Date:         Sat, 4 Jan 1997 20:23:06 EST
From: tink's ab trainer? <mbarker@MIT.EDU>
Subject:      EXERCISE: 20 Master Plots -- Part 1!

[intellectual theft?  but I left his words on the page, didn't I?
puzzled tink...]

Based on the book "20 Master Plots (And How to Build Them)" by Ronald B.
Tobias.  ISBN 0-89879-595-8.

(Fair Warning--We are in for a long and hearty pull, looking at 20
Plots!  So strap on your reading goggles and get ready to wro...er, make
that write.)

Before we get to the Master Plots, let's take a look at what Tobias calls
"common denominators."  Admittedly, you can (and probably will at some
point in your writing) break these.  But in general, we can say:

    1.  Make Tension Fuel Your Plot--tension, conflict, frustrated
intention, blocked movement...make your plot sizzle on the griddle,
not limp on the blimp!
    2.  Create Tension through Opposition--the antagonist thwarts the
protagonist.  Whether external person, place, or thing; or internal
doubts, fears, or flaws--make the opposition real.  Even paranoids
may have someone after them!
    3.  Make Tension Grow as Opposition Increases--start small.  then
crank the opposition up, tighten the tension.  And then up the ante
again, make the problem a life-or-death struggle, and test your
character against serious conflicts.
    4.  Make Change the Point of Your Story--your main character should
be a different person at the end.  Meaningful events change people in
meaningful ways--make sure your characters change.  (their underwear,
regularly, especially after those high tension moments)
    5.  When Something Happens, Make Sure It's Important--if it doesn't
contribute in a concrete way to your plot, cut it.
    6.  Make the causal look casual--cause and effect, yes, but if you
aren't careful, the reader will know you are leading them by the nose to
look at the footsteps in the garden and might suspect they will be an
important clue.  Instead, let them sniff the flowers, pet the dog, and
notice that the dog's tracks were mashing down the dirt like the other
footsteps there.
    7.  Make Sure You Leave Lady Luck and Chance to the Lottery--avoid
the happy coincidence; eschew the miraculous.
    8.  Make Sure Your Central Character Performs the Central Action of
the Climax--whoever wins, whoever makes the last throw, the great heave
that overturns everything--make sure that is your central character!

So?  How about we turn these into questions, okay?

    1.  What is the tension in your plot?
    2.  Who or What is the opposition in your plot?
    3.  What are the "steps" in increasing opposition/tension you will
use?
    4.  What is the change in your main character?
    5.  What are the important steps in your plot?
    6.  How are you going to "casually" bring in the important
information?
    7.  Is there something in your plot that depends on coincidence?
    8.  What is the main action of the climax?  Who does it?

Now, let's suppose you have a story around.  It can be one you have
already written (and want to tighten up) or one that you are thinking
about writing.

Take that story.  Answer each of the eight questions.  Take your time,
and think about your answers.

Then rewrite the story to stress these lowest common denominators.

And watch for the next step in these exercises, where we'll take on
Master Plot #1--The Quest!

[oh?  you want a one-sentence starter?  but...alright, give this a try:

    In the shadow of her attention, he hid the darkness.

there you go.  feel free to use this sentence to start something.  If
you prefer, you can also rearrange the sexes or assign names to person
one and person two.]

tink