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The plot diagram graphic organizer is an essential tool in analyzing and understanding the structure of a story. It helps readers visualize the key elements of a plot, such as the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. By using a plot diagram, readers can better understand the sequence of events and the overall arc ...
Miami by Fujian. This story appears in the April 2016 issue of Cricket magazine. Mariel visits her birthplace in China with her adopted parents. Although she struggles to fit in at times in her school in Miami, visiting her old orphanage helps her learn about where she comes from and opens her eyes to how lucky she is.
A PDF (ready to print) and Word document (EDITABLE) are included. This Plot Diagram Graphic Organizer Template will work for any short story and will aid students in reading comprehension!
- Plan A Story by Writing A Synopsis First
- Summarize Scenes and Sequels to Outline Connected Chapters
- Plan Scenes and Chapters on Index Cards, Post-Its, Corkboards
- Plan Story Beats in Actions and Reactions
- Use Three-Act Structure
- Plan Using The Hero’S Journey
- Use Other Methods
It may seem a strange idea to write a synopsisof a story you haven’t written yet. It’s a useful way to get the cogs of story whirring, though. The Now Novel dashboardwalks you through planning stories from your Central Idea into writing a one line, then one paragraph, then one page synopsis. The expanding of your idea unlocks further ideas and ques...
If you prefer to outline scene by scene(a compromise with pantsing), scenes and sequels provide one way to organize your story. In Techniques of the Selling Writer, Dwight Swain divides story units into ‘scenes’ and ‘sequels’. Each unit has three parts: Scenes: Scenes as units of action, says Swain, should contain a goal which leads to a conflict, ...
If you’re a visual planner or prefer a more physical planning activity, writing out summary index cards for scenes (like Vladimir Nabokov did) or using post-its and corkboards is useful. When we chatted to mystery series author Dr Bonnie Traymore (whose first novel was developed with the help of our Kickstart your Novel course), Bonnie shared:
If a novel planning approach using Swain’s scenes and sequels sounds too complex, try simple units of ‘action’ and ‘reaction’. Example: Action: Evacuation order pamphlets rain down on a city. Reaction: The city’s inhabitants including a blind protagonist must leave urgently. (All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr). The reaction becomes the s...
Three-act structure is an approach to story structurederiving from Aristotle’s theories on dramatic structure in Greek antiquity. The simple premise that a story should have a beginning, middle, and end. Three-act structure is divided into: 1. Act 1: This introduces core characters such as the protagonist and important figures in their life, as wel...
Many archetypal storieshave similar narrative structure. For example stories that follow ‘The Hero’s Journey’ (theorized by Joseph Campbell) or one of several modern versions of Campbell’s ideas (such as Dan Harmon’s simplified ‘Story Circle’). Say, for example, you take a ten-part version of the hero’s journey. The average length of a paperback no...
There are various other story planning methods. Inevitably when we discuss outlining, someone will comment, ‘what about so-and-so’s approach?’ A few other fiction planning options you could explore: Nothing to do with rodents, this plotting concept introduced by Orson Scott Card and developed by Mary Robinette Kowal (see a handy infographicon Kowal...
Apr 2, 2024 · The plot diagram is the graph of your story arc. Fictionary tracks thirty-eight story elements. It’s a lot! But each of these are grouped into three overarching categories, or supergroups: character, setting, and …. Wait for it…. PLOT. Plot comprises the story itself, and anything having to do with its progression.
Apr 4, 2024 · A Plot Diagram Defined: Think of it as a visual GPS for your story. It charts the key turning points, the rising tension, and the descent towards resolution. Typically, it features five key ...
Mariel is a young girl who is struggling with her identity. As a Chinese-American being raised by her adoptive Latino family in Miami, she doesn't understand who she really is. All of the other kids make fun of her but Mariel feels connected to her Latino culture. After a trip to China, where she was born, Mariel learns about her Chinese heritage.
