Renewing an overused Plot
by Lee
(Philippines)
Hi, good day. I am a frustrated writer. My editor always say that my plots are too shallow, that I must have put a little twist in it. How can I write a plot that will look like new to my editor?
Answer: Without knowing exactly the problem your editor has identified, here are some possibilities.
1. The most obvious: if you are working with a traditional plot, change it somehow. Some people argue that most stories fall into one of a handful of archetypal plots. What makes them different is the variations in the way they are illustrated. Surely, you want to write something you have never seen before. Perhaps that means changing...
a) The Characters. Could your traditional story happen to unlikely people or people with very different personalities than has been done before? What if your story is set in a different culture? How will you translate the values, the attitudes, the beliefs from one culture to another?
b) Setting. Star Wars gave us a medieval romance in a high-tech setting. Harry Potter took traditional wizards and put them in the modern world. Twilight put vampires in high school. Firefly gave us a Western in space. What new setting can you put your story in?
c) Theme.
d) Subject matter. Murder mysteries, for example, are always looking for new venues where crime can happen. For instance, instead of putting the murder into the world of upper class estates, you can set it in the world of fashion design, rodeos, architecture, island resorts, professional sports (any community will do) and make the solution hinge on an understanding of that world.
2. If your stories seem shallow, ask yourself if you have developed all four throughlines. At a minimum, in addition to the overall story, you should develop the main character's inner conflict and structure that conflict in an arc. You want your main character to face a personal crisis in addition to the external crisis. You might also develop the impact character and relationship throughlines to add other layers of conflict and emotion.
See this article as an introduction...
https://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/writing-an-outline.html
3. Draw upon real life and people you know. Life offers a wide range of experiences and personalities that have not been exhausted in fiction. If you take elements from life and put them into a traditional story structure, but in a way that they still feel real, you can create stories that seem more original.
- Home
- Plot Questions
- Renewing an overused Plot
Search this site...
|
||
| site search by freefind |
100% Human Generated Content!
All
articles on this website were written by a human being -- one possessed of flaws and limitations, but also with a personal perspective and a desire to help fellow
writers. No article on this site was written by or with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI).
Popular Articles
Mini-Course
Never be stuck for a great story idea again! This online mini-course will show you how to create simple ideas for original characters and build a plot around each character that contains the essential elements needed for a compelling story.
Recent Postings
-
Trauma And Superpowers: How Do They Connect?
Question: I'm currently writing a story where MC1 can control darkness, MC2 can control plants, and MC3 can control machines. I want them to experience -
Using the actual names of people and places in memoir...
Question: I am writing a memoir of my years as a teacher. If I want to use real names, what is the protocol/requirement for getting permission? (Changing -
How to Write a Thriller
See how to write a thriller story -- the essential traits and plot structure.
"I've read more than fifty books on writing, writing novels, etc., but your website has the most useful and practical guidance. Now that I understand how a novel is structured, I will rewrite mine, confident that it will be a more interesting novel." - Lloyd Edwards
"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 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.
"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
"I came across your website by chance. It is a plethora of
knowledge, written in a simplistic way to help aspiring writers. I
truly appreciate all of the information you have provided to help me
successfully (relative term) write my novel. Thank you very much!" - Leo T. Rollins
"I
can honestly say that this is the first website that is really helpful.
You manage to answer complex questions in relatively short articles and
with really intelligent answers. Thank you for taking the time to write
these articles and sharing them so generously." - Chrystelle Nash
"...had no idea that a simple click would give me such a wealth of valuable information. The site not only offered extremely clear and helpful instructions but was a very enjoyable read as well. The education from your wonderful site has made me a better writer and your words have inspired me to get back to work on my novel. I wish to give you a heartfelt thanks for How to Write a Book Now, sir." -- Mike Chiero