Adding a broad assertion to a list of broad assertions does not make any of them true if, in actuality, they are not to begin with. Hence, arbitrary commandments without reasons ought to be suspect. Rather, it is of greater value to understand the whys and wherefores.

And all of that is only why any sort of genuine writer must strive for competence, ever standing at the ready to pick apart technique in order to be able to exchange criticism, meaningfully, so as to however grow in awareness and appreciation of how and why any fiction at all in whatever medium ever held their attention and reached them, and how to apply the same principles and techniques as a fiction writer oneself. 

Indeed, the only really sound reason for any perhaps more advanced aspiring fiction writer not to use this free resource or some equivalent thereof, would be that these pages only repeat what one already knows and understands without helping or adding anything much more. But not otherwise. So consider yourself warned.

Writing, much as with photography, may often turn out to be easy to do at all, often badly, but difficult to do well.

An adequate author can derive a great story even from automated plot generators and the like. Conversely, a sufficiently clumsy writer can reduce the best, most original ideas into utterly unreadable pabulum.

Good writing is more often the product of sustained effort and practice, and seldom comes out right on the first try.

Unless the story is driven entirely by a completely external situation, plotting depends upon differing motivated goals ever put forth for the building blocks of interpersonal conflict on different levels between characters. With no "prods," the story runs bland. Hostility, mistrust and polarization are among the many aspects attendant upon conflict on every level pressing difficult free choices, which is more than a simple and civil disagreement or merely an event, more than crisis, but karmic, a condition, a relationship.

Because, by every Technique of Suspense plotting, the rising tension and of dramatic conflict signifies that the resolution of whatever the central problem is such as to increasingly press character(s) inevitably to take action in struggle with whoever or whatever the antagonist in some way that must one way or another bring the very values of said character(s) into question for them. Or, most dramatically, an attempt at howsoever the wiser course may instead press a character into conflict on every level with their own motivating values for which they will be compelled to sacrifice the easier way because the moral course and the more difficult among free willed choices may so often coincide.

Complications build upon, worsen, accumulate and intensify conflict. But for the pressure to thusly mount, also requires time and frustration from resolution. Retarding plot elements which delay or prolong the action are obstacles, while retrogressive elements which divert action away from its goals as ever put forth are subplot.  

Characters develop out of situation, and plot ideas emerge from characters in different situations and the actions undertaken because of their relationships and conflict on many levels, the friction entailed as characters come into contact, dramatic conflict, internal and external, Peripeteia as the estrangement of the bullied idealistic whistle blower.

 Put the whistle blowers in charge!

But all manner of situations, even quite unforeseen, may present any range of obstacles, from an empty bread box standing in the way of the perfect sandwich, a bad hair day spoiling romance, misunderstanding threatening love, perplexing riddles and secrets denying truth, engineering limitations in the path of invention or a natural disaster barring very survival.

Or, beyond all such approach and avoidance, characters may even grow by rising to new challenge, often sadly evaded by the complacent. And in fiction obstacles or problems make for dramatic tension, which, when it happens in reality may sometimes be known as creative tension.

Misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. And frequently, the self conscious illusion of individual will is only the burden of responsibility in hindsight, an artifact of the personal narrative facilitating growth.

Some say that one becomes addicted to shame when another's heart is closed to one, because, however excruciating, the sheer megalomania of taking the blame protects one from the ugly truth that we really have no control over others and the universe or God. We can't make either love us or, ultimately, even protect those who do. Put more simply, then, and in complete good faith, powerlessness, the impotent helplessness of the human condition is terminally demeaning.

And beyond direct action, our influence upon others may often be even the more misguided and deluded.

Life can only be lived forwards, but only understood or recognized in hindsight. Indeed, do we consider our options and consciously take action, or do our actions simply come upon us as we react to situation, and only then rationalize afterward? People often make their most important decisions with their heart but only then rationalize intellectually.

Hence, Problem Solving and Justification are reciprocal functions, and one must be shaped to rationalize the other, with integrity or else into hypocrisy. The inner journey must match the outer journey, beginning from the Emotional Disturbance that is is internal corollary to it's trigger, the out-of-whack event, or vice versa. The audience must empathize with a somehow at all sympathetic protagonist facing any worthy antagonist presenting enough of an obstacle to keep the outcome in doubt. Or an entire plot may be derived from any character's emotional core, as in a tragedy, hamartia, the blind error of maladaptation by a character inconveniently mismatched to circumstances or situation (in contrast to the aspect of the hero as more opportunely, appropriately and better equipped, skilled or tempered for whatever challenge at hand), the protagonist's greatest personality flaw or, worse, their greatest virtue, but perhaps in disproportion, leads only to misfortune.

For any character's at all free choice of strategy is defined, guided and constrained by values, into somehow or other principled behavior. And even the loftiest personal or ideological motivation and most admirable character trait can miss the mark, go astray and awry even upon the proverbial road to Hell that is paved with good intentions, to inspire and then culminate in a cascade of ill considered if not foul deeds outright, tribulation, dissolution, downfall or comeuppance, ruination and disaster. Indeed, even if thankfully in any somewhat less calamitously heroic proportion, ordinary flawed folk may blindly err, and often prove so much their own worst enemies, that their "inner villain" may provide enough of an obstacle all on it's own to sustain tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation by keeping the outcome in doubt.

For with freedom at all, there must be hard choices, not just bogus alternatives, dilemmas, between the greater good, the lesser evil, or both in one, to engender conflict on many levels. Dramatic conflict various levels is sustained by opposing goals put forth from differing motivations that struggle beneath the surface in subtext, characterization and Conflict Handling styles.

All of that is what helps to make fiction compelling.  

