# Writers: How do you come up with plots?



## The_Happiest_Husky (Apr 21, 2022)

I'm very good at coming up with characters and worlds. I've got many worlds created in depth, and many characters designed to fit each. But, I can't come up with ideas for a plot. I think of basic things, try writing out scenes that could be involved with that, but I always get stuck. I just can't seem to add any depth or detail to a plot, or figure out what the end goal should be. Really stuck with this 

For any of you who write stories, do you have any advice that might help me?


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## Baron Tredegar (Apr 21, 2022)

I find this extremely relatable. I am also good at creating worlds and characters but I cant for the life of me get a plot going on especially dialogue.


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## Crayons Are Snacks (Apr 21, 2022)

Clustering.
Clustering. Clustering. *inhale* Clustering.
I start with the center: That’s my main idea.
From there I start branching out with possible scenarios that could come of it.
This is a super simplified example but you get the gist.
From there, I create a timeline.
When should the things in this cluster happen? What are the events that will lead up to it?
How can I transition from one event to another effectively? 
Idk. Writing is hard.


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## TyraWadman (Apr 21, 2022)

Dreams. I have some wild ones and record them. Find ways to make something out of it later.

Experiences. People watching. Even if it's just coming up with random dialogue for a scene/some random characters, there's opportunity to use just about everything in a story. 

Hearing how people complain about technology reminds me of how people used to complain about books. Light goes on. Now I'm gonna acknowledge that by having reoccurring characters that complain about how reading is corrupting societies or something new with each century that passes.


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## Punji (Apr 21, 2022)

If you have the characters and world set up, you can try to think of conflicts that would arise or exist within it.

Is the world one with inherent strife and danger? What are the social needs of those within it? Do the characters interact with the world in special or interesting ways?

Here's a silly example: A diabetic rabbit living in Candyland. The plot may develop from the conflicts he has with the world. Everything is candy and he has to be careful with his diet. How might be being to solve this? What does the solution look like? Is there more than one possible solution? What obstacles might he encounter?


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## Miles Marsalis (Apr 21, 2022)

The_Happiest_Husky said:


> I'm very good at coming up with characters and worlds. I've got many worlds created in depth, and many characters designed to fit each. But, I can't come up with ideas for a plot. I think of basic things, try writing out scenes that could be involved with that, but I always get stuck. I just can't seem to add any depth or detail to a plot, or figure out what the end goal should be. Really stuck with this
> 
> For any of you who write stories, do you have any advice that might help me?


There are few ways to come with a plot, but the first thing to remember is that a good plot usually takes time to think through and write. Not everybody comes up with a plot overnight, so you shouldn't try to rush or force the process.

Since you already have a setting and characters, one easy way to go is to do an outline where you map the motivations and thought processes of your characters a look at where they generate clash and create conflict between them in the setting. What do you characters want out of life? What reason would they have to go on a particular journey, quest, or mission? What ideologies in the setting might cause them to come into conflict? 

A benefit of conceptualizing this way is you it helps you have a character-driven plot that could be compelling and relatable.

Another way to come with a plot is to go the other direction ... instead of having a conflict, just have a story where a character has a series of experiences and learns more the setting and themselves. You see this a lot more now in "literary fiction" (Matthew Salesse's work exemplifies this) and life is a series of semi-random events after all, so a strictly laid-out plot isn't always necessary to entertain your readers.

After all Seinfeld is a classic and did it for years.


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## The_biscuits_532 (Apr 21, 2022)

The_Happiest_Husky said:


> I'm very good at coming up with characters and worlds. I've got many worlds created in depth, and many characters designed to fit each. But, I can't come up with ideas for a plot. I think of basic things, try writing out scenes that could be involved with that, but I always get stuck. I just can't seem to add any depth or detail to a plot, or figure out what the end goal should be. Really stuck with this
> 
> For any of you who write stories, do you have any advice that might help me?


dear god I relate to this so much
guess I'm lurking in this thread for the foreseeable future


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## Mambi (Apr 21, 2022)

The_Happiest_Husky said:


> I'm very good at coming up with characters and worlds. I've got many worlds created in depth, and many characters designed to fit each. But, I can't come up with ideas for a plot. I think of basic things, try writing out scenes that could be involved with that, but I always get stuck. I just can't seem to add any depth or detail to a plot, or figure out what the end goal should be. Really stuck with this
> 
> For any of you who write stories, do you have any advice that might help me?



Catnip...lots and lots of catnip. <_teeheehee>_

Seriously though, I usually just think, "Ok, in this world (that you'd have built), what's something I'd want to have happen?" and it kind of starts to just come to me. I find if I think about the characters and the world more, their personalities almost drive some plot, so I think for example if I had an arrogant character, maybe they'd need to be humbled a little, and plot elements would pop into place to allow that to occur. Or a hero needing something in his life, a missing element to their personality, and again the story element to allow it flows from there.

