Plots, Plots, and Plots

What is a plot?

A plot is a narrative term for the events that make up a story.

What kinds of plots are there?

Well, in actual fact, there are about a thousand different plots out there. To list a few that I've seen and encountered and written:

. Popular Boy falls in love with the Nerdy Girl

. Girl falls in love with the Hot and Perfect Dude in her arranged marriage

. Bad Boy falls in love with the Goody-Two-Shoes

. Rich Kingka falls in love with the Poor Girl but his Evil Mother won't allow it

. Play Boy "dates" New Girl but then falls in love with New Girl but she finds out he was playing with her

. The Girl has cancer and wants to do everything on her bucket list with this stranger but falls in love instead

And there's more...

So, yes, these are a few of the most common plots you'll ever see. And some people hate them but those hit dramas live off of them. So, we can't say that cliché is entirely bad despite the want to go out of the norm.

What is the structure of a plot?

What?! There's a structure for this kind of thing?! Shut. The. Front. Door.

In fact, there is a structure for plots and it's called the Freytag Pyramid. Some of you might have seen it somewhere in school during one of your literature lessons (that you always doze off in becasue the teacher is droning on and on about prose and poetry). It looks like this:

I am a 100 percent sure you have seen that somewhere. A basic meaning of the words:

. Exposition - It's an introduction to the characters. It elaborates on their goals, their personalities, their purpose, and how each character relates to one character. In the exposition, the protagonist is on display for the readers. Usually, the exposition isn't very detailed so the readers will have specific questions about the characters. In the dramas, it's in the first episode where you see the girl work really hard to earn money for her education or her sick mother and at stake is her mother's health or the loss of her education if she does not succeed.

. Rising Action - Technically, before this, it is the inciting incident but simply enough, the inciting incident is the start of the plot. The rising action is the start of a conflict. Now, according to Freytag, conflict is where the characters struggle against one another. However, there are other and more specific types of conflict but we'll get into that another time. In the dramas, it's kind of like when the main girl fights for the guy with another girl.

.  - Everyone knows what this is. This is the turning point of the story. This is the point of the story where the protagonist has to make a decision that may or may not change the outcome of the story. It's the point where the protagonist has finished overcoming any previous obstacles and aims for the main and toughest difficulty. In the dramas, it's when the main girl has to make a decision whether to leave the guy so that her mom can undergo surgery or the stay with him and her mom dies without the funding of her boyfriend's rich mother.

. Falling Action - This is the point of the story where most readers will hate. It's the point where any unanswered questions get answered but and there is a big but here. But this is usually the tensest part of the story. In the dramas, it's when the girl unwillingly leaves the guy and he's trying to get back with her but he can't because of his mother. This is usually where the villain has the upperhand.

. Denouement - And lastly, this is the conclusion to all the chaos that has happened before. In the dramas, it's when the girl and the guy live happily ever after. The end.

How to come up with a good plot?

Truthfully, there is no "know-how" to a good plot. Plots are merely events that make up a story. However, a good plot is a plot that gets both your readers hooked and not drifting away from the story. A good plot is a plot that gets you focused on the story and not deferring away from it.

Why are there certain stories out there that seem mediocre to you but excellent to the public? It's because the plots are good. They may be cliché but let's be honest, no plot is a plot without a certain cheesiness and overused aspect of it. How many times have you seen the good guy get the girl? How many times have you seen the popular guy end up with the nerd? How many times have you seen an overbearing and evil mother? How many times have you seen a cancer patient and a stranger get together? 

Plenty of times. 

Plots can be original and I'm not saying that plots must be cliché. There are stories that have original and interesting plots and are written perfectly well. However, no matter how original the plot may seem, there is always that one event that is utterly cliché. There is no way of avoiding it. So, back to the question of a good plot. I believe that a good plot starts simple and easy but as the story progresses, it takes your readers for a ride. Something as simple as marrying twelve werewolves becomes a way to stop a war between supernatural races. Something as simple as a mafia gang leader falling in love with a girl who has no memories of her past becomes a twisted love between two rival gangs. 

You know what I'm saying? [Sorry, Bang Yong Guk moment]

Anyway, a good plot lets your readers imaginations run wild but doesn't let them go off topic and exit your story, claiming it was a bore. There is a story on Asianfanfics with such a deep and well-thought out plot called 'Pandora'. It's by this author, ljoestache. And this author has an amazing story. I had to be truthful. This is the first story that made me pull out my hair and cheer for joy at the end. Because, it's just that damn perfect. I suggest you check it out [please don't cry at the ending]: Pandora

These types of stories that make a reader scream, cheer, cry, pull their hair out, laugh, smile, wail, groan, grimace, flinch, and stare at the computer in dread and amazement, these are the stories that have great plots. There is no "know-how" like I said. It's all about the underlying details. She looks like a simple girl but she's dealing with way more than any other girl can deal with. He's the mafia gang leader who seems emotionless to the core but there's more to him than just that. Think about it. 

Use an overused plot and make it your own. Who know's you might just make a new plot out of it?