A disruption such as the  inciting incident or out-of-whack event,  is that which changes the situation bringing about conflict as a consequence. A character confronted with any sort of obstacle provides conflict.  Indeed, in order to heighten conflict on every level, tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation or doubt, as well as the premise, a story may also incorporate an opposing or contradictory Counter Premise or Antithesis.

A. Many people often tend to interact superficially for the comfort of denial, to avoid deeper and more troubling issues, focusing upon the trivial they neglect the meaningful, a veritable living death and struggle of running ever harder just to keep up with standing still. But is the difficulty of conflict and contradiction on any level at all, truly avoided in this way? No, for such evasion is merely the exercise of inner conflict, internalized by denial.

Stories are made memorable not merely in whatever empathy or curiosity merely as to the plot situation, but because of the reader or audience relationship, actual motivated feelings elicited for or even against the characters.

 

Because, by every Technique of Suspense plotting, the rising tension and of dramatic conflict signifies that the resolution of whatever the central problem is such as to increasingly press character(s) inevitably to take action in struggle with whoever or whatever the antagonist in some way that must one way or another bring the very values of said character(s) into question for them. Or, most dramatically, an attempt at howsoever the wiser course may instead press a character into conflict on every level with their own motivating values for which they will be compelled to sacrifice the easier way because the moral course and the more difficult among free willed choices may so often coincide.

“People's level of motivation, affective states, and actions are based more on what they believe than on what is objectively the case.”  - Albert Bandura

In drama, the many levels of conflict that are inherent to situation, there are four elements of thirteen possible motivations:

What do characters want, goals, and why, what motivates them? And what aids or hinders whatever their quest? In dramatizing controversy, good motivated and dramatic dialogue makes it hard to tell who is right and who is wrong. "In a good play, everyone is right." But how far would they go? Or will they change and grow?

Thus, in fiction no less than in reality, we may do best to welcome the rich and varied levels of conflict so long as they may be important or meaningful, even thematic. A good process aims to resolve the decisive (and divisive) issues and clear them out of the way. Sometimes pressing important concrete motivated goals put forth provides the impetus to move along past conflict. But this tends to reduce drama, an effect while generally soothing in reality and the sooner the better, by the same token harmful to fiction and to be put off as long as possible, because drama is plot structured so as to intensify the tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion of suspense and anticipation from conflict on every level until reaching climax and resolution, dramatic tension, which, happening or cultivated in reality may sometimes be known as creative tension.

No Powderpuff Pitty-Pat! Throughout the plot, the tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation is heightened as thing are made more difficult, the personal emotional stakes are raised, and however character growth is pressed by worsening complications for an active protagonist, definitely including the sexual tension onstage! Virtually all relationships of whatever kind begin with some sort of first discovery, romance even courtship, so to speak, even "the honeymoon," but inevitably and come into conflict on many levels, friction which is normal and even healthy, and in order to survive must reach acceptance in order to commit to substantive cooperation and collaboration.

Prolong the Agony by making life difficult so as to motivate characters. Even pander to vicarious wish fulfillment, but also inspire pathos, anticipation, suspense even dread and even the discomfort of sheer aversion. Stir any range of emotions and force the reader to empathize, to feel. That's what makes for good entertainment, a real page turner.

Two possible consequences especially on the level of external conflict, most especially violence, are dominance or annihilation, the outcome determining the victor and the defeated. But other possibilities include stalemate, compromise entailing reciprocal sacrifice, some zero-sum solution, or, instead, the discovery of common interests behind the drama or even some win-win solution. Indeed, any plot-oriented Science Fiction story may even climax in the resolution of an engineering "contradiction." Or else, especially in so far as conflict is precipitated by disagreement or opposing values, the outcome may resolve or at least alter conflict via reevaluation and change in perception, learning, growth. All myriad possibilities leaving the outcome all the more in doubt in order to raise tension and pathos of suspense and anticipation.

For likewise, and sometimes in parallel or counterpoint with just such outer conflict, there are also a number of  possible developmental outcomes of crisis, however growth from inner conflict, even proportionally. And as well the premise, a story may also incorporate an opposing or contradictory Counter Premise or Antithesis, even requiring  it's own persuasive spokesperson, or obstacle character.

Indeed, Gandhi regarded conflict in it's myriad levels as neither inherently good nor evil, but a natural form of human interaction and a tool for either good or ill. And Martin Luther King regarded Creative Tension as key to Gandhian conflict management, personal and societal growth, i.e., societal positive disintegration from conflict resolution, synthesis and even reconciliation, making nonviolent resistance more than merely a tool for confrontation, also serving to mobilize support for the cause so that the resultant conflict motivates everyone to take a stand, on one side or the other.  A "mentally and spiritually aggressive" technique not only avoiding "external physical violence," but also "seek[ing] to avoid internal violence [to the] spirit."

So, in King's view, real life progress actually depends very much upon meaningful controversy and true real life drama, what matters deeply, the struggle for meaningful values in action that matters, to which motivated conflict in every myriad level, of course, is central for meaningful social controversy!

And, whereas the vicissitudes of unnecessary and irresolvable conflict generated simply by tone, manner, style of communication and behavior, tend only to melodrama, by contrast drama also requires anything important at stake, even a polemical point, and hence may even unfold constructively, in life as in art. But, likewise, the outcome can be kept in doubt, as the mounting destructive passions of pointless escalating conflict become ever harder to resolve. Thus, conflict will never truly or long be forestalled, but only fester, by suppressing the issues or silently swallowing disagreement or, indeed, by rejecting, on whatever dishonest, timid, misguided or self serving principle or sycophantic taboo, the practice of argument. The truth will out! Indeed, as Gandhi said, first they ignore us, then they trivialize and mock us, then they fight us, and finally, that is when, at long last, we will win.

