Writing to Read Fiction: How and Why to Write About Plot

What if I told you the best way to learn how to create amazing plots and characters in your own stories was by purposeful osmosis? Commencement, of course, I might have to explain that "purposeful osmosis" means reading lots and lots of books and watching lots and lots of movies–andconsciously studying what it is about them that works. With that explanation out of the style, chances are you're in agreement. Only chances are, you're too not entirely certain how to really brand this happen. Just howdo yous figure out how to written report plot and character in other people's stories?

Not too long ago, Wordplayer K.M. Updike (she of the rad initials!) emailed me, asking:

[What is] your procedure for studying the plot, structure, character arcs, etc., of the books you read and the movies you lookout? I've been wondering for a while how one goes virtually studying the writer'southward work equally they read/watch.

This is an excellent question. After all, information technology's piece of cake for Stephen King to say:

Don't get me wrong: this is a tremendous piece of advice. But it'due south also pretty vague.

That's it? We just …read? And the answers will, what? Come to us?

Yes, actually. To some extent anyway. The more we read and watch good (and bad) stories, the ameliorate our own storytelling instincts volition get–without our having to do even i thing more.

But in the involvement of upping our game here, how near wepractise a few things more? Today, I'm going to give you an actionable programme for how to study plot and graphic symbol (and lots more) in your favorite stories.

ane. Starting time With an Action Plan

The starting time stride in being purposeful is, of course, to have a purpose. Often, you may simply want to discover the books you read and the movies you lot watchgenerally, letting the story's ain strengths and weaknesses guide your written report. But it can assist you lot dig down deeper if you have a list of things you lot desire to consciously pay attending to.

I recommend ashort list. The shorter, the better, in fact.

Why? Because your encephalon can only keep track of and so many tangents at once (says the woman with twenty tabs open in her browser). You'll get better results if y'all focus on one or two primary elements or techniques at a time.

For example, lately, I've been concentrating on dialogue (both because it's something I'grand working on myself and considering I'm planning a series of blog posts on dialogue for old next year). I scout the ebb and flow of dialogue, taking notation of what works and what doesn't. What'south the effect–and why did the author intend it?

This isn't to say, of course, that you tin can't too take note of anything interesting, in any category, that reveals itself. But onlyconsciously follow sure rabbits downward their holes.

2. Arm Yourself With Highlighters and Pens

This is for serious studiers only. Seriously, I only practise this 1 when I'm in full battle way (e.g., like when I was dissecting Charlotte Brontë'sJane Eyre, and then I could write near its vivid techniques inJane Eyre: The Author's Digest Annotated Classic).

This is where you're going to desire to split up your studying into a few more categories–one for each color of highlighter. Go through the book, highlighting appropriately, whenever you find an interesting passage. Write notes with carelessness in the margins. Then, when you've finished, go throughonce again and type upwards your notes, expanding on them to fully tape your reactions and new noesis.

I say this is just for serious studiers primarily considering this is a fast track to interfering with reading-equally-pure-pleasance (and also to making a mess of your paperbacks).

This is rigorous studying at its best and volition require your full brain power. No reading-to-go-to-sleep when you're doing this.

three. Break Down the Structure

The surest way to go a grasp on plot and story structure is by consciously breaking down the structure in books and movies–every bit I do regularly for the Story Structure Database. How practice I exercise this?

Kickoff with an easy shortcut: divide the total folio count of a book or the full running time of a film by eight. Why? Because the major structural moments happen at each eighth of the story:

1. Inciting Issue (12%)

2. First Plot Bespeak / Cease of the First Deed (25%)

3.First Compression Point (37%)

4.Midpoint / Halfway through the Second Act (50%)

five. Second Compression Point (62%)

6. Third Plot Point / Commencement of 3rd Human activity (75%)

7. Climax (88%)

For movies, I utilise my handy dry-erase board notebook to note the estimate minute of each turning bespeak, so I tin easily picket the run time and take annotation of what's happening.

For books, I use piffling Book Darts bookmarks to marker the appropriate folio at each turning indicate.

This way, I'm non totally adrift within the story. I tin can sentinel the clock or the page count and know to exist on the picket for the respective structural moment roundabout there.

This is a fabulous way to grasp story construction as a whole and, just as importantly, to understand how the various structural elements can manifest in vastly different ways from story to story.

You can study my many examples in the Story Structure Database.

4. Examine Your Reactions

Whenever you finish a story, give yourself a moment before rushing off to the next thing. But sit in that location and call up about your reactions to what you just experienced. Enquire yourself:

• How did the story make you lot feel?

• What did you like about information technology?

• What did yous dislike?

• Do you think information technology was an objectively good story?

• Did yous dislike it anyway? Why?

• Do yous think it was an objectively problematic or evenbad story?

• Did you like it anyway? Why?

Within the answers to these questions lies your greatest opportunity for growth as a writer. If you tin can distill your oftentimes nebulousfeelings almost a story down into logical facts nearly whatmade you lot experience that way, you lot volition then be able to add together other authors' effective weapons to your own armory.

I employ this technique after every story I read or watch. It's where I get the ideas for fully half the posts on this site.

5. Transcribe the Prose

This trick is especially useful if you're trying to crack the code of, non just great storytelling, only greatwriting. What is it about some authors' prose that makes it sing so effortlessly and powerfully? The whole bespeak of bully prose is that it'due south flawless: we're not supposed to think about it, we're not supposed to see the cracks where the pieces are joined together. If nosotros saw the cracks, that would defeat the whole purpose.

As a event, butreading peachy prose isn't always the most effective way to learn how to write awesome prose of your own. What you need to practice is sit down with a notebook and pen and a favorite book–and starting time transcribing passages. I recommend doing this longhand, with an actual pen, since this will tiresome you downward and force y'all to think near and absorb each word and punctuation selection.

I used to do this every day, and it never failed to amaze me how it allowed me to of a sudden see the building blocks the authors had used in crafting their prose. Their seemingly inimitable mastery of wordcraft was suddenly inside my grasp. It was something I could learn–and that you lot tin too!

Afraid Studying Will Ruin Your Reading? Don't Exist

Although you can learn from other authors, such as me, who break down stories and share what they're learning in blogs and books, you'll get more out of the experience by besides doing information technology yourself. Kickoff approaching your book reading and movie watching purposefully with an intent to logically identify and utilize the tools handed to you lot by authors you dearest.

Simply what if information technology ruins your reading and watching?

Information technology'due south true, information technology might. Some authors use these practices and discover themselves growing hypecritical. But, frankly, information technology shouldn't. The more I learn to identify how other authors are using the craft, themore I capeesh their stories. Give it a effort. You'll transform both your appreciation of stories in generaland your own writing.

Wordplayers, tell me your stance! What methods take you used to figure out how to study plot and character in your favorite stories? Tell me in the comments!

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Source: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-study-plot-and-character/