Plotting


When I begin a short story or a novel I like to have a firm idea of the plot in my mind. Once my imagination is pre-loaded I flesh out characters and work through various outcomes. I do best when I have the rough draft of six major scenes. If I do not know some key things going into a story I usually fail to connect enough to finish it.

I wrote a post about plotting about this time last year. 

What’s in a Plotline

  • Main Character
  • 2nd Character
  • Setting, Situation
  • Theme 
  • Character Action

Each of these items combine to make a plot line. Add some dialog and poof… 

I am going to borrow a Randomly Generated Plot Line and paste it below. Please feel free to work on this prompt and drop it in a reply box below. 

Two Men at a Campfire
  • A man in his early forties, who can be quite imaginative.
  • A man in his early thirties, who is very manipulative.
  • The story begins at a camp-site.
  • Someone takes the law into their own hands.
  • It’s a story about sacrifice.
  • Your character takes control of the situation.