Life can only be lived forwards, but only understood or recognized in hindsight. Indeed, do we consider our options and consciously take action, or do our actions simply come upon us as we react to situation, and only then rationalize afterward? Frequently, the self conscious illusion of individual will is only the burden of responsibility in hindsight, an artifact of the personal narrative facilitating growth.

And beyond direct action, our influence upon others may often be even the more misguided and deluded.

The dramatic efficacy of revealing and motivated subtext is in frustrated desire, giving rise to need and ingenuity. Drama is the gripping and engaging tension-laden presentation of conflict on many levels, whether or not the storyline is even believable. Drama is conflict inherent to situation, the many levels of conflict or contradiction all pressing difficult however free range of choices, hence comprising more than merely an event or crisis, but like unto karma, a condition, a relationship. Alas, however, beware! poor staging or presentation of conflict dissipates inherent drama.

And in brainstorming, specifically in Visioning, the sharpening of focus, by contrast, definition of problems is a part of creativity.  And the cultivation of Creative Tension may even show promise in ameliorating a common drawback of group decisions, that of arbitrarily wishy-washy compromise simply for amicability's sake. Indeed, Focused Listing not only facilitates creativity and problem solving, but enhances people skills in Acceptance Finding.

And so, by redeployment of Strategic Planning techniques for purposes of fiction plotting, an initially plot oriented storyline may derive it's dramatic obstacles entirely from character driven conflict arising on many levels, in turn, from cross-functional task/outcome interdependency, so that much as in reality, motivated goals put forth are obstructed and imperiled by personality issues with others from characterization.

A standard plotline is that of the uncertain tribulation of romance until happy resolution. And as a common subplot, this becomes the development of a a relationship, an alliance necessary to further the main plot. Indeed, virtually all relationship of whatever kind go though stages, with free choices at every stage, either to advance, stagnate, slow, reverse or exit, all beginning with some sort of first discovery, romance even courtship, so to speak, even "the honeymoon," but cannot omit inevitably coming into conflict on many levels, misunderstanding, insecurity, power struggle, friction which is normal and even healthy (not to mention more dangerous obstacles of passion as denial, jealousy and anger), and in order to survive must reach acceptance in order to commit to substantive cooperation and collaboration or else progressively dissolve and fail, all the harder from which to recover.

Hence, Problem Solving and Justification are reciprocal functions, and one must be shaped to rationalize the other, with integrity or else into hypocrisy. The inner journey must match the outer journey, beginning from the Emotional Disturbance that is is internal corollary to it's trigger, the out-of-whack event, or vice versa. Or, for more of a challenge in deriving dramatic obstacle from hamartia, take on the schooled fools.

Being naturally construed in terms of what they are likely to do, characters may also be derived from their function in the plot as they are introduced  and reintroduced. And by the logic of deconstruction, consistent story elements and variations expand and unfurl out from one another. In the rewrites, details reexamined serve as clues to a more rounded story.

By every Technique of Suspense plotting, the rising tension and of dramatic conflict signifies that the resolution of whatever the central problem is such as to increasingly press character(s) inevitably to take action in struggle with whoever or whatever the antagonist in some way that must one way or another bring the very values of said character(s) into question for them. Or, most dramatically, an attempt at howsoever the wiser course may instead press a character into conflict on every level with their own motivating values for which they will be compelled to sacrifice the easier way because the moral course and the more difficult among free willed choices may so often coincide.

 

Characters develop out of situation, and plot ideas emerge from characters in different situations and the actions undertaken because of their relationships and many levels of conflict, the friction entailed as characters come into contact, dramatic conflict on many levels, internal and external, Peripeteia in social  connection as in the estrangement of the bullied idealistic whistle blower.

 Put the whistle blowers in charge!

Stories are made memorable not merely in whatever empathy or curiosity merely as to the plot situation, but because of the reader or audience relationship, actual motivated feelings elicited for or even against the characters.

A. Plausible characters, like unto real people, require adequate motivation for their deeds and dialogue. Drama is people doing amazing things for very good reasons. But melodrama is just people doing amazing things for bad or utterly nonexistent reasons. In real life, as in drama, true character is revealed in conflict and under pressure to lower ones guard and show, demonstrate, what we are really made of and ever grow.

No Powderpuff Pitty-Pat! To propel conflict, the Protagonist and Antagonist characters must display complementary psychologies along 8 basic parameters, such that the motivating desires and intentions of the Protagonist are bound to arouse the motivating fears of the Antagonist, and vice versa.

Because, by every Technique of Suspense plotting, the rising tension and of dramatic conflict signifies that the resolution of whatever the central problem is such as to increasingly press character(s) inevitably to take action in struggle with whoever or whatever the antagonist in some way that must one way or another bring the very values of said character(s) into question for them. Or, most dramatically, an attempt at howsoever the wiser course may instead press a character into conflict on every level with their own motivating values for which they will be compelled to sacrifice the easier way because the moral course and the more difficult among free willed choices may so often coincide. The tightest dramatic plots are surprising as they unfold, yet inexorably necessary in retrospect.

To avoid clichés,  characterization, motivated goals put forth, situations, in drama as in life, problems and dramatic obstacles, plot complications and devices must already be well thought out. Indeed, as Thomas Carlyle put it: “Nothing is more terrible than activity without insight.“ Therefore, to quote Ernest Hemingway: “Never confuse movement with action.“  indeed, In the words of Henri-Louis Bergson: “Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought."  And to quote Benjamin Disraeli: “Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.”  Drama and strife ensue from such bad judgment and rash action or inaction as to ignore all such sage advice. d beware, for drama so crucial to compelling fiction, is needless drama and sorrow in reality. Characters need motivation over all. But, more, the plot chain of cause and effect very much includes stimulus and response. Thoughts and reactions must be revealed and d shown, for the story to remain coherent. Feeling and reflex must be followed by conscious action or expression. Indeed, do we consider our options and consciously take action, or do our actions simply come upon us as we react to situation, and only then rationalize afterward? People often make their most important decisions with their heart but only then rationalize intellectually. Hence, Problem Solving and Justification are reciprocal functions, and one must be shaped to rationalize the other, with integrity or else into hypocrisy. Frequently, the self conscious illusion of individual will is only the burden of responsibility in hindsight, an artifact of the personal narrative facilitating growth.

