Showing posts with label plot type. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plot type. Show all posts
Plot types all in - whew!
Whew! I have finally got all of the plot types posted. It took me a while, but they're all here. I think I am missing a few labels, so I need to go back and double check that, then I can start moving them into a more organized order to be used on my freelance writer's web site. Took me a while to get them all up here, but I think it's worthwhile work.
Plot Type - Loss of loved ones
Loss of loved ones
Character types:
Kinsman Slain
Kinsman Spectator
Executioner
Basic Synopsis: This plot is a basic one wherein the kinsman spectator witnesses the slaying of their kinsmen, perhaps they were powerless to prevent it or they may have been part of the cause that brought about the events they witness. The understanding of why they were helpless or why they were part of the cause is usually what comprises the story around this plot.
Character types:
Kinsman Slain
Kinsman Spectator
Executioner
Basic Synopsis: This plot is a basic one wherein the kinsman spectator witnesses the slaying of their kinsmen, perhaps they were powerless to prevent it or they may have been part of the cause that brought about the events they witness. The understanding of why they were helpless or why they were part of the cause is usually what comprises the story around this plot.
Plot Type - Recovery of a lost one
Recovery of a lost one
Character types:
Seeker
The One Found
Basic Synopsis: This is a fairly simple story thread where the seeker looks for and finds someone that was lost. It can be fairly complex, however, such as a parent searching desperately for a child that has been lost somewhere or someone searching for a friend that was lost at sea. Another possibility would be in a situation where the lost one left willingly, perhaps moved away, and now the seeker wants to find them for some reason.
Character types:
Seeker
The One Found
Basic Synopsis: This is a fairly simple story thread where the seeker looks for and finds someone that was lost. It can be fairly complex, however, such as a parent searching desperately for a child that has been lost somewhere or someone searching for a friend that was lost at sea. Another possibility would be in a situation where the lost one left willingly, perhaps moved away, and now the seeker wants to find them for some reason.
Plot Type - Remorse
Remorse
Character types:
Culprit
Victim or the Sin
Interrogator
Basic Synopsis: the culprit in this story has done wrong to the victim, or committed some crime or sinned in some manner. The story revolves not so much around the efforts of the interrogator to get the culprit to admit their guilt, as it does around the struggle of the culprit with the wrong they have done. It might be a murderer that feels genuine remorse for the life he took or it could be someone that stole something they can not return to the rightful owner and feels great remorse at the theft.
Character types:
Culprit
Victim or the Sin
Interrogator
Basic Synopsis: the culprit in this story has done wrong to the victim, or committed some crime or sinned in some manner. The story revolves not so much around the efforts of the interrogator to get the culprit to admit their guilt, as it does around the struggle of the culprit with the wrong they have done. It might be a murderer that feels genuine remorse for the life he took or it could be someone that stole something they can not return to the rightful owner and feels great remorse at the theft.
Plot Type - Erroneous judgment
Erroneous judgment
Character types:
Mistaken One
Victim of the Mistake
Cause or Author of the Mistake
The Guilty One
Basic Synopsis: In this story, the mistaken one makes some judgment about, or is suspicious about, the victim instead of the guilty person. The reason for this case of error in judgment is usually due to some cause or is caused by the author of the mistake. This is a story where the victim of a crime might be framed by the true criminal, leading the mistaken one to accuse the victim.
Character types:
Mistaken One
Victim of the Mistake
Cause or Author of the Mistake
The Guilty One
Basic Synopsis: In this story, the mistaken one makes some judgment about, or is suspicious about, the victim instead of the guilty person. The reason for this case of error in judgment is usually due to some cause or is caused by the author of the mistake. This is a story where the victim of a crime might be framed by the true criminal, leading the mistaken one to accuse the victim.
Plot Type - Mistaken jealousy
Mistaken jealousy
Character types:
Jealous One
A Supposed Accomplice
Basic Synopsis: This is a story that explores what happens when we make assumptions and miss important facts. A study of how jealousy can easily lead to decisions that turn out to be tragically wrong.
