How to develop a good plot

This blog is mainly focused on reading, and my passion for it, but it also focuses on writing. If you like to read, chances are you also like to write. To help with your writing, I composed a step by step list to show how to develop a good plot for a story.

1) Know who your characters are:
A problem I have when writing is delving into a story with half-formed characters. It saves a lot of time and hassle if you plan your characters out fully before beginning to write; otherwise, you'll have to make them up as you go along, which never works too well.


2) Find your setting:
Another important detail is where your story is going to be taking place. It's okay if your setting changes throughout the story -it should- but it would be wise to lay out your first setting very carefully. Where a character lives can speak volumes about their personality so the setting is very important. Also, make sure to develop the setting with vivid details so a reader can picture it more clearly in their mind.


3) Outline everything:
I personally despise planning out every detail, but it can really help when trying to develop a plot. You can always change or add things but when you first begin writing, it can really save a lot of time later. You can also leave some things up in the air if you're not sure which way you want your story to go, but be sure that you have a clear picture of the story from the exposition to the climax to the resolution.

My love of reading

Many avid readers cite one specific book as being different from the rest and the source of their passion. I’ve always loved reading but I didn’t find the one book that really sparked my interest until I was ten years old. Up until that point the majority of books I’d read had been uninteresting and dull or part of a class project. I really did like to read but I was beginning to think that all books were monotonous and I was quickly losing an interest.

That year for Christmas the only things I wanted were books but I had nothing specific in mind. I wasn’t expecting my relatives to buy me any wonderful books so I was very pleasantly surprised when I began reading the book my aunt had got me. It was called Alanna: The First Adventure and as soon as I opened the book I was entranced.

It had everything I could possibly dream up: magic, adventure, knights, and more. I was thrilled that I’d finally found a book that incorporated all my interests. My delight multiplied when I discovered the book was part of a series, and I soon bought the remaining three. After finishing the series I was sad for brief period because I thought I’d finished the one good book out there. Soon afterwards, I realized how foolish I was being and decided to give reading another chance. I branched out and instead of sticking to strictly fantasy –my preferred genre– I read science fiction, mystery, and even non-fiction. It took me a couple of mind-numbingly boring books but I finally discovered that although all books aren’t going to be my favorite, I can’t judge so harshly. Now, I read varying genres and I have numerous favorite books.

To this day, the author is one of my favorites and her books will also be close to my heart. Her books inspired me to read more and the more I did, the more books I found that were just as captivating. I realized that it was foolish of me to be so quick to judge all books by just a few boring ones I’d read in class. Today, I give all books a chance, despite my desire to judge them by their covers.