Existentially, what is freedom, indeed for whom is freedom? The dramatic scene breaks down into Motivation-Reaction Units: Immediate reactions are often reflexive, but then conscious deliberation ensues upon what action to take next. Or does it? Motivations and goals as ever set forth thereby, meaning as only created in the mind, interpretation, values, moral sympathies and empathies included, so often ambivalent, are not willfully intended in free agency but received and imprinted in receptivity as we discover ourselves subject all thereto. Most dramatically, relationship, the impression made by characters upon one another, often dawns upon the individual in emotional response to events unfolding. Only then is action undertaken, consistently with characterization, often giving rise to conflict and Setting The scene.

Drama, hailed by Socrates as most Philosophical of the arts, endures as the most ancient known context for the study of psychology. This is because drama requires characters each with whatever their own motivating stake in the issues, decisions, dire yet at all free choices to make and the looming consequences thereof. And, to build tension and maintain interest and exploit every Technique of Suspense plotting, all attempts to back out must deteriorate and fail, but without such glaring plot holes as blithely overlooked or ignored obvious opportunities.

Thence, for drama into tragedy, will suffice that the characters consume their resources without resolution of conflict. But to find comedy, something astonishing must occur to facilitate a happy ending also human and revelatory of character under the situation with which we all struggle.

Theme being whatever central question or inquiry, must correlate with some dramatic issue that must be compelling, credible and untenable conflict of values escalating naturally through increasingly high-stakes of any problematic situation.  

Hence, misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. Frequently, the self conscious illusion of individual will is only the burden of responsibility in hindsight, an artifact of the personal narrative facilitating growth.

And beyond direct action, our influence upon others may often be even the more misguided and deluded.

Life can only be lived forwards, but only understood or recognized in hindsight. Indeed, do we consider our options and consciously take action, or do our actions simply come upon us as we react to situation, and only then rationalize afterward? People often make their most important decisions with their heart but only then rationalize intellectually. Hence, Problem Solving and Justification are reciprocal functions, and one must be shaped to rationalize the other, with integrity or else into hypocrisy.

The dramatic efficacy of revealing and motivated subtext is in frustrated desire, giving rise to need and ingenuity. Hence, misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. Drama is the gripping and engaging tension-laden presentation of conflict on many levels, whether or not the storyline is even believable. Drama is conflict on many levels that is inherent to situation, conflict or contradictions pressing difficult free choices on all it's myriad levels dimensions, being more than merely an event or crisis, but like unto karma, a condition, a relationship. Alas, however, beware! poor staging or presentation of conflict on any level, dissipates inherent drama.

“People's level of motivation, affective states, and actions are based more on what they believe than on what is objectively the case.”  - Albert Bandura

In dramatizing controversy,  good motivated and dramatic dialogue makes it hard to tell who is right and who is wrong. "In a good play, everyone is right."

Indeed, in case the author struggles with a message, the THEMATIC PREMISE SHEET explains how theme, essential understanding or recurring concept, as often conveyed via some symbolic Objective Correlative motif or topos, made central, can purposefully bring together the other elements, including motivated conflict on many levels, into a truly dramatic plot. 

Simplification simply means editing, leaving out less important details and minor contradictions for the sake of brevity or tighter pacing. -But not oversimplification pressing easy answers to complicated questions, often by illogical motivating emotion and appeals of pathos even to the point of pandering propaganda or otherwise obscuring or denying the complexity of any issue or even of a powerful ethical appeal, if not even resort to logical fallacy outright.

Unfair, dishonest and manipulative logical fallacies that can either manifest, authorialy as glaring plot holes or arise between characters in dramatic situations, also include Ad Hominem against fictional characters no less than real people, likewise guilt by association attack upon one person by associating that person with another person however considered untrustworthy, along with any range of pandering propaganda including straw man arguments against claims that nobody actually holds or that everyone agrees are very weak, or in plot, transparently bogus alternatives instead of genuine free choices raising little doubt or suspenseful tension as to the outcome. -Not to mention circular reasoning: begging the question, arguing that a claim is true by simply rephrasing much the same claim.

Indeed, the bandwagon is a fallacious appeal to think as do as everyone else, and the conflict and veiled threat of estrangement, and Peripeteia consequent from the hamartia, however admirable, of simply being at all individual and unique. -despite that, obviously, the majority is not always correct.

Depending upon audience and situation, some strategies are almost always effective, while some are almost always ineffective. Your mileage may vary.

A. The very antithesis of dramatic Pathos is melodramatic Bathos, while the other two main forms of persuasive rhetoric or polemic, beginning from premise, are Ethos which, in the prose of fiction must come through in voice, and Logos which for the purposes of the willing suspension of disbelief or fictional dream, becomes whatever chain of events within rational plausibility, Making The Unbelievable Believable, exploring theme and effectively arguing in support of premise by digging deeper for insight instead of simply pandering to unfair one sided propaganda. In any case, the coherence and impact of ant story depends upon selection of sequence and detail, rationally. In rhetorical plot logic, theme is knowledge-driven Epistemology, and better stories heighten conflict via an opposing or contradictory Counter Premise or Antithesis, sound Hypothetico Deductive Epistemological Methodology, actually seeking refutation rather than only corroboration unopposed.