A part of this story is often the jealous one becoming so jealous, that they become a trigger that they can be set off by another that might seek to manipulate the jealous one.
Key elements are an object of whose possession the jealous one is jealous and a cause or an author of the mistake that is made.
Character types:
Jealous One
A Supposed Accomplice
Basic Synopsis: This is a story that explores what happens when we make assumptions and miss important facts. A study of how jealousy can easily lead to decisions that turn out to be tragically wrong.
A part of this story is often the jealous one becoming so jealous, that they become a trigger that they can be set off by another that might seek to manipulate the jealous one.
Key elements are an object of whose possession the jealous one is jealous and a cause or an author of the mistake that is made.
Plot Type - Conflict with a god
Conflict with a god
Character types:
A Mortal
An Immortal
Basic Synopsis: There are many tales of heroes that find themselves in a conflict with a god. Hercules' conflict with Hera is one such example where a god, or in this case a goddess, and a mortal are at odds against one another, however it is not quite right since Hercules is a little more than a mere mortal. A good example might be if Hercules' friend Iolas, from the Kevin Sorbo series 'Hercules', were to be in a conflict with Hera.
This story plot is a variation on the superior vs inferior rivalry, but in a no holds barred sort of way. One of the characters in omnipotent, the other can only do the same ordinary things of any other man or woman, and ye must somehow hold their own in this seemingly impossible conflict.
Character types:
A Mortal
An Immortal
Basic Synopsis: There are many tales of heroes that find themselves in a conflict with a god. Hercules' conflict with Hera is one such example where a god, or in this case a goddess, and a mortal are at odds against one another, however it is not quite right since Hercules is a little more than a mere mortal. A good example might be if Hercules' friend Iolas, from the Kevin Sorbo series 'Hercules', were to be in a conflict with Hera.
This story plot is a variation on the superior vs inferior rivalry, but in a no holds barred sort of way. One of the characters in omnipotent, the other can only do the same ordinary things of any other man or woman, and ye must somehow hold their own in this seemingly impossible conflict.
Plot Type - Ambition
Ambition
Character types:
Ambitious Person
Thing Coveted
Adversary
Basic Synopsis: The ambitious person covets something, however that an adversary stands in the way of the ambitious person achieving the coveted item. This could be an item, such as a book or ancient artifact, or it could be a person, such as the lovely daughter or sister of the adversary. The ambitious person can fill the role of either the protagonist or antagonist in the story. A strong element of this plot is the tension of the ambitious person that covets what they can not obtain. If the coveted item were easy to obtain there would be no plot.
Character types:
Ambitious Person
Thing Coveted
Adversary
Basic Synopsis: The ambitious person covets something, however that an adversary stands in the way of the ambitious person achieving the coveted item. This could be an item, such as a book or ancient artifact, or it could be a person, such as the lovely daughter or sister of the adversary. The ambitious person can fill the role of either the protagonist or antagonist in the story. A strong element of this plot is the tension of the ambitious person that covets what they can not obtain. If the coveted item were easy to obtain there would be no plot.
Plot Type - An enemy loved
An enemy loved
Character types:
Lover
Beloved Enemy
Hater
Basic Synopsis: This is a knotted plot wherein the hater has cause to hate the person in the role of the beloved enemy, because of some unforgivable crime, and yet, the lover that is close to them (a daughter/sister/son/parent) for some reason sympathizes with the enemy and loves them, may even sympathize with the beloved enemy's cause. This can bring about a very powerful plot line if it can be effectively pulled off.
One possibility might be a situation where two sisters are at odds over one's boyfriend. The boyfriend murdered the father of the sisters years before, but only the sister that loves him knows the truth of why and how it happened.
Character types:
Lover
Beloved Enemy
Hater
Basic Synopsis: This is a knotted plot wherein the hater has cause to hate the person in the role of the beloved enemy, because of some unforgivable crime, and yet, the lover that is close to them (a daughter/sister/son/parent) for some reason sympathizes with the enemy and loves them, may even sympathize with the beloved enemy's cause. This can bring about a very powerful plot line if it can be effectively pulled off.