I guess I'm trying to say, instead of thinking "What does the character need to do in the world for plot?", maybe it'd be helpful to think of it more like "What does the plot need to do for the character in this world?" and that might give a fresh perspective. Shifts the focus away from the thing you don't have (a story) andmakes it build on what you do have (good character/world).


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## The_Happiest_Husky (Apr 21, 2022)

Mambi said:


> I guess I'm trying to say, instead of thinking "What does the character need to do in the world for plot?", maybe it'd be helpful to think of it more like "What does the plot need to do for the character in this world?" and that might give a fresh perspective. Shifts the focus away from the thing you don't have (a story) andmakes it build on what you do have (good character/world).


This sounds like money right here
That first line,  "What does the character need to do in the world for plot?" is something I definitely ask a lot, though I'm not usually aware that I'm asking that question at the time. 
Probably why the most complete story I have is one where the characters don't do much except adapt. They're drafted members of a military, and kind of get dragged from situation to situation as they follow orders until their unit gets cornered and left behind during a retreat


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## Miles Marsalis (Apr 21, 2022)

The_Happiest_Husky said:


> This sounds like money right here
> That first line,  "What does the character need to do in the world for plot?" is something I definitely ask a lot, though I'm not usually aware that I'm asking that question at the time.
> Probably why the most complete story I have is one where the characters don't do much except adapt. They're drafted members of a military, and kind of get dragged from situation to situation as they follow orders until their unit gets cornered and left behind during a retreat


That was a dope turn-of-phrase; I wish I wrote that, lol.

Seriously though, it might be helpful for you read a few books about people's experiences during various wars (both military and civilians), talk to a few veterans respectfully about their experiences, and do some research about accounts of soldiers stranded behind enemy lines. All that information might inspire your own narrative.


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## Raever (Apr 21, 2022)

I was legitimately thinking of this last night. I have such struggles with creating or maintaining plot lines --- I used to do bullet points where I'd have one small idea and go off of it butterfly effect style and see how it effects other characters, but my method is rather chaotic and convoluted, I think that Skeewomp has a much better format.


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## Pomorek (Apr 22, 2022)

The_biscuits_532 said:


> dear god I relate to this so much
> guess I'm lurking in this thread for the foreseeable future


Going to do the same. 

For me it's not about worlbuilding. Instead my "creative engine" comes up with disconnected random single scenes that don't have any semblance of a bigger coherent whole. I see no way to string them properly into any convincing story, even though it feels like the potential could be there. Most annoying.


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## Fluxbender (Apr 22, 2022)

The_Happiest_Husky said:


> I'm very good at coming up with characters and worlds. I've got many worlds created in depth, and many characters designed to fit each. But, I can't come up with ideas for a plot. I think of basic things, try writing out scenes that could be involved with that, but I always get stuck. I just can't seem to add any depth or detail to a plot, or figure out what the end goal should be. Really stuck with this
> 
> For any of you who write stories, do you have any advice that might help me?


omg are you my lost twin? I too am good at world building/designing the characters and stuff/etc, but downright mediocre at coming up with plots. You wanna know what most of the ones I've written are like? Cheesy MMO questline 'ask me 20 questions about how we kill chickens in the town then go gather 10 bear butts for me' level. And the dialogue quality is... I'll just let this video do the talking. Like someone else wrote on here, I am gonna be keeping an eye on how this thread develops...


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## The_biscuits_532 (Apr 22, 2022)

Pomorek said:


> Going to do the same.
> 
> For me it's not about worlbuilding. Instead my "creative engine" comes up with disconnected random single scenes that don't have any semblance of a bigger coherent whole. I see no way to string them properly into any convincing story, even though it feels like the potential could be there. Most annoying.


Honestly that's probably more my issue. My worldbuilding just kinda grows out of the backstories I write, and I'll imagine maybe the odd scene but a full story is another question entirely


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## Rayd (Apr 22, 2022)

plainly, i just think of plots/scenes/dynamics in other media that i enjoy and not only take inspiration, but attempt to build off and emphasize what made those things appealing to me. the rest kind of just flows from the brain to the "paper" - in this case, google docs, lol.

everyone has their own way of writing, especially when it comes to plot, but i'd say not to overthink it too much. i basically write backwards, thinking long-term about what kind of character/relationship/story dynamics i want to establish and what key points and scenes i want there to be, then sort of craft a path to those things as best as i can while trying to articulate it into an interesting narrative. sometimes i'll come up with ideas along the way that are even better than the ones i had planned, and act accordingly. nothing is set in stone, you'll have creative spikes as you're writing, which is typical of any creative hobby.


