How Do You Plot Your Stories?

[kamalayka]

I almost always use the Freytag Pyramid:

http://www.d.umn.edu/~moor0145/plotdiagram.htm

[MrBF1V3]

I use game theory. You have different characters, or sets of characters, with divergent-often opposing- goals, and throw in a little Murphy's law and some Deux ex machina to make things interesting.

B5

[Sillak]

I think of things while I shower, am falling asleep, or walking. Then I write it down. I don't think about the climax, resolution, and that sort of ****. That's for the reader to decide.

[Noumenon]

That's for the reader to decide.

Isn't that a bit like saying the diner decides the flavour instead of the chef?

[Andols]

Variations on 3 act and 5 act formats. sometimes variation on monomyth if im writing fantasy that leans toward that style. I havent tried the pyramid yet but i think i will next month for a short.

I think of things while I shower, am falling asleep, or walking. Then I write it down. I don't think about the climax, resolution, and that sort of ****. That's for the reader to decide.

I wish i could be a discovery writer for plot and structure, but everything i do that way comes out extremely messy. I need to blend outlining and discovery to keep the writing fun for me and still be at least respectable quality in my mind.

[Igor]

I think of a story - and then write down what I expect real people would do.
Igor

[StephenPorter]

My initial idea usually winds up being the ending of a story. Then I work backwards from the climax trying to figure out just how my characters got there in the first place. It usually changes a bit as I actually write the thing and the characters start developing personalities.

[Awesomov]

I just intuitively feel it out and don't pay attention to sets of rules or diagrams. I find rules counter-intuitive to the creative process because they often keep, at least for me, set on one track without much deviation.

[Takoren]

Usually I get the initial idea in a flash of inspiration, and then from there attempt to flesh it out. I work with it, develop it, the characters I want to use and perhaps issues I want to explore. I might do an outline. Maybe. Then I start writing. Sometimes stuff just comes up while writing that take me by surprise. When that happens I sometimes have to go back and re-write parts of what I've already written.

[NilsDesperandum]

I wrack my brains for ideas, invariably come up with zilch, sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with inspiration, and then, just as it begins to click into place, I sit down and start typing before I lose it. Simples!

[Michael B]

Usually I get the initial idea in a flash of inspiration, and then from there attempt to flesh it out. I work with it, develop it, the characters I want to use and perhaps issues I want to explore. I might do an outline. Maybe. Then I start writing. Sometimes stuff just comes up while writing that take me by surprise. When that happens I sometimes have to go back and re-write parts of what I've already written.

Same here plus allowing characters to run. Situations for the plot often seem logical to be included as with how characters resolve them, or not as the case might be. No rules, models or formulae.

[Caedus]

I just intuitively feel it out and don't pay attention to sets of rules or diagrams. I find rules counter-intuitive to the creative process because they often keep, at least for me, set on one track without much deviation.

I have a similar process. I don't have a set goal, I just kind of let everything figure itself out. Plotting out every little bit of minutiae, character profiles and that sort of thing are just unbearably tedious to me.

[Michael B]

. Plotting out every little bit of minutiae, character profiles and that sort of thing are just unbearably tedious to me.

Besides character profiles can change. I would rather go with the flow than tie them down.

[JRMurdock]

I seem to be the odd duck in this mess. Here's what I used to do compared to what I do now.

First I used to just sit, write, and hope for the best. I don't do that any more.
Second I tried writing a paragraph to describe what would happen in the story then go for it. I'd have a vague idea where the story was going and that seemed to be enough. I'd hit natural peaks and valleys and I was kinda sorta okay with that.

Then I started plotting. I'd figure out about how many chapters I'd want to write (roughly) and how many words I wanted the story to be. Then I'd write a paragraph describing what would happen in each chapter making sure to ratchet up the tension a little each chapter with small releases until the a minor climax (big release) then start up to the major climax of the story (major release) followed up with one or two chapters of resolution.

Now? I know I write around 2000-2500 words per chapter (I like 'em short and punchy). I figure out how long I want to book (70,000-90,000 is what I shoot for). So I'll start a document (Scrivener!) and put in all my chapters. I'll put one sentence to one paragraph for each chapter. I'll let it marinate for a little while (I normally do this to prevent what just happened with my latest story where I had to trash 25,000 words and start over). After that little bit of time to think about the story, I'll start to plug in characters. As many as the story needs. I'll create a separate file with names, places, locations, ships, vehicles, races, in the case of my most recent story sportscasters and team names for giant robot teams. I'll do all this up front because it's what slows me down when I'm actually writing. This frees me up to write like a fiend when I sit and write.

It also gives me a rough guideline and a rough synopsis to start with. This method allows me to still do some discovery writing without restricting the flow of the story from point A to point B.

So my method has morphed over the years. I still discovery write (pantsing) but I now plot more than I used to to prevent my brain from coloring too much outside of the lines.

[SilentDan]

I used to use the 8 point plot arc, but it kinda confused me. Now I'm adjusting to Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Plot, which I feel is awesome and definitely something I can see myself using often. It was like BAM! --> Love!