Plot Structures: A Tool, Not a Rule, and Four Ways to Use Them Like It’s True
Melissa Beasley
Whenever plotting time rolls around, one conversation seems inevitable: What plot structure are you going to use? Save The Cat? The Hero’s Journey? (Everyone loves The Hero’s Journey.) Those are just two of the most popular plot structures that people attribute their success to. However, they aren’t the culprits; rather, public opinion and resources heap them upon you like no tomorrow. Everyone has something to say, and they seem to say that outlining is the shining grail of success. Look at all these media properties, can’t you spot it? The simple six-part structure that will save your dreamed-up career. Cue the choir. Or not. I’ve found myself biting my nails when I lay a budding project under the torrential wrath of discourse about plot structure. If you are like me and mainly want suggestions that are less invasive than a preset structure, fear not. The most delightful aspect of resources is the fact that they are optional. Just because most of the resources out there are about beat-for-beat plot structures doesn’t mean that’s the only way for you to write your story. I’m here to welcome you back to the reality that these ideas about plot are here to help, not hinder you.
Let’s take a few steps back. A plot is the series of events that make up a story. I’m certain you’re familiar with this definition. Perhaps you’re tired of it. It boils down the plot to something so simple it’s intangible. Direction is the last thing it provides. I encourage you not to be hung up on it. What you need for a plot is conflict. If you have a well-developed character or setting, you can set up a conflict in no time. For example, the orphan protagonist could be in search of a legacy, grappling with their origins, or helplessly convinced that their abandonment was a mistake. With that conflict in hand, you need to find a way to a resolution of some kind. Give the character leads and resources to discover the truth. Presto, you have a plot. So, generally, having a few minor details should equip you to build a plot, and that is all you need. But if you’re still struggling, here are four ways to creatively use plot structures in a way that allows you freedom.
- Don’t Treat It Like a Binding Contract
If you are at this phase, you’re certain to have ideas. If the elements you have can’t be jammed into a plot structure, so be it. Not being able to fit your plot into a standard structure doesn’t mean there is something wrong with your story. In other words, try to outline or write with a structure, and if it goes awry, don’t worry about it until the drafting phase. If there are problems with your story, they will likely not be due solely to departure from the original plot structure.
- Take Some, and Leave the Rest.
Let’s say you’re in love with the first arc of the save the cat structure, but some significant elements of the second and third arcs are not your speed. Keep on driving, the next bump in the road probably isn’t going to be a yowling audience member screaming about how they know what you did. Structures need not be wholesale; you can buy what looks most pertinent to what you’re working on.
- Apply the Structure to a Single Element of Your Story.
Maybe Grandma is going through the hero’s journey, and your spunky lead is conquering the universe in an alternative fashion. If you don’t want a structure to command your main plot around, you can set it in the background for use in smaller character arcs or events that impact the setting. It provides some direction without tampering too heavily.
- Frankenstein a Structure.
Make Mary Shelley proud! Try your hand at building something new from your favorite innards of plot structures to fit your story. Structures such as the hero’s journey have much more specific beats than most. For example, the return with the elixir beat involves your hero returning to their old community and providing a physical, emotional, or spiritual wholeness at the end of the story. Perhaps you decide to turn this on its head and open your story with a hero bringing wholeness to a new place. Distorting the source material in these structures is far from a cardinal sin and can yield some interesting results.
In conclusion, plot structures are considered important scaffolding for many and certainly have the potential to be. But for those who feel more burdened than freed by them, there are alternatives: shedding them entirely or using them more dynamically. Plot structures were created as tools for your benefit, not rules to bar you from writing the stories you have a passion for. So, don’t let them out of their jurisdiction; keep forging ahead.
Additional Resources
If you don’t want to go a-wandering out on the wild www., here are a few resources full of structures to consider using as tools in your creative ventures:
9 Story Structures to Plot Your Next Novel – Bookfox
Save the Cat Beat Sheet: The Ultimate Guide (+ Template)
Story Structure: 11 Popular Plot Types Explained (w/ Examples) | Kindlepreneur[JGM12]
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