s not to say the stories are simplistic, of course.

SF: Science Fiction, aka Sci-Fi. Fiction that incorporates scientific elements such as futuristic societies, advanced technology, and alien worlds. Though usually aiming for scientific plausibility, it ranges in realism from currently understood physics and biology to highly speculative science.

SFF: Science Fiction & Fantasy. A combined genre of speculative fiction. Sci fi typically aims for scientific plausibility, while fantasy often incorporates magical systems. Stories may contain elements of both or be exclusive to one or the other, but all such stories explore fantastic worlds and scenarios.

And speaking of SFF,

Worldbuilding:

(A) The act of designing a story world, including its culture, language, technology, magic, biology, landscape, history, etc. The author does this to build a consistent backdrop for her story. It is especially important for science fiction and fantasy (and even historical novels), where the story world may be much different from the world that the readers inhabit.

(B) The art of distilling the elements of a story world, building the world within the minds of readers. This can be done through setting descriptions, exposition, dialog, or character actions and interactions. In most cases, avoid info-dumping exposition and AYKB dialog. Instead, weave in the worldbuilding as a seamless part of the story itself.

For further study: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/are-you-asking-these-important/

GHOST WRITER

One who undertakes the physical labor of writing an article, book, or memoir for someone else, usually in secret.

One who produces written content as a third party for someone else, nominally for a fee in exchange for all credit for said written content belonging to someone else.

On another note, I will pay whatever you ask for this book when it’s done.

For now, it’s a totally free resource!

Your description for alliteration is a good one, but for newbies adding an example would be helpful too. “Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers”

For Passive Voice: on FB the other day, I saw a post that said, “If you can add ‘by aliens’ at the end of the sentence, then it’s passive voice.” Example: “The light was left on in the kitchen—by aliens.” 😀 Give them an example to correct it: “James left the light on in the kitchen.” Gotta say, when I first started writing, passive voice is one that drove me nuts and nearly had me bashing my computer.

Chekhov’s Gun – This is a dramatic principle that requires every single element within a story to be necessary and irreplaceable. The term ‘Chekhov’s Gun’ was coined when Chekhov wrote a letter to A.S. Lazarev, stating that if you have a loaded gun in one scene, it must be fired in one of the subsequent scenes in order to avoid being superfluous. If you give something attention, such as the gun, it must be because it has some import later in the narrative.

Scene structure: the division of a Scene into a scene (the action that happens when a character has a goal, then conflict interferes with that goal and there is an outcome) and its sequel (the character reacting to the previous outcome, then facing a dilemma, and finally making a decision about it that will determine what the character’s goal is in the next Scene)

Plotter: a writer who prefers to write a book /after/ going through an outlining process

Pantser: a writer who prefers to write “by the seat of his/her pants,” meaning, without previous outlining

Outline: a sketch of every event that makes up the structure of a story, which is written before a first draft to edit out any structural weak spots beforehand

Archetype: a ‘type’ of character which is commonly repeated across literature: the mentor, the magician, etc.

Cliché: any situation in a story that has been used too many times in literature, and becomes cheesy to readers.

Cliffhanger: the ending of a chapter or book in a moment of high suspense and tension, used to compel readers to read on or buy the next book in an installment.

Dystopia: genre of literature that focuses on a form of organization of society in the future (typically post-apocalyptic) that is dysfunctional.

Flashback: short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the past.

Flashforward: short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the future.

LOVE INTEREST

The additional parts of a book appearing after the main body of the text (i.e. acknowledgements, historical notes, explanatory notes, end notes, an afterword, index, bibliographies, and appendixes). Also called Back Matter.

Dystopian: This describes an imagined community, society, or world, in which everything is unpleasant or undesirable. It is the opposite of utopian, and literally means ‘bad place’.

Love this! Here are my offerings.

MARY SUE (fem.) (MARTY-SUE – (male.)) – began by fan fiction writers but now in writers general vocab. A derogatory term for a character than is able to do everything, the perfect heroine, with ultimate abilities. Not always a female, but can be used to describe any character with unrealistic abilities.

