In my former tutorial written back in May of this year, I discussed characterization and how to effectively write a believable interaction between two or more characters. Prior to that in April, I discussed Mary Sues and how to avoid them.

Now, we come to the other half of the writing equation: plot. If characters are the actors in a work, the plot is the stage and prose is the stage direction. All must come together in a cohesive way and so understanding the basics will assist in achieving that necessary balance. For each work, things may vary (since a novel is different from a short story in terms of construction, obviously), but the heart of the matter remains the same.

So, first of all, what are the different 'stages' to a plot and how are those stages defined? Well, there are five distinct areas in most fictional plots, and a rough outline of characteristics for each stage are:

1.Introduction: Here is where the writer introduces most of the main cast and sets the basic framework up for the work's main conflict. Important details are often set up here to explain later plot happenings and establish an atmosphere and main theme for the work.

2.Rising Action: Now that the main conflicts and characters are in place, it's time to add a little action into the mix. Conflicts broaden out and/or become more serious in scope. Often, the characters will be presented important choices that they'll need to work their way through by the end of the story. Antagonists work against protagonists to achieve their goals before the opposition can find out and ruin said plans. The basics behind an ultimate scheme may begin to take shape here, and characters begin taking the steps to change and learn from their adventures and mistakes. Minor side plots may be introduced here.

3. Climax: Scheming on the parts of characters come to fruition and revelations are usually revealed here to anyone they've been previously hidden from. The crux of the conflict comes into full play here. There may be showdowns, battles, character deaths or other important sacrifices are made here and reaffirmation of character themes and beliefs. Conversely, should the writer want the characters to take new outlooks on life away from their adventure, affirmation of new beliefs would be introduced here. The goal of the antagonist clashes directly with that of the protagonist here, and in the conflict of ideals (whether physical battling or argument is employed)is resolved.

4. Falling Action: With the main conflict now resolved, the characters begin settling into what life will be like for them now that it's passed and accepting the consequences of their previous actions, for good or for worse. Minor side plots are often resolved here.

5. Conclusion: There is a French word for this section of the plot, but since I can't muddle my way through the spelling, 'conclusion' it shall remain. The conclusion wraps up any plot threads left previously unresolved and the characters may receive time to reflect on their journey and what they learned from it one last time before the story ends. In the case of novels that are in a series, the seeds to the next main plot arc may be mentioned here, but not expounded on too much--that's what the next book is for, after all.

Keeping these things in mind, how does one make a plot? The answer to that is much more complex. Just as every artist has his or her own way of working, so too does every writer. Some artists might begin sketching their work with grids to proportion it before erasing extra lines and adding color. For the writer, the equivalent of that grid work would be an outline. An outline consists of writing all the main plot events in order from beginning to end and often takes meticulous planning before a word of actual story text is written.

However, for some, that might feel too constrictive to the creative flow. Some people enjoy writing down whatever comes to mind in prose form, allowing the characters to guide them and going back to revise and edit later to fix the inconsistencies. Others write draft after draft to gain perspective on what they want to do.

In short, the way a writer conceives and executes their plots is highly individual with no set formula. Experiment when you write your own. What works best for you? It might take some time to figure out, so don't be discouraged. Plot can be a difficult beast to wrangle with and even professional writers, if they're worth their salt, often confess to getting the plot to come together just so takes them longest to figure out.

Whichever way you want to construct your plot, there are some things you need to watch out for when you go back to add the finishing touches. Is everything consistent with your plot? Don't have your character eating pancakes in one paragraph and then switch to a bowl of cereal with no mention of pancakes in the next. It shows poor attention to detail and shoddy editing. Do the things your characters do and the changes they make to themselves and the world around them make sense? Don't have your character have hydrophobia at the beginning of the story and then by the end cure that fear with little to no easing into it. This brings me to the two different types of plot commonly found in fiction:

Character-driven storylines: Feature plots where progression takes place thanks to the actions of the characters themselves. Each action performed by them leads to a consequence, which in turn spurs another action to move the plot along and so on until the end of the story.

Plot-driven storylines: Feature plots where outside actions act on the characters and force them along in the story, a plot where character choices are largely influenced by outside things affecting them rather than their being proactive to a given situation and taking initiative.

Which is better? Ultimately, that's up to the writer. Character-driven plots generally permit for getting inside the characters themselves better and seeing what makes them tick whereas plot-driven storylines tend to have more action, but there are exceptions to every rule.

You'll also want to pay attention to plot holes in your work. When beginning a story, there must be logic applied to that setting/world that the characters and events need to revolve around. Plot holes are areas that defy this internal logic and/or leave very important questions unanswered that need to be addressed in the story in order for the final outcome to make sense. Avoid these like the plague. They'll confuse your reader and turn them off of your work. If in doubt when it comes to either including the answer to an important plot question or leaving it lie, include it. Don't churn out something half-baked and try to look clever when someone points out the inconsistency to you. Ideally, such flaws should be corrected either while you're revising, or, if you prefer, a beta reader. Something similar to this might be termed character holes, where your characters do/say illogical things for the sake of forcing the plot where you want it to go. Also not a great idea. If something feels forced, put it down and walk away for awhile. The plot should feel natural when you write and even if it takes a few drafts and revisions, trust me, it will serve you better in the long term.

Another contrivance you'll want to veer away from is what is known as a deus ex machina. Latin for 'god from the machine,' it means a plot happening that is highly improbable/impossible given the facts established earlier on in the work. This idea has branched out to also mean a quick and often trite ending to a serious problem established in a story. Let's say you have your main characters trapped against a wall with no way to defend themselves from an oncoming steamroller. There's nothing resembling magic in the world you've made, so doom seems certain. Right? Using a deus ex machina in this situation would be to suddenly have the steamroller stop, have the main antagonist get out, then fall to his knees and weep saying he's seen the light and error of his ways or having one of the main characters suddenly realize out of nowhere that he can go through walls. Sorry, with most audiences, that's not going to pass muster. You have to at least hint and build up to the plot's resolution in order to make things logical and believable. Just as with characters, believability is the key to keeping or losing an audience. Drop one hint or several if necessary, keep them subtle as you like, but make sure they add up to the conclusion you're aiming for when placed together.

For those of you interested in plot twists, a word to the wise. They can be tricky to pull off just so. Until you have your basics down, don't shoot for anything too dramatic with these. Keep it simple, remember what sort of knowledge you're hiding from who and when that person will figure it out and keep notes if you have to. A cheap binder or notebook usually works wonders for situations like those.

These things will take time and practice to learn, just as anything else with writing. Hang in there, and things will start to come together sooner than you may think.

As always, if anyone has any feedback, questions, or wants to know my opinion on something not addressed here, please note me or post a comment. Please keep in mind these are basic tips and no substitute for your own experience. Thanks for reading, everybody!

Other tutorials in this series:

On Mary-Sues: [link]

On characterization: [link]