Part of my series on writing the novel.

1. Plot Part III:
The Events of Your
Story.
Narrative Structure

2. The Foundation: One Sentence
Idea
•Can you state the original idea for your book
in 25 words or less?
•Have you written it down?
•Does it bring an emotional reaction?
•Good writing and strong characters are key.

3. Have You Filled Out Your Conflict
Box?
Do You Have Conflict Lock?
Protagonist
Conflict
Protagonist
Goal
Antagonist
Goal
Antagonist
Conflict

4. Plot
• Plot is a character trying to resolve a problem.
• Which entails a series of events that outline the action of
a story.
• The characters’ motivations drive the plot toward the
climax.
• Time is linear. Usually.

5. Plot: By Aristotle
•An interesting character facing a problem.
•Story is solving the problem.
•Tragedy: In solving the problem, it gets
worse, which leads to the dark moment,
which leads to the turning point.
•Character must plausibly solve the problem.

6. Narrative Structure Elements
•Initiating Event.
•Escalating Conflict.
•Crisis.
•Climax.
•Resolution.

7. Narrative Structure
Initiating Event
Escalating Conflict
In
Crisis
Climax
Resolution
TIME: THE FLOW OF THE STORY
S
U
S
P
E
N
S
E

8. BUT!!!
Initiating Event
Escalating Conflict
In
Crisis
Climax
Resolution
TIME: THE FLOW OF THE STORY
S
U
S
P
E
N
S
E
BACK
STORY
Setting?
Problem?
Characters?

9. Before The Initiating Event
• Back-Story fills almost half your outline.
• The complete history of:
• Characters.
• Problem.
• Setting.
• Include the antagonist’s complete plan.
• Remember there is a difference between what
happened and how characters remember it
happening.
• Most of it never gets into the book, but you have to
know it. (Or do you?)

10. Back-Story
•The stuff that happens before the story
starts.
•The calm before the storm.
•Be careful of info dumping it in your story.
•Humphrey Bogart and the talking head.
•You can’t use your opening of the book to
‘set-up’ the book.
•Beware of . . .

11. Flashbacks And Memories
• The two are not the same.
• Flashback= what happened.
• Memory= what someone remembers happening.
• Memory is tainted by all that happened afterwards
and by what someone wants now.
• You must make sure the reader knows when they
enter and leave a flashback or memory.
• Remember, the reader wants to usually know what
happens next, not what happened.
• Usually there is no conflict in a flashback or
memory because it’s already over.

12. Initiating Event
•Opening scene does one (or perhaps both)
of two things:
•Introduces the protagonist.
•Introduces the problem.
•This decision tells the reader which is more
important.
•The next scene does the other.
•Where you begin writing does not
necessarily equal the beginning of the book.
•Who introduces the problem?

13. The Antagonist
•Believable motivation for the antagonist.
•We can understand why she’s doing this
even if we don’t agree.
•Give the antagonist a good plan.
•The better the antagonist, the stronger the
protagonist must be to overcome her.
•Eventually, though, your protagonist must
act.

14. The Initiating Event
•The place where things change, the fight
starts, the balance has been upset.
•The hook.
•Beware flashbacks and memories in your
opening scene.
•Prologues?
•Don’t be a secret keeper.
•First sentences are important.

15. First Sentences

16. PLOT
•Why now?
•What’s changed?
•Why today? Why not yesterday? Or
tomorrow?

17. The Opening Scene
•The first ‘shot’ is important.
•The first scene is important.
•Your opening scene often mirrors the climactic
scene, just at a lower level.
•Sometimes the opening scene is the
protagonist vs. antagonist and the antagonist
wins.
•Your protagonist, as he/she is at the beginning
of the book would most likely fail if suddenly
thrust into the climactic scene.
•Your first “shot” sets the tone.

18. Camera View For Opening
Scenes
•The smaller the story, the bigger the
opening view:
•Out-In Pan: Day of the Jackal.
•The bigger the story, the smaller the
opening view:
•In-Out Pan: Dune.

19. PLOT
•What is your first shot?
•Does your first scene introduce protagonist,
plot, or both?
•Does your first scene mirror your climactic
scene and/or foreshadow it?

