Overview Plot Development: Historical Literature

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

“This is perhaps the greatest challenge of the writer of historical stories: to make history come alive.” George Edward Stanley

What assumptions can we make about this particular ‘world’ based on this moment in time?                                             

Look at this ordinary day excerpt:

            “From the barn I see my mother on the back porch washing beans,

            my little sister with her dolls there on the stoop, my father

            leading horses from the field.

            Morning sun crawls up, a yellow dog just waking,

            stretching one leg and another, then

            its wide-mouthed fiery yawn.  I rub my eyes and push

            my hand behind a plank, grope until my fingers

            close around the edges of a wooden box. Crouched

            ……..

            He stands inside the door, his hat pulled down, a bridle

            Hanging loosely in his hands. Behind him, sunlight

            Makes shadows dance across the dusty floor.”

What kind of scene are you seeing? What emotions do you apply to this reading? Pick out specific words that you think contribute the most emotional weight.

            …….

            “It’s not because my daddy thinks

            the South should fight against the North,

            but we’ve been so long a piece of Tennessee

            today we’re leaving for the war.”

Excerpt from Moon Over Tennessee, A Boy’s Civil War Journal by Craig Crist-Evans (pgs 7-9)

How does this sparse, yet detailed setting affect character and theme? Based on these few verses, what do you expect to happen?

“It’s important that the writer help the young person of today identify with the young person of yesterday.” George Edward Stanley

As an historical setting this passage establishes place, historical framework, season, time of day, moods, and atmosphere. Its authenticity allows us to fully participate.

A decision that needs to be incorporated is what is the level of historical importance to your world and what are the key factors that you want to maintain as its influence? In what ways can the plot points strengthen the history?

“The bottom line is that the portrayal should be truthful.” George Edward Stanley

Action Steps:

1. Choose a place in your novel and describe it with its history. Integrate what was there by first describing both the present, and the absent, and then the present and the past.

2. After you have chosen and written one from an “historical” viewpoint, rewrite it from a family history perspective within the same framework.

Share: Did you find some new plot points or patterns?

                                                   Read deep, marcy

Overview Plot Development: Developing the Conflict

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

“Character is plot, that the plot has to grow out of the characters, not be imposed upon them.” Jane Yolen

Jane Fitz—Randolph notes that one of the strongest plot combos is when the Wish fulfillment acts as a second tier to Purpose Achieved. The basic substance and enduring value becomes the theme foundation as the basis of the second tier—which takes us back to motivation and response.

Developing the Conflict.

Which type of conflict will best work?  Man versus nature or man versus society as in Hansel and Gretel? Or Huck Finn versus himself and versus society? What is the relationship with another character? What does the character want?

            Olga Litowinsky says:

“1. They want acceptance by their peers.

2. They worry about their position in their family, and how the family functions.

3.They are concerned about their physical growth: size, puberty, and how they look.

                     4.They are striving for a positive self-image, their own view of themselves.

5. They wonder about what the future will hold, their own, the society &   world.”

All these questions can be applied to contemporary, historical, fantasy, and sci-fi. If you’re writing cross-cultural remember to lean on these emotional cores.

Action Steps:

            1.Take the story question and the pattern you have been developing and integrate conflict from one or two of the above types.

2. Then look for places to increase the conflict with one of Litowinsky’s suggestions.

3. What enduring value can develop the theme?

Share: Which question gives you the most conflict?

Read deep, marcy

Overview Plot Development: Rising Action

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

“Every story can benefit from its author holding back enough so that the reader remains eager to find out what’s going to happen.” Barbara Seuling

The action, tension, questions and stakes need to increase throughout the plot—even when the story line is a simple one.

For example, in a linear sequence the main character keeps moving forward until she gets what she wants, says Marion Dane Bauer in What’s Your Story. And she will be in a very different place at the end than at the beginning.

In a circular version, by the end, the main character has literally returned to his beginning, but now the story’s resolution centers on how he repairs the connection with his father.

Aristotle is known for developing charts of rising action High Points with each chapter scene pushing the boundaries higher until the story reaches its climax. Each chapter in a sense contains the same issues—goal/conflict all gathering towards the over-arching story line umbrella.           

Fairy Tales and Folk Tales are often delivered in three stages with each one becoming more distressful.

Look at each event through the main character’s eyes. How will it change him? If a scene can be taken out without it altering what follows—it doesn’t belong in the story.