Because when plot logic misses links, the result is a narrative of seemingly unrelated events. And such omissions, especially off the cuff, are easy, given any complexity, complications, twist and turns that must either be plotted out beforehand or else detected in ongoing critique and reworked in successive rewrites.

To quote Anthony Burgess: “The nature of a novel is that it has no opinions, only the dialectic of contrary views, some of which, all of which, may be untenable and even silly.”

Ethical appeals employ commonly held values and beliefs; appeals to the logic or pathos of our sense of fairness, right and wrong, justice and mercy, persuasively as pertaining to the real world, or as pertaining to the consistent fictional scenario. Ethical appeals may target either actual people, readers, or, likewise, fictional characters may seek to motivate and persuade one another by appealing to the values of the fictional or historical scenario, milieu or setting.

Polemical appeal not to mention propaganda outright, in plot logic and theme employs, either by demonstration (showing) or by exposition (telling), either such as is generally accepted as true fictionally, though, preferably, without being too blatantly contrived, that is to say, within the plot context of the fictional situation, world or setting,  reality as objectively measurable or Empirically corroborated, statistics, authorities, anecdotes, scenarios, case studies, likewise within the same fictional context or back story of the plot.

Indeed, in the most falsely analogous deceptive and manipulative propaganda fiction, that which is generally accepted as true fictionally, especially as it panders vicariously to whatever wish gratification fantasy thinking, may be accepted as actually true in reality by the target audience or readership, even without an explicit claim by the author and despite all blatantly contrary Empirical evidence and logic in reality.

Logical appeals and reasonable statements accepting the burden of evidentiary support hence offering the necessary evidence to support the claim in reality, bald-faced lie about it, or in fiction by the freedom of sheer invention (though, hopefully, not blatantly contrived) for the plot to climax and resolve it's destination or build and support theme, no less than Socratically, as in strictly the legitimate modified form of Ad Hominem, employing, in context, actual, hypothetical, disingenuous or fictitious, either such as is generally accepted as true (even if as often in Science Fiction however outlandish the premise or scenario, no less than in reality when myths and whopping lies well crafted, have entered into common wisdom, such as that is, or by contrast, that comparative rarity, genuinely reasonable common sense), or even reality as objectively measurable or Empirically corroborated, along with statistics, with Ethos which in the prose of fiction must come through in voice, of expertise and numerical data from authoritative sources, established and credentialed experts on whatever the subject but not who's expertise lies in some other area entirely, and hopefully never to be over extended, slanted, skewed or stacked, simply discounting contrary evidence, as with hasty generalizations offering only weak or limited evidence to support a conclusion; asserting a claim on the basis of an isolated example, likewise often constituting a double standard when two or more comparable things are judged according to different standards holding the opposing argument to a higher standard than one's own. Because such will never make a strong argument, a good lie or even a convincingly plausible fiction.

All may ever be deceived or mislead by logical fallacy. But for the author to be so, is slipshod if not incoherent. For the readership or audience intentionally to be, constitutes manipulative propaganda. But for fictional characters to be, affords the opportunity for growth advancing the plot, even beyond red herrings in mystery.

Knowledge can be of information, cases, skills and processes. "Factual" [sic.] or declarative information is often the easiest to state and to assess and simply therefore often preferred, even though no less often of least practical importance, skills often being found the most difficult to articulate and of greatest practical importance along with processes and cases.

Analogy compares two or more cases or stories, illustratively suggesting that what is true for one is also true for another, including anecdotes, brief stories on a particular occurrence that providing concrete supporting evidence, scenarios, narrative extrapolating hypothetical consequences as they might occur or unfold, or case studies, example previous occurrences meant as general or typical likewise for the purpose of illustration. But beware among the mistakes of fallacious reasoning, gross and subtle. even yet close enough and not generally grave enough to actually forestall reproductive success and wipe out our species. To wit, overextension of inductive argument by analogy, which endured the longest before finally being discredited thereby seemingly concluding the history of logic, unless and until paradox ever holds sway.

• Headgames
• Improv and dialogue driven plot

Events that are not completely unrelated and extraneous may simply follow inevitably from the plot logic unless there is some twist, or be informative of situation, test the character and accrue self knowledge, perhaps even of values, or engage conflict on different levels, even climactically.

Well rounded characters manifest conscious and even false goals often in both inner turmoil as well as practical outer conflict with radically different unconscious desires unawares yet betrayed, demonstrated, shown, by their actions and growth into entirely new goals.

Misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. Delays, the meticulous progression of tightly interwoven plot thickening, a complex plot with not only dramatic obstacles to overcome, but diversions and red herrings complications and surprise twists, set backs, shock, surprise, betrayal, perversion of expectations and other Peripeteia, reversals of fortune including estrangement plus revelations exposing and shattering false goals priorities as have been put forth and thereby motivating entirely new goals, especially as arising from character development so as to change everything, and without which the story would remain predictable. So, navigate the various possible paths and dead ends and and to find stories always dig deeper for insight into difficult struggle. Because stories are made memorable not merely in whatever empathy or curiosity merely as to the plot situation, but because of the reader or audience relationship, actual motivated feelings elicited for or even against the characters.

Tautologically, nothing matters unless it matters to somebody somehow. No Powderpuff Pitty-Pat! The tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation is heightened with increasing difficulty, the personal emotional stakes are raised, and however character growth is pressed by worsening complications for an active protagonist, definitely including onstage sex! Misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. Navigate the various possible paths and dead ends and and to find stories always dig deeper for insight into difficult struggle.

The traditional components of the story line begin with the preliminaries, establishing the setting and principle characters, the premise and "Act Zero" prior events, as yet unresolved central issues, mysteries, problems and consequences giving rise to the immediacy of all that will be at stake and of vital concern to characters and hence the audience, background information, and all that from which events will unfold into the rising action to be triggered by the inciting incident.

