The protagonist is always the character who is the most changed or transformed by the dramatic action in the story.At the Climax (the scene right before the Resolution at the end), the protagonist does something to "show" the ultimate change or transformation. Whatever she does at the Climax -- the crowning glory of the entire story -- she is unable to do anywhere else in the story. She has to first endure all the dramatic action that comes before in order to gain the abilities and skills and …
Foreshadowing
Whether you have a critique group or simply valued and trusted readers, you may receive feedback about some element not working in your story. Often the readers, in an attempt to be helpful, attempt to come up with reasons why something doesn't work or give advice about how to improve the questionable section(s).However, I usually find the problem occurs because the element -- plot twist, character reaction, goal, motivation, whatever -- comes out of the blue with no or little warning.A simple …
5 Key Scenes
Scene, moment, conflict, dilemma, loss, fear, etc. that forces protagonist to take immediate action -- Inciting IncidentScene or event that symbolizes the end of what was. The protagonist's goal shifts or takes on greater meaning and turns the story in a new direction, launching the character into the actual story world itself -- End of the Beginning (*)The moment the protagonist consciously makes a total commitment to achieving her goal and does something that signifies she has burned all …
Definition of Plot for Writers
Plot integrates dramatic action, a character’s emotional development, and thematic significance in a story. To further break down plot: PLOT is a series of scenes deliberately arranged by cause and effect to create dramatic action filled with conflict, tension, suspense, and/or curiosity to further the character’s emotional development and provide thematic significance What does that mean? A. Scenes Plot is a series of scenes that show outward action. Scenes are …
5 Reasons Writers Get Stuck
1) Writers Balk at Plot At the thought of plot and structure, writers’ palms turn sweaty and their hearts race. Why the visceral reaction? The act of creation generally comes from the right side of the brain and the linear, concrete structure of plot comes from the left, making structure for writers inherently counter-intuitive. At some point, however, every writer, even those who work out their stories on the page, requires some sort of structure in which to present their work. Plot is the …
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