Best Books on Plot Structure (24 books)

One of the fundamental tasks of any writer is to create great plots. What are the major works that can help the writer in this task? Here is my own personal list to help you.

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

1	Morphology of the Folktale by Vladimir Propp really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,185 ratings score: 290, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Thirty Six Dramatic Situations by Georges Polti 3.44 avg rating — 221 ratings score: 200, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Poetics by Aristotle 3.83 avg rating — 29,541 ratings score: 199, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting Paperback – November 29, 2005 by Syd Field 3.99 avg rating — 8,770 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee 4.27 avg rating — 17,536 ratings score: 196, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 5,988 ratings score: 194, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Writing for Story: Craft Secrets of Dramatic Nonfiction by Jon Franklin 4.06 avg rating — 539 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell 4.13 avg rating — 45,071 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Motif-Index of Folk-Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folktales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval Romances, Exempla, Fabliaux, j (Volume 1 of 6) by Stith Thompson 4.33 avg rating — 18 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Scene & Structure by Jack M. Bickham 4.11 avg rating — 1,609 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Plotto: The Master Book of All Plots by William Wallace Cook 3.65 avg rating — 207 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,510 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Scene & Structure (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Jack M. Bickham(2006-04-01) by Unknown Author it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Classical Plot and the Invention of Western Narrative by N.J. Lowe 4.29 avg rating — 7 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories by Christopher Booker 3.76 avg rating — 1,749 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The plot of the short story: An exhaustive study, both synthetical and analytical, with copious examples, making the work a practical treatise by Henry Albert Phillips 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Understanding Conflict (And What It Really Means) (Skill Builders Series, #2) by Janice Hardy (Goodreads Author) 4.33 avg rating — 180 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Fairytale and Plot Structure by Terence Patrick Murphy (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Handbook of Narrative Analysis by Luc Herman 3.34 avg rating — 109 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	From Fairy Tale to Film Screenplay: Working with Plot Genotypes by Terence Patrick Murphy (Goodreads Author) 4.33 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Theory of Prose by Victor Shklovsky 4.14 avg rating — 273 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Averroes' Middle Commentary on Aristotle's Poetics by ibn Rushd 4.50 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Storytelling in the New Hollywood: Understanding Classical Narrative Technique by Thompson 4.04 avg rating — 49 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Poetics Of Cinema by David Bordwell 4.22 avg rating — 72 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars