Tuesday’s Tips. Plots: What is the point?

Ever wondered where ideas for stories come from? Ever thought about the difference between story and plot? If so, you won’t be alone. In this brief post, I take a look at the point of plot in a novel and why we can’t do without it.

I’ve never been short of ideas for stories. To be honest I’ve lived most of my life in a story world. It was more interesting than school and more comforting than reality because I could control what happened within the realms of my mind.

But story is not plot and, somehow, those busy ideas have to be fashioned into something that resemble a structure.

Plot is structure. Plot provides the bones off which the flesh of the story hangs. Without structure the mass of story lands in an unrecognisable heap on the page. Provide structure, and the story gains clarity, pace and purpose.

Clarity: Structure reveals the main components of the story that are then clothed in words. It provides a frame for the author and clarity for the reader.

Pace: with structure and clarity it is easier to identify the unnecessary elements that creep in and flounder about, weighing down the story and holding up the pace. The pace is the rhythm or heartbeat of a story, speeding up or slowing down depending on the action taking place and its position within the story. Pace helps keep a reader engaged.

Purpose: a great story is a wonderful thing and structure allows the purpose of the story to be made clear. Ever read a book where you get to the end and think so what? Structure helps make the purpose of the story more easily accessible to the reader.

Why do we need structure?

Clarity: Bring your story into focus

Pace: Keep your reader engaged

Purpose: Give them a reason to keep turning the pages until THE END.

But before plot and structure, there must be a story: where do the ideas come from and what if you can’t think of a story to tell? Let’s see where that thought takes us next time on Tuesday’s Tips.