Background – Plot Creation
Plot creation can be a somewhat personal experience. And I will be the first to admit that my methods can often be haphazard.
So sometimes, for me, plots come from prompts (my own or others’) or even from dreams. Or I will connect seemingly disparate things, people, scenes, characteristics, etc.
In addition, I like to engage in what I like to call thought experiments. So why is something the way it is? And what happens if one key element changes? Does the thing fall apart? Or can it become something new and different? Or even better?
A big part of writing well is making your plot—even if you’re mostly flying by the seat of your pants.
Getting to the Point
Because I tend to plan out what I write, I often write with a point in mind. Now, this isn’t necessarily that I want to lecture anyone. Instead, it’s more that I want to say something perhaps a smidgen grander than just the plot and the characters.
For example, the point of Untrustworthy is about not letting your personal freedoms slip away. The point of the Obolonks is to look beyond the surface at people. So for The Enigman Cave, the point is that evolution works, no matter where you go.
In addition, in Real Hub, the point is to set aside class and wealth and judge intelligence and talent instead. And finally, in Mettle, the point is to work together for the greater good.
The Germ of an Idea
But before we can get to the point, we have to start from somewhere. For Untrustworthy, The Enigman Cave, and The Real Hub of the Universe, a killer opening line drove the plot bus.
Untrustworthy: There was nothing easy about it.
The Enigman Cave: Life is common.
The Real Hub of the Universe: The greatest treasure in the galaxy is the truth.
Other plots came about in other ways (of course). The Obolonks originally came from two things. One was a means of using The Wizard of Oz in a perverse fashion. The other was to show a tripartite society.
Mettle absolutely came out of a thought experiment: what would happen if some of the elements on the periodic table started to disappear?
And Time Addicts came about because I wanted to see what could happen if you could travel in time by taking drugs. Drugs led to the idea of addicts, and I was off to the races.
Plot Creation: Some Takeaways
Let your mind wander as you consider plots. Have you ever wondered about something or other? Or have you thought: I can do or make something better than what’s out there? Those can form the framework for plots!
How do YOU create a plot? Here’s how I do it. #amwriting