Craft Understanding Story Structure and Plot with Terri Main

When we come to discussing plot, most of the time the discussion veers into a question about how to go about plotting. We have wagon wheels, heroes on journeys, snowflakes growing in a fractal universe and all sorts of other techniques. Often, it is a debate between planning approaches. Do you write a plot outline or just sit down and start writing?

Honestly, none of that is important until you understand story structure. A story is not just a series of events strung together like a pearl necklace. Some people work out the details of that structure in advance with a written outline. Some people (like myself) visualize that story emerging but only write down the story. Others just write and fix the structural issues during editing. Many mix these up.

But you have to begin with an understanding of story structure. An architect has to understand the mechanics of structural engineering before she or he can even start drawing plans. So it is with the author. This class will help give you that understanding and provide some tips for applying that understanding depending on your story planning style.

This course has all the lessons posted at once. You can work through them at your own pace. The course materials are downloadable, but they are copyrighted materials. You can make a personal copy, but you cannot make multiple copies or distribute them in any manner, print or electronic, without the permission of the author.

You will learn more if you participate in the course by completing the homework assignments and engaging in the conversation. Therefore, I offer the following. Anyone completing all of the homework assignments by the deadline, will receive a copy of my book Creative Calisthenics: Workout for the Writer's Imagination.