warped_pearl (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
warped_pearl) wrote2004-06-18 02:51 pm
warped_pearl) wrote2004-06-18 02:51 pm
20 Master Plots, part three: Use the Strong Force, Luke!
So now we know the eight basic Lowest Common Denominators of plot. Great! Let's get plotting!
Not so fast. First we need to understand the two basic types of plots: plots of the body, and plots of the mind.
Plots of the Body
This is your basic action plot. It's Indiana Jones and James Bond. The emphasis is on the adventures your main character undergoes. "What happens next?" is what the readers want to know.
Action plots often do not have very developed characters. They also tend to focus on local tension rather than deep tension. This doesn't necessarily make them bad literature; there is plenty of demand for a good action story. As long as it is compelling, it will find an audience. Action flicks, westerns, and science fiction can all fall in this category.
Plots of the Mind
Plots of the mind explore human nature and relationships. It's all about idea and meaning, and heavy on the deep tension. Comedy also often falls into this category, as (according to TObias) "comedy is deception: mistaken identities, double meanings, confusion."
The Strong Force
Your plot does not have to be exclusively a plot of the body or plot of the mind. Joss Whedon insisted that the network use the full title of his TV show about a high school girl who fights demons, as the title summarized the three emphases of the show: Buffy (comedy) the Vampire (horror) Slayer (action).
However, every plot should emphasize either the plot of the body or plot of the mind. This is your strong force. Buffy's strong force was the latter; what drove the plot every week was Buffy's internal struggles with her calling in life, and her relationships with her friends, lovers, and adult authority figures.
Choose scenes, characters, and oppositions that consistently match your strong force, and you'll have a winning story.
Not so fast. First we need to understand the two basic types of plots: plots of the body, and plots of the mind.
Plots of the Body
This is your basic action plot. It's Indiana Jones and James Bond. The emphasis is on the adventures your main character undergoes. "What happens next?" is what the readers want to know.
Action plots often do not have very developed characters. They also tend to focus on local tension rather than deep tension. This doesn't necessarily make them bad literature; there is plenty of demand for a good action story. As long as it is compelling, it will find an audience. Action flicks, westerns, and science fiction can all fall in this category.
Plots of the Mind
Plots of the mind explore human nature and relationships. It's all about idea and meaning, and heavy on the deep tension. Comedy also often falls into this category, as (according to TObias) "comedy is deception: mistaken identities, double meanings, confusion."
The Strong Force
Your plot does not have to be exclusively a plot of the body or plot of the mind. Joss Whedon insisted that the network use the full title of his TV show about a high school girl who fights demons, as the title summarized the three emphases of the show: Buffy (comedy) the Vampire (horror) Slayer (action).
However, every plot should emphasize either the plot of the body or plot of the mind. This is your strong force. Buffy's strong force was the latter; what drove the plot every week was Buffy's internal struggles with her calling in life, and her relationships with her friends, lovers, and adult authority figures.
Choose scenes, characters, and oppositions that consistently match your strong force, and you'll have a winning story.