Plot ( Part 2 )

In Donna's previous article she discussed four factors to develop a good plot.  Now let’s consider five more.  Plot is crucial to having good fiction.  You may think that a romance is all about the people - that's not true.  If you want the reader to commit to your writing you need  to give careful consideration to the plot.

Setting

The best way to get your reader involved is to describe what the surroundings are.  First ask yourself some questions. Where is the story taking place? What is the landscape? What time in history? What social structure are the characters under.  When answering these questions we can start to develop an effective setting.

Be careful in your details.  You will need to decide how much description is needed.  We don’t want to give so many precise details that our reader is overwhelmed and weighed down.  Or  may eventually become bored.  So consider what your story needs to capture your reader, do you need to describe every inch of the house or can a general description work?  To enhance the house you could add smells, textures even sounds.

Fully Develop the Characters

Once our setting is established let’s go back and look at our characters.  How will they interact with each other.  Can there be any overlapping with different characters?  If so; again it would be wise to have a mapping of ideas so you can visualize how the characters are being developed.  Ask questions to delve into the whys of the character.  Such as why does he speak that way?  Any personality quirks? Make sure to write the answers to develop the character as much as possible.  It is good to remember that we want the character to evolve throughout the story - so don’t make them too rigid.  If the characters will interact, help them to get the best out of each character.

Events

Outlining the events will help the story flow.  No event should be random.  For the plot to be clear the events need proper cohesion.  If there is going to be a proper conflict, events need to lead up to it.  As events unfold there should be enough information that our readers are not lost; but they want to keep reading.  The progression of events needs to be logical so we can arrive at the climax of the story.  Over the course of the story the events should be in a sequence giving rising action so the reader is involved and ready.  These events will also help to develop the characters personalities.  How they react to situations.

Creating an Interesting Climax

This is the part of our plot where the characters will face their greatest challenge.  As characters are developed and the events unfold this should lead to our plot climax also.  Generally this is near the end of the story.  The main character will go through events that may seem defeating and (if we want a happy ending) will miraculously come through. If we want to keep our readers in suspense and give us the chance to provide a sequel, then we can leave the ending open with some unanswered questions.

Falling Action

This helps us sum up our happy ending.  After the climax the falling action brings back calm again.  This shouldn’t be written quickly and without forethought - don't assume this is an unimportant detail.  A fast ending can leave a reader feeling annoyed that they invested time reading your novel only to be jilted in the end.  So take your time to neatly clear everything up and leave your readers wanting more.

Now that you have developed your plot it’s time to start writing.