Plot
Ok, I don’t mean plot as a verb (to plot) I mean plot as a noun (the plot of a book - the story, if you will, but well, I don’t).
See I think “story” and “plot” are two different things.
Story, is easialy sum-up-able, plot, not to much. Let me deomonstrate:
The story of Little Red is about a woman who gets lost in the woods and meets the Big Bad Wolf (I almost wrote “meats”, hee hee).
Now I’m thinking maybe Little Red shouldn’t be my example ’cause now I’m going to tell you the plot (more or less):
The plot is that Scarlet gets lost in the woods, she gets her suitcase stolen, a guy comes and saves her, (…), they have hot sex, (…) they live happily ever after.
There, see the difference (suddenly I’m reminded of the part of 10 Things I hate about you when they’re at the party and Joey Donner is showing them all the difference between modeling for swimsuits and underwear but it’s all the same)?
I’d venture to say that all of my books have good stories. Plots? Eh. Plot is that stringing together of scenes that when I’m finished hope goes together in some significant way.
I’ve realized this whole thing while working on the FurutiristicThatWillKillMe (FTWKM).
See before I started, I did plot (verb). But I realized that I plotted the the story not the plot. For instance part of my outline is “They go to island to save brother.”
I don’t know how they get to the island, or what they do once their there to actually save him.
Saving him is part of the story. How they do it is part of the plot.
Yes? No? Anybody rabidly agree or disagree? Like I said this came to me the other night when I was sick and exhausted. Still after 2 days it still makes a bit of sense to me so I’d love to hear what other people think.
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I also have no hot water. Again.
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Go Congratulate Larissa. She got THE CALL!!
February 22nd, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Emma, all I can tell you about plot is when someone in my local RWA chapter asked me to speak about it to the group, I said no. Well, actually, my response was something more like, “Hell, no!” LOL
February 22nd, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Hmmm, you ask the tough ones don’t you. Reminds me of my brain storm on seeing the difference of telling the story in a synopsis and telling the story. There is a major difference! But its hard to explain. At least for me. I’ve figured it out. But don’t ask me to put it into words. I ramble and ramble, never quite feeling like I passed on that great nugget I’d finally gleaned. “shrug”. And as for plot - that is another area I just ‘figured’ out. :-) have fun! Cole
February 22nd, 2006 at 5:25 pm
Thank you, Emma! *g*
And about plot…geez, I am SO the wrong person to talk about it. I swear to you, I’ve been told by an editor: “Girl, you can WRITE! But you can’t plot for shit.”
It’s so true. I suck. So I joined Jo Leigh’s writing challenge group and I’m spending this year studying plot.
So if you come up with any good answers, please email me! ;)
February 22nd, 2006 at 10:29 pm
Plot, huh? So there’s yet another piece of the puzzle I’ve been missing… No plot ;-)!
Congrats on the taxes… If you could see me, you’d know I’m green with envy! And still buried up to my knees in receipts!