There are different possible foci for any story. And the logic of deconstruction expands and unfurls consistent story elements and variations out from one another. In the rewrites, details reexamined serve as clues to a more rounded story.

In the plot oriented, where in the central issue is a situation, and events serve to drive the narrative forward, Defining the Problem and steering the characters. Indeed, as in much Hard Science Fiction, at it's most cerebral, the entire plot may be driven by solving a problem, most dramatically, a crisis, Visioning, even, exclusively, to the point of deliberately rendering the narrative impersonal. At any rate, beginning from plot development to only thereafter simply people it with characters who can carry out the actions already worked out, always runs the risk wooden and unreal characterization.

Or, by contrast, as in the first season of 'SLIDERS', stories may be character driven, plot steered by the active intervention of characters, according each to their own motivation, where the dilemma is deeply personal and the rising action is entirely a product of, and dependant upon, unique and deeper individual motivation of a character, and otherwise would unfold quite differently, indeed if at all.

For any character's free choice of strategy will be determined not only by their POV, situation or even entirely mechanistic particular involvement in whatever phase of any process considered, but also defined, guided and constrained by values, into somehow or other principled behavior.

Differing viewpoints upon relationships parallel not only the objective and subjective persons of narrative but also communication and the character interaction of plot and growth.

Moreover, voice and tone afforded motivated character POV (Point Of View) upon situation often turns out more definitive to story in TEXT, CONTEXT and subtext, even than plot variation, because any motivated character's response, reaction or  free choice of strategy will be determined largely by their POV or subjectivity, reflection, situation with Representation of  consciousness, perspective or even entirely mechanistic particular involvement in whatever phase of any process considered, but also defined, guided and constrained by values, into somehow or other principled behavior.

Now, in either the plot oriented or character driven story foci, people react to events or situation, particularly crises. But motivated characters from unique POV, filtered perceptions and Interpretive Turn, can also also be proactive. Indeed, beyond approach, avoidance and even rising to a challenge, motivated characters may even seek and find challenge or challenge themselves, perhaps even motivated from the need to grow.

Tautologically, nothing matters unless it matters to somebody somehow.

But such is only the beginning. For plot and characterization interplay, such that unique and original well rounded and multifaceted characters may be forced to grapple with their inner conflicts and values in order to come to grips with external problems, hence the inner journey must match the outer journey, beginning from the Emotional Disturbance that is is internal corollary to it's trigger, the inciting incident or out-of-whack event, or vice versa. People often make their most important decisions with their heart but only then rationalize intellectually. Hence, Problem Solving and Justification are reciprocal functions, and one must be shaped to rationalize the other, with integrity or else into hypocrisy.

Characters develop out of situation, and plot ideas emerge from characters in different situations and the actions undertaken because of their relationships and conflict on many levels, the friction entailed as characters come into contact, dramatic conflict on many levels, internal and external, Peripeteia in social  connection as in the estrangement of the bullied idealistic whistle blower.

 Put the whistle blowers in charge!

Goethe identified five types of structural elements in stories (originally in 1797) [Goethe, 1983], and three worlds in which the action takes place: Feeling and reflex must be followed by conscious action or expression. For such are what Dwight Swain dubbed "Motivation-Reaction Units," an even smaller subdivision of action than the scene. For example, a character feels frightened by a sudden threat, and reflexively jumps out of the way. -Or leaps towards an unexpected opportunity! Then the character must consciously decide how to respond, what to do or say next.

1. Progressive elements which promote the progress of the action. -- or rising action...
2. Retrogressive elements which divert action away from its goals as ever put forth. --Complications and subplots...
3. Retarding elements which delay or prolong the action. -- or obstacles...
4. Retrospective elements which incorporate previous events into the action. -- or thematic repetition...
5. Prospective elements which anticipate events which are to happen after the action. -- or foreshadowing...

1. The physical setting: the immediate world of the characters and the surrounding natural world. Show don't tell.
2. The domain of the mind: Representation of consciousness of the characters. -- motivated POV and the Phenomena...
3. The realm of fantasies, premonitions, apparitions, chance, and fate. -- Pathetic Fallacy and Fairytale unpremeditated magical realism...

Also, Contrast and Correspondences and see: foil... 

• Whatever goals put forth
• Conflict - any series of dramatic obstacles in the path to whatever goals put forth
• Disaster and/or else opportunity and new goals put forth

May be followed by another scene structured so:

• Reaction - overwhelmed and off balance
• Dilemma - mounting dramatic crisis presses worsening choices and complications
• Decision 

The Apex of the short story, which is the high point of the aforesaid story arc of the short story or chapter, is followed by the Reflex, that passage of helpless suspense however excruciatingly long or breathless and brief, in which to await discovery of the resulting consequences in the Climax.

1. Decisions arise when new information is inconsistent with one or more currently held goals put forth. The mismatch yields a negative emotion, tension, suspense or stress, producing a rupture in ordinary activity.

• Techniques of
Suspense plotting

2. The decision juncture causes a simulation to occur, in which goals as ever put forth are reevaluated on the basis of new information. This evaluation of goals elicits somatic markers.

3. Once the goals put forth are prioritized by somatic markers, new options and new goals are simulated and evaluated, essentially in order to redirect the plot and alter whatever outcome however in doubt!  

4. Coherence calculations produce the best option and equilibrium is restored between the present situation and existing goals put forth.

