# Plot direction help?



## Whipblade (Jul 8, 2009)

My story is getting away from me, and I hardly started it yet. Could someone(s) be kind enough to shed some directional help my way?


It's turning into an epic on me, well in my head. It's rather a jumbled mess even the snip its I have typed out. I got the basic idea for the theme, but my plot direction is lacking. There are 3 different planets two I'd like to be the main focus, a war going on one of them, and slavers that planet hop in space ships.

Already so much is going on as a setting.

My opening was a group of elves being captured by the slavers and sold onto this war torn planet by one of the occupation overseers. 

After that I'm a little lost. Do I follow one or two of the slaves? Do I break from the slave and follow another character? I'm a little uncertain on the focus. Some possible paths would be a nice help 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Any ideas out there?


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## foozzzball (Jul 8, 2009)

Take a left turn.


No, actually, composition of plot isn't meant to be easy. Keep your nose to the grindstone. This is a skill you will, eventually, develop. No real quick paths to getting this kind of thing done.

Keep in mind the difference between plot (what happens) and narrative (how you represent what happens), too. Just because you've got something going on with a group of elves being captured by slavers etcetera doesn't mean this is neccesarily the part you're going to write, to make the narrative. Maybe your narrative takes place long, long after the events - the survivors sharing survivor's guilt. Whatever. Maybe it's all vivid and right there with every blow to the back of the head as they're being dragged off to be sold.

Explore your options, think about it, do not be afraid of taking it slowly and carefully, do not be afraid to find new methods or new options and to ignore advice or search out advice. Just don't get stuck into thinking there's only one right way to write your story - there are many, many ways to do this kind of thing.


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## Whipblade (Jul 8, 2009)

This has to be the most mature and amazing reply I ever seen to any post on anyother site I been to. I am in awe. 

And I can not disagree either. There are many directions, I'll just have to sit back and try to find what tangled string will be the best to follow out of the whole ball of yarn. 

Thank you Foozzzball


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## GraemeLion (Jul 8, 2009)

Whipblade said:


> My story is getting away from me, and I hardly started it yet. Could someone(s) be kind enough to shed some directional help my way?
> 
> 
> It's turning into an epic on me, well in my head. It's rather a jumbled mess even the snip its I have typed out. I got the basic idea for the theme, but my plot direction is lacking. There are 3 different planets two I'd like to be the main focus, a war going on one of them, and slavers that planet hop in space ships.
> ...



When all else fails, a three act play is great.

I'd focus on one of the slaves.  Give him an objective.  What does he want?  To get off the planet?  What about his opposition?  Is it the other slave?  Or is it an overseer?  

What's the risk?  What stops the slave from remaining in the status quo?   What can you do to increase the danger and push into the second act?

At a hint, I'd say that one of the two slaves needs to die at the end of Act II or into Act III.


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## TShaw (Jul 8, 2009)

Sounds more like youâ€™re world building right now, find the story you had wanted to tell in the first place and trim everything off from there.

Most of the stuff you describe, three planets, wars and space travel you may only need to mention in passing just to add a little background and atmosphere. It doesnâ€™t have to be a furry War and Peace.


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## Whipblade (Jul 8, 2009)

redcard said:


> When all else fails, a three act play is great.
> 
> I'd focus on one of the slaves. Give him an objective. What does he want? To get off the planet? What about his opposition? Is it the other slave? Or is it an overseer?
> 
> ...





I love Character deaths ^_^ Slaves, Slavers, Main characters, its all fodder at the end.


Are these three acts for each chapter?


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## Whipblade (Jul 8, 2009)

TShaw said:


> Sounds more like youâ€™re world building right now, find the story you had wanted to tell in the first place and trim everything off from there.
> 
> Most of the stuff you describe, three planets, wars and space travel you may only need to mention in passing just to add a little background and atmosphere. It doesnâ€™t have to be a furry War and Peace.


 

I lost focus on what that story was. However I seem to have much to learn, and will work with this idea more. Cutting away the bulk may make the entire story more managable and expand into the rest of the world/universe. 
All I need now is to pick who to focus on and what I wish to exactly show/tell about.