HEA – Happily Ever After – Romance writers use this to describe a genre as well as a moment. “A great HEA read.” Or, “you do get your HEA.” Most often seen with Harlequin and the “cozy” genre. (I went a long time thinking this was a genre all its own!)

COZY, also known as COZIES – a mystery novel that is usually a bloodless crime, with very little violence, sex or coarse language (but not always a pure “clean-read.”) Usually the person solving the crime is an amateur and has the support/friendship of a police officer/detective/medical examiner. Readers usually identify with the main character because they are positive and socially acceptable (even their small faults).

FRONT MATTER

The material preceding the main body/text of a work: including the title pages, printing/publishing data and/or a table of contents, foreword, preface, author’s note, dedication, etc.

There can be multiple antagonists in a story, but ultimately it’s the greatest character standing in direct opposition to and blocking the protagonist achieving his story goal.

This is awesome, you guys! Keep it up. We’ll have this thing filled out in no time.

ACTIVE VOICE: The opposite of passive voice. Example: Beautiful giraffes roam the savannah. (active) As opposed to The savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes. (passive)

BLACK MOMENT/LOW MOMENT: The part in the story at which everything looks hopeless and the situation is at its lowest point. Usually directly precedes the climax.

DENOUEMENT: The wrap up after the story is done. The wind down from the action of the climax. Sometimes not included in the full arc of the story, but tells afterward details.

DEUTERAGONIST: A secondary protagonist and the driver of a subplot. Can be a sidekick.

Great idea! I wish I’d had one of these when I started writing. 😛

You might want to include what active and passive voice actually are, rather than just opposites. With active voice, the person or thing performing the action serves as the subject of the sentence, whereas with passive voice, the subject is the person or thing being acted upon. I really like your examples, though.

Perfect! I combined both of your comments for a solid definition. Thanks!

Great! One typo, though: you wrote “(passive)” twice under Passive Voice. I’m pretty sure the second one should be “(active).” With the massive surge of input you’ve been sorting through, though, it’s an understandable mistake.

Excellent! Thanks for catching that.

In linguistics, the actor in a sentence is called the “agent,” and the passive receiver of action is called the “patient.” These are independent of “subject” and “object,” but which is which determines the voice of the verb.

Wow, 100 comments already! It’s really a testament to the effectiveness of your content and teaching style, Katie, that you can recruit so many enthusiastic contributors so quickly. And that includes those of us who normally don’t say anything but who really appreciate all that you do here. You’re probably my favorite blogger on writing, and I’ve read a lot. Thank you so much for making resources like this!

Aw, that’s very kind of you. Makes my day to hear you’re finding the site useful! And a super-huge thanks to you and everyone else whose enthusiasm for this project has been so infectious!

I know awesome isn’t it? Ah, splendid indeed. 🙂

This is really taking off. Great job guys!

Okay, I’ve been thinking about it all day and feel like my first definition for this was kind of rambly, so I’ll try again. But feel free to take it or not as it works! 😉

One standing in opposition to/thwarting the protagonist.

I like it. Simplicity is bliss!

Upmarket Fiction: A type of fiction that is an amalgamation between Commercial Fiction, something with a wide audience that fits into a typical genre, and Literary Fiction, something that doesn’t fit exactly into a standard genre classification. Upmarket Fiction can appeal to both audiences; exceptional writing that doesn’t fit into a mold yet has the potential for mass appeal.

SPECULATIVE FICTION:

1. speculative fiction. noun. 1. a broad literary genre encompassing any fiction with supernatural, fantastical, or futuristic elements.

Speculative fiction – Dictionary.com dictionary.reference.com/browse/speculative-fiction

2. Speculative fiction: is a term often attributed to Robert A. Heinlein (July 07 1907-May 08, 1988) an American novelist and science fiction writer.

Speculative fiction is a fiction genre speculating about worlds that are unlike the real world in various important ways. In these contexts, it generally overlaps one or more of the following: science fiction, fantasy fiction, horror fiction, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history. It is often used as an umbrella term for science fiction and fantasy considered as a single genre. The term is used this way in academic and ideological criticism of these genres, as well as by some readers, writers, and editors of these genres.

