Plot a Novel That Commands Attention

Arrange Fiction Writing to Move the Reader From Beginning to End

Sep 1, 2009

The plot of a novel is the plan for the story. A writer should use it to accomplish his or her purpose for the manuscript he or she is writing.

At the heart of every novel is the plot, or the roadmap for how the story will progress. Some people will refer to plot as the narrative, or the order of events, for a story. By plotting the novel, an author can determine when to reveal information and decide what information to reveal.

Recognize the Elements of Plot

While writers should strive to create stories with interesting characters and events, all plots contain similar elements, including exposition, conflict, climax, and resolution.

Exposition is the process through which an author brings in the back story, or the information a reader needs in order to follow the story. The conflict is what builds suspense for the reader. The peak of the story, the moment with the highest amount of tension or drama, should be the climax of the story. And the resolution wraps up the plot by giving the reader a satisfying ending to the novel.

Use Genre to Determine the Pace of the Plot

Certain genres follow a fairly standard plot setup. For example, a mystery novel will introduce the mystery, whether it is a murder, a theft, or some other crime, at the beginning of the story. The main character won’t solve the mystery until the end of the story. Likewise, in a fantasy adventure, the novelist needs to establish the rules for the world he or she has created early in the story in order to ground the reader in the new world. If a writer finds a certain genre appealing, he or she might benefit from examining the plot for novels already published in that genre.

Distinguish Plot From Theme

Beginning writers often confuse plot and theme as being the same thing. While related, these elements differ. The theme of a story is the underlying idea or ideas in the novel. Some universal themes include the following ones:

In and of themselves, the themes of a story do not create the plot. An author uses the plot as the plan for how he or she will express the events in the story as they pertain to the themes.

Combine Literary Devices to Help the Plot

It can be beneficial for writers to have a basic understanding of exposition, conflict, the story’s climax, and resolution. While the events of the story should surprise the reader, the author should know where to place each of these elements in order to move the plot from beginning to end.

The copyright of the article Plot a Novel That Commands Attention in Fiction Plots & Pacing is owned by Tara McClendon. Permission to republish Plot a Novel That Commands Attention in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.