Brief Summary
This video provides a breakdown of the essential elements of plotting for writers, aiming to make the process less daunting. It identifies three key components: establishing a protagonist's objectives, defining the stakes involved in achieving those objectives, and creating obstacles that hinder their progress. The video also offers a practical exercise to help writers apply these elements to their own stories and encourages them to consider these aspects to create a compelling narrative.
- Protagonist needs to have clear objectives from the beginning of the story.
- Stakes are the underlying human emotion behind your character's objective.
- Obstacles create narrative tension.
Identify Your Protagonist’s Objectives
The first essential element of plotting is identifying what your protagonist wants. From the beginning of the story, the protagonist needs to be actively seeking to achieve a specific goal. While these objectives can evolve as the story progresses, the character should always be striving for something. This objective is crucial for connecting the reader to the protagonist and investing them in their journey. A clear objective acts as the "North Star" of the story, driving the plot forward and providing direction. It's important to ensure the protagonist's objective is concrete and tangible, rather than vague. For example, instead of wanting "to find love," a more effective objective would be wanting "to go on a date with a specific character." If the main character's objective changes, this exercise should be repeated for each new objective.
Establish the Stakes
Establishing the stakes is the next essential element, which involves defining what the protagonist stands to gain or lose by achieving or failing to achieve their objective. Consider how reaching their goal will improve their life and what opportunities it will unlock. If the stakes are too low or non-existent, readers may lose interest in the story. The stakes provide the underlying human emotion that drives the character towards their objective. For instance, if the protagonist's objective is to go on a date, the stakes might be the fear of being teased for being the only one who hasn't been kissed, thus tying the date to their desire to fit in socially.
Create Obstacles That Get in the Way
The third key element of plot is creating obstacles that impede the protagonist's progress toward their goal. These obstacles generate conflict and narrative tension, keeping the story engaging. Without obstacles, the plot loses momentum and the reader becomes bored. It's important to make the protagonist work for their objective, avoiding convenient or coincidental plot points. Obstacles should feel realistic and true to the novel's world. These obstacles can be other characters (antagonists or villains) or even internal struggles within the protagonist themselves. While there's no set number of obstacles required, each objective should have at least one obstacle working against it.