Further reading: a. http://www.goodreads.com/genres/speculative-fiction b. http://www.greententacles.com/articles/5/26/

URBAN FANTASY:

A subcategory of contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy is set in a contemporary city. Often co-existing with the familiar city life is a hidden, magical aspect of the city frequently including magical creatures. Charles de Lint is one of the primary authors of urban fantasy. To some extent, Mark Helprin’s A Winter’s Tale is an urban fantasy as well as Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere.

Cyberpunk explores the fusion between man and machine. A key element is the perfection of the Internet and virtual reality technology. In a cyberpunk novel, characters can experience and interact with computers in a 3D graphic environment so real that it feels like a physical landscape. The society in which cyberpunk is set tends to be heavily urban, and usually somewhat anarchic or feudal. The “father of cyberpunk” is William Gibson, author of the seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer. Eos authors defining this ever-evolving virtual reality include Neal Stephenson and Rudy Rucker.

EPIC FANTASY:

Sweeping in scope, epic fantasy usually concerns a battle for rulership of a country, empire or entire world. Drawing heavily upon archetypal myths and the quintessential struggle between a few good people against overwhelming forces of evil, epic fantasy is best represented by author J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Eos authors of epic fantasy include New York Times bestselling Raymond E. Feist (The Serpentwar Saga) and Adam Lee (The Dominions Of Irth). Some other popular epic fantasy authors are Robert Jordan, David Eddings, Terry Brooks.

COURT INTRIGUE:

A subcategory of epic fantasy that’s currently popular and is the fantasy equivalent of Dumas’s The Three Musketeers. Good examples of this are Robin Hobbs’s Assassin trilogy, George R. R. Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire trilogy, Martha Wells’s The Element Of Fire, and Avon author Dave Duncan’s upcoming The King’s Blades trilogy.

Further reading: https://www.sfsite.com/columns/amy26.htm

Line editing and proofreading:

This form of editing means going over a manuscript line by line and editing it for grammar errors as you go. It doesn’t entail any extensive rewriting, but there may be some use of color editing to liven up flat prose, and there may be some reduction of redundancies (such as repeated information). Basically, line editing and proofreading checks for the most basic of grammatical and syntax errors. This style of editing may include the use of a style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style.

Forgot to add further reading : LINE EDITING https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/the-importance-of-professional-editing/

Two quick questions. One stupid and the other… well, probably it is as well.

Stupid 1st: Court Intrigue is a sub-category of Epic Fantasy, how so? It gives examples through titles, which, unless you’ve read at least one… it is simply epic fantasy on a micro-cosmic level, instead of vast expanses, contained within the halls of power of a single kingdom/province/village?

2nd: I’ve been checking back pretty frequently reading through the list, familiarizing myself with the terms; and scrolling down it’s easy to confuse the glossary terms with the links from the previous term (especially between antagonist and antagonistic force . Is there anyway to make the terms standout a bit more from the previous entry? It may be just a matter of making the term font size a tad bigger to distinguish it from ‘further study’/link size… or me paying a bit more attention as I scroll… probably best option.

comment awaiting moderation… back on probation…

typo, ‘it is simply epic fantasy” should read ‘ is it…’ it’s supposed to be a question, not a statement. Thanks.

Yeah, sorry, I’m not sure why this got flagged for moderation. Anyway…

This is actually the first I’ve heard of the court intrigue sub-category for fantasy as well. I like the sound of it though!

I’ll have to take a look at the design overall and see if I can improve it. Thanks for the suggestions!

“exceeded stupid question filter settings” would be my guess

I have to apologize to you. If I’d sit on the question for an hour or two, did some thinking/looking on my own, might figure it out without troubling you in the process.

It was the first time I’d heard of it as well (court intrigue) and it was great to cross-reference with epic fantasy. If it is a microcosm of (which would make sense being cited as a sub-category) Wolf Hall would also fit that as an example. Made for some incredibly intense drama.

You know what, the formatting works. You’ve put in a ton of work already to make this available and I should sit here and comment on font size!

Again, my sincere apologies.

No, not stupid at all! Good questions both, although I think I will leave the format of the glossary as is for now.

Thank you, very gracious.

Glad about the format! … although , when you do get around to it, may I request a projected holographic rolodex interface with voice activated search… if that wouldn’t be not too much trouble.