• the 5 stages of character resolution

Meaning and importance, all conceivable priorities and values, unless they are one way or another decisively intellectualized, profoundly detached and disengaged in the extreme, ultimately emanate from needs and desires, attraction or aversion, fundamental motivations, selfish or altruistic. Otherwise, there can only be apathy and hence no problems to relate to at all. Deeper motivation, even worldview, characterization, however growth and the philosophical questions of drama, as distinguished by their dramatic gripping inherent conflict on every level, are all contextual function of the human condition or situation that has changed so drastically from the past that is the setting and milieu of historical fiction and into any modern time frame as reflected in contemporary culture, and most certainly will change into the future that is frequently subject matter of Science Fiction and futurological scenario planning.

• THE SECOND EYE OF WODEN

keys to writing success

                        How To Make Plot Work Harder

The Importance of the Journey Part One & Part Two

                       Working the Inciting Incident

                  complications

 

 

 

 

three-act structure checklist Aristotelian plot components Fairytales and Script Drama Analysis               Karma!

Editing the Mystery - ingredients Five Ways to End a Play END THOUGHTS seeking climax

Yet the essential components to balance remain fairly constant. However, just as there may be longer chains of events and scenes with successive complications, there may thereby and therefore also be resultant a series of free choices, changes and turning points, in a more elaborate plot.

• See: The story arc applied to common Romance plot scenarios  
• Also: Notes on the Thriller

Drama is conflict or contradictions pressing difficult free choices on every level inherent to situation, hence more than merely an event or crisis wherein the path however arduous remains clear, but like unto karma, a condition, a relationship.

Stories are made memorable not merely in whatever empathy or curiosity merely as to the plot situation, but because of the reader or audience relationship, actual motivated feelings elicited for or even against the characters who grow out of situation. Hence plot ideas emerge from characters in different situations and the actions undertaken because of their relationships and conflict, the friction entailed as characters come into contact.

The protagonist, or main character, usually the most developed and usually the most sympathetic character, is usually confronted with a problem or conflict any any level and of one type or another, and with choices of free will, at every stage, often including decisions either to advance, stagnate, slow, reverse or exit.

nevertheless, by every Technique of Suspense plotting, the rising tension and of dramatic conflict signifies that the resolution of whatever the central problem is such as to increasingly press character(s) inevitably to take action in struggle with whoever or whatever the antagonist in some way that must one way or another bring the very values of said character(s) into question for them. Or, most dramatically, an attempt at howsoever the wiser course may instead press a character into conflict on every level with their own motivating values for which they will be compelled to sacrifice the easier way because the moral course and the more difficult among free willed choices may so often coincide.

If person vs. person conflict, then the protagonist contends with an antagonist, an opponent or enemy. Believable unique and original well rounded and multifaceted characters and settings, with vivid descriptions and dialogue, help to create a story that readers can relate to. Tension builds as the protagonist makes several unsuccessfull attempts to solve or overcome whatever problem (or skip this step for shorter stories) until reaching a crisis that serves as the last chance for the protagonist to solve whatever problem.

All pushing the protagonist through the widest a range of emotion, in ever deeper and unto their lowest point. And all that follows from, and presses harder upon, and even radically redefines, the central issue and character development along the Character Arc all foreplay (so to speak), building towards the climax which is the point of highest interest or strongest emotional impact, and a crux upon which destiny must turn one way or the other, to delayed fulfillment resolving at long last the promise of the story, expectations, tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation continually built up, that have maintained any doubt of the outcome and sustained suspense and anticipation through out until the characters either run out of options or run out of time. 

• seeking climax

Misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. The final event, the height tension as the plot reaches climax, resolves the dramatic objective that was pursued by both the protagonist and the antagonist. But given any freedom at all, the final choice makes for the dramatic climax, demonstrating and revealing a character's true values and personal code of behavior.

Then, in the falling action, follows the dénouement, the aftermath and resolution of any complications and the final explanations any unresolved plot points, the wrap up of the story.  Navigate the various possible paths and dead ends and and to find stories always dig deeper for insight into difficult struggle.

In the usual happy ending, the tension of suspense,  anticipation and aversion, is resolved as the protagonist succeeds through his or her own intelligence, creativity, courage or other positive attributes. This is usually referred to as the story's climax that may be extend into a resolution phase, a dénouement, by reflecting on the action of the story and its significance to the characters or society.

Losing the Plot?

Plausible characters, like unto real people, require adequate motivation for their deeds and dialogue. Drama is people doing amazing things for very good reasons. But melodrama is just people doing amazing things for bad or utterly nonexistent reasons. In real life, as in drama, true character is revealed in conflict and under pressure to lower ones guard and show, demonstrate, what we are really made of and ever grow.

Whenever motivated characterization logically conflicts on any level with necessary plot contrivance, then either plot and/or characterization must be retailored to fit.

Just as in a character driven story plot arises to serve the character, the more plot driven the story, the more their situation and background, motivation, abilities and resources of the character(s) need to serve that plot. But imperfectly enough to make them interesting and sustain tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation by keeping the outcome in doubt, of course!

Or else, in a tragedy, hamartia, the bind error of maladaptation by a character inconveniently mismatched to circumstances (in contrast to the aspect of the hero as more opportunely, appropriately and better equipped, skilled or tempered for whatever challenge at hand), the protagonist's greatest personality flaw or, worse, their greatest virtue, but perhaps in disproportion, leads only to misfortune. Indeed, an entire plot may be derived from any character's emotional core wherein misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. For any character's free choice of strategy is defined, guided and constrained by values, into somehow or other principled behavior. And even the loftiest personal or ideological motivation and most admirable character trait can miss the mark, go astray and awry even upon the proverbial road to Hell that is paved with good intentions, to inspire and then culminate in a cascade of ill considered if not foul deeds outright, tribulation, dissolution, downfall or comeuppance, ruination and disaster.

Indeed, even if thankfully in any somewhat less calamitously heroic proportion, ordinary flawed folk may blindly err, and often prove so much their own worst enemies, that their "inner villain" may provide enough of a dramatic obstacle all on it's own to sustain tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation by keeping the outcome in doubt.

