NANO: Lester Dent’s Master Fiction Plot?
Dec. 4th, 2023 03:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Original Posting 11/02/2019
Now, I know, you are going for 50,000 words, not a mere short story. But... you might find this useful for doing short side trips, or just for a twist? Anyway...It’s available several places. One ishttps://mgherron.com/2015/01/lester-dents-pulp-paper-master-fiction-plot-formula/You might also like this summary (several parts!)https://blog.karenwoodward.org/2013/11/lester-dents-short-story-master-formula.htmlLet’s look at what Lester recommends...Start out by brainstorming one or more of these1 A different murder method for the villain to use2 Something different for the villain to be seeking3 A different locale (aka setting!)4 A lurking menace to threaten the heroNext, divvy up your 6000 word story into four 1500 word chunks. This is where you may need to do some variation, since you are shooting for 50,000 total, but... take a look at his four parts. Do you want to just multiply everything by ten, and end up with 60,000 words? Or maybe do multiple 6000 word chunks and stitch them together later? Up to you...First 1500 words.Start, in the first line or as near as possible, to introduce the hero and a fistful of trouble. Give a hint of mystery, menace, a problem to be solved... something the hero must cope with.Next, the hero tries!And as soon as possible, introduce all the characters. Bring them in action.Fourth, the hero’s efforts cause a physical conflict near the end of the first 1500 words.Finally, there is a surprise twist in the plot.This section should have suspense, a menace to the hero, and everything should happen logically.Second 1500 wordsFirst, more trouble for the hero!Which means, second, the hero struggles more.Third, this causes another physical conflict!And, to finish it off, add in another surprising plot twist.Keep the suspense, the menace, and the trouble for the hero coming! Make sure it is logical, too.Third 1500 wordsStart with more trouble!Fighting all this, the hero starts to get ahead, and corners the villain into...A physical conflict!But, sure enough, another plot twist hits, and usually the hero is now in real trouble!Guess what! Suspense, menace, the hero is getting in deeper and deeper, and it all happened logically. Right!Fourth 1500 words?Start with more trouble.The hero is almost buried in trouble, right?But... the hero gets out, through his own efforts, skills, training, ideas...And in the final conflict, the mysteries are cleared up.And there’s one more surprise waiting for us.Plus a punch line to end it all.There it is. 6000 words? Or maybe a framework for a piece of your runaway masterpiece? One square of your quilt?Anyway, keep writing!
Now, I know, you are going for 50,000 words, not a mere short story. But... you might find this useful for doing short side trips, or just for a twist? Anyway...It’s available several places. One ishttps://mgherron.com/2015/01/lester-dents-pulp-paper-master-fiction-plot-formula/You might also like this summary (several parts!)https://blog.karenwoodward.org/2013/11/lester-dents-short-story-master-formula.htmlLet’s look at what Lester recommends...Start out by brainstorming one or more of these1 A different murder method for the villain to use2 Something different for the villain to be seeking3 A different locale (aka setting!)4 A lurking menace to threaten the heroNext, divvy up your 6000 word story into four 1500 word chunks. This is where you may need to do some variation, since you are shooting for 50,000 total, but... take a look at his four parts. Do you want to just multiply everything by ten, and end up with 60,000 words? Or maybe do multiple 6000 word chunks and stitch them together later? Up to you...First 1500 words.Start, in the first line or as near as possible, to introduce the hero and a fistful of trouble. Give a hint of mystery, menace, a problem to be solved... something the hero must cope with.Next, the hero tries!And as soon as possible, introduce all the characters. Bring them in action.Fourth, the hero’s efforts cause a physical conflict near the end of the first 1500 words.Finally, there is a surprise twist in the plot.This section should have suspense, a menace to the hero, and everything should happen logically.Second 1500 wordsFirst, more trouble for the hero!Which means, second, the hero struggles more.Third, this causes another physical conflict!And, to finish it off, add in another surprising plot twist.Keep the suspense, the menace, and the trouble for the hero coming! Make sure it is logical, too.Third 1500 wordsStart with more trouble!Fighting all this, the hero starts to get ahead, and corners the villain into...A physical conflict!But, sure enough, another plot twist hits, and usually the hero is now in real trouble!Guess what! Suspense, menace, the hero is getting in deeper and deeper, and it all happened logically. Right!Fourth 1500 words?Start with more trouble.The hero is almost buried in trouble, right?But... the hero gets out, through his own efforts, skills, training, ideas...And in the final conflict, the mysteries are cleared up.And there’s one more surprise waiting for us.Plus a punch line to end it all.There it is. 6000 words? Or maybe a framework for a piece of your runaway masterpiece? One square of your quilt?Anyway, keep writing!