I’m having trouble with secondary plot points. I usually know what my highlights are. The big moments. The beginning, the high notes through the middle, and the big finale. My problem is with the things the character has to do in order to complete the journey, the build up to the final showdown.
My problem is I like to get to the point. I guess that’s better than the opposite problem of forever meandering. The point I’m at in my story, if I just go to the part I know next, the story will be over. I need to think of some built-up obstacles that the hero encounters before he can confront the villains. Right now I’m struggling with that.
It also seems that everyone handles this differently. I’ve been reading some Richard Stark and Mickey Spillane lately, and their solution seems to be a complication to the plot. For example, the hero finds out where the villain’s hotel is, and goes to stake out the hotel. The hero breaks into the villain’s room only to discover the villain has moved out.
I need to build my chops at these kinds of complications, because my gut instinct is that these are always shallow contrivances and I’d rather get on with the bits of real storytelling. But these contrived complications are often an integral part of building the plot, and sometimes critical.
Do you have troubles with secondary plot points? Any tricks or tips you use?
As I mentioned on my blog, it is National Delurking Week. I simply wanted to take this opportunity to make sure you know that I read and very much appreciate your blog. I look forward to more in 2007. Thanks, Eric.
I don’t know if you’ve read Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass, but it (and especially the workbook, which if you can only buy one, I’d say get that) deal a lot with plot layers and subplots, as well as how to do plot complications that work. I’ve found it very helpful.
Stephanie: Thanks for coming out of hiding! I always wonder who is lurking but since they never comment, I’ll never know!
Patty: I’ve read Writing the Breakout Novel, but haven’t seen the workbook.
I have a feeling this is just one of those things where you just have to make stuff up and if it’s bad, redo it. Coming up with things that aren’t integral or central to my story is difficult for me. It feels too much like wandering.