Alchemy is the seemingly miraculous power or process of change in form, appearance or nature.
In writing, dramatic action that transmutes the character at depth over time magically produces thematic significance — the gold.
Spend the 1st quarter, the Beginning, of a story gathering and showing the ingredients of the experiment.
In the Middle, apply heat in the form of outer and inner forces to test, challenge and hinder. Antagonists work well. As the energy blazes ever higher, keep an eye on the character.
In the final quarter of the story, the End, the Climax reveals the final transformation as the protagonist emerges changed at depth. The conclusion left behind form the meaning of the story. The act of writing becomes the miraculous act of alchemy at the exact moment of thematic significance.
To familiarize yourself with the Universal Story and the basic plot terms in the above blog post:
1) Read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master (The companion workbook is coming this summer and available for pre-order now ~~ The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories)
2) Watch the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. A directory of all the steps to the series is to the right of this post. 27-step tutorial on Youtube
3 Watch the Monday Morning Plot Book Group Series on YouTube. A directory the book examples and plot elements discussed is to the left of this post.
For additional tips and information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
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