Plot vs. Character: Fiction Writing
Have you ever struggled with a story idea only to give up because it seems like every plot has already been done?
Maybe that’s because it has.
How Many Plots Are There?
In his book The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories
Booker’s argument sparked much discussion among writers and readers, and a great debate ensued. Was it true? Are there only seven basic plots? And if so, how could any story written after the first seven possibly be original?
You can have a lot of fun trying to categorize your favorite fiction into one of Booker’s seven plot categories:
- Tragedy
- Comedy
- Overcoming the Monster
- Voyage and Return
- Quest
- Rags to Riches
- Rebirth
Booker’s concept of limited possibilities within fiction is not a new idea. Joseph Campbell dissected the major elements of narrative and produced the Monomyth (or Hero’s Journey) in The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Do all great stories fit the Monolith pattern? Some claim there are basic elements in the Monomyth that any decent story must follow. Others says that the Monomyth is just one of many storytelling possibilities.
Another common breakdown of plot boils them all down to three:
- Man against man
- Man against nature
- Man against himself
And we wonder why it seems like everything’s been done before.
What About Characters?
If anyone’s ever claimed there are just seven characters in all of fiction, I’ve yet to hear about it. Sure, there’s the protagonist and the antagonist, and a whole bunch of stereotypical characters (the sidekick, for example). But characters are people. They’re animals and aliens. Sometimes they’re inanimate objects. Even cities and worlds have been known to play the role of a character in a story.
And characters, like people, are infinite in their possibilities. Plus, readers connect on an emotional level with characters. A plot may be interesting, even fascinating, but it’s the characters that make us feel attached to a story.
When you think about your favorite books, what do you recall? Is the plot unforgettable, or are the characters what makes a story memorable?
One of my favorite novels of all time is The Catcher in the Rye
What’s More Important – Plot-driven Stories or Character Fiction?
There are readers who insist that they need a gripping plot to keep them interested. Others say that the best stories are built around characters. And writers are split on the issue too. Some work from a plot outline while others work at character development and then let the characters move the action forward.
I get a lot of my writing tips by listening to author interviews, and one of the most common questions that interviewers ask novelists is about their writing process. Did they start with an outline? Was there an entire plot planned out ahead of time?
Interestingly, most authors respond with something like: “I let the characters tell the story. If I planned the plot ahead of time, I’d know what’s going to happen, and that would take all the fun out of writing it.”
Let Your Characters Take the Wheel
We’re compelled by fiction because there is something in it that resonates as truth. Though many wonderful stories are plot-driven, we are often drawn to a particular tale because we feel a connection with the characters. We understand them, sympathize with them, and relate to them.
We see ourselves in them.
Of course, the best stories make good use of both plot and characters. However, once the plot wraps up, readers and writers are still left with characters. Sometimes they go on to other adventures (in trilogies and other series). Other times, we can only imagine what became of them after the story ended.
Whether plot or characters drive your own fiction writing is totally subjective. Each writer must find a style for story development that feels comfortable and produces desired results. But if you haven’t given character fiction a try, then make it a point to attempt it, even if just once. You might surprise yourself, and you might have a lot of fun discovering the antics your characters will get into when you let them drive the story.
No solid, intriguing character that a reader can relate to? No story. It becomes two-dimensional and flat, and nothing at all comes alive on a page. Readers don’t fall in love, they don’t want to buy the next in the series and it just becomes a description of events. Boring.
Characters definitely trump plot any day. Without characters… there is no plot.
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I absolutely agree. In fact, I think that a weak plot can be completely saved by awesome characters. I’m actually a bit miffed that I didn’t learn about this in any of the creative writing (especially fiction) classes I took in college. My realization about characters came much later, and it occurred through listening to published authors talk about their writing process. It was like a light bulb went off in my head. Ding! Characters! I get it now!
And for the record, I do think there are a limited number of plots out there. I don’t know if there are three or seven, but I definitely notice the same plots over and over again. That doesn’t mean they aren’t any good. What it means is that great characters make each plot unique.
I don’t know, I see this as like a car and plot is the wheels and the characters are gasoline. You can argue back and forth which element is more important but at the end of the day, if either facet is weak, the story won’t move forward.
Rich characters can really liven up a story, but if they’re in a poorly conceived plot, you’re not going to enjoy it anyway.
I try and find the happy medium of the two notions. I write a first draft which is predominantly plot focused. It lets me get a feel for what the story is that I’m trying to tell. I then rewrite it, bringing the characters out and allowing them to react more to what’s going on around them now that I have given them a personality. This can sometimes change the plot completely as they might disagree with the actions I laid out for them. Still, it enables me to give both facets of the story a good amount of focus.
It’s definitely different for each writer. Some writers have to start with a plot while others come to the table with a character in mind. I tried writing from plot over and over and I didn’t get anywhere. But when I sat down and started a story with a couple of interesting characters and very little idea of what the plot would be… well, I finished the first draft of a novel.
