Zen…

The plot is not the story. It’s the series of events providing conflicts in the story.

In this post, you’ll learn different plotting stages in fiction writing and also see how it can be effectively utilized in any story.

Exposition: this is usually the beginning of the story. Major characters are introduced here. The setting is also established. This is the stage where you introduce the major conflict to set your story on the right foot.

The rising action: here, the main cause of the conflict is revealed, the “inciting incident”.

Your protagonist will try to face the conflict (external/ internal)

Climax : This is the major turning point in the story. The protagonist’s most difficult challenge is revealed here. This should be the most exciting part of the story.

Falling action: this happens immediately after the climax, showing the details of the consequences (good or bad) which the main character must deal with, after the turning point of events.

Resolution: the final stage of plotting. The outcome of events – the fate of protagonist and antagonist is revealed. Here the loose ends of the storyline are tied up. The protagonist resolves the conflicts.

A Rough story outline to help you understand better how to develop your plot.

Miriam got back from the coffee shop – her place of work and saw her mum’s body on the ground. Laying in a pool of blood (major conflict)

She picked up a damp note scribbled “YOU ARE NEXT”

She calls the police.

She changes her location and stopped going to the coffee shop.

The police reported from their ongoing investigation a text the mum had sent to an unsaved number “he can’t find out about her, you must keep this a secret between us”

This text was sent the morning before she was murdered. Who received the text? Who can’t find out about who? (The inciting incident)

Miriam received a package sent to her new location (a piece of cloth soaked in blood) she tries to run but then she got kidnapped.

She tries to escape the first time. She Fails. She hears the abductor’s conversations and probably gets a clue on who he is (Miriam’s mum had some kind of connection with the abductor in the past.)

She figures he’s also psychotic. She tries to find a way out – maybe steal the abductor’s phone or something to leak her location to the police who’s also trying to locate her.

The abductor suspects and changes their location. Then made sure he tightened his security.

She figures a way to manipulate the abductor. She tries to win his heart.

First by making him have a conversation with her to figure who he is and why he abducted her.

She gets a clue (Maybe her dead mum had hurt him in the past so he is trying to revenge)

On her quest to seduce him, he lowers his guard and reveals some of his intentions (just a little bit)

Tensions arise between the two.

The girl still needs to find out the truth by getting away from him. The abductor starts to feel guilty and maybe wants to free her.

Meanwhile the police had gotten a lead.

She tries to escape again, this time everything could have gone right except she left a loop hole. Then again, she gets caught.

The abductor feels betrayed and Miriam faces physical torture.

The abductor becomes angry and more hurtful.

Now the police are able to disclose them.

The girl dies by the time the police gets to them. They catch the antagonist but couldn’t save the girl.

Or, the police finds both of them. The abductor arrested and the girl on the brink of death. They also figure the entire story including the accomplice who had received a text initially from Miriam’s mother.

She feels terrible after learning the truth about the abductor’s past (Miriam’s mum had intentionally caused the death of the abductor’s mum – which had traumatized him as a kid giving him reasons to want to avenge the woman)

Not all stories are plot driven. Some stories are character driven.

It’s important to always understand where your story is headed, or at least know the story you wish to tell your readers.

Whatever you do, keep writing.