One possibility might be a situation where two sisters are at odds over one's boyfriend. The boyfriend murdered the father of the sisters years before, but only the sister that loves him knows the truth of why and how it happened.
Plot Type - Obstacles to love
Obstacles to love
Character types:
Two Lovers
Basic Synopsis: The obstacles to love story is all about overcoming an obstacle that prevents two people from being happy together. This might be the case of a social standing, where one is of royal lineage and the other is a pauper, or it could be something as extreme as a separation of time keeping two people apart in movies such as the 2006 Keanu Reeves movie 'The Lake House' or the 1980 Christopher Reeve movie 'Somewhere in Time',
Character types:
Two Lovers
Basic Synopsis: The obstacles to love story is all about overcoming an obstacle that prevents two people from being happy together. This might be the case of a social standing, where one is of royal lineage and the other is a pauper, or it could be something as extreme as a separation of time keeping two people apart in movies such as the 2006 Keanu Reeves movie 'The Lake House' or the 1980 Christopher Reeve movie 'Somewhere in Time',
Plot Type - Discovery of the dishonor of a loved one
Discovery of the dishonor of a loved one
Character types:
Discoverer
The Guilty One
Basic Synopsis: This plot focuses on the discovery of a shameful secret in the past of a loved one. This could be a wide range of secret dishonors, perhaps a spouse is discovered to have been part of a horrific event where people died, a son or brother might be discovered to have deserted his post while in the military, etc... stories like this usually include the dilemma that the discoverer faces on whether the guilty one should be exposed or protected, if the family should punish the guilty one, etc...
Character types:
Discoverer
The Guilty One
Basic Synopsis: This plot focuses on the discovery of a shameful secret in the past of a loved one. This could be a wide range of secret dishonors, perhaps a spouse is discovered to have been part of a horrific event where people died, a son or brother might be discovered to have deserted his post while in the military, etc... stories like this usually include the dilemma that the discoverer faces on whether the guilty one should be exposed or protected, if the family should punish the guilty one, etc...
Plot Type: Rivalry of superior v. inferior
Rivalry of superior v. inferior
Character types:
Superior Rival
Inferior Rival
Object of the Rivalry
Basic Synopsis: This would be a situation where a noble and a commoner might be rivals for the affections of a lovely lady's hand. Perhaps the crown prince met and fell in love with an innkeeper's daughter, setting him to be the rival for her affections against the stable master that has a desire to marry the lovely woman himself.
Another example of this plot might be a mortal and a god that are in a rivalry over something or someone. The immortal and very powerful god has obvious advantages, as does the crown prince in the previous example, so the trick to this type of plot is to find ways for the inferior rival to hold his own against his opponent.
Character types:
Superior Rival
Inferior Rival
Object of the Rivalry
Basic Synopsis: This would be a situation where a noble and a commoner might be rivals for the affections of a lovely lady's hand. Perhaps the crown prince met and fell in love with an innkeeper's daughter, setting him to be the rival for her affections against the stable master that has a desire to marry the lovely woman himself.
Another example of this plot might be a mortal and a god that are in a rivalry over something or someone. The immortal and very powerful god has obvious advantages, as does the crown prince in the previous example, so the trick to this type of plot is to find ways for the inferior rival to hold his own against his opponent.
Plot Type: Necessity of sacrificing loved ones
Necessity of sacrificing loved ones
Character types:
Hero
Beloved Victim
Basic Synopsis: The basic structural foundation for this plot is the necessity for the sacrifice. This is a plot where the hero is a hero because of their sacrifice of a loved one - perhaps it is the king who sacrifices his beloved daughter to marry an evil tyrant to save the people of his kingdom, or (using the Bible as an example) the parent that sacrifices a beloved child out of religious devotion or the sacrifice of one's daughters to protect guests in the home from others. The trick in this plot type is in showing that the hero does not make the sacrifice lightly, the anguish of having to make such a decision being clear to the reader.