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## tentiv (Apr 22, 2022)

Lots of good advice in this thread! I agree with everything above, and I would also like to add that the essential function of a story is to communicate some idea about life. This gives the story focus and a definite end point. Take Beowulf for example, the basic story is a guy goes to a foreign land, defeats monsters in battle, and gets money and power. The point of the story (in my opinion) is that Beowulf led a prestigious and wealthy life because he was brave and generous to his friends, so therefore you should do that too.

Another example, Princess Mononoke: an outsider has to stop the fighting between two groups before their hate destroys them both. The message is that we must live in balance and harmony with each other, because in the end that is the only way to not turn into gross purple-worm murder-demons.

I'm trying to cook up something with two groups as well. There was one day where I was studying computer architecture while also watching Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and I was struck by the contrast. On one side, we have a rigidly-controlled, Confucian world where all parts act in unison, where there is always a plan and it is always followed. As an organization of people, they would be efficient and dutiful, utterly dedicated to each other, but strain under the pressure to conform. On the other side, we have an anarchic, artistic rebellion where everyone asserts their own vibrant identity against society. They revel in individuality and freedom, but perhaps don't have easy lives or healthy relationships because each of them are so strong-willed, and won't accept anything that might restrain them (I know that kind of misreads Hedwig and stereotypes punk philosophy in general, still working on this part). Both of these worlds are missing something, and so the message I want to convey is that we need a balance between respecting ourselves and respecting others.

Is there anything that you want to say about life? When you look at your already-created characters and setting, do they seem to point to any big truth? If you find that truth, it might point you to even more scenes.


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## reptile logic (Apr 22, 2022)

For me, plots most often stem from just playing around with conversation. Two characters begin a discussion; maybe even talk about the weather, at a train station/market/fort. . ., while waiting to go [where?]. As they discuss their lives and their views, based on their own experiences of this world around them, their world expands around them.  More directions of travel present themselves, and with each choice of direction, a new possibility is presented to the characters. The dialogue can be boring. Most of it will not make it into the published work, but it all adds to the possibilities of what can happen within this new plot, both in the action and behind the scenes.


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## Kellan Meig'h (Apr 27, 2022)

I'm retired, so I have plenty of time to kill. I have this five subject college notebook, a big one, and I start with a premise. I add a few characters, a twist, some sub-plots, then I brainstorm some chapters or mega-chapters that later become multiple chapters. I carry that thing around with me, just looking at it, reading it, musing about the situation, then make some additions and use a red pencil to mark a potential cut-out in a paragraph or as I call them, vignette.

Sometimes an idea comes when I'm away from my notebook so I write it in a note on my Galaxy Note S7 FE or my Kyocera Duraforce Pro 2 phoneand transfer it later when I can. Never be without a way to jot down ideas is my motto.


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## FlareAeon (Apr 27, 2022)

I know this might not be helpful, but usually, a plot just comes into my head. :3 Or I'll see some picture and it'll inspire me to make a plot based on that. 

Now, planning it out is another story. XD I'm guilty of just writing a stream of consciousness plot with no plan, then running out of ideas and making a plan later. It's a writing sin, I know, but I can't help myself. When I do make a plan, however, I always go back over chapters I've written and adjust to make sure they're quality and they fit in with my plan.


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## Kellan Meig'h (Apr 28, 2022)

FlareAeon said:


> I know this might not be helpful, but usually, a plot just comes into my head. :3 Or I'll see some picture and it'll inspire me to make a plot based on that.


Nothing wrong with that, as long as you have a way to capture that idea for use.

Planning; I try to work it out to have about 5K to 6K words in a chapter. That way, it's not too long or too short. If I write a vignette that is big, but contains interconnected scenes, I will try to break that up into as many chapters as needed.


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## TR273 (Apr 29, 2022)

It varies.
Sometimes something comes up in conversation.
Sometimes I'll see an image or listen to a piece of music which will inspire something.
Sometimes it's simply doing your own take on an existing idea, or blend of ideas.
Sometimes a story can be inspired by an everyday situation, just viewed from an unexpected angle.


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## Fluxbender (Apr 29, 2022)

Pomorek said:


> Instead my "creative engine" comes up with disconnected random single scenes that don't have any semblance of a bigger coherent whole.





The_biscuits_532 said:


> I'll imagine maybe the odd scene but a full story is another question entirely


Yep same here. I've had to start 'collecting' all my loose scene ideas as 'image cards' and trying to work them into order. It's such a pain.


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## Raneko (Aug 23, 2022)

I can come up with chapters or short story arcs. 

But after a few chapters, I get hit a roadblock and I need to bounce ideas off someone. 

I write mostly fanfiction, so I'm really not creative with characters or worlds


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