Indeed, for a ready challenge in deriving dramatic obstacle from hamartia, take on the schooled fools.

The THEMATIC PREMISE SHEET explains how theme, essential understanding or recurring concept, even as often conveyed via some symbolic Objective Correlative motif or topos, made central, derives conflict and motivation into a truly dramatic plot. And the whys and wherefores are treated in Ten Points on Plotting.

                              Plotting worksheet

The Four C's are Conflict, Complication, Crisis and Climax.

Q. What are complications and subplots? 

Complications build upon, worsen, accumulate and intensify conflict. But for the pressure to thusly mount also requires time and frustration. Retarding plot elements which delay or prolong the action are obstacles, while retrogressive elements which divert action away from resolution of its goals as ever put forth are subplot.

Complications may either arise strategically or logistically from the central problem or be driven by some challenging additional factor, development or obstacle, motivation or concern in the problems of characters, that persists until some turning point in the plot and then return again in the dénouement.

The tension and pathos of suspense and anticipation, even discomfort and aversion, may be necessary for holding the audience while emotional consequence is explored and unfolds. The inner journey must match the outer journey, beginning from the Emotional Disturbance that is is internal corollary to it's trigger, the out-of-whack event, or vice versa. That is why a story walks better on two legs and Plots Come in Pairs that may even be summarized in a great log-line. To seduce the reader, through out the story, in fulfilling one anticipation the next anticipation has already been whetted, to keep'm hanging.

Life can only be lived forwards, but only understood or recognized in hindsight.

Indeed, do we consider our options and consciously take action, or do our actions simply come upon us as we react to situation, and only then rationalize afterward? People often make their most important decisions with their heart but only then rationalize intellectually. Hence, Problem Solving and Justification are reciprocal functions, and one must be shaped to rationalize the other, with integrity or else into hypocrisy. Frequently, the self conscious illusion of individual will is only the burden of responsibility in hindsight, an artifact of the personal narrative facilitating growth.

And beyond direct action, our influence upon others may often be even the more misguided and deluded.

Misdirection, whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception, is key in moving from promise to catastrophe. Delays, the meticulous progression of tightly interwoven plot thickening, a complex plot with not only dramatic obstacles to overcome, but diversions and red herrings surprise twists, set backs, Peripeteia, shock, surprise, betrayal, perversion of expectations, social estrangement and other reversals of fortune including revelations exposing and shattering false goals and priorities put forth and thereby motivating entirely new goals, especially as arising from character development so as to change everything, and without which the story would remain predictable. So, navigate the various possible paths and dead ends and to find stories always dig deeper for insight into difficult struggle. 

Drama is conflict or contradictions, pressing difficult choices on the many levels inherent to situation, hence is more than merely an event or crisis, but  like unto karma, a condition, a relationship. Characters develop out of situation and plot ideas emerge from characters in different situations and the actions undertaken because of their relationships and conflict on many levels, the friction entailed as characters come into contact.

Prolong the Agony by making life difficult so as to motivate characters. Even pander to  vicarious wish fulfillment, but also inspire pathos, anticipation, suspense even dread and even the discomfort of sheer aversion. Stir any range of emotions and force the reader to empathize, to feel. That's what makes for good entertainment, a real page turner.

Throughout the plot, the tension and pathos, even discomfort and aversion, of suspense and anticipation is heightened as things are made more difficult, the personal emotional stakes are raised, and character development is pressed by worsening complications for an active protagonist, definitely including onstage sex! Navigate the various possible paths and dead ends and to find stories always dig deeper for insight to the struggle.

Further and mounting complication may be introduced by way of subplots, and examples of subplots include any separate exploits of secondary characters, focus upon individual problems as a consequence of whatever vast and/or pivotal events, the separate and distinct personal crises of a supporting characters necessarily pressed to resolution in order to cope with and play into whatever larger issues of the leading plot, interrelated or separate but one way or another parallel, or even zipper stories consisting of alternating strands, beginning apparently unrelated until over whatever time frame or structures, duration, and pacing, closing together and finally connecting into the story climax.

The purpose of any subplot may be two-fold, either to enhance a character, theme, plot, or amplify part of whatever genre, or to move the course of the main story as defined by the leading plot,  in a direction which it could not proceed in and of itself otherwise. Subplots may relate to leading plots, but without carrying forward, strengthening, or explicating that main action. nevertheless, different circumstances may influence one another as contributing causes to the outcome, but each also requiring explanation and development. Hence the plot as a whole may culminate as an aggregate of intertwining subplots.

Main plot and subplot are traditionally known as A, B, and C plots. And as circumstances and motivation evolve in through the story, or even transition in POV, leading and subplots may advance,  recede and trade places in priority.

Life can only be lived forwards, but only understood or recognized in hindsight. Indeed, do we consider our options and consciously take action, or do our actions simply come upon us as we react to situation, and only then rationalize afterward? People often make their most important decisions with their heart but only then rationalize intellectually. Hence, Problem Solving and Justification are reciprocal functions, and one must be shaped to rationalize the other, with integrity or else into hypocrisy. Frequently, the self conscious illusion of individual will is only the burden of responsibility in hindsight, an artifact of the personal narrative facilitating growth.

And beyond direct action, our influence upon others may often be even the more misguided and deluded.

Desperate as hostile and cognitively dissonant bullies typically are for Existential Validation in all disregard of sanity and reality, indeed only a complete amoral sociopath is ever surprised that harm done without regard to others may injure good will in return. But all first impressions tend to uncomplicated objectification, the stimulus response of selfish desire and gratification, for advantage, amusement, comfort or sex or else threat, revulsion and avoidance.