-on the side note, I think I just found a new community to plunk with. :grin:


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## GraemeLion (Jul 8, 2009)

Whipblade said:


> [/B]
> 
> 
> I love Character deaths ^_^ Slaves, Slavers, Main characters, its all fodder at the end.
> ...



Nah.

Generally, what you have in a three act structure/play is spread out over chapters.

The first act should be about the first 15%,  it'll introduce characters, the problem, the opposition, and a hint at the objective.

At some point, there should be no turning back.. and this is what you shove the character through.  Once there's no turning back, you're in act two.

Act two involves a rising action, with more and more put on the line.  Character tries, character fails, character resets.  Each time, the stakes get higher and higher.  You can give small successes, but you have got to keep increasing the stakes.  Finally, something pushes him to Act Three.

Act Three is where you start weaving your subplots back in, and things start coming to a conclusion.  There's no going back, and either he will meet the objective and defeat his opposition or he'll die (physically, emotionally, professionally, etc) trying.  This is where the final confrontation takes place.

And right when it looks like all hope is lost.. he wins.  Or loses.  Or whatever 

For example.. Star Wars is a classic three act structure using the Mythic Journey.

In Act One, we don't even see Luke, but he gets out to get some droids, meets Ben Kenobi, and things go forward.  Ben sees the message from Leia, and implores Luke to act.. but Luke refuses.  He goes home to find his home destroyed and his aunt and uncle dead.  He has no choice.  He's pushed into this whether he wants it or not, and that leads him to Act Two.

Act Two has Luke and Obi Wan running into Han Solo and Chewie, who bring their troubles into the mix.  Luke's objective has now become even more muddled as these two come in.  At the same time, the stakes get ratcheted higher as Vader destroys an entire planet.  Han, Luke, Ben,  and Chewie fly to Alderaan , and get captured.  They spring Leia , but then Ben dies (a small victory and a large defeat.)   They have the plans, they have the princess, and they know what Darth's capable of.. and that he wants the rebels.  This forces it forward.

Act Three , the point of no return, and when the story must end.  The death star or Yavin IV.. one won't make it to the end.  Luke races down the tunnels , with everyone assisting.  Vader comes in behind, and starts picking off people.  A person misses.  The situation is dire.. and Luke closes his eyes, turns off the targeting computer, gets a well placed shot from Hans (who returned) to take out Vader... (but not kill him..) and Luke saves the day. 

That's a three act structure applied here.  And it's really used a lot all over the place.

You can never go wrong by continually turning up the pressure, though.


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## Whipblade (Jul 8, 2009)

I never looked at Star Wars that way before. I'll have to pay more attention to it when someone plugged in the movie. 

I understand and agree on that. It's time I sat back and fought just what action this will take.
Thank you for the explaination Redcard. 

And everyone. I got a better idea and understanding of direction I shall take.

It's off to bed with me and I'll be pondering at work tomorrow ^_^ .

W~B


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## AshleyAshes (Jul 8, 2009)

I've had lots of ideas for stories, little scenes that never got into the finished product because there was no appropriate place to put them in the story.  I don't think it's all that uncommon.


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## ElizabethAlexandraMary (Jul 9, 2009)

Just... ignore Foozzzball. He is simply being awesome, as always.

My (probably wrong) advice would be to focus on multiple characters. If you are still learning the ropes, it will be very hard to write an epic while focusing on *only* a single character, yet keep it interesting.
Don't get too unfocused this way, however. Try to group your guys, at least, when you'll get a dozen. Else it will get impossible to follow.


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## Whipblade (Jul 9, 2009)

Would it be too confusing, if I started with two slavers, and five elves (slaves) Follow them. One main slaver and his 'pick' of the slaves for his lord, to the overseer and then the slaver turns into a minor character?... actually... I am going with that. 

Thank you  I have a direction. And wonderful advice, I'm printing this page out to keep me on track. 

This is my first original peice I'm attempting.


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