QUICK PLOT SKETCHES
Mia Zachary copyright January 2003 
All contents are the work of the author unless otherwise credited

So you want to tell a story. You’ve got an idea and at least one character. You have worked out the GMC (goal, motivation & conflict) or as I prefer to use DRO (desire, reason & obstacle). Several scenes are playing in your head. Now, you need a plot. In this class, we’ll spend more time on the writing than the lecture, in order for you to have a first draft by the time we finish.

Plot and story are not the same thing. Plot is just one part of a story; it’s a series of events linked by either external circumstances or by the character’s actions. Story is a cohesive frame that binds the theme, premise, events and emotional development.

The Theme is the principle or lesson that underlines the overall story. Theme is the message you want to tell the reader, the foundation of your entire novel. In RED SHOES & A DIARY, the theme is redemption. Both my hero and heroine feel guilty and responsible for a tragic event in their past. Their most important actions and decisions in the story are motivated by the desire to make amends for a perceived fault.

The Premise is the main idea of the story. What is the central circumstance? What’s the backbone of the story? What question or questions do you want to answer by the end of the book? In RED SHOES the premise is, ‘Can a woman responsible for the death of a police officer find love with an undercover agent?’

Here are the elements of plot: backstory, plot points & turning points, black moment, reunion/ resolution.

Backstory is everything that happened to your character before the opening paragraphs of the book. It's a combination of upbringing, distant events and recent events. That’s a lot of baggage, but it’s vital to developing your characters, so focus on one or two key events that shaped the characters into who they are on page one of the story. What are they most afraid of? What will they fight to protect or fight to avoid?

Turning Points are Plot Points, but not all plot points are turning points. A plot point is an event or situation that moves the story forward. In romance they might be the set-up, the meeting, the first awareness, the first touch, the first kiss, etc.

A Turning Point is a major event or a complication that forces the character make a decision and possibly change direction. It shifts the story down a different road than anticipated [by the character, at least. Romance readers know what’s coming <g>]. Some examples of emotional turning points are the first realization of being in love, the first consummated love scene, the first declaration of love.

The First Turning Point is the Plan or Decision the character makes that commits them to a course of action. [In a Blaze, for example, the first turning point is when the hero and heroine agree to explore the sexual attraction between them.] It works best if it falls at the end of chapter three or four [to grab the editor’s attention and get them to ask for the full manuscript].

The Mid-Point is the Reversal. [Again in a Blaze, this is the moment when the characters realize there’s more than just physical chemistry – there’s also an emotional connection.] The mid-point usually precedes the first love scene. The Third Turning Point might be foreshadowed by a minor defeat and renewal of trust, but this is the Real Test that causes the characters to separate physically, emotionally or both. It’s the point of contention over which neither character is willing to compromise.

The Black Moment seems self-explanatory but it’s taken me years to understand what is really means. The black moment is not necessarily a huge, furious argument. It’s not necessarily the moment when the villain gets the upper hand. This is where two people who love each other realize that love isn’t always enough. This is the point where it seems the obstacles standing between them are too big to overcome and there’s no way they can be together.

Reunion and Resolution. These two words are the heart of Romance novels. This is what the reader has been waiting for for the last couple hundred pages so put as much thought, if not more, into this element as you did into your setup. What changes? What guides the character’s decision to try one last time and to make sacrifices in order to win back the person they love? What realizations about themselves and each other lead to the Happy Ever After?