7 common story plotlines in any story

 

7 common story plotlines in any story  

Every book no matter the genre uses one or two of the 7 common story plotlines wrapped up in their writing. No matter a long or short story, the basic pattern of story plotlines can be found in any story written since the conception of novel writing.

In order for you to understand the 7 story plotlines in any story, you must first understand how a book is designed so that the story is told in the right format. Here is how a good story is constructed with the main points as follows: every story has 4 acts, the setting up the story with the problem that needs to be solved which is  (1) Unpleasant Incident or the issue that caused the situation or dilemma for the main character,   then you have the first arc or (2) Plot Point 1 or Arc 1, This arc takes the reader from one state at the beginning to a changed state, then you have Act 2 which is the  beginning of recovery from the problem, now we enter the first event that triggers the first (3) Pinch Point, The First Pinch Point comes midway between the First Plot Point and the Midpoint. Or what I call the beginning of Act 3. (4) Midpoint, kind of like the crescendo of a piece of music the peak of the story this is Act 3 because you’re deepening the serious problem that needs to be solved or it’s before the crisis comes to a head and then it’s the next arc (5) This is the point of no return or the Crisis, storytellers differentiate between a crisis (car crash or illness) and conflict (clash of wills, a difficult moral choice, or an internal mental struggle). (6) Act 4 or Plot Point 2, the second arc where the main character has a setback in the story, then the writer begins to tell the story of how that main character begins to solve the problem he or she has. Once you get into the habit of using story plotlines as your writing formula, the easier it will be to pound out story after story using this proven formula in writing a novel, no matter the genre. Not only will your story be stronger, but it will pretty much write itself in order for you to tell your story to your readers. Then you have the (7) Climax which is the conclusion of the story

 A book came out in 2004 called The Seven Basic Plots written by Christopher Booker which he capitalized on the age old adage of h9ot to tell a story and laid out the 7 basic plots that are used in various storylines. Here they are to help you understand the concept of what plots work and how they work within a story.

Here is the list of proven story plotlines to consider in your writing.

In every story, the main character has a setback or a personal problem to solve, not just murder or whatever the essence of your story is going to be, he or she has to make a transformation in the storyline. Maybe your character is a stick in the mud, or a person who seems not friendly or loveable, has had their heart broken a few times and the last one shut him or her down for good it seems. Maybe family issues due to a divorce, not being able to see their kids and it’s tearing them apart.  Their an alcoholic and they need help to stop. You must highlight the character’s problem so they can overcome it.  Use one of the follow concepts as your plot:

1)      Slaying the monster that causes you pain or overcoming the monster

a.       Think James Bond series:

Overcoming the protagonist that sets out to defeat the antagonistic force (evil one). Maybe if you’re writing a cop book wherein the cop was divorced due to him or her being an alcoholic and booze and someone comes into their life, like a new police partner or a shrink involved in their new case that helps see things in them that they failed to see themselves which helps them realize that they need to change in order to be happy. This is the answer to solve the problem that helps your character overcome their problem.

2)      Conquering the Quest

a.       Think Wizard of Oz or Lord of the Rings

This is the best example to use for this plotline because the main character Dorothy has to take a journey to the land of Oz. While in Oz in order for her to get home, she collects a few misfits who each have a quest of their own, one to find a heart, another a brain, and the other courage, while Dorothy wants to go home, but the witch of the west is trying to prevent her from achieving her goal of seeing the wizard of Oz himself to ask for help. But she eventually reaches her destination and speaks to Mr. Wizard.  Or how about an even simpler example, the Lord of the rings, protagonist and companions set out to acquire an important object, the ring and they have to get to a certain location, but they face serious temptations and other obstacles that hinder their getting to the final location.

3)      Rags to Riches

a.       Think Cinderella’s story

The rags to riches storyline is classic because it tells the story of a person having significance, yet is told by others that they are irrelevant but uses their strength and dream to something better to capture the heart of a Prince and becomes someone of significance and importance over those who doubted her. Or they gained it then lost it all but overcame the obstacles and gained it all back with a vengeance.

4)      Voyage and return

a.       Think Gone with the Wind

Protagonist Scarlett the southern belle who is not only old school, but who is selfish, shrewd and extremely vain before the civil war. Once the war hits her beloved Tara home, she begins to learn the many lessons it takes to gain the experience to save her home from ruin, save herself and obtain the man of her dreams, Rhett Butler.

5)      Comedy

a.       Think Shakespeare’s Comedies

The Taming of the Shrew is a perfect example of this type of plot. The protagonist sets out to find a woman to marry that has lots of money. He runs into a friend who is in love with one woman but he can’t approach her until her older sister is courted and married. The protagonist attends an event where he meets Kate the very woman his friend is in love with. She is loaded but she doesn’t give him the time of day. Protagonist tells her father that he wishes to court her, but the father says she doesn’t like you. Protagonist tells the father that she secretly is in love with him, but won’t show it to the world, Father agrees. They marry and he sets out to tame her, but she will not have it. This type of plot must be a light and humorous toned storyline that has crafty dialogue with witty bantering between the protagonist and antagonist along with trickery and mistaken identities with masquerades.

6)      Tragedy

a.       Think Bonnie and Clyde or Romeo and Juliet

In this story plot the main character, the protagonist, is the hero who has a major character flaw or has a slip-up that in the end is their fatal undoing.

7)      Rebirth

a.       Think Pride and Prejudice or Beauty and the Beast

The Protagonist changes has one way of thinking only to have it changed by the antagonist in the storyline. In Pride and prejudice, it was Lizzy who changed her thinking about Mr. Darcy and in Beauty and the Beast it is the beast who needs to change his tune about others around him and it is Belle who much genuinely fall in love with the qualities she eventually sees within the beast in order to save him and the others.

 

Happy Writing my friends and lets see if you can produce the next Pulitzer Prize wining novel in the literary genre.

 

Author Elizabeth Kilbride is a former political operative, author, scriptwriter, historian, journalist. business professional, and creative artist, and life coach consultant. Ms. Kilbride holds a Masters in Criminology and a BS in Business Management who stepped out of the loop for a while, but who is now back with a powerful opinion and voice in the direction of this country and our economy. As a life coach, she is available to counsel individuals to enjoy their dreams and a better life. Ms. Kilbride loves to travel, photograph her surroundings and is also a gourmet cook who loves to garden and preserve food for the winter months.