Lecture 03: Plot Part 2
make outlines like this
character
- Kaladin
- who are they
- arc 1
- arc 2
- Shallan
- Dalinar
- Szeth
- side characters
- blah
setting
- magic/tech
- worldbuilding physical
- cultural
plot
plot archetype
Mistborn:
- heist
- master & apprentice plot
- information plot
- relationship
Ocean’s eleven
- gather a team
- one newbie
- explain the problem/plot
- scene showing bank place and splitting the plan into different pieces
- missing piece
- twist - the newbie is surprised by the others knowing how to solve the missing piece already
The Italian job
- problems A B C D
- solve them with solutions 1 2 3 4
- but at the end we have problems E F G H
- scramble up the solutions ie 1 solves F, 2 solves H etc - safe cracker can break into a car
how does Brandon make an outline
plan by section and idea, when sitting down to write, pull the ideas from the relevant sections
relationship
- steps….
- scene showing person A competence in one area but missing something specific
- scene showing person B opposite to this
- why do they not get together immediately? - Montague vs Capulet
- first meet second meet disasters
- discovery of admirations
- braiding roses together
- thorns move from pointing at each other to outsiders
mystery
steps of how we get there
- blah
Hero’s Journey / Monomyth
- character at home
- call to adventure
- refusal of the call
- journey into the unknown
- trials and tribulations
- mentor
- mentor dies
- descent into the underworld
- apotheosis
- atonement
- reward with the elixir
- return with the elixir
3 act structure
- transition from act 1 to 2:
- character goes from inactive to proactive - “i will go do this”
- transition from act 2 to 3 - low point
- twist in the middle
- rising action increasing stakes and tension
discovery writing
stephen king
george r r martin
- Yes but, no and - create motion where something is always going wrong for the character