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Ask Your Plot Questions ... And We'll Try To Answer Them!

Here is where you can ask your plot questions and we will try to answer them.

Plotting a novel can be a difficult task for beginning writers. It is in many ways a left-brain activity, one that requires a logical, often linear perspective, whereas many writers think holistically, following feelings rather than logic.

Yet, plot cannot be strictly linear either. Passion, emotion, and characterization are closely entwined with a good plot. It is the combination of linear and holistic requirements that results in a rich story. No wonder plot is such a complex topic resulting in so much confusion!

Naturally, we will answer most plot questions from a Dramatica point of view, since that is the model we most like to work with. It is the most complete story model we have come across. At the same time, we don't expect you to be an expert in the theory. We will try to keep our answers simple and practical.

Also, for answers to some of the basic plot questions, check out our page on novel writing or the page on fiction techniques.

You can search this site to see if your topic has been addressed elsewhere. Just enter your search term in this box...

Custom Search

And don't forget to check out some of the questions that have already been asked by other readers. You'll find links to these below.

Otherwise, feel free to submit your question below...

Have a Question Regarding Plot?

Submit a question about plot or story structure here. If we feel we can provide an answer that will benefit other visitors and that the question has not already been addressed at length elsewhere on this site, we will post it. (We also invite you to comment on questions others have submitted.)

Type your topic here

Plot Questions Other Visitors Have Asked

Click below to read questions other visitors have asked, and our answers...

Plot Development  starstarstarstarstar
Question: Hi. I am a student at Sol Feinstone Elementary School, and my teacher has asked me to create a powerpoint on how to have a good plot development....

Imply this?  starstarstarstarstar
Question: I decided that one of my characters is unable to have children. To keep it simple here, magic is behind the reason why she can not. I've worried ...

Filling in the Middle  starstarstarstarstar
Question: I have a story idea with three MC's, and I know how it starts out, and I know how it ends. However, I cannot find any conflicts that make ...

Book PARTS  starstarstarstarstar
Question: As I build my outline (using your INCREDIBLY helpful articles here on this site. THANK you!) I have easily found an overall main character ...

Plot Outline vs. Synopsis  starstar
Question: what is the difference between a plot outline and a synopsis?

Answer: You may find some people use these terms interchangeably. However,...

How can I write this scene?  Not rated yet
Question: So I'm writing along, and then suddenly I get to a point in the story that I haven't thought through completely. And I'm stuck.

I want to ...

Is my plot any good?  Not rated yet
Question: I am a young writer and I love wolves, werewolves, sci-fi, and that kind of stuff. But I was wondering if this would be a good plot. By the ...

Intensifying the Story Problem  Not rated yet
Question: During which time in the plot should you add elements to intensify the problem?

Answer: Generally speaking, the problem or problems faced ...

Plot is my weakness  Not rated yet
Question: Hello. Now that I'm seriously writing more and working on my novel, I'm find out that I'm really good at the creative writing part. But the ...

The Very First Chapter  Not rated yet
Question: Thanks to this website, I now have a solid plotline that I can work off of. I better understand the roles that my characters play, and tweaked ...

Consequence Element  Not rated yet
Queston: Consequence Element: Avoiding the consequence justifies the effort required in pursuing the story goal both to the characters in your novel ...

My genre is "Paranormal Romance" .   Not rated yet
Question: I am writing a novel and I'm wondering if the romance between the hero and the heroine should take precedence over the main goal of the story?...

Two events novel  Not rated yet
Question: I'm working on a novel which only has two major events. A guy studies abroad, and gets involved in a human trading crime, a hundred pages are ...

2 Story Goals?  Not rated yet
Question: Can a main character have 2 story goals or should there only be one main goal that takes precedence over all others?

Answer: In a fully ...

Plot  Not rated yet
Question: Please, can the main character in Middle Grade novel use magic to kill another kid who wanted to kill him?
The MC felt that, if he does ...

Plot / pace  Not rated yet
Question: This question may seem a bit ambiguous, but how do you know if your writing is too fast-paced or slow-paced? I know that some people prefer ...

Story structure  Not rated yet
Question: Can I paint a character black and even make readers think he is the antagonist only to find in the second book that he wasn't a bad person ...

Does every story need antagonist?  Not rated yet
Question: If I have a problem to solve and the hero has already enough obstacles, do I still need a bad guy?

Answer: Not every antagonist is human....

Antagonist's Motive  Not rated yet
Question: In my plot the antagonist is seeking revenge while the protagonist's main motive is to stay alive. Is there anything specific I need to add ...

Switching Story Goals  Not rated yet
Question: Is it okay for your main character to switch their main story goal halfway through the story or does that lead to an unsatisfying story?

Answer:...

A bit of a Moral Issue  Not rated yet
Question: My main character is being forced by the Mafia to kill the King of the Land. If he refuses, he'll be killed by the Mafia and they'll find someone ...

Holding back information  Not rated yet
Question: This is a rather specific question. I had an idea in my story for one of my characters to fake his own death to escape from danger. However ...

Scene Structure  Not rated yet
Question: After I write out a basic outline for my story I start writing scenes but they seemed to come up short. Is there any way I can structure a ...

Scenes  Not rated yet
Question: Would you please explain what a successful scene should do.

Answer: There are of course two definitions of scenes.

The first definition,...

Must I Have/Rely Upon A Formal "Story Problem" Statement?  Not rated yet
Question: My character faces a gut-wrenching life or death decision at the climax of my novel. It evolves inexorably through earlier events, along the ...

Creating Story Events  Not rated yet
Question: One of the questions I find most important is creating events. I can imagine an event but when I look at it I don't find it connected to the ...

Transitions from scene to scene  Not rated yet
Question: What are the smoothest ways to write a transition from one scene to another scene in an entirely different location within the same chapter?...

Plotting & Outlining  Not rated yet
Question: I am severely confused on the whole procedure required to outline a novel's plot. First of all, what is a plot, really? And can it be used ...







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"I am so glad I found your site. It has helped me in so many ways, and has given me more confidence about myself and my work. Thank you for making this valuable resource, for me and my fellow writers. Perhaps you'll hear about me someday...I'll owe it to you." - Ruth, Milton, U.S.A.



"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus

"I never knew what to do with all the characters in my head, but since discovering Dramatica I am writing again in my spare time. Thank you for making this available. Yes, it is a bit complex, and it does take time, but I love it because it works." - Colin Shoeman