Writing the plot for a story is never simple. If you are just starting out writing fiction, a template can help you get started and structure your outline.

So many people want to write a book or movie, but find it hard to structure their story. They aren’t sure how to write the plot of a book or a screenplay.

The Infographic below is more than just how to write a plot of a story – it reads like the plot summary of a typical fiction story, or even of an epic non-fiction story.

I am sure you can easily read adventure, fantasy and sci fi into the plot outline presented, especially because I used language straight out of an adventure novel. But for the most part, even a romance or detective novel follows this formula. Or the screenplay for a romantic film or even many comedies or other movies.

A story need not use all these elements, or place them in this exact order. But most fiction (and some non-fiction) books on the New York Times Best Sellers list include most of these elements in roughly this order. A complex story will have many of these plot elements repeat, sometimes several times. In fact, a complex story might have several plots moving along simultaneously.

A while ago, I was reading Son of a Witch: Volume Two in the Wicked Years by Gregory MaGuire (highly recommended, but best to read Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West first). The first half of the book runs through two threads, one past and one present, and the present thread divides in two to follow Liir along one and the two traveling maunts along the other.

One of my favorite books of all time, The Eight by Katherine Neville, follows two stories, one in the present time (during the oil crisis of a few decades ago), and one historical, during the French Revolution.

Both these books use pretty much all of the elements presented in the plot outline below multiple times, and at times simultaneously along the different threads. Great reads, both, for students of how to write a book with multiple plot lines, by the way.

And great reads to see how to write a plot for a story of any genre.

(Story on how to write the plot of a story continues below the Infographic.)

Must the plot of a book be so dramatic?

This is just a generic plot summary. Mark Twain once said, “Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn’t.” Nevertheless, in real world story plots (our own lives), we rarely find such superlatives. There is good and kindness in everyone, and there is mischief and ill-will in everyone, too. And even in the most fantastic of stories, we like to see a little balance shine through.

• We like to see our Valiant Hero vulnerable, perhaps a bit socially awkward or over self-confident, or caught off guard. We like to see them doubt their ability to prevail, or fall hopelessly in love.
• We like to see that the Forces of Evil are not completely evil, that somewhere inside remains a seed of compassion and tenderness…seconds before our Valiant Hero annihilates them, of course.

It is true that not every story has all of these components, nor are they always so clear-cut. Sometimes there are more than one Valiant Hero, and they are sometimes working at cross-purposes. Sometimes there is an ambiguous character, who is neither good nor evil – or is somewhat of both.

And the evil might not always be “evil” in the traditional sense. It might simply be an incredible obstacle or a natural disaster. Or a bumbling fool who always gets in the way or tips the apple cart.

And the Quest is not always obvious from the outset. In fact, sometimes we near the end of a story before realizing what the Quest really is about.

Writing the plot of a book or a screenplay is not always that simple. Even if you hire a ghostwriter, it helps if you already have the structure of your tale pretty much organized.

There is plenty of room to play with the plot of a story, plenty of room for creativity in putting your own plot outline together. But if you start with this model, you have a great structure on which to build your story.

If you need help, that’s OK. We know how to write the plot of a novel or movie for you.

Start writing with this generic plot for your story

How do you write the plot of a book or movie?

Why not tell us how you wrote the plot for your last novel or screenplay? Or how you will write the plot for your next novel or screenplay?

Does your plot follow this pattern? Does it deviate? Does your novel feature bonus twists of plot? Please share.