• Ways to break story structure
Most novels, short stories and screenplays today follow a traditional five-part story structure, involving an introduction-rising action-climax-falling action-denouement. While dominant, this isn’t the only form you have to follow as a writer. Indeed, some of the best stories and novels don’t.
• Zip two disparate stories into one tale
Rather than follow a lone main character through every chapter of a short story or novel, your tale might follow the experiences of two main characters or of two groups of principal characters that alternate. This is called a zipper story.
• Utilize episodic fiction plot structure
One powerful way to write a novel is episodically. Called episodic fiction, it breaks from the traditional introduction-rising action-climax story structure by presenting an anthology of brief stories or anecdotes usually about a single character, set of characters, or place.
• Employ The Journey for a mythic plot
One of the most common plot forms in modern fantasy and science fiction novels is the mythic structure. Often called a quest, in the mythic structure the protagonist undertakes an expedition that carries some moral significance or deeper meaning.
• Three-act structure offers alternate story plot
One common way to think about how a story is organized is the three-act structure. This approach dates to Aristotle, who stated that a story has a beginning, a middle and an end.
• Diary form as structural option
One alternative to the traditional novel structure of scenes and chapters is diary form. In such a story, diary entries are tied together into a tale. This also is known as an epistolary novel; note that diary form, though, also can be used in short stories.
• Vary story structure with ‘fate plot’
Another variation on the traditional five-part story structure is the fate plot. In a fate plot, the climax occurs at the beginning of story. The rest of story is a traditional tale that essentially is a flashback, showing and explaining how the climax was reached.
• Frame story useful in limited situations
Sometimes when plotting a novel, rather than jumping right into the action you may want to use a frame story to set up the main tale. A frame story is a story-telling technique in which boundaries are placed around the main story being told.
• Use parallel plot structure in novel
Rather than subordinating one plot to other – that is, rather than make one a subplot – why not treat them with equal importance? When two dramatic plots occur at the same time in a story, usually involving different characters but the same theme, you are employing a parallel plot structure.
• Send your protagonist on an initiation
Often in fiction the protagonist also undergoes a symbolic rite of passage. Called an initiation, the story centers on the protagonist entering and learning a culture’s rules and language.
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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.
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