20. Escalating Conflict
•For both the protagonist and the antagonist.
•A series of progressive complications that ups
the stakes.
•The stakes get higher, the suspense rises, and
the pace of the story gets faster.

21. Escalating Conflict
•Surprise is not suspense.
•Suspense comes from caring about character.
(Dancer, TX. Pop 81)

22. Coincidence In Plot
•Could be author manipulation of the plot.
•Could be fate and lift the story to a higher
level if handled well.
•Must have internal logic.
•Make everything serve multiple purposes to
tighten the story down.

23. Coincidence vs. Fate
•Fate works
•Coincidence doesn’t
•Fate is layered on top of existing base
conflict
•Coincidence is the conflict

24. Crisis
•The darkest moment, when it looks as if all
is lost.
•The protagonist reaches the point where
she has to make a decision, usually fight or
flee.
•The decision leads to a course of action and
it shouldn’t be an obvious choice.
•That choice drives the protagonist toward
the inevitable collision with the antagonist in
the climax.

25. PLOT
•What is your moment of crisis for your
protagonist?
•Is it a ‘fight or flee’ situation?

26. Climax
•The choice comes to a conclusion.
•The Protagonist versus the Antagonist and
one wins.
•Both are on stage. No proxies.
•The solution to the problem introduced in
the inciting incident.

27. Climax
•You only get one climactic scene.
•The climactic scene is often the same or a
mirror image of the opening scene, just at
lower level.
•The protagonist has changed from who she
was in the opening scene to the point where
she can win.
•As soon as you finish reading a book, go
back and re-read the opening chapter.
•Out of the climax, comes the resolution.

28. Resolution
•The emotional pay-off to the reader.
•Should be one, short, last scene.
•All subplots should have been closed out
prior to the climactic scene, usually in
reverse order from when they were
introduced.
•A return to stability or a new reality.
•We SEE the change in our protagonist.

29. PLOT
•Is your protagonist different?
•Do you have arc?
•How is your protagonist different at the end
of your book?
•How do you show this difference?

30. DON’T LOOK DOWN
Lucy rebuffs Nash
and Wilder saves
Pepper
Lucy realizes something criminal is going on;
Wilder is attacked.
Realize Nash will kill;
Lucy & Wilder bond.
Showdown, High Noon Style
Fly off into the
setting sun
S
U
S
P
E
N
S
E
TIME: THE FLOW OF THE STORY

31. Narrative Structure
Initiating Event
Escalating Conflict
In
Crisis
Climax
Resolution
TIME: THE FLOW OF THE STORY
S
U
S
P
E
N
S
E

32. Original Idea
Conflict the Fuel of Your Story and the Conflict Box
Plot I: Research and Narrative Questions
Plot II: Outlining
Plot III: Narrative Structure
Character
Point of View
Write It Forward: From Writer to Bestselling Author
Writers Conference Guide (Free eBook)
Three P’s: Platform, Product, Promotion
Writers’ Block and Rewriting
How to Write the Query/Synopsis
Planning for NaNoWriMo Success
Bob Mayer’s Workshops, Seminars & Presentations
Your Creative Process: How You Write
The Present and Future of Publishing for Writers
Writers Workshop and Retreat
ON WRITING SLIDESHARES

33. For More Information click on covers
The Complete Writer is four books at discount in one
bundle.

34. New York Times bestselling author, graduate of West Point, former Green
Beret, and feeder of two yellow Labs, most famously Cool Gus. He’s had
over seventy books published, including the #1 bestselling series Time
Patrol, Area 51, Atlantis, and the Green Berets. Born in the Bronx and
having traveled the world he now lives peacefully with his wife and labs.
Sort of. Free books below available HERE
www.bobmayer.com

35. Writing Scenic Workshop
•An intense, on-premises workshop focusing on idea, conflict, story and the ever-
changing business of publishing.
•At our house on Scenic Drive in Knoxville, TN
•Most importantly, this workshop focuses on developing your creative process as
a writer.
•Led by Bob Mayer and his wife, Debbie.
•We’ve worked with everyone from #1 NY Times best-selling authors to novices
writing their first book.
•Limited to four people per workshop. This workshop can also come to you if you
have four interested writers. For schedule contact bob@bobmayer.com