After I changed your thinking about plot last week by stating it is NOT story structure, I want to discuss how to merge the two. Plot isn’t like story structures where you know basically where things should happen, like the inciting incident happens around the 10% mark of the book. You have to weave plot all together in every scene. So, let’s talk about how to coordinate it with story structure to get a better idea on how to weave plot in an impactful way.
Quick Plot Review
Before we continue, I want to list the eight elements of plot as a quick reference for this post. Remember, each of these have to be present to have an impactful plot, and they work off each other in a coordinated way to tell a story.
- Goal
- Stakes
- Plan
- Antagonistic Force
- Conflict
- Decisions
- Consequences
- Shifts
For this post, I’m going to divide these eight plot elements into two groups. The first four (goal, stakes, plan, and antagonistic force) are what we will refer to as Plot Pillars. These are the elements that hold up the story and that everything revolves around. The second group is the last four elements (conflict, decisions, consequences, and shifts). These are the Plot Cycle. Conflict starts the circle, and then each element pops up in order until the plot cycles back to conflict. These elements drive the story.
Quick Story Structure Review
Next, we need to review story structure. Since there are a ton of different methods for structure, I am going to use James Scott Bell’s five essential beats from his book Super Structure. I’m mainly using this because it’s only five points and will keep the demonstration simple. However, plot can be woven into any story structure method you like to use. In Bell’s method, the five main points are as follows.
- Disturbance-the starting hook that shows the protagonist’s life and current conflict
- Doorway of No Return 1-the inciting incident that gets the story moving
- Mirror Moment-the midpoint where something big happens and the protagonist must choose to change or not (the character goes from being passive to active)
- Doorway of No Return 2-last turning point when the protagonist must choose to commit to completing the change she started and do what is needed to succeed
- Final Battle-the big event when both the internal and external plots come to a conclusion
Obviously, there is a lot more to a story’s structure than these five points, but they cover the basics.
Merging Plot And Story Structure
Now that we have the tools we need, let’s put plot and story structure together.
Disturbance
At the beginning of the book, you are going to spend the time setting up your Plot Pillars. In the first 10% of the book, we need to know the goal, stakes, the protagonist’s plan to achieve the goal, and what stands in her way of getting it. Laying out these four elements of plot will give the readers a sense of direction for the story.
A quick note on the goal though. The external goal (book goal) typically doesn’t appear until after the inciting incident. In this starting section, you need to lay out the protagonist’s internal goal (usually tied to the book theme). What is it she wants out of life and how does she think she will achieve it? What stakes are attached to it and what is keeping her from getting it? This internal goal shouldn’t change when the external goal comes into play. The two goals should merge to form the story that will be resolved in the end.
Doorway Of No Return 1
The inciting incident now appears, starting the Plot Cycle elements. The inciting incident is conflict that the protagonist usually doesn’t instigate. However, she will have to react to it. She’ll have to make a decision on how to proceed, which will have consequences, which will make the plot shift.
Typically, this shift here affects all the Plot Pillars. The plot goal shifts by adding an external goal, like solve a mystery or escape a tornado. The stakes shift to broader risks because usually more people are involved than when the goal was just internal. A new plan will need to be made to achieve the new external goal, and a new antagonist will appear to work against that goal. Using these new Plot Pillars, you will continue the Plot Cycle, gradually increasing the tension with bigger conflicts and consequences.
Mirror Moment
As the story progresses, you will have three “big” conflicts. The first one (that is the least bad) will be here at the midpoint. Some big conflict will appear, and the protagonist will be forced to decide something about who they are as a person. The big event will make them examine themselves, and they will see a change that needs to be made in their own life. For a positive change arc, the character must choose to make that change (or start the process). This choice will lead to a shift in the stakes and/or the plan. After this shift, your Plot Cycle elements keep circling.
Doorway Of No Return 2
After a few more cycles, the story will come to the next big conflict. This one will be the second worst conflict of the book. This big event will hammer home the need for the change started at the midpoint. The decision the protagonist makes here will again shift the stakes (making them the biggest yet) and alter the plan. The protagonist now knows how to defeat the antagonist and achieve her goal. She will head straight toward that resolution, probably completing a few more Plot Cycles with smaller risks until she reaches the climax.
Final Battle
Now you have brought the story to its climax, both internally and externally. This big conflict will be the worst one in the whole book. The stakes will be at their highest, and the antagonist at his most powerful. When the conflict occurs, your protagonist must choose to embrace everything she’s learned (achieving her internal goal) to succeed (achieving her external goal).
