Apr 08
Expectations hinge on a hint of plot—a clever title, an eye-catching cover design or the hook of a story’s first sentence. I recently found three Little Free Libraries (LFL) with clear messages to prospective readers. Although my LFL discovery from last month, Twisted by Jeffery Deaver, makes me suspicious of every motive and surprise plot …
Mar 08
On my latest plotting pilgrimage, I discover plot in a Little Free Library. How can I resist free books to read and a hastle-free return? An amazing 36,000 little free libraries populate the world. My discovery of this little treasure changes everything I have done in the past. Plot Playgrounds Plot resources exist in many …
Feb 08
Games teach the mechanics of plot. A player begins Chutes and Ladders on a path with some ladders up and some chutes down. The sequence of action and consequence is plot, pure and simple. Same Game Different Century The Milton Bradley game comes from an ancient Indian game called Snakes and Ladders. In Moksha Patam, …
Jan 08
Thank you Fallout Boy for reminding me of another plot structure. Consecutive stories in parallel narratives are one of the special ingredients in Pulp Fiction directed by Quentin Tarantino. Granted, there is plenty to love or hate about the film. Before I first watched Pulp Fiction, I knew people who had left mid-show because of …
Dec 11
Several chapters into Paula Hawkins’ best seller The Girl on the Train, I note the thriller’s structure of three character point of view with parallel plots. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, by David Shafer, which I also read in the fall, follows the same three character parallel plot. Although the point of view and plot structure are …