TECH: Archetype Primer Number Two!

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Original Posting 14 March 2013

Nancy Kress in June, July, and August 1997 in Writer's Digest gave a primer on classic plot structures that you can use anywhere you like. In the July issue, on pages 6 to 9, the article is called "What's Your Archetype?" In this one, Nancy describes four more classic structures. She points out that these are "skeletons over which to fashion your individual characters and incidents. An archetypal plot is one so time-honored it has become a classic; a rich story that still seems fresh because it embodies basic truths about human nature." The first five were variations on Harry winning or losing, basically. And here are four other archetypal plots that you might want to use:

1. Chase plot: searching hard for Harry. Someone is chasing someone! You can tell it from the point of view of the pursuers or the pursued, or even alternating. The outcome can be a capture or an escape. And there are plenty of examples. It may be worth noting that chase novels don't have to involve crime, murder, or national security. There are plenty of personal chases and pursuits.

One of the variations is a rescue, where they have to find someone, and then rescue them. This involves three key characters, the pursuer, the pursued, and a victim. Some of the questions that you should think about for a chase:
-- Who is looking for whom?
-- Why are they looking for them?
-- Which point of view are you going to use?
-- Who do you want the reader to sympathize with or identify with?
-- Will the pursuer catch them? How?
-- After the pursued is caught or not, what happens? Will you show this or simply imply it?

2. Quest plot: searching hard for Harry's legacy. Instead of searching for a person, now we're searching for a thing. It may be a specific object, such as the magic flute, buried treasure, something valuable in some way shape or form. In these stories, characters know what they're looking for, have some clues to chase, and often get in each other's way while looking. Plenty of examples of course. Something to consider is whether the object is important in itself, or symbolic? In either case, you need to show why characters are obsessed with this. In fact, some of the questions include:
-- What is being sought? Why?
-- What are the obstacles to finding it?
-- How many different groups are looking for it? Who are they all?
-- Will they find the object? Where? Are the place and object what was expected?
-- Who is going to triumph? How do the other groups react?
-- At the end of the story, where does the object end up?
A closely related quest plot is for a place rather than an object. There are at least two variations on this, one being where looking for and finding the new place is hard, the other being where the place itself is exotic and needs exploration. Be careful with the travelogues, you probably need another plot to go with it. In either case, if your characters are looking for a place, ask yourself:
-- Why do they want to go?
-- What stands in their way?
-- Will you, the author, let them get there?
-- What will they find there? What will it mean to them at that point? How will they cope with it?
-- Do they settle down and stay there, try to go home again, or try to go somewhere else? Can they go back?
Of course, quests can also be searching for something intangible, knowledge, an answer to a question, or something else. An honest man, enlightenment, the good, the true, the beautiful? And along the way, you as author need to think about these questions:
-- Why does the character want this? What's really at stake?
-- What price will he have to pay for it? Is it worth it?
-- What does he plan to do with it when he gets it? What actually happens?
So, we can go on a quest to find the Maltese Falcon, Shangri-La, or the knowledge beyond knowledge. Which one will you pick?

3. Competition plot: Harry versus that other guy! Rivalry and competition, as they fight it out. A lover, a sports championship, control of some kind, wherever there is a winner and losers, you've got the core of the competition plot. Evenly matched or mismatched? Who is going to win? Will it be the underdog? Along the way, ask
-- What is the prize? Make it clearly defined. Why is it worthwhile?
-- Who are the rivals? Why do they each want this?
-- How far will each of them go to win?
-- Who will win, and at what cost?
-- What happens to the rival?

4. Romance plot: Harry is in love! The key to romance is the obstacles between the lovers. Parental disapproval, previous engagements or marriages, class differences, war, revolution, murder... Just about anything and everything can get in the way. There are tons of examples, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of room for your story. And to write it, think about:
-- Who are the lovers? Why are they attracted to each other?
-- What obstacle (or obstacles) are keeping them apart?
-- Do they overcome it? How? If they fail, why?
-- How does it end up? Happily ever after or something more or less?

So there are four more archetypal plots to add to your kit. Chasing Harry, a quest for Harry, Harry against someone, and Harry is in love. Poor Harry, he gets run all over the place! And in Nancy's third article, she adds four more classic plots for you to play with. To get the best out of them, just remember...

Write!