C.A.’s Reviews > Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish > Status Update

Plot Complexity Exercises

What lesson do you want the reader to learn? What is the insight, the new way of looking at things? This is your theme. Theme deepens the reader's experience. Character always carry theme. Always. Other-wise it will seem as if the theme is forced. The old 'show don't tell' definitely applies here. Theme can help make the story memorable.

Find symbols, use them to form a motif. Weave them into your story.

Scenes are like music :

Major chord = lots of: action, reaction ... Minor chord = a lesser amount of : setup, deepening
A beat is a smaller unit within a scene.
Give the reader a cookie = Hook them first => rising tension => Intensity, and => end the scene with a Prompt to keep the reader engaged.

Chapter 8 [complex plots]

Develop your Theme =>weave in a thematic subplot
Symbols and motifs can deepen theme

Endings: 3 types: Positive. Ambiguous. Negative.
But a loss can also be a gain, and a gain a loss.
Sacrifice Goal: Final choice
Sacrifice your safety: Final Battle
Last page Resonance: leave a lasting impression.
Avoid rushing the ending. Think BIG. Take time to make sure it's better than good. It MUST be Great!

Action Reaction More action. Of course you need an active lead.

Interweave action, thought, dialogue, description, to stretch the tension. Raising the stakes involves not only the Character stakes, but the Plot stakes and Societal stakes.

I suppose you can think of this particular nudge as weaving the World Building in with all the other threads.

The middle. Raise the stakes. Maintain the tension. Keep the reader worried/engaged...

Death comes in many forms. Hmnn. Just like the tarot card, Death is, above all, a symbol of drastic change.

80 The opposition: aka Villain Add adhesive to make it stick. A strong and logical reason for the conflict. (This rule must, in my opinion, also hold true for inner conflict as well.) All conflict must stand up to reason.

Hook readers on the 1st page. Avoid excessive description, looking backwards. Make sure your character has a viable threat looming.

71 Handle exposition craftily, sneakily, wryly, #1 act first explain later. #2 explain using iceberg analogy. #3 Reveal crucial information during conflict. Guard the flow of the story. Pacing should vary by intention.

Next few pages site examples and break them down thoroughly.