Your wish is my command. 😉

woo-hoo, looking forward to it! ;-D

I’ll try to do some more research and find a better definition for court intrigue then I’ll be back. What I’ve found so far sounds pretty intriguing! Pun unintended.

So what I’ve discovered is that Court Intrigue is a subgenre of Epic or high fantasy and is a relatively new thing. Wow. I never realized how many sub-genre’s of fantasy there are! The genre’s are almost as diverse as the writers themselves.

The term high fantasy (also epic fantasy) generally refers to fantasy that depicts an epic struggle between good and evil in a fantasy world, whether independent of or parallel to ours. The moral concepts in such tales take on objective status, and are not relative to the one making the judgement. ( https://www.worldswithoutend.com/resources_sub-genres.asp )

What is Court Intrigue Fantasy? Lawyers dueling in court rooms! Jury tampering! Okay, so not that kind of court. More like a royal court— think castles, thrones, and royal successions. Is Scar’s solo from The Lion King coming to mind? Absolutely! These stories have lots of layers and conflict, though not necessarily physical conflict, more behind the scenes conniving and pulling strings. These are complicated stories full of intrigue. Moreover, the characters are clever—usually on both sides of the aisle. There is a significant level of world-building in Court Intrigue stories in order to create a believable government with intricate hierarchies as well as several nations with complex relationships.

* Level of Magic

Variable. The level of magic in Court Intrigue Fantasy varies by world and is not a defining feature of the sub-genre. In some stories magic is barely present and not a factor in the storyline; in other stories magic is key to plot development and the possession of power.

High. These stories do not usually have grand ideas, but there are plenty of social implications involved in the goings-on of a palace court. The idea of power and ideas of black and white are themes commonly explored in Court Intrigue.

* Level of Grand Ideas and Social Implications

* Level of Characterization

Moderate-High. Character development can sometimes be overshadowed by world building and plot development. However, characters are significant players in Court Intrigue stories and therefore tend to pop off the page. A common characteristic in this sub-genre is the morally gray areas of people’s lives, which gives readers more realistic characters.

* Level of Plot Complexity

High. Unraveling a plot full of twists and turns is the hallmark of the Court Intrigue sub-genre.

* Level of Violence

Moderate. Conflict is a significant part of all Court Intrigue stories, but it is not always violent. There are, however, often wars or the threat of war looming on the edges of the story. Sometimes, even, conflicts are resolved through violence, but in secret.

FURTHER READING

1. Best Fantasy Books: http://bestfantasybooks.com/court-intrigue-fantasy.html

2. School Library Journal: Court Intrigue http://blogs.slj.com/adult4teen/2014/09/10/court-intrigue/

3. Popular Court Intrigue books by Good reads: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/court-intrigue

Fascinating! Thanks for digging this up for us.

Benjamin, I agree with Katie, thank you… like hitting a vein of ore.

No problem. It was fun and I learned something in the process.

Extremely short fiction. Some flash fiction markets have a limit of 53 words, while others allow up to 1000 words. Like longer fiction, flash fiction includes conflict and resolution, but some elements may be implied for the sake of brevity and left to readers’ imaginations. Due to its extreme brevity, flash fiction tends to focus on one turning point or revealing moment.

Awesome thanks!

Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick –

– She watched though the window as the stupid man ate his precious eggs, bacon and toast. She had to muffle her mouth when he gulped down half of his juice and then vomited it out. Ha, hurt my sister do you? Tomorrow was going to be fun. She smiled, and it grew wider as she walked off to school.

1. wash the dishes. 2.Wash the laundry. 3. Bury the mailman in the backyard.

“I love D.B.Z, books and wearing peoples skin.”

I think I got it right correct me if I’m wrong.

(Forgive me my books are a little twisted.)

I’m probably being dense, but this doesn’t make sense to me. :p What are you defining?

A character is speaking a list, and the last item in the list is darker or more disturbing than the rest.

Squick means:

“Possibly a contraction of “squeamish” and “Ick!” A negative emotional response, more specifically a disturbed or disgusted one.”

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Squick

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/PlayingWith/BreadEggsMilkSquick

Thanks! I’ll have to look into that. First I’ve heard of it!

You’re welcome. 😀 I love Tv troupes. Beware, the site is addicting and you can get lost reading in there for hours.

Steampunk: A subgenre of fantasy fiction which is largely determined by its setting, which is typically an alternative-Victorian reality, laden with steam-powered technology. Corsets are optional.

Dieselpunk: A subgenre related to Steampunk, although it is driven more by the culture of the 1920s through the early 1950s. Technology is strongly influenced by diesels.

Beats: A term closely related to outlining. Basically, a description of the important action to take place in a story. May or may not be incredibly thorough, but is likely to hit the highlights of the important action of the story.

Corsets are optional? That’s so wrong. 😉

I don’t know if this matches with the ‘official’ definition.. you can ignore it if you like.

A content editor looks at big picture stuff: character arcs, plot arcs, whether the story has a consistent tone. Also may comment on POV issues and/or narrative voice. A content edit is the first edit a story should go through after the rough edges have been knocked off the first draft as your editor may suggest major changes which will waste effort polishing too much.

As an aside not necessarily for publication I’ve been know to move chapters about, suggest cutting them completely, or change the POV character in a scene. I think the hardest thing I ever suggested was changing a first person, multiPOV to third person limited.

I send a fair number of clients to your blog, this glossary is one of the reasons why.

That’s great! Thanks, Alex!

Editing concerned primarily with the structure and content of a book that starts near the beginning of the manuscript’s life. A developmental editor works to give the book focus and direction (mostly towards what is “marketable”) by helping to develop author’s ideas, and so will point out inconsistencies in aspects such as logic, voice, and audience.

Definition influenced by The Longman Guide to Technical Editing by Carolyn D. Rude (2006)

“What is a Development Editor and What Can You Expect?” by Jane Friedman (2014, Sept 8) https://janefriedman.com/developmental-editor/

Resonance: The power to evoke enduring images, memories, and emotions.

Logline: Single sentence story summary. See Premise Sentence.

For further study: 6 Reasons a Premise Sentence Strengthens Your Story

( thank you for the crucial clarification! lol… and alliteration tie-in!)

You’re welcome, I find the site helps me when I’m stuck or write my self into a corner. Most of the stuff on there is so oddball that it can get things moving again.

The standard way that editors, agents, and publishers want your manuscript formatted before you send it to them.

The cover page should be on a seperate page from the rest of the manuscript. It should include:

– name of the manuscript and author (or pen name) – approximate word count (rounded to the nearest hundred) – Your: name, address, phone number, e-mail, and website – Your agent’s details (if you have an agent)

font: Twelve point, Times New Roman, or Courier New black

margins: One-inch margins on all four sides

indent: Half-inch paragraph indentations for the first line of each and every paragraph

space: Double space; no extra line between paragraphs

align: Align left

page numbering: Number pages beginning with the actual story (don’t count or put page numbers on the title page)

scene breaks: Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the number sign # in the center of the line

page header: Include your last name, the manuscript’s title, and the page number in the page header of every page except for the title page. Align the header to the right

end: Center a number sign # on an otherwise blank line one double-spaced line down from the final line of text of the final chapter or epilogue at the end of the manuscript. Or write The End. (The end should be labeled so an agent or editor isn’t looking for extra pages that aren’t there.)

italics: Use italics for italicized words.

The standard document format is MS Word (.doc) If you have a newer version of MS Word, Open Office, Pages, or something else, save the document in .doc (This is usually found somewhere like, File>>Save As, “MS Word 97-2003 (.doc)” Almost everyone can read .doc files)

Finally, check the publisher or agent’s website. Some of them will have specific fonts, spacing, or other ways they want things done that might vary slightly from the general guidelines.

To see screen shots of what this looks like: http://www.marlyspearson.com/formatting_101.htm

My humble opinion (and excuse me for my clumsy English, please)

Archetype is more than a type of character. It’s, according to its etymology, an ideal of that figure or character.

Same as a Stereotype is more typical, almost a cliché.

Great idea!

Red Herring – a false clue meant to mislead the reader. It creates a false trail for the reader to follow. A red herring can be an object, a character, part of the setting or any other way the author can think of to mislead.