Now that I’m thinking about it, I have read novels where nothing in particular seems to be happening to the characters and the story is pretty boring. I remember reading Lolita, and there were just pages and pages of nothing. I think it was mostly description of a road trip and internal dialog. BORING. But other novels have done the same thing effectively. Execution of plot and character have a lot to do with how interesting it is. Yes, they both need to be there, but there is also a lot of wiggle room for what will make a story shine or fall flat.
At the moment, I’m trying to think of a time I actually let the plot drive any of my stories. I’m sure I’ve possibly done it, but all I can think about are my characters. I remember a plot driven heist story. But it doesn’t have any “real” characters yet, so that could change.
With my most recent story (which I described to you in a previous post on the comments), I may have started with a broad idea of a plot, but when I started writing the main character’s character sketch, I ended up writing most of the story through him and his actions.
While I was reading this post, I was thinking about movies (or TV shows) that have strong plots and/or characters. I just started watching “Lost” and the character developments definitely drive that story. The plot does too, but I’m the characters are what hooked me in more than anything else. I’m only in the first season… so maybe that will change. I’d bring “Heroes” in on this discussion, but I wouldn’t know where to begin.
“Catcher in the Rye” was an interesting book. Holden is definitely an interesting character. I couldn’t figure out what the story was about or trying to tell me, yet I couldn’t put the book down.
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I should really rent Lost and just watch it. Seems like all the people who love Heroes like Lost quite a bit, so I probably would too. Heroes is a good example of character-driven fiction. In fact, in any story about superheroes, we see the same plots and story lines over and over. You can put them in different worlds or cities, but they are always fighting a great evil. Heroes especially has been compared to lots of other stories (X-men in particular), but the characters keep viewers coming back week after week. My favorites: Peter, Hiro, and Sylar. Oh and Nathan is becoming quite the antagonist.
Oh boy, here we go.
I know, I opened up the Heroes talk again. I’ll keep it to a minimum.
But I highly suggest you look into Lost. And yes, rent the DVDs so you don’t have to worry about commercials and can go to the next episode immediately. I think it is a lot like Heroes with it’s seriously character driven stories. I want to get completely caught up in time for the season finale next year. But from one Heroes fan to another, definitely look into it. Plus I could always use another Lost buddy who is starting from the beginning.
Oh yeah, I like those 3 too. And as for superheroes in general, I don’t know if you are into graphic novels (I’m not but this is a rare exception) but I suggest looking into reading Watchmen some time. These are more great characters that drive a really interesting plot. I think that both the plot and characters mgiht be equally great. I hope, and it looks like it will be, the movie is just as good.
It’s okay. I’m always down for a Heroes chat. Speaking of Heroes (heheh), I thought the most recent episode was a bit flat. That business with Daphne really annoyed me – especially since it contradicts one of Matt’s earlier precognitions. (Trying to discuss without giving any spoilers). Mostly, it felt like a transition episode – like they were filling in some blanks as a bridge between the previous episode and the next.
I’ve never read a graphic novel or comic book (since reading Archie when I was a kid). Next time I visit the bookstore, I’ll take a look at Watchmen, but I tend to like that stuff as a movie more than a book. I’m willing to try though. And one of these days, I’ll definitely rent Lost. Wow, my lists sure are filling up.
Regarding Watchmen, you have a little less than a month to read it. I know you read a lot, you can probably finish it in a day or two. It took me three or four, I can’t remember, but I know I couldn’t put it down. I ordered mine from the internet (like 90% of movies/books I own/rent). But I really wanted to see what they hype was all about BEFORE I saw the movie, because those trailers are what perked my interest. Now I’m extra hyped enough to go to a midnight or IMAX showing. I know you are a renter, as am I, but this is big time and may change the superhero genre for cinema.
And I agree, the last episode wasn’t really thrilling. But I think they are trying to restructure and get “back on track.” So I see it as them slowing down a little bit, but I hope they pick it back up and get all intense. I’m really liking Sylar’s storyline right now and I hope Hiro um… will be Hiro again (I don’t want to spoil either… we need a code or something).
Melissa,
Please share more like these!
I am a techie. I speak computer language – LOL. And I want to write a book on technology. How boring it can be…. another boring manual. I want to avoid it, I want to entertain while teaching through my book. Ideas you share here are pure gold nuggets. Writing a technical book with a plot is DA way for me.
Thanks! Stumbled.
Thanks for the stumble Alik! I agree, more posts like this is a good idea. You can definitely spice up a boring tech manual by injecting some creativity into it. I think the trick is to turn it into a story because stories speak to people and keep them paying attention. And of course, all stories need great characters
I agree–characters are what make a good book sing. They’re the salt in the soup, the meat in the stew, the yeast in the bread … All my favorite books have characters that I truly love.
