Also known as the Story Structure the Plot appears in many versions. We will only be considering one version of a Plot and it is basic to all writing: It is The 3-Act Structure: |
The 3-Act Structure dates all the way back to Aristotle. I won’t go into that aspect now, but you might find it interesting to look up.
Plotting is important for you to understand even if you don’t use it. In complete transparency I am what is called a ‘pantser’ which means I write ‘by the seat of my pants’.
While that is a true description of my writing, I still have a plot in the back of my mind. I have also written my plot out at times. But the important thing here is to understand what the plot or story structure is.
The Essentials
All stories include the 3 basic essentials of a good plot:
- Beginning
- Middle
- Conclusion
So, the plot is the structure of your story. Whether you are a plotter or pantser I encourage you to study the tool ‘The 3-Act Structure’.
Learn how it works and apply those truths to your story. I have provided you ‘The 3-Act Structure’ tool so that you can begin plotting before writing or after you already started writing. Plus, you will learn about ‘inciting’.