by John Peragine

Last month, I shared seven plot strategies, and received many responses that people had not heard of a number of them. With the beginning of the year fast approaching, many of you will be ready to start your new book for 2021. Here are seven more structures to choose from. There are many more out there, but these seven are a good place to start.

1. Dan Harmon’s Story Circle

Dan Harmon the creator of the television show Community. He has developed a method that is sometimes known as  ‘The Embryo,’ ‘The Dan Harmon Story Circle,’ or just ‘The Story Circle.’  For more information check out this link. It is a variation of the hero’s journey.

1. A character is in a zone of comfort,
2. But they want something.
3. They enter an unfamiliar situation,
4. Adapt to it,
5. Get what they wanted,
6. Pay a heavy price for it,
7. Then return to their familiar situation,
8. Having changed.

2. Gwen Hayes Romancing the Beat

This is a great structure for romance novels. If you want a head start, here is a link to a free template for Scrivener that is detailed.

1. Introduce H1
2. Introduce H2
3. Meet Cute
4. No Way 1
5. Adhesion
6. No Way 2
7. Inkling of Desire
8. Deepening Desire
9. Maybe This Could Work
10. Midpoint of Love
11. Inkling of Doubt
12. Deepening Doubt
13. Retreat Beat
14. Shields Up
15. Break Up
16. Dark Night
17. Wake Up
18. Grand gesture
19. What Whole Hearted Looks Like
20. Epilogue

Plotlines

1. Phase 1: Set Up
2. Phase 2: Falling in Love
3. Phase 3: Retreating From Love
4. Phase 4: Fighting for Love

3. Shonen Battle Manga Formula

Manga is very popular these days and here is a formula to help you write most any plot within this genre. Here is a link to explanations and variations to the Shonen Battle plot.

1. Getting motivated
2. It's easy!
3. Maybe it's not so easy
4. A whole new world
5. A new path
6. The long road
7. Rising competition
8. Social advancement
9. Eye of the tiger
10. Towards the future
11. Story Arcs

4. Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake Method

This is a great method when you are started with a kernel of an idea and want to build a plot from it. It works with most genres. Here is a good explanation of the Snowflake method.

1. First Disaster
2. Second Disaster
3. Third Disaster

5. Libbie Hawkers’ Take off Your Pants Method

This can be found in Libby’s book of the same name. It begins with a character flaw and adds to it to make the core of your story. Here is a great outline you can use to begin.

1. Opening Scene
2. Inciting Event
3. Character realizes goal
4. Display of flaw
5. Drive for goal
6. Antagonist revealed
7. Goal thwarted
8. Revisiting flaw
9. Repeat the cycle
10. Ally aids
11. Girding the loins
12. Battle
13. Death (of character flaw)
14. Outcome (new world)

6. Victor Piñeiro Screenplay Structure

Victor Piñeiro uses a three-act structure to create screenplays. Here is a Slideshare that explains the structure and elements of his structure.

1. A Day In the Life
2. The Spark
3. Do I Stay or Do I Go?
4. Into the New World
5. What is Love?
6. Melt Their Faces Off
7. Crossing the Rubicon
8. False Victory
9. Long Journey Into Night
10. Rock Bottom
11. From the Ashes
12. Time to Kick Ass

7. W Plot by Kenneth Atchity

This is another three-act structure that is made up of five points. When plotted on a graph, they look like the letter ‘W’. Check it out here.

1. Trigger Event
2. 1st Turning Point
3. 2nd Triggering Event
4. 2nd Turning Point
5. Resolution

Final Thoughts

The great thing about these plot structures is that they are tried and true but, at the same, flexible. You can use these structures to get your story started and then add your own twists and turns as your narrative calls for. These structures are supposed to be supportive rather than confining, so use them any way they make sense to you.

What is your favorite plot structure? Which ones, of the seven that I mentioned, have you tried?

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About John

John Peragine has published 14 books and ghostwritten more than 100 others. He is a contributor for HuffPost, Reuters, and The Today Show. He covered the John Edwards trial exclusively for Bloomberg News and The New York Times. He has written for Wine Enthusiast, Grapevine Magazine, Realtor.com, WineMaker magazine, and Writer's Digest.

John began writing professionally in 2007, after working 13 years in social work and as the piccolo player for the Western Piedmont Symphony for over 25 years. Peragine is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. You can learn more about his books at JohnPeragineBooks.com. 

His newest book, Max and the Spice Thieves, will be released on April 20, 2021. Click here for a free first chapter. (The new cover is below!)