That said, though, when you’re talking about the mediocre books? With just “okay” characters and rather cliche plots? The thing that keeps me reading those … when I get sucked into them … is the plot. I usually want to know what happens to the STORY. Though, the point of THAT is to find out what happens TO the characters. It’s like watching a bad, made-for-tv movie.
And, once you’re talking about the really bad books? The ones with characters that are stiff-as-cardboard (and about as deep) and a plot with holes big enough to fly a plane through, which you’d be able to do with your eyes closed because they’re so predictable … they’re not worth the bother at all.
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Hi Melissa! For me, the characher(s) always come first and are ultimately more important than the plot. With 3 incredibly unique characters, you can toss them in nearly any plot and make something exciting happen. I loved The Catcher in the Rye and read it several times in my teens. I also loved Atlas Shrugged, another classic with both great characters and an incredible plot.
I basically agree with Booker’s assertion. Virtually every tale ever written has in some sense been written before–a sea of endless variations, which is what it’s all about. This makes me think of what Emerson said about literary genius, “It’s the return of one’s rejected thoughts with an alienated majesty.”
I am wildly driven by this thought, though I don’t believe in the validity of genius–I believe in delving deeper than you ever thought and exploring with conviction. We’ve discussed the importance of being yourself and expressing your individuality–and that’s what makes a written work great. Honestly, I usually conceive characters and plot simultaneously. All I know is I love to write and read.
Oh yeah, I am looking forward to seeing Watchmen! It looks like a different kind of superhero film. Great article as always
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This is so bad… I can’t remember if I’ve read Atlas Shrugged. I just read the synopsis and I just can’t remember, which means if I did read it, I did so during one my crazed reading frenzies in which I inhale several books a week. Then again, maybe it’s sitting in a pile of books to read somewhere around here.
I think the idea of a limited number of plots freaks some people out. They worry too much about being 100% original. The thing to remember is that even if your plot contains story elements that have been done a million times before, you can still make it original with unique characters and interesting twists.
I’m looking forward to seeing Watchmen too. It definitely looks interesting and I want to see just how original that one is.
There are actually only two types of stories.
Type 1: Stuff happened.
Type 2: Stuff seemed to have happened, but it was really a dream or only existed in some other alternative reality so it looked like it happened but it didn’t really happen.
Kidding aside, here some thoughts:
After a while, characters are indeed what most people will remember. I read somewhere that people like to pick a character (doesn’t necessarily have to be the main character) to relate to in a book or in a movie. This especially happens when people are watching a movie together and start to point out “this one is you, oh, that one is me, ha, isn’t that one just like Harry?” We sort of did that too. I remember when we were kids, my sisters and I will be reading (or looking at? it’s a picture book) Richard Scarry’s “Best Word Book Ever” and point out “this one is you, this one is me” on every page, whatever the pages are about. Now we still look at that book and say “I remember that bear was yours” or “I remember you are that carrot”.
Huh, did I get off topic?
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I like how you break it down into stuff happened and stuff seemed to have happened. That’s definitely another way of looking at it. Hey, we could make an exercise out of finding different variations of the basic plots. I know that when I watch a movie or read a book, there is usually one character in the story I relate to the most. For example, in Harry Potter – I’m Hermione. Heheh. No kidding, my friends actually call me that. *shrugs*
Oh, and Melissa? I just gave you a Premio Dardos award … come see!
–Debs last blog post..Premio Dardos
I’ll be sure to stop by today and check it out. Now I’m curious…
I really don’t find it helpful to know that there are seven basic plots or seven types of characters or three basic challenges (man vs. man, nature, self, and I think we can add to this: machine). The stories I write are the stories I have. They come from wherever it is in my creative self, and I don’t really give much care to how they fit within things like genre or narrative history or archetype; they are just the stories that they are.
Alrighty then. It’s too bad you don’t find these elements of storytelling helpful, but many writers do use them to formulate stories or to better understand why it’s so difficult to come up with a plot that is truly original. I know I’ve struggled when devising a plot. There are times when I think “it just feels like this has been done before.” Chances are, it has been done before and that’s o.k.
Well, I haven’t really been reading much lately. You’ll learn more about that situation in Monday’s post. Since I’m a renter, I probably have more time and I may go straight to the film. But next time I’m in the bookstore, I’m definitely going to take a peek.
Yes, hurry up and return Hiro to how he, um, was. I think they could have done a little more with the idea of all the Heroes banding together against NP and the gov’t. I thought Sylar was going to get on board with that too, and that would have added an interesting twist. Well, maybe they’ll go in a better direction next week. The show gets a lot of criticism that I think is unwarranted so I’m always hesitant to speak up when I’m not totally thrilled with it. Overall, it’s a fantastic show.