You have a plot idea. Maybe it came to you while you were falling asleep on the couch, or perhaps something that has been living in your notebook for months. Either way, you cannot find a way to turn that idea into a novel.
You may already be familiar with story structure. You might even have researched for hours and still be unsure of how to get it on paper. In this guide, we will learn how to outline a plot by using three different steps: central conflict, events, and scenes. Nothing too theoretical, just questions in need of answers.
Start Plotting with a Clear Central Conflict
The building blocks of a story are conflict. Not a negative incident, but a central conflict driving the story forward. In definition, a central conflict is an obstacle preventing your protagonist from getting what they want.
To have a central conflict. You must answer these two questions.
- What does your protagonist want?
- What is standing in their way?
A central conflict can be illustrated by a man who is in love with his best friend but cannot confess his feelings to her, fearing it would ruin their friendship. It can also be described as follows: A girl must find a rare plant to cure her ailing mother.
You can come up with a central conflict by asking questions. Start with your protagonist.
- What do they desire more than anything?
- What is preventing them from getting it?
- What is at stake if they fail?
It is important to know these things before writing a novel. Your protagonist’s desires, the obstacles they face, along with what is at stake. It gives a story a purpose. A reason for the journey to continue. It also creates tension that keeps the reader hooked. These three questions help you from getting stuck and having a better idea of what you will write next.
Create Events That Push Your Protagonist to Act
Now that you understand what a central conflict is, let’s move on to the events. Events are things that happen to your characters or something your characters cause through action because of the central conflict. The order they happen is called sequence. Sequence is essentially just plot.
Events escalate the story. Your protagonist is forced to react to events. They make choices, and they learn something from them. Above all, events are supposed to be important. If you remove an event from your story, it should not still be the same.
Yes, you know events are important, but how do you write them? Take it from the beginning. Your inciting incident should have an urgent conflict. Not something that bothers the protagonist occasionally. Something that forces them out of their comfort zone.
Answer this:
What happens that gives the character their first real reason to act on the conflict?
Think of what could make things worse. Make the conflict harder to avoid, raise the stake, and force a decision. The point of the story is to tell the journey the protagonist has to go through.
Answer this:
What does your character try? What unexpected problem happens?
In a strong story, the plot happens in relation to each other. One action leads to a reaction. From there, another action is taken, followed by a reaction. Which causes a chain of consequences. This makes the story feel natural and connected. Remove one card from the pyramid and it will all collapse.
Write Scenes That Bring Your Events to Life
A scene is a specific part of an event that happens within a chapter. Scenes determine how readers experience the story. It specifies where and how things happened and how characters interact. There can be different scenes of the same event.
There are several indicators of a good scene. In particular, these three are recurring.
- Goal: The protagonist wants something
- Conflict: Something is preventing that
- Change: something has shifted at the end (emotion, knowledge, or decision)
For example, Adam tells a lie to avoid revealing his feelings about his best friend. He accidentally implied that his buddy David does. In that scene, Adam’s main priority is to keep his secret hidden. His best friend confronted him about it and is threatening Adam’s goal. By the end, Adam has accidentally framed David and started a new conflict.
The scene already has a strong foundation. The author can add other details to bring it to life. They also managed to escalate the plot.
A scene is not just showing what happened, but it shows how readers should feel about the consequences. It should include what the protagonist does. How they feel about it and what they decide next. A well-written scene starts with a purpose. As it unfolded, something had changed. Both externally and internally. If nothing changes at the end. It is not a scene, it is a filler.
How to Write a Simple Plot Outline Step by Step
It is not necessary to follow a long and complicated template to write an outline. You just need a little structure. Here are five simple steps.
- Setup: Introduce the protagonist’s ordinary life with a conflict in mind.
- Inciting incident: Put the protagonists in a situation that forces them to break out of their comfort zone.
- Rising action: Escalate the conflict and raise the stakes.
- Climax: The protagonist has to face their challenges and make a decision for the better or worse.
Insert events and scenes you have brainstormed earlier. Do not worry about everything making sense yet. During the first draft, the only thing you need to do is write your novel. In the second draft, you can go back and fill plot holes and edit.
Common Plotting Mistakes Beginner Writers Should Watch For
Even if you plot beforehand, it is still as easy to fall into these traps.
When Your Story Lacks a Clear Central Conflict
If your plot is just a series of events with no correlation to each other, it will be a difficult read. Make sure events and scenes connect to the central conflict.
Scenes That Don’t Change Anything Should Be Cut
If the protagonist leaves a scene that ended the way it started, it is probably not a strong scene. Every scene must serve a purpose. If it does not, consider removing that scene.
Introducing Conflict Too Late Hurts Reader Engagement
Introduce your central conflict immediately, if you do not know what it is before halfway through the story, think of going back to brainstorming.
Use Your Plot Elements to Build a Story That Never Stalls
Take what you have learned about conflict, events, and scenes and turn it into a story. You can fill in the gaps and add your touch to it. For beginner writers, remember this is a guideline, not a rule. Therefore, take it with a pinch of salt.