Character types:
Hero
Beloved Victim
Basic Synopsis: The basic structural foundation for this plot is the necessity for the sacrifice. This is a plot where the hero is a hero because of their sacrifice of a loved one - perhaps it is the king who sacrifices his beloved daughter to marry an evil tyrant to save the people of his kingdom, or (using the Bible as an example) the parent that sacrifices a beloved child out of religious devotion or the sacrifice of one's daughters to protect guests in the home from others. The trick in this plot type is in showing that the hero does not make the sacrifice lightly, the anguish of having to make such a decision being clear to the reader.
Plot Type: All Sacrificed for Passion
All sacrificed for passion
Character types:
Lover
Object of fatal Passion
Person/Thing sacrificed
Basic Synopsis: This is an example of someone that is willing to sacrifice it all in the name of their passion. This could be any number of variations on sacrifice for passion. The lover might sacrifice their mind, health, life, fortune... A religious vow of chastity might be broken by passion. This story focuses on the fact that love is blind and proves it through the sacrifice of something that will forever change the lover's life because of their passion for the one person/object over the other.
Character types:
Lover
Object of fatal Passion
Person/Thing sacrificed
Basic Synopsis: This is an example of someone that is willing to sacrifice it all in the name of their passion. This could be any number of variations on sacrifice for passion. The lover might sacrifice their mind, health, life, fortune... A religious vow of chastity might be broken by passion. This story focuses on the fact that love is blind and proves it through the sacrifice of something that will forever change the lover's life because of their passion for the one person/object over the other.
Plot Type: Self-Sacrifice for Kin
Self-sacrifice for kin
Character types:
Hero
Kinsman
Creditor or a Person/Thing sacrificed
Basic Synopsis: This plot looks at what happens when someone places their kin above all things. Self-sacrifice for kin might be extreme where someone gives their life to save the life of one of their kin, or it might be a person that makes self-sacrifices out of love for a child, sibling, spouse or parent. An example of this kind of story would be a family caregiver - a person that gives up much of their own desires and comforts to see to the comfort and care of a spouse or aging parent. Many family caregivers will sacrifice their own health in the course of providing care for their loved one.
Character types:
Hero
Kinsman
Creditor or a Person/Thing sacrificed
Basic Synopsis: This plot looks at what happens when someone places their kin above all things. Self-sacrifice for kin might be extreme where someone gives their life to save the life of one of their kin, or it might be a person that makes self-sacrifices out of love for a child, sibling, spouse or parent. An example of this kind of story would be a family caregiver - a person that gives up much of their own desires and comforts to see to the comfort and care of a spouse or aging parent. Many family caregivers will sacrifice their own health in the course of providing care for their loved one.
Plot Type: Self-sacrifice for an Ideal
Self-sacrifice for an ideal
Character types:
Hero
An Ideal
Creditor or a Person/Thing sacrificed
Basic Synopsis: In this plot the hero is willing to give up something dear or even place himself in harm's way for the sake of their ideals. This might be a case of someone that is ready to sacrifice their life for their faith, country, or to benefit their people. It might also be a situation where a prince must give up the woman he loves to enter into an arranged marriage to a stranger because the union would be the best thing for the people of his kingdom.
Character types:
Hero
An Ideal
Creditor or a Person/Thing sacrificed
Basic Synopsis: In this plot the hero is willing to give up something dear or even place himself in harm's way for the sake of their ideals. This might be a case of someone that is ready to sacrifice their life for their faith, country, or to benefit their people. It might also be a situation where a prince must give up the woman he loves to enter into an arranged marriage to a stranger because the union would be the best thing for the people of his kingdom.
Plot Type: Slaying of kin unrecognized
Slaying of kin unrecognized
Character types:
Slayer
Unrecognized Victim
Basic Synopsis: In this plot type, the slayer kills (or nearly kills) the unrecognized victim, only to discover that the victim is related to them. Perhaps a woman living alone in a strange city has been being stalked by a man and thinks she has shot an intruder in self defense only to discover it was her brother, come to check on her, she shot. Or another possible plot might be one where a child seeks revenge upon a stranger that was seen lurking where the child's father was murdered and goes after this stranger, only to discover (possibly only after it is too late) that the stranger was in fact an unknown half-brother/sister that the parent had never told anyone about.
