Dheera's Workshop of Whimsy

WRITING TIP V

Hi!

PLOT.

Know the subject of your story well. If you have decided to write about a Mudskipper for example, learn all about the little amphibian. Know the fact that it is mainly seen in mud puddles in the monsoon, that it builds mud castles to live in. Make sure you know that it has scales and large moist eyes and all the other details about the creature before you launch him into a story, like I did, in my latest book, MAYA.

A plot is best described as the ‘why’ for the things that happen in a story. There are 4 elements to plot construction. (If this gets too complicated for you, please do ask and I shall try to explain it better.)

The description or explanation needed to understand the story.

The conflict

The process of resolving the conflict.

The final resolution which bring the story to its end.

In ‘Where the Wild Things Are’,  by Maurice Sendak, these 4 elements are clearly explained.

Max is rude to his mother.EXPOSITION

He is punished. CONFLICT BEGINS

He goes into his imaginary world of wild things, faces danger and RESOLVES THE CONFLICT.

The final RESOLUTION comes when he returns to his own world and finds hot food waiting for him.

So it would be fair to say that plot is the conflict the main character goes through. It is what makes the reader wish to go on reading. If the conflict is missing the reader interest will fade. Low tension equals low interest. Try to look at your story in scenes and build tension in each one. Start with a high voltage situation and try to keep the tempo going. In a short story an element of mystery and high conflict keeps the reader involved.

Make your beginning impact-ful and then build on it.

Good luck. Until next week then!

XOXO

Dheera