What is the plot of a novel? According to the Macquarie Concise Dictionary the word Plot means:
- A secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, esp. a hostile unlawful, or evil purpose. (oooh)
- The plan, scheme, or main story of a play, novel, poem, or the like. (I like no.1 better)
The plot is the synopsis you send to the publisher, it’s the blurb on the back of the book that makes you spend your hard earned cash. So, how do you create an award winning, unique plot? If you research the subject you will find countless theories and analogies on the number of possible plot themes from “The seven basic plots”, “Twenty Master plots” and of course the famous “The Thirty-six Dramatic Situations”.
Are these lists any use to the writer? or do they interfere with the creative process and develop fiction devoid of imagination. I believe they have a place in the writing process. For example, my writing starts with an inspiration, an idea, I then develop the characters that can move this idea along and get the story to its conclusion. I’ll start with the beginning and/or end and then flesh out the ups and down of the middle. If inspiration isn’t coming easily there are many exercises writers use to get a basic plot going, but if the task ahead is Herculean and you are a prolific Trollopian writer a list of themes can be a godsend. I have a series, which centres on the same characters, and at times I look to this list for the spark to get a new theme started.
In the interest in serving my fellow writer I have included the 36 plot themes here. These themes were included in the above mentioned book in the 19th century, by French writer Georges Polti, then translated to English in 1916, but the list is credited to Goethe, who credits them to Gozzi from the mid 1700’s.
- Supplication
- Deliverance
- Vengeance of a crime
- Vengeance taken for kindred upon kindred
- Pursuit
- Disaster
- Falling prey to cruelty or misfortune
- Revolt
- Daring enterprise
- Abduction
- Enigma
- Obtaining
- Enmity of kinsmen
- Rivalry of kinsmen
- Murderous adultery
- Madness
- Fatal imprudence
- Involuntary crimes of love
- Slaying of a kinsmen unrecognized
- Self-sacrificing for an ideal
- Self-sacrifice for kindred
- All sacrificed for a passion
- Necessity of sacrificing loved ones
- Rivalry of superior and inferior
- Adultery
- Crimes of love
- Discovery of the dishonor of a loved one
- Obstacles to love
- An enemy loved
- Ambition
- Conflict with a god
- Mistaken jealousy
- Erroneous judgment
- Remorse
- Recovery of a lost one
- Loss of loved ones
If the dreaded writers block is firmly wedged, I hope this list will be the jackhammer of inspiration –Happy writing.
What I find so interesting about this list is how many of these are about family and love. It is interesting that these are so core to the classic plot themes.
I read a lot of fantasy and it took me a while to realize that most of the core themes of fantasy are about family. Even if everybody in the fantasy universe seems to be orphans, so much of fantasy is about blood inheritance and discovering the truth of family.
Thank you for posting this- I always enjoy thinking about these themes again.
So true, Cat – family is the centre of our lives, so it makes sense that it’s the thing we write about most. The last review i did was a fantasy novel and family was the strongest theme.
I’ll admit being skeptical about the idea of a “plot list,” but I see this more as a list of themes that weave through a story. And I like it 🙂
Plot, theme story, there are distinctions in these and creating a list seems to interfere with the creative process, but I find the idea fascinating.
Intersting – I haven’t come across that list before. But as I think of the last few books I’ve read -and some of the classics – I can see that they do indeed fall into one or more of these categories.
Yes me too, I was stumped to find any that didn’t
Yep, that looks like it covers every situation.
Someone named Schiller tried to find more, but in the end conceded that he couldn’t find as many as Gozzi did.
I haven’t come across this list before either but very cool to know that it exists. And yep, I think this pretty much covers it. I dare say I’ll be referring back to it when I next get stumped! Thanks for sharing Bookgirl.
No problem, definitely good to peruse when write block takes hold.