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Plot and the
Power of Song
by Susan J. Letham
Every story needs a plot; a plan or framework
created by the writer to remind herself who and what the story is about and how
it will be told.
Beginning writers often struggle to put the
essence of their plot into words. I'm going to show you a fun and easy way to
put your plot "in a nutshell".
First of all, let's review the five stages of a
basic plot:
1. The introduction
We find out who and what the story is about,
where and when it's set and what the main character wants to have or achieve.
2. An obstacle or three
We learn about a problem -- a person, a
situation, or a belief -- that prevents the main character from achieving the
story goal.
3. The action
This part tells us about the effects of the
obstacles on the character, and about what the character does to overcome the
obstacles and reach the goal.
4. The climax
The climax describes the turning point and
outcome of your character's actions, often focusing on the visible or external
points.
5. The wrap up
We find out how the character has changed since
the introduction and what has he or she has learned.
The Plot Song
First, choose a song you know well, maybe one
that matches the mood of your story; a country western song for a wild west
tale, a love song for a romance novel. You're going to make up a new text to go
with the melody of your song. If you decide to have a chorus, that's a freebie
and doesn't need to count as a verse.
What you do now is write your plot song. Your job
is to pen one verse for each stage of your plot. That means your plot song will
need five or six verses, one for each of the points mentioned above. The extra
verse is so you can write a second 'action' verse if you want. You might want to
do that because 'action' is the main part of any story and takes up most space.
Here's an example set to the tune of "Auld
Lang Syne".
Introduction
A bus draws into Hollywood
Young hopefuls by the score
Have traveled here in years gone by
Their talent to explore
Dave wants to write a movie script
Earn credit, wealth and fame
He'd like to move his audience
An Oscar - that's his aim
Obstacle
No agent wants to take his script
Producers shake their heads
'Go home', they say, 'too many here
Do something else instead'
Our hero finds a boring job
Waits tables day and night
The problem is - although he's good
He's now too tired to write!
Action
Dave tries, but all to no avail
To sell his writing skills
He's tempted but resists the urge
To stay awake with pills
One evening - he has just been fired -
A street gang 'fixed' his brakes
His car is in an accident
Concussion, fractures, scrapes
Climax
It takes three months in traction
For young David's legs to mend
His roommate's a producer
And they soon become firm friends
Our hero knows no boredom
As he now has time to write
The manuscript is soon complete
And things are looking bright
The wrap up
It really is an evil wind
That blows nobody good
Dave lost a job but found a friend
And writes for Hollywood
His pain is soon forgotten
Now his dreams are coming true
He's found his path to happiness
But not before it's due
Admittedly, this song isn't a masterpiece, but it
shows you the procedure. The short verses force us to get to the bones of the
story instead of fluffing around with explanations as long as the stories
themselves.
Writing and singing a plot song can fix the basic
outline of a story in our minds, especially if, as I suggested, the melody
matches the story style. In turn, this can help you stay on course.
Putting your plot 'in a nutshell' like this is a
good habit to get into. When the time comes for you to write your synopsis,
you'll soon discover the benefits of brevity.
© 2000, Susan J. Letham
Susan J. Letham is a
British writer, multimedia author, and
Creative Writing lecturer. Visit Inspired2Write and sign
up
for quality writing classes and competent 1-on-1 coaching.
URL: http://www.Inspired2Write.com
E-mail: susan.letham@inspired2Write.com
Subscribe to Inspired2Write Newsletter (published monthly)
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