In narrative writing, events unfold around a protagonist, which could be yourself or another. Jon Franklin, the guru behind the classic Writing for Story, declared that “a story consists of a sequence of actions that occur when a sympathetic character encounters a complicating situation that he confronts and solves.
Week three we discussed writing for narrative or thematic continuity, as well as features-style techniques. Today we'll explore the engine of the technique: plot.
A good story moves a character – and the reader's understanding and emotions – from one place to another. Blocking action adds spice to this mix. Give your protagonist hell. It forces him or her to evolve, ideally towards a defining moment, the climax, which produces some insight ... some raison d'être for the piece.
Jack R. Hart, author of A Writer's Coach, broke down plot arc thus at the 2005 National Writer's Workshop:
- Exposition: introduce the protagonist, the person who makes things happen (if you're stuck, start with the protagonist's name and a transitive verb).
- Inciting incident: something knocks the protagonist off the status quo. “Think of a movie ... a Hollywood movie, not a Danish one,” he joked.
- Rising action: the protagonist struggles with confrontations.
- Point of insight. The solution or outcome clarifies.
- Climax: the confrontation resolves.
- Denouement: Wrap it up.
Hart considers the “point of insight” most valuable. “Here's what people are looking for in stories. They want to learn from the experiences of others how to be a more successful human being. Find the universal theme.”
Narrative writing is an advanced technique. Experiment, but don't panic if this new medium takes time to learn. Mimicry really is the best tool. Read stories – and watch films – with these techniques in mind. Then perhaps try a brief post in the format. As the great writing coach Hart said, “narrative articles needn't be 100-inch goat-chokers”. The short length forces your concentration onto the plot – picking, choosing and crystallizing the essential elements – rather than a glut of expression.
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Jon Franklin's Write for Story has the best explanation of plot I have ever read. His writers' list, WriterL, on Literary Journalism is where the likes of Roy Peter Clark and Skip Scanlan hang out. Right now we're discussing fiction techniques, but Jon holds that the techniques used by authors of fiction are the very techniques that build a compelling narrative.
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