What A Plot Is

What is a Plot? Basically a plot is a sequence of events, lined up in a chronological order of a story. The Webster Dictionary defines a plot as: The main story (as of a book or movie). Personally I like to think of it more like the driving force behind the story.

As a writer, I try to force the reader to read at my pace or at the pace of the action within the story. Not whenever he/she feels like picking up a script or a novel. I know what your thinking. How can you make someone else read at your pace? Especially when you're not present? The answer lies within the plot. First of all you'll have to know how the plot works.

During the writing process a plot directs the entire story. The plot must be clear and precise in order to know where the story is going, and what will happen next. When someone is reading your story the plot will appear as an obstacle that is preventing the characters from achieving their goals, or something that just came up. When in reality, it's the plot that drives the entire story. It transports the story from point A to point B. It propels the idea, forcing the characters to do what they're doing. It's the reason they've done what they've done, and the motivation to eventually do what will conclude the script.

The first act of your screenplay is all about the A-story; it's the set up. Who is involved? What character(s) and why? What is the subject of the story and why should the reader even care. These are all elements of the plot. Which has not yet been brought to light.

In the second act it's important to build on each of the essentials introduced in act one. You must make each element bigger. Here is where the hero characters will become likeable or the antagonist will not only be disliked but now we should hate him. The story should be flushed out and no matter how wild, this is where you'll make it believable. In order for the plot to be significant and for the story to work it's got to be believable.

Act III is the struggle. Here is where you must introduce either one major, or many small obstacles that seemingly prevent the hero(s) from reaching their goal. You may have as many obstacles as you wish. (Hint obstacles = plot(s)).

In a sense, if you think of it as a burial plot. Your characters have fallen in. It's your job to get them out. But there's a catch, you'll have to do it before the story ends.

Act IV is internationally known as the "Climax" or the conclusion. This is where you'll wrap up all the loose ends in dramatic fashion. It's really quite simple; here you just answer all the questions, you presented, in the previous three acts. How you answer them is the result of your entire screenplay. If you answer with simple solutions then you'll have a simple book or film. Which usually are not on the best sellers list, or aren't very successful at the box office. If you use a little creativity and imagination you may very well be looking at a hit. But you must remember one thing "Keep It Real" keep it believable, and leave readers or viewers with the possibility of your writings coming to life. You want them to walk away thinking, "It could happen."

The key to a great screenplay is this. It's extremely important to intertwine the plots and the characters together, throughout the story so that they grow together. The characters cannot survive without the plot and vice-versa.

The great, Syd Field talks about the use and importance of "Plot-Points." His definition of the Plot-Point is: "An incident, or event, that hooks into the action and spins it around into another direction." It doesn't matter what direction you take the story from there. The point is that it moves the story along. There's nothing worse than a boring story, where nothing ever happens. On the flip side, having a story that moves while the reader, reads is almost a guarantee that the reader will read at your pace. They simply will not want to put it down. Your screenplay will follow the reader wherever they go. It will go to lunch with them. They'll try to finish up an act or another chapter in bed before they go to sleep. It will be read while they wait, between meetings or conference calls. It will even follow them into the restroom. Two of the top five reading places in America, in bed and in the john.

So ask yourself, the next time your writing, what is moving this story? Why, did my character just do what he did? If you trace it backwards, you'll find an underlining theme. Whether you consciously or subliminally put it there. It's definitely in there, your plot.