Plotting How To Get Plot Discussion

[lizvogel]

Patricia Wrede has a post up about character goals, and specifically story-level goals vs. scene-level goals and how each might be helpful (or not) for the writer at various stages.

Although it's a character-oriented post, and I've ranted many times about how I get character stuff when I ask for help with plot, I think this might actually be useful in my ongoing quest for tips on How To Do Plot. Because it seems like people usually want to talk about plot as it pertains to story-level goals, and what I get stuck on is plot as it pertains to scene-level goals. I'm hoping that pointing them toward this might clarify what it is I'm looking for.

So, test drive: If I were to show you that link and then ask you how to Do Plot, what kinds of things would you be inclined to tell me?

Comments

[duskpeterson]

Well, first I'd ask you whether I'd shown you this yet:

https://prajeralmanac.blogspot.com/2013/10/david-gerrold-on-creating-tightly.html

Remind me again what problem is arising with your plotting? I can tell you *backwards* what my scenes achieve plotwise, once I've written them in my head, so maybe I can help in that way.