We often say we should start “at the beginning,” and in the words of Julie Andrews, that’s a great place to start. However, the same beginning does not necessarily apply to every story. Realistically, this still depends on several factors, including where your story actually begins chronologically, and the structure of your plot.
Did you just talk about “story” and “plot” separately?
Yes, indeed. While some consultants may call your story a “plot,” or editors may mistake plot for “story,” they are different parts of the writing process that complement each other, so there are common misunderstandings about their nature.
So, what are they and why are they different? What is the purpose of each person? We can start by replacing each term with some other term. Let’s learn some Russian!
In the Russian novel boom of the 20th century, an interesting comparison emerged between two concepts: Suchet and story. Narratologists attempt to break down stories into well-defined parts story The meaning in Russian is the same as in Latin: “story”.
at the same time, Suchet given a more subtle meaning. The actual word roughly translates to the English word “subject,” as in the subject of a work of art or the subject of a sentence—the main focus. when thinking Suchetthink about that focus. You’ll soon understand why.
“Full Start” (2010)
So, what is Fabra?
In addition to simply saying the word “story” again, let’s define story More specifically.
Russian Formalists viewed this as the chronological order in which events occurred, rather than the order in which they were told. Greek tragedy acknowledges that terrible battles took place before, after, and during the main scenes shown to the audience; but these were sometimes told out of order. Similarly, Inception (2010) acknowledges that there were events leading up to the first heist we see at the beginning of the film.
Whether it takes place in front of an audience or not, the actual timeline of events is not affected by how the story is told. Renfield was under Dracula’s influence long before Jonathan Harker traveled to the Count’s dark fortress – but we didn’t see that happen. No matter which scene tells the story of Renfield’s character, his story is a concrete part of that equation. This is the inherent truth of the narrative.
Consider a fable to be a story with a purpose and a message behind it; because “fable” comes from Latin storyjust like the Russian word. So, when I think of storythink of the immovable timeline behind the narrative—the truth is the storyline.
Okay…so what is Syuzhet?
on the other hand, Suchet Serve as a focal point for storytelling. if story is the truth behind the narrative, then Suchet It is to describe the previous message.
After all, by structuring the events in your story in a certain way, you may mislead your audience or confuse the message, thereby making the story tell a different truth. this is power Suchetor the “theme” of the story. This is what we call “plot”, this is what the movie is like Eternal sunshine of the spotless soul (2004) can surprise and delight audiences, even though the film’s twist occurs at the “beginning” of the timeline.
Because of the way the events of the story are organized, you can give your audience a completely different experience than the original story – revealing more timeline and narrative truths, clarifying what the “theme” (focus) of the story should be. If the point is to discover lost memories, showing all of them at the beginning would ruin the effect of the story.
that’s why Suchet and story Must always work together: for narrative to work, story and plot must complement each other.
Read more: The 5 most widely used plot points in screenplays
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
What exists beyond the plot?
As mentioned previously, sometimes the plot does not reflect the entire story, but rather focuses on specific events to highlight different versions of the narrative.
this Suchetthis plot, could omit certain elements to enhance the storytelling, or simply reorganize it to achieve the same effect. Omitting or moving a character’s backstory, world-building, or “lore” can create opportunities for later revelations or add mystery.
For example, the original alien (1979) The origins of the xenomorphs were not explained and were rarely explored bosun The same goes for the crew’s history – because a “monster in the house” survival plot doesn’t need to include all of the story. That story It’s been expanded through other media over the years since the film’s inception, but it wasn’t needed in the first film. it is Suchet Focusing on the aliens on the ship and the crew’s struggle to survive.
The same can be said about other elements of the story: it’s never explicitly mentioned what’s in the box. Selenium 7en (1995) because the plot doesn’t require it. The fact that the audience can figure it out through Jane Doe’s comments from another part of the plot makes the truth very obvious. if we follow storywe might see him take Tracy’s “beautiful head,” but Suchet That scene is not needed to have the desired impact.
Any unsolved mysteries or unanswered questions can be considered “outside the plot.” The plot is what is shown, what the audience experiences. Anything outside of the experience can still be part of the story, informing choices and helping characters flesh out their worlds perfectly.
Read more: What is a MacGuffin?
“Alien” (1979)
Incorporate more story into the plot
Just like intentionally leaving elements outside the plot, you can also plan to add story events to the plot in ways that are useful but don’t disrupt the planning flow.
The beginning of “media studies”
In many cases, a movie may start in the middle of story events and then show earlier events to give the audience a clearer picture of things. When this happens, it is often in media resources start, like Odyssey (1614). You don’t start with the backstory, you start with the middle of the real story.
Plot-triggered flashback (or flashbacks)
Even if the rest of the story moves chronologically, you may decide to briefly show past events in the middle of the episode.
Flashbacks (or flashforwards) highlight specific events as they become relevant, rather than placing them chronologically as they occurred for the sake of sequence.
exist ratatouille (2007), Anton Ego flashes back to a scene from his childhood until he tastes Remy’s dish, scenes that are completely irrelevant to the audience. The existential stakes – with the food critic’s own opinion hanging in the balance – create a connection between food and his childhood. This connection is the focus, which means Suchet Use the events in this order to extract a specific message from the truth of the story (the whole story) story.
Dialogue backstory
Like Théoden scolding Gondor for failing his people Lord of the Rings (2001), dialogue can introduce past events without directly showing them to the audience.
Instead of adding this directly storythe questions raised allow the audience to experience this knowledge vicariously, adding to its narrative weight because it means something personal to a particular character.
frame story
Telling one story within the context of another story can be an effective way to organize narrative elements and create a unique yet engaging plot.
exist princess bride (1987) The primary episodic experience is part of a larger frame story: grandparents telling bedtime stories. This introduces some preconceived notions about the plot and allows for interpolations that enrich the main narrative and give it more meaning than the original plot alone.
change of opinion
from alfred hitchcock psychology (1960) To the original Dracula (1897) In fiction, a change of point of view can be facilitated in a variety of ways, whether to shock or inform the audience as the plot progresses.
exist Draculathese changes often result in changes as the story escalates from an epistolary narrative. story.
exist psychologyThe sudden change of perspective in the middle of the plot adds to the shock factor of the movie for viewers who have not seen the end.
“Psycho” (1960)
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No matter where you begin on your writing journey for any particular narrative, have a goal in mind. This goal helps you think about the truth of your narrative first: What really happened? You can then use your goals to think about what you want to take away from that fact: Do you want to emphasize regret, love, loss, or unabashed excitement?
You can organize the truth about the events of the story – story–Enter a plot that gives you the message you want to send. Find your focus and build Suchet From these events a story is turned into a complete plot.
Read more: What are trailers and tags (and when to use them)?