Foreshadowing – Building subtle information for later, hinting at what is possible or what is to come. A successful job at foreshadowing will result in the reader thinking “I should have guessed that!” when the moment comes.

Backstory – Inserting information about events or thoughts that shaped the characters or story world.

Thank you, Andrea!

RE: Dumb Mechanic

See also, “As you know, Bob” (Where a character tells another character something he already knows.) The Dumb Mechanic is slightly better writing than “As you know, Bob”, as the author has at least tried to fix the problem, but the core problem is the same.

Thanks, Aaron!

I’d like to add the term “zero draft” to list. I’ve found the concept helpful. Zero Draft The “vomit” draft, part of pre-writing. The writer “vomits” up whatever story ideas they have without concern as to structure, consistency, or sense. Used to a) explore world/worldbuild, b) explore/develop characters/character interactions c) develop and/or test plot elements d) anything the author wants. Further reading: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/10/06/how-to-outline-during-national-plot-your-novel-month/ http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/09/14/25-ways-to-plot-plan-and-prep-your-story/ I’ve found the zero draft a useful concept as a pantser. It can be the most terrible piece of writing in history and it doesn’t matter because it’s not a “real” draft, it’s just exploratory. It helps me find my plot and get to know my characters without having to commit to anything.

Sounds like my outlining phase!

MPS Missing Parent Syndrome

The rather common occurrence, usually found in works of fiction where the protagonist is underaged, where the parents and/or guardians are somehow left out for the majority of the plot. This can be due to death (Frodo in Lord of the Rings,) or boarding school (Harry Potter,) or visitation to another world (Narnia,) or just about any other reason.

Drabble: Something you write for fun. Or practice. Or both. Both is good.

Perhaps this was previously mentioned, but I think you should add Pitch to your list and how it is similar or different from a synopsis. I am actually trying to figure this out at the moment, and so I don’t have a definition to go with it.

This is absolutely brilliant! Thank you. You are missing a definition for Plot. I suggest:

PLOT: 1. The series of escalating conflicts that tell the story of the characters progression toward the climax. 2. The writer’s evil plan (thus “plot”) to ruin someone’s life for the edification and/or amusement of others.

Those are the one’s I use. It was a nightmare to find or construct good simple definitions for Plot.

Don’t know how I missed this post before now. Off the top of my head…

McGuffin Designing Principle Story Logic Story Arc Under Conflict – Internal Conflict; External Conflict

If I think of any more, I’ll pop back over. Hope these help.

Wow! Excellent and comprehensive list! I learned from it that some concepts I knew were “a thing” (like AYKB 😀 ). I don’t know if this is within your scope; however, I do recall that as a fledgling writer, “onomatopoeia” was a word I saw often. I had no clue what it meant until I broke down and opened a dictionary.

One of my favorite words! 😀

Mine too, along with kerfuffle, flibbertigibbet and persnickety. Defenestration is right up there, too. 😀

Drabble… fiction of almost or exactly one hundred words, but not over. Flash fiction… short pieces of fiction written within a 24-48 hour period.

Drabble’s a new one to me. Thanks!

Wow, this info is really useful! some of these writing terms were actually new to me so thank you for this list! I remember when I didn’t even know what MC meant! haha

[…] https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/help-me-build-the-ultimate-index-of-writing-terms/ […]

[…] a phrase?) Anyway, KM Weiland, who wrote several of the books I learned to write novels from put THIS together and I love it so much. It’s a glossary of writing terms and jargon. What’s […]

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• Falling Action

Falling Action Definition

What is falling action? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

The falling action of a story is the section of the plot following the climax , in which the tension stemming from the story's central conflict decreases and the story moves toward its conclusion. For instance, the traditional "good vs. evil" story (like many superhero movies) doesn't end as soon as the force of evil has been thwarted. Rather, there tends to be a portion of the story in which the hero must restore regular order to the world, clean up the mess they made, or make a return journey home. This is all part of the "falling action."

Some additional key details about falling action:

• Falling action is just one part of the structure of a story's overall plot . The falling action follows the climax , or the moment of peak tension in the story.
• Falling action is often confused for dénouement , the final part of the story. They're similar, but not the same. We'll explain the key differences in this entry.
• The opposite of falling action is rising action , which occurs before the climax and in which the story's main conflict unfolds and tension builds.