Character types:
Slayer
Unrecognized Victim
Basic Synopsis: In this plot type, the slayer kills (or nearly kills) the unrecognized victim, only to discover that the victim is related to them. Perhaps a woman living alone in a strange city has been being stalked by a man and thinks she has shot an intruder in self defense only to discover it was her brother, come to check on her, she shot. Or another possible plot might be one where a child seeks revenge upon a stranger that was seen lurking where the child's father was murdered and goes after this stranger, only to discover (possibly only after it is too late) that the stranger was in fact an unknown half-brother/sister that the parent had never told anyone about.
Plot Type: Obtaining
Obtaining
Character types: There are actually two different character types possible in the obtaining plot:
Solicitor
Adversary who is refusing
or
Arbitrator
Opposing Parties
Basic Synopsis: This is a simple plot where two people want something and neither is willing to give up their desires. Perhaps the most famous version of this plot would be King Solomon and the two women insisting to be the mother of the same child. In the story of King Solomon, the King played the role on an arbitrator between the opposing parties. Other plot types might include a couple that is getting a divorce and both desiring to keep possession of some item (an expensive painting, classic car, the house, etc.)
Character types: There are actually two different character types possible in the obtaining plot:
Solicitor
Adversary who is refusing
or
Arbitrator
Opposing Parties
Basic Synopsis: This is a simple plot where two people want something and neither is willing to give up their desires. Perhaps the most famous version of this plot would be King Solomon and the two women insisting to be the mother of the same child. In the story of King Solomon, the King played the role on an arbitrator between the opposing parties. Other plot types might include a couple that is getting a divorce and both desiring to keep possession of some item (an expensive painting, classic car, the house, etc.)
Plot Type: The Enigma
The Enigma
Character types:
Interrogator
Seeker
Basic Synopsis: In the enigma plot there is a puzzle posed by the interrogator that the seeker must solve. This type of plot is what is found in the fable of Rumplestiltskin, where Rumplestiltskin issues the seemingly impossible challenge to guess his name. The sphinx and his riddles are another example, where the unlucky travelers who can not guess the three riddles of the sphinx correctly are killed and eaten by the sphinx. There are many fables and fairy tales in which a puzzle is presented and the seeker must give the proper solution or suffer terrible consequences, including the Greek story of Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, who posed a riddle to any would be suitors.
Character types:
Interrogator
Seeker
Basic Synopsis: In the enigma plot there is a puzzle posed by the interrogator that the seeker must solve. This type of plot is what is found in the fable of Rumplestiltskin, where Rumplestiltskin issues the seemingly impossible challenge to guess his name. The sphinx and his riddles are another example, where the unlucky travelers who can not guess the three riddles of the sphinx correctly are killed and eaten by the sphinx. There are many fables and fairy tales in which a puzzle is presented and the seeker must give the proper solution or suffer terrible consequences, including the Greek story of Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, who posed a riddle to any would be suitors.
Plot Type: Vengeance of a Crime
Vengeance of a Crime
Character types:
Avenger
Criminal
Basic Synopsis: This plot focuses on what happens when crime is pursued by vengeance. In this plot some wrong was perpetrated against the avenger and they take it into their own hands to make things right. The avenger usually is not associated with law enforcement, they are merely someone against whom a wrong (or what they perceived to be a wrong) was committed and they seek vengeance themselves.
Character types:
Avenger
Criminal
Basic Synopsis: This plot focuses on what happens when crime is pursued by vengeance. In this plot some wrong was perpetrated against the avenger and they take it into their own hands to make things right. The avenger usually is not associated with law enforcement, they are merely someone against whom a wrong (or what they perceived to be a wrong) was committed and they seek vengeance themselves.
