Here are 7 basic story plot ideas as outlined by the late great English journalist and author Christopher Booker. For ease of use, I’ve included as many movie plots as book plots. It’s all story, and the common themes are universal. 

1. Overcoming the Monster

In this plot type, the protagonist must conquer or destroy the monster threatening his community.  You’re probably familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s book The Hobbit, also made into a blockbuster movie trilogy (2012–2014). The antagonist, the dragon Smaug, terrorizes the local villagers. The hero is Bilbo Baggins, who, along with his ragtag companions, must defeat the monster and bring safety and peace to the land.

2. Rags to Riches

Everybody loves a character who beats the odds, like in this plot type. The main character begins as an ordinary, impoverished, overlooked and often, mistreated person. This character ends up overcoming great odds to fulfill their potential and achieve stature, wealth, and success.  The Princess Bride, portrays the protagonists Buttercup—one of “the commoners”— and farm boy Wesley. Wesley leaves Buttercup to find fame and fortune so he can win the hand of his true love. It captured many hearts.

3. Quest

In a quest, the protagonist journeys to a faraway place to obtain a treasure or achieve a visionary goal. In the movie Lion, based on the nonfiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, five-year old Saroo falls asleep on a train car and wakes up hundreds of miles from his home. Lost and orphaned, he is adopted by an Australian couple who love and raise him. Once he’s an adult, Saroo searches for his birth mother and the little town he lived in with his siblings. You’ll need to read the book or watch the movie to see how it ends! Spoiler alert: it’s a happy ending.

4. Voyage and Return

In this story plot idea, the protagonist journeys to a new land or world that is peculiar or appears to be attractive at first glance; however, the hero soon realizes things are not the way they appear to be and s/he must make a daring escape. The Disney film John Carter is a great illustration of a hero who goes on an unexpected voyage, finds himself on another planet, and encounters a dangerous adventure.

5. Comedy

Comedy is somewhat ambiguous because it can characterize several of the other plot types. For the purpose of a general plot line, this story typically involves romance, confusion, and miscommunication, and ends happily, with moments of hilarity along the way. Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is a classic example of mistaken identities, entangled love relationships, laughable circumstances and witty repartee. But so are many of today’s romances and bromances. 

6. Tragedy

Outcome makes a story tragic. The main character does not achieve his or her aspirations. Instead s/he experiences failure, broken dreams, and great loss, or even death. A tragic novel ends in a misfortune, which the main character can’t overcome. Some of the greatest tragedies were written by William Shakespeare: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth. More modern tragedies include F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and the movie Citizen Kane. Citizen Kane’s protagonist Charles Foster Kane, who grows from a happy boy to a driven newspaper man to finish his life dying as an embittered miser. It’s a cautionary tale just like MacBeth and the others mentioned. 

7. Rebirth

In this story plot, the hero is a prisoner. The antagonist, or villain, holds the hero captive or catches the hero in a spell. S/he may be in terrible circumstances, and her problems may even be of her own making. Ultimately, another character rescues the protagonist, or s/he undergoes dramatic change internally, either personally or physically. Many fairy tales employ this plot. Rapunzel is the fairy tale I relate to most. Since childhood, Rapunzel is a prisoner in a tower until she is rescued by the charming Flynn Rider. Both she and Flynn undergo personal growth as the story move along, and of course, there is a happy ending. Yet what children may not realize about Rapunzel is that her rescuer is an archetype she too carries. (That’s how to write a rebirth with an extra oomph of empowerment.) 

Once you’ve decided on the plot type for your novel, you may want to also check out Christopher Vogler’s book on outlining plot, which includes still other examples, all based on The Hero’s Journey, the term coined by Joseph Campbell. Then you’ll want to add the rest of the components that will create an unforgettable novel. And that will be the subject of an upcoming post!

In the meantime, you can contact me with questions or for more support here.

The post 7 Story Plot Ideas For Creating An Unforgettable Novel appeared first on Ground One Coaching.

Identify your core audience.

First, it’s important to identify who your audience is. Your audience consists of the people who will read your book and derive benefit from it. If you’re writing fiction–and even in most memoir– think about involving your readers. Can your readers identify with your protagonist (or you as the protagonist) and supporting characters in some way? Can you write in such a way as to immerse your reader in the world you’ve created?

If you are writing a memoir, think about who you want to reach.

• Can your readers identify with you on a personal level, even though they may not have had the same kind of experiences as you?
• Do you come across as real, authentic, and relatable?
• Who can benefit from reading your story?
• Will your audience clearly understand the message you are trying to get across as the events unfold?

Doing research into the demographic of your desired audience will help you understand your readers’ expectations:

For most non-fiction, readers are looking for answers you can provide. What problem or problems are you solving as you write your book? Will your audience be able to see your growth or transformation as things evolve in that period of your life?

For fiction, what is your hook? How are you going to draw your readers in and transport them into the world of your making? Do your readers want drama? Entertainment? Laughter? Escape? What are they looking for in the next book they read and how will yours captivate their attention?

Next, study your core audience.

Whether you are writing a memoir or fiction, study your audience before (and then later, as you are writing) your book. Determine what your readers want and then plan how you are going to deliver it. Now, you will not please everyone no matter how well your book is written. But you are not writing for everyone; you are writing for your core. Your core audience is the type of people most likely to read your book. You may also hear them called your “ideal readers” or your “avatar.”

For instance, if you are writing a memoir about the time you backpacked throughout Europe, your core audience is going to be those who are interested in travel. Yet not simply travel; there are many people who love to travel but would never think of visiting another country with nothing more than what can be carried in a backpack! Your readers would most likely be young adults, physically fit, and budget and adventure-minded.

Similarly, if you’re writing fantasy fiction about dragons and sorcerers and knights in shining armor, your core audience will be much different from readers looking for books with themes about the wild west with sheriffs, gun-slingers, and cattle rustlers. Many novice writers put the cart before the horse, asking how they can grow their audience without having first figured out who their audience is. One truism that often gets overlooked is that your story—no matter how compelling—will never have universal appeal. The same goes for movies, music, sports, and cuisine, among other things. This is why you must narrow down your audience.

Then, keep your core audience engaged.

Once you know who your readers are, know how to write for them to keep them engaged! If you are writing for travel enthusiasts, use language and narrative that exudes adventure. If you are writing for mystery lovers, ensure you are not giving away everything at once, but rather, take them on a journey of intrigue and suspense. And if you are penning a memoir, be emotive and expressive in your writing.

Finally, know how to end your story.

Have you ever watched a movie that had a weak ending and you weren’t quite sure what exactly happened? It’s disappointing, to say the least. Likewise, readers want fulfillment. They want resolution. Don’t end your memoir or novel with loose ends that leave readers confused and dissatisfied.

Writer’s Digest has some good tips in their article The Top Ten Elements of a Book People Want to Read. If you want people to read your book, you have to know who your readers will be and then tell your story with your core audience in mind.

If you’d like to talk about how Kathy Ramsperger, a book coach, award-winning writer, and creator of Step Into Your Story!, can help you identify your audience for your story, contact her by clicking here. Just provide your name, email, and area of interest.

The post How To Identify And Maintain Your Core Audience appeared first on Ground One Coaching.