Falling Action Explained

The falling action is an important but often overlooked part of plot structure in which the central conflict of the story is moved toward complete resolution. Generally speaking, most works of writing that have a plot can be said to have a section of falling action. But not every story has a falling action—and even for stories that do contain it, the falling action isn't always well-defined or easy to identify. Here are a few of the key defining features of falling action to help you identify it:

• The falling action begins with the climax.  The climax often answers the story's biggest question (such as "Who did it?" or "Will they win?"), but it doesn't answer all the questions or resolve the story's main problem completely. Rather, the climax makes that process or resolution  possible . In other words, the falling action can't begin until after the climax.
• The falling action "winds down" the tension.  After so much time has been devoted, in the  rising action , to building up the story's central conflict, it's important in the wake of the climax to dispel some of the built-up tension. So it's common, during the falling action, to see the characters themselves  relax a little, with the end of their struggle now in sight. 
• For example, it's common for writers to use falling action to describe the hero's journey back home after they succeed in their quest. But just because the climax has already occurred doesn't mean the trip home has to be uneventful; often, characters face new problems (albeit smaller ones) during the falling action, which can be a good way of adding interest and suspense. The falling action can also show how the protagonist has grown (as they may now deal with obstacles differently than they did before the rising action and climax).
• As another example, if the story's hero died saving the world during the climax, it might be revealed during the falling action that it was all part of their plan, and they actually survived.
• Similarly, sometimes the antagonist is defeated during the story's falling action rather than its climax.
• The falling action ends with a resolution.  The end of the falling action is marked by the resolution of the story's main conflict. What this looks like in practice depends on what the main conflict of the story was: in a mystery, the criminal might be thrown in jail, while in a romance, the lovers might get married. Resolutions aren't always happy, and sometimes they don't give the audience a feeling of complete closure, but they always makes it clear that the story is drawing to an end.

Falling Action vs. Dénouement

Falling action is often confused with  dénouement , a separate part of the structure of plot. The dénouement is part of the general process of bringing the story to a point of resolution, so it's easy to see why it would be confused with falling action, but the two parts have some very specific, key differences that are important to understand.

• For example, the dénouement might give the audience a sense for what the future will hold for the characters, or how they were changed by the story.
• This part of the story is usually quite brief, even compared to the falling action: the most well-known dénouement is "and they lived happily ever after."
• Dénouements, by definition, occur  after  the resolution that marks the end of the falling action. Whereas the falling action results in the resolution of the major plot point, the dénouement resolves issues or conflicts that are of a secondary nature to the main issue of the story.
• Like an epilogue , the dénouement may also show how the events of the story fit into the broader scheme of history or the lives of those involved.

To fully understand what makes dénouements different from falling action, take a look through our entry on dénouement , where you can find some clear examples.

Falling Action and Freytag's Pyramid

One of the first and most influential people to create a framework for analyzing plots was 19th-century German writer Gustav Freytag, who argued that all plots can be broken down into five stages:

• Rising action
• Falling action

Freytag originally developed this theory as a way of describing the plots of plays at a time when most plays were divided into five acts, but his five-layered "pyramid" can also be used to analyze the plots of other kinds of stories, including novels, short stories, films, and television shows. Here's the pyramid as originally defined by Freytag:

One important thing to note about the shape of Freytag's pyramid is that it shows all parts of the story as having equal length, with climax at the very center of the diagram. However, this is actually a bit misleading, since the falling action is usually much shorter than the rising action, and begins close to the story's end rather than in the middle. Therefore, a slightly more accurate version of Freytag's pyramid (modified to show a shorter, later falling action) might look something like this:

Freytag's Pyramid Doesn't Fit All Plots

While Freytag's pyramid is very handy, not every work of literature fits neatly into its structure. In fact, many modernist and post-modern writers intentionally subvert the standard narrative and plot structure that Freytag's pyramid represents. We mention this here because falling action is often spoken about in relation to other parts of Freytag's pyramid, and because understanding where the falling action typically occurs within a narrative may help you identify it. So while the falling action is often spoken about in relation to other parts of Freytag's pyramid, there may be times when it's easier to determine what part of a story is the falling action based on criteria  other  than its position relative to other sections of the plot, such as what part of the narrative winds down tension or suspense.

