How the plot/narrative arc looks will depend upon what type of book you’re writing. A narrative arc in nonfiction (so therefore a narrative arc in memoir), for example, won’t be as clearly defined as that of a fictional book, because it draws from real life. Real life isn’t always so cleanly laid out for us. Though, it is easier to construct a plot when writing nonfiction, because the plot is already established for you.
Fictional plots, however, require more effort on your part. First, you must establish the general story: what do you want to happen? What do you want to be the central conflict to me? Once you have a vague idea of what you want to happen, you can start to make more concrete decisions, like what will happen in the exposition–what characters will you introduce right away, how will you set the scene, how will you tease at the tension, etc.
Probably the most important part is getting the rising action right. You need to map out exactly how tensions will rise, what events will transpire, and what order they’ll occur in. As you write, these may change, but it’s crucial to have as stable an idea as you can. Writing a novel can take awhile, and as it can be mentally draining at times, you’ll be thankful you have something you can consult to make certain you’re headed in the right direction.
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Writing Without Cliches
AcakIt's not enough to love our story ideas. We need to weigh their suitability as subjects for fiction, and then figure out how to go about making use of them. This means steering clear of cliché and its sappy cousin-melodrama.