Once she’s achieved her goal and conquered the antagonistic force, the protagonist needs to complete the Plot Cycle. The resolution will be you showing the consequences of the last big conflict and then how the protagonist’s life has shifted.
Example
This should hopefully make sense, but I like using examples to really drive home the lesson. So, let’s look at Disney’s Encanto and see how plot and story structure merge to form a compelling story. Please note, there are more Plot Cycles in the movie than the ones I’ve listed. I only cover the top five points of story structure in this example.
Encanto‘s Disturbance
The setup for Encanto is mostly in place by the time the first song is finished. In the scene with Mirabel as a child, she is told to make her family proud. That’s her internal goal for the entire movie. She wants to have worth and purpose so her family is proud of her. The stakes are that, if she doesn’t have a purpose and make her family proud, she won’t be part of the family. She won’t be special enough to be included. When she is a teenager, we see her plan to achieve her goal is to help any way she can, even if she doesn’t have a magical gift. At the time, she’s decorating the house for a party. The antagonistic force in the story is Abuela. She is constantly telling Maribel to stay out of the way and insinuating that Maribel doesn’t have a purpose.
Encanto‘s Doorway Of No Return 1
The inciting incident is when the house begins to crack and the candle flickers as if dying. The conflict is that the miracle (magic) is fading. Mirabel decides to tell Abuela that the miracle is in danger. The consequence is that Abuela asks to see it, but the evidence is gone. So, Abuela suggests Mirabel made it up because she’s jealous of her cousin who just received a magic gift. The whole family is disappointed in Mirabel.
Then the shifts in the story happen. After overhearing Abuela concerned for their miracle, Mirabel sets a new goal (external goal) to save the miracle. The stakes have grown from just Mirabel losing her place in the magical family to the whole family losing their magic and purpose. She makes a plan to investigate on her own (since Abuela wouldn’t listen to her) what is happening to the miracle so she can save it.
Encanto‘s Mirror Moment
The big conflict at the midpoint is that the house cracks and everyone sees it this time. The whole village knows the miracle is failing, and the family thinks it’s Mirabel’s fault because of a prophecy Bruno saw. Mirabel refuses to accept it, and she confronts Bruno about what he saw. Bruno tells her she is the key to the miracle either living or dying. Mirabel decides to believe she has a purpose, is special, and can save the magic. The consequence of her belief is that Bruno also believes in her and helps her learn how to save the miracle. Now the plan shifts, and she must reconcile with one of her sisters to help the candle glow brighter.
Encanto‘s Doorway of No Return 2
The next big conflict is when her sister lets go and lets her true self show, and Abuela gets upset. Abuela blames Mirabel for leading her sister astray. Mirabel realizes she will never be good enough for Abuela no matter how hard she tries. She learns that Abuela expects perfection from everyone, but it will never be good enough to make Abuela proud of them. Mirabel has the realization that this pressure on the family is what is killing the miracle. She decides to confront Abuela and says Abuela’s the reason the miracle is dying. The consequence is the revelation starts to crumble the house. Mirabel now has to shift her plan and save the candle before the house falls on it. Meanwhile, the stakes have risen to a physical level as everyone runs for their lives from the collapsing house.
Encanto‘s Final Battle
At the end of the movie, the final conflict is that the candle goes out. The miracle has died. On top of that, the house is destroyed, everyone lost their magic, and there are unresolved feelings within the family. Mirabel decides to leave the family because she thinks she hurt them. The consequence is that the family searches for her, and Abuela finds her. Abuela is able to open up and tell her story. Mirabel’s goal shifts from trying to make people proud of her to expressing her pride and gratitude of her Abuela (and family).
In the resolution, you see the consequence of Mirabel and Abuela reconciling. The family all starts opening up, expressing their love for each other, and valuing each person for who they are instead of what they do. The shift is that the family’s new goal is to work together and rebuild their house. With love and support, they succeed and bring back the miracle. Mirabel achieves her internal goal. She is recognized as valuable and has made her family proud.
Final Thoughts
Both plot and story structure are important for a good book. If your pacing is off, you may have an issue with your story structure. If the story isn’t gripping, then your plot may have issues. You must have both working together to create a great story. I know realizing these two are separate concepts that must work together has greatly improved my writing, and I hope it does the same for you.
Thanks for reading!
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