Action Steps:

1.     Make a list of possible scenes that explore your character’s main desire.

2.     Now rank them according to obstacles.

3.     Next by emotional ones.

4.     Now put them into the two tiers and see where any holes are. Fill them in.

Share: Which scene choices were the most difficult to make tense?

Read deep, marcy

Overview Plot Development: Patterns Part Four: Wish Fulfillment Story

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

“Strong motives make for strong convincing stories and weak motives make for weak and unconvincing tales.” Lee Wyndham

Strong motives are especially important for the Wish Fulfillment story as often the hero or heroine does not actively participate in the success as energetically as some other patterns. In fact, in some instances at first glance the main character, often quiet, may seem passive.

In a Wish Fulfillment “the wish seems so impossible to him or her that he/she almost never makes any effort to come true,” according to Fitz—Randolph.

Many fairy tales use the two types of Wish Fulfillment across many cultures. A wish almost always touches hearts, especially if the reader can identify with the emotion. Lee Wyndham notes that there are three powerful urges that apply to all ages: life urge, love, and power urge. Once again usually one or all can often be identified in fairy tales and folk tales.

           

In the first type, the main character gets his wish because of who he is—his character shines through whatever circumstance he finds himself. Cinderella fits the first type. She does not get to the ball by her own actions, but because of her personality and generous heart towards others. One caution though is to let the story unfold without adding any “moralist preachiness.” It is not grounded on outer behavior but on heart concerns.

The second type of wish type is similar in the quality of unselfishness and personal character but they do participate more in the unfolding action. Not, however, because they expect a reward but because it is the right thing to do regardless of the consequences. They act with no thought of getting their wish. An example of this is in The Golden Goose by Grimm Brothers. The third brother is given a poor meal and is asked by a little old man if he will share it. The young man does and warns him of its poor quality. Not only does the meal become delicious but good fortune follows the next stage of his journey with a happy ending. All because the young brother acted in honesty and generosity, unlike his self-centered older brothers.

“Wishes always need to be a strong one and think of what a child wants.” Now.

A more modern version of this quote, and an excellent wish fulfillment story style, is in Found Things, by Marilyn Hilton. In this exquisitely written novel the reader is thoroughly attached to River Rose Bryne where “Wishes are powerful things.”

Action Steps:

Below are five fundamental basic human needs listed by Lee Wyndham, which she says offer “a powerful magnet for holding the readers’ interest.” Choose one of them and apply it to the pattern you chose from last week. Or which would you choose for a Wish Fulfillment pattern?

1.     “The need to love and be loved.

2.     The need to belong.

3.     The need to achieve.

4.     The need for security—material, emotional, spiritual.

5.     The need to know.”

Share: Which one did you chose? Why did that one jump out to you?

Read deep, marcy

Overview Plot Development: Patterns Part Two: Incident Story

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

            “The surface story is the one in which the action occurs, the one where the suspense is, the one that keeps the reader reading to find out what happens.”

                                                                                              Jane Fitz—Randolph

In her book, How to Write for Children and Young Adults, Jane Fitz—Randolph notes five plot structures that work well for these ages.

Incident Story

Technically according to the definitions we’ve looked at the incident story is not a plotted story but it works well for the very young and their perception of plot in that it captures their attention. The main character becomes interested in what happens around him and responds. A good example would be the classic Good Night Moon where a sleepy child notices her environment. These stories are usually quite short, about 300 to 700 words.

In an Incident Excursion the environment is more or less familiar, such as a trip to the grocery store, or a walk in the park. Each incident or encounter becomes more interesting.

            “When we reach our favorite

spot Mr. Squirrel

waits on his branch just for me.

We say hello.

First he somersaults, then runs

fast upside down

leaps up trunk, twirls down again.

We laugh, we clap.

He flourishes fluffy tail

then takes a bow.”  Excerpt from A Walk in the Park (not yet published)

In an Incident Adventure the situation is unfamiliar. Fitz—Randoph reminds us to “remember adventure from the very young child’s pov”. The very popular “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak definitely takes our hero on an adventure.

But for the very young an unfamiliar situation can be as ordinary as a fire truck hosing down a fire or watching a puppy given a bath for the first time.

Incident stories still must have an interesting sequence of events that build to a climax and both must have unity. Look for ways to us repetition, rhythm, and rhyme when appropriate to the story. In the story “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith Viorst, the terrible, horrible, very bad day phrase is repeated throughout each frustrating incident that he encounters.

