Lesson 2: Elements of Fiction
Plots
Plots are the main structure of the story. Without plots (main and subplots), you wouldn't have a story.
Who is the protagonist? Is he the detective, amateur sleuth, private investigator, or someone else? Who is your villain? What crime did he or she commit? What was his or her motive? Did he or she know the person they murdered? Were they related? What other characters are involved in the plot? Are they going to be suspects? All of these questions need to be answered and connected to form the structure of the story.
Stories are also character driven or plot driven. Let's look at character driven first.
Character Driven
If a story is character driven, then the protagonist will be changing throughout the story. The character has learned how to overcome his or her obstacles that he or she has faced in the story.
Example:
In the book that I have written, "Strange Happenings," Megan and Christy, who are twins, go through different circumstances such as being trapped in a shack and kidnapped, escaping from the kidnappers, having separate bedrooms, having to develop their own identities, puppies disappearing, and Christy disappearing. By experiencing these different circumstances, they learn and develop their character. Megan has felt that she wasn't able to do things as good as her sister. At the end of the book, she realizes that she can do things.
Plot Driven
If a story is plot driven, then the story is moved by the action of the story. The characters don't really change throughout the story.
Example:
If I had written this book to be plot driven, then Megan and Christy wouldn't have changed. It would be just a book of action. I would have told about them being trapped in a shack and kidnapped, escaping from the kidnappers, having separate bedrooms, puppies disappearing, Christy disappearing. Neither of the girls would learn anything through their experiences or change.
As you read your stories or books, see if you can tell whether the short story or book is plot driven or character driven.
