The 7 Points of Write: An Essential Guide to Mastering the Art of Storytelling, Developing Strong Characters, and Setting Memorable Scenes (7 page)

This scene is much like those scenes in films where an ordinary Joe is trying to diffuse a bomb based on instructions from supposed experts stationed offsite. Tension and suspense exist in the possibility of the wrong wire being cut and the bomb going off, but when the bomb is defused, we all breathe easy and enjoy the scene that plays out. The same holds true here. When there are rises and falls in your dialogue exchanges, coupled with information flows that reveal new things to the reader as well as elements that advance the plot, you’ve got the makings of a great scene of dialogue.

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HARACTER DEVELOPMENT IS SOMETHING
I tend to look for most in novels, especially when the material is character-driven rather than plot-driven. If a story centers more on plot and action, then I will be inclined to lend greater consideration to the symmetry of the plot—whether there is a harmonious arrangement of the rudiments in the overall story; whether the story rises and falls with creative tension; and whether the author maintains a narrative and thematic balance. Be it character- or plot-driven, however, the story must be well-structured, being set inside a sturdy framework that includes a strong beginning, a captivating middle, and a satisfying end, with the usual character arcs and ebb and flow of events therein.

Martha Alderson, an author, teacher, and plot consultant, has this to say about writers who prefer to write either character-driven or plot-driven stories:

Interestingly enough, I am drawn to both models; but, as you would expect, for different reasons. Regardless of which side of the brain you the writer tend to tap into most, it is important that you have, at the very least, a loose view of the overall plot. If you don’t know where your story is going, it may not be pleasant when you arrive at the final destination, particularly for the reader. Whether you arrive at that destination by mapping out your entire book with meticulous care, or you enjoy working things out on the page while relying on a loose plot, that’s up to you. The point is that a plot is necessary.

Having said that, I will also say this: sticking faithfully to a plot is like thinking of driving a made-up route along imaginary roads in a country you’ve never visited or researched, only to actually arrive in that country and begin traveling their real roads while trying to stick to your imaginary route. You’ll find that it is necessary to adapt to the road ahead of you and follow a trajectory you hadn’t considered. Plotting a book is the same. Plots should not be set in stone; they should only act as guideposts along your story’s winding path, because that plot will evolve and grow somewhat of its own accord as your tale unwinds and characters come to life. And there is no way you can clearly envision or foresee events that will occur down the stretch while you are mapping out the plot at the book’s outset. Overplotting also bogs down a story.

Of course, plotting has a great many detractors, those who view it as a crutch or a tool to be used only in utter desperation, but history has it that great plots have existed in the most popular tales in each and every era. Kate Mosse, an author who has taught a Guardian Masterclass on plot has this to say:

Pound for pound, plots are important to storytelling. I’ll go so far as to say that the plot itself is in fact the story. Without a plot, all you’d be left with are a series of events that involve the same characters. There wouldn’t be a seamless journey with a beginning, middle, and end, but probably random, character-driven scenes that go nowhere and everywhere at once. You will have a story filled with characters that are floating aimlessly, and the story itself will have no end in sight, no solid destination, and no real anchor points to ground it. You don’t want to have your characters floating aimlessly. You want them to have purpose, and you want the story to reach a satisfying conclusion. Consider the ending before you begin the story.

We human beings need goals. We need something to strive toward, something that fills us with a sense of purpose. Consider this: if you have ever held a job where you were given a menial task to accomplish, how much satisfaction did you gain from it? Even employers know that employees need something extra to keep them going. A good project manager will find meaningful tasks for their team members, and once those tasks are complete, he or she will find new tasks for them. We always look forward to new goals and are often given new tasks in life. We seek to earn diplomas and degrees, get a driver’s license, land a challenging or interesting career. We become scientists with the hope of discovering something new, or doctors bent on finding the cure for diseases. In short, we need goals, tasks, and direction in life. Your characters do as well. So before you even jot down the first letter of the first word in your story or novel, you must consider where you’re going with it before you get there. And most importantly, have an end in sight. This will be very conducive to forming a well-structured tale.

Plotting is planning, and it takes a good plan to accomplish most anything worthwhile. What’s more, the plot is perhaps your first connection to the reader, the element that draws them in and keeps them hooked on your story.

One of the first things we read is the book blurb, which in most cases summarizes the main plot and gives us a taste of the overall story we can expect to encounter. At times a good plot summary is all it will take to pique our interest and get us to dive into a new tale. And when that tale gives us a little of what we expected, based on the plot or plan that was briefly laid out, we are satisfied that it met said expectations. Of course, the story elements that form the bigger picture, which cannot be condensed into a synopsis, will do the trick of taking things to the next level and exceed our expectations. But it is the plot that keeps us truly hooked. We want to see what will become of our hero or villain, whether a prize will truly be won or what consequences will arise from a poor decision or rash action. These are all clever plot devices, and they can be used to great effect to keep your readers turning the pages. That said, a writer must be careful to allow their plot to develop naturally and not force elements that will leave the story a contrived, overplotted mess. All of this takes a great deal of practice. You’ll have to actually write, read, write, and read some more. In essence, you need to become a student of storytelling.

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According to British literary critic Christopher Booker, despite the untold number of tales that have ever been told, each can only fall within seven basic plots, which are as follows:

You can hang just about any story, novel, film, or play on one of these seven basic plots. And the book or story you will write can hang on one as well, if it is written thoughtfully. You should have a clear enough view of your story to know which basic plot it will hang on, however, so that you plan or plot it out with that in mind.

The first thing a story must do is hook the reader, if not from the very first sentence, then the first paragraph (and forbid that you don’t do it there, let’s aim for the first page at the very least). The idea is to center your entire story around an incident, from which the plot will develop. This should come early on. Some stories present it in the very first sentence—“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” This is from
Pride & Prejudice
, whose story can be summed up in that one sentence. The story itself springs primarily out of an incident that is presented on the very first page. We hear of a man of great fortune named Bingley, who has taken residence nearby. What’s more, he is said to be single, which is a fortunate business since there are several daughters of a marriageable age residing in the home of the central characters of this chapter.

So an initial story incident is of vital importance if you intend to hook your readers early on. The next thing you have to do is build on that initial incident, layering your plot with tension-filled scenes and character motivations that will propel them toward something for which you will create setbacks and complications. And all the while you will be thinking of where your story is going, what your characters will encounter, and how they will react to situations you will create. You will eventually see your story play out in your head like a film—beginning, middle, and end, and all you have to do is capture it on paper. Bring it to life. But that you will have to learn to do on your own. I can assure you that once you have a full view of your story, once it is fairly organized in your head or in plot form on paper, you will find that it is far easier to tell that story. It will flow from you like fond memories that have made indelible marks in your heart.

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In the film industry, set design is of paramount importance. Film actors, like stage actors, need a stage to work on, and the set designer is the one responsible for creating the most realistic and dynamic background for the actors so that their characters can come to life. If the stage is authentic enough, an actor can lose him- or herself in the make-believe world around them and deliver a memorable and moving performance. Set design is just as important in novels, but setting a literary scene is different from setting a literal one. When you place your character in a room or a desert or ski resort or wherever, that setting has to feel so authentic that the reader is actually transported into the character’s body as they experience that particular scene.