Plots & Stories

[Chiken]

Let’s talk about RP plotting. I wanted to contribute a little something to help others understand proper plotting. These “tips” are not set in stone, so read and take it with a grain-of-salt. At the very least you may already be familiar with them. Worst case scenario you learn a little something.


Weather it’s a one on one or group roleplay proper plotting needs the key ingredients. The key ingredients to me are:

• Plot
  
• Story
  
• GM
  
• Players
  
• Collaboration
  
• Participation
  

A plot needs a story like a GM needs players like collaboration needs participation. Chiken

What is the difference between the plot and the story?

The plot is not the story, characters are the story. The plot is the action, while the story is the emotions associated with the action. A plot is the series of events providing conflict within a story. The search for a murderer is a plot. Surviving a natural disaster is a plot. Plots are the result of choices made by the characters: the characters take action (or don’t) and events happen as a result.


Character-driven stories rely on interesting characters and their responses to situations. When characters make a choice, there is some emotion involved. Character’s emotional reactions and choices move the story to plot points, while each plot point creates yet another choice and the accompanying emotional issues. The choice always results in more actions and reactions, leading to yet another choice. That is how life works — and how a great story works.


One way to look at it is; the story serves as a way to carry the message, while the story depicts the message. We tend to forget that stories are written to convey our values, morality, and social structure. If a story lacks a lesson, even a cynical one, it lacks coherent purpose. (But, it is possible to write a story without purpose.)

How to organize your plot?

Frankly, there are thousands of different methods you can use to plan a plot. This is just one of them, that may or may not work for you, and that’s fine. The key message is that a good plot doesn’t just happen, it is designed. Designing a plot is hard work, it’s important to find a guiding principle, here is mine.


Before you start writing you need to get organized. You need to put all those wonderful ideas in a form you can use. Why? Because there are holes you need to fill in before you start. Every plot follows a basic formula: there is a beginning, middle, and end.

TIP: When I plan a roleplay I write a prologue. I use it to write background information about the plot, the motivation for the action in the plot, and to set the time and setting. Often written in a paragraph or two that provides the information I need to start. And once I have established “history” I can move on to the beginning.

The beginning of a plot.

The beginning is the problem that launches the story. It is the challenge, it is the catalyst. The beginning should cause a reaction to set events in motion but is not itself involved in the reaction. It is the problem that launches the story and seldom the big event.

The beginning is the simple plot, it reveals the conflict:

• Man versus man: antagonist and protagonist.
  
• Man versus nature: the universe challenges the protagonist(s).
  
• Man versus self: protagonist must overcome deep, dangerous flaws.
  
• Man versus man’s work: creation out of control.
  

Once you’ve established the conflict you move on to the big event. The “Big Event” ends the beginning and introduces the primary conflict, the complex plot, the major characters known, and establishes the story’s direction.


So what have we learned?

The beginning of a plot is divided into a formula.

• The Challenge (or Catalyst)
  
• The Conflict (or Simple Plot)
  
• The Big Event
  

TIP: I have learned that the “formula” is a great tool to use to write up your RP presentation. It provides players with the information they need to decide if they want to join your roleplay. And you know you’ve written a good event when players are able to predict some events and at least guess at potential solutions to the story’s conflicts.


Once you have your players and everyone has weaved in their own “potential solutions” to the conflict, it is the GM’s job to introduce the “Big Event” — introduce the primary conflict and establish a new direction.

The middle of a plot.

The middle is the point of no return — when the decision to move ahead, while knowing there is risk, results in a “point of no return.” It is the moment the main character(s) decides there will be a showdown, and this is known as the pinch. The pinch reveals the psychological underpinnings of the story.


In the middle characters decide upon a course of action, characters learn about others, his or her self. And the revelation leads to the crisis.


The crisis is where all seems lost. The worst moments in story — when the character experiences a crisis of faith. There is doubt, fear, and other troubling emotions. If there is no doubt of victory there is no story.

TIP: Usually the middle is the most difficult part of a roleplay for me, because by this time some players have lost interest and abandoned the RP without warning, and it becomes very stressful because in order to surpass the middle it requires the key ingredients — collaboration and participation from everyone involved.


At this point in the roleplay, when everyone has written in their story and there are more subplots than intended, is okay to take a pause here and reorganize. Pause the action, ask questions, review the state of events, and prepare for the showdown.

The showdown (climax) leads to the resolution. The time when the crisis is solved (or not) based upon the climax. It is more drama and action than Big Event. The resolution is not about the external victory as much as it is about the internal growth of a character.

The end of a plot.

And finally we come to the end, the elusive end, the one thing we roleplayers rarely see. But if you’ve found an active collaborating group of players, if everyone has participated in all the decisions and plot planning up to now, then everyone is ready to experience the most fulfilling part of roleplaying — the end.

TIP: If you have indeed found such a group, friend them, bribe them, dine them, put them in a shrine and worship them. Keep in contact with these people because they are a rare find.

The end is the resolution, the part of the plot in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved. Where everything is decided and made clear. Winners and losers are known. No loose ends remain. A new dawn comes.

This is my first tutorial so I expect some errors. Most of the information I use is derived from Tameri Guide for Writers. I simply concise the guide to fit what I think is the best formula for roleplaying. Basically, what I found useful and put into practice when I write. Hopefully it will help you too.

 

[InfiniteOtaku]

Thanks for this, this is really helpful! I'll be using this next time I decide to roleplay and am deciding on a good plot to use that'll be interesting and consistent.