For this story style the more specific and concrete the better.

            “Paint word pictures that help the child to visualize.”

                                                                                                Jane Fitz—Randolph

Action Steps: (Suggestions taken from Jane Fitz-Randolph)

Begin to practice tracking plot patterns for different ages and genres. For every story you read look for the plot patterns.

1.     State the story in one sentence. Then write a brief synopsis.

2.     Make specific note re the Beginning: Time, Setting, Principle characters. Include the Set up situation or problem.

3.     As you read mark the Middle: continuing scenes/action/plot.

4.     End: climax/resolution.

Share: Did anything surprise you? Why?

Read deep, marcy

Overview Plot Development: Patterns Part One

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

“Plot is an arrangement of events, an ordering of raw life.”

                                                                                                Ronald B. Tobias

Tobias sees plot as a process and not an object, but does note that there are many patterns that grow out of the process.

According to Tobias there are plots of the body (forza) or plots of the mind (forda).

Is it an action story, an adventure that relies on doing? Or does your story deal more with the inner workings of character and human nature?

The mechanics of the story is shaped by which plot is chosen. Plot driven, or character driven? Patterns of action, or patterns of behavior?

Often genre fiction will have a straight line, no flashbacks, limited sub-plots, whereas mainstream has multiple plot, complications and sub-plots, and may use flashbacks. 

There are several opinions as to how many plot patterns there are and how they can be interpreted.  The very basic two are considered to be ‘hero/heroine leaves town’ or ‘a stranger comes to town’.

Tobias has an outline for both 20 Master Plots and 36 Plot Patterns. Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D, lists 5 Dramatic Throughlines, 6 Conflicts, and 21 Genres in her book Story Structure architect. From that foundation she develops 55 Dramatic Situations.

Regardless of what style pattern you choose there are four basic characteristics that each requires according to Tobias.

1.    Study the pattern that best suits your story

2.    Determine what the dramatic phases of the pattern are (usually three or four)

3.    Translate each dramatic phase of the pattern into an action.

4.    Begin the scene as late possible.

           

Below are some examples that Schmidt gives for a character succeeds Throughline.

Action Steps:

1.     Choose two different ways for your character from the list below.

2.     By what means do they use to accomplish their goal?

1.     Problem>Solution

2.     Conflict>Peace

3.     Danger>Safety

4.     Question>Answer

Share: Which one do you prefer and why?

Read deep, marcy

Overview Plot Development: Sequel

Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults

Sequel, according to Swain, is a unit of transition that links two scenes. Its purpose is to translate the disaster into a new goal to telescope reality and to control tempo. This is the aftermath. What holds sequel together is topic.

Feeling is the common denominator in sequels and the focus is on the character’s dominant feeling. Scenes tend to hold interest and the sequel gives plausibility so therefore they can be different in different genres. It’s not meant to be a formula, but a guideline.

A sequel may be a few lines, or a whole chapter, depending on the genre and the external/internal priorities of the story. For example, “Kristy hesitated at the tunnel entrance as she heard the pounding footsteps grow closer. She had no other options. She pulled her hood over her head and burrowed into it hoping it would protect her from the spiders.  She took a deep breath, stepped inside, and closed the concealed door.”

A whole chapter version could involve a flashback as to why Kristy is afraid of spiders or knows where the concealed door is.  It would be valuable if the decision she makes at this point contains threads that could be explored throughout the story.  But if it’s only needed as motivation and emotional decision, then short is sufficient.

Action may not require much in sequel—just enough to give a credible reason/emotion for next step.

Back to motivation-response.

Scene: live through a scene—it’s the action; step by step with the character.

Goal—conflict—disaster (new information received)

           

                        The goal is the character’s decision to act. The new information shows failure                                      (disaster).

                        Example:  John decides to ask Suzy to the prom.

                                            She says, “Oh, I’m sorry, I already said yes to George.”           

            Sequel: the decision making process, a bridge between scenes.

                        Reaction—dilemma—decision=new goal

                        Example: John forces a smile. “Well, I hope you will save me a dance.”

                                         Suzy blushes, “of course.”

                       

Action Steps:

1.     Write a brief scene and sequel—keep it short. Can start with either.

2.     In a book you’re reading this week, identify a scene and sequel. Does it meet Swain’s criteria?  Why or why not?

           

Share: What is your opinion of using scene and sequel? Helpful or too structured?

Read deep, marcy