Falling Action Examples

In the examples that follow, we'll explain each story's falling action in relation to its overall plot so you have a full understanding of how falling action operates within the story.

Falling Action in "Little Red Riding Hood"

Here's a simple example from a story that almost everyone is familiar with. In "Little Red Riding Hood," the climax occurs when the wolf, disguised as the grandmother, eats Little Red Riding Hood. During the falling action, a nearby woodsman (having heard Little Red Riding Hood's cries of distress) comes to her rescue, cutting open the wolf and saving both Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. This is a story in which the antagonist (the wolf) is defeated during the falling action rather than the climax—a reminder that the falling action isn't always devoid of significant plot developments.

Falling Action in  A Streetcar Named Desire

In Tennessee Williams's   A Streetcar Named Desire , the rising action begins when Blanche Dubois arrives at the home of her sister, Stella, and reveals that she has, under mysterious circumstances, lost possession of their childhood home. Stanley, Stella's husband, is immediately suspicious of Blanche, who in turn is very critical of Stanley and derides him constantly for his low class and "primitive" ways. The tension between these three characters grows over the course of the months that Blanche stays with the couple in their tiny apartment, and the mystery around the circumstances prompting Blanche's visit also continues to grow, until one day Stanley tells Stella everything he has heard about Blanche's sordid past from others: that she was fired from her teaching job for having an affair with a seventeen-year-old boy, and began working as a prostitute at a local hotel. Tension reaches a new height after this revelation, as it's unclear how all the various characters will respond to the new information. The play reaches a climax when Stanley finally confronts Blanche and, it's strongly suggested, rapes her.

In the following scene, weeks have passed, and Blanche's mental state has deteriorated completely. It seems that she has told Stella about her rape, but that Stella doesn't believe her. It's revealed that Stella and Stanley have made arrangements to have Blanche committed to a mental asylum. A doctor and nurse arrive to take Blanche away. Seeming to have only the vaguest understanding of what's happening, Blanche reluctantly agrees to go with the doctor. The scene constitutes the entirety of the play's falling action, ending with the resolution (a direct consequence of the climax): Blanche has lost her mind.

Falling Action in The Lord of the Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy tells the story of Frodo, a hobbit who must journey to a dangerous and faraway land in order to throw a magical ring into a volcano and, in doing so, destroy Sauron, a major force of evil that threatens the entire world, including everyone he loves. People often say that the final book (or film) of the trilogy ends with one climax after another, in a seemingly endless succession. But this is actually a mistake. While it's true that the plot of the film continues for quite some time after the climax (in which the ring and Sauron are destroyed), it is not the case that each new plot development that occurs after the film's climax is a climax in its own right. Rather, many of the seemingly "climactic" plot developments that follow the actual climax are part of the falling action, in which the heroes must make the long journey home.

For instance, the scene immediately following the climax—in which the volcano erupts and the heroes must escape—is part of the falling action sequence. The tension stemming from the central conflict has already been dispelled, but some tension remains surrounding the question of how and whether the heroes will get home.

What's the Function of Falling Action in Literature?

Not all pieces of writing that have plots also make use of falling action—some plots end very suddenly after the climax, for example—but most plots  do  have a section in which the action "unwinds." That's because the falling action serves many different purposes in a story. Here are some of the main reasons a writer might build their plot with a section of falling action:

• To carry the plot from its climax to a resolution.
• To allow time for "unwinding" or de-escalating some of the tension that was built up during the  rising action  by showing the characters going through the process of re-ordering their lives or restoring the natural balance.
• To keep the audience engaged after the climax by introducing one or more smaller conflicts during the falling action.

Other Helpful Falling Action Resources

• The Wikipedia Entry on Dramatic Structure:  This page covers basic plot structure, including a section on falling action.
• The Dictionary Definition of Falling Action:  A basic definition.
• One of the final scenes from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy: This scene might seem "climactic," but it's actually just one part of the film's falling action sequence.

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