Plot Arc Summary for Sing, the Movie

When the computer-animated musical comedy, Sing, came out in 2016, my kids watched it without me. They were 12 and 14 and loved it. Especially my daughter. Once it became available on Netflix, she watched it multiple times before I even saw it once, which is her typical movie-watching habit. 

So needless to say that when I finally got around to watching Sing too, I loved it just as much as she did. I even took notes so I could share the basic plot structure with you!

Summary

A group of talking animals enters a singing competition hosted by a koala who is trying to save his theatre.

 

Characters

This is not a list of all the characters, but it will give you a small idea of what kind of showstopper this is.

BUSTER MOON. The main character is a koala who is trying to save the run-down theatre he inherited from his father.

MISS CRAWLY. Buster's administrative assistant, an elderly iguana with a glass eye.

EDDIE NOODLEMAN. A sheep and Buster's best friend who doubts the future of Buster’s theater.

NANA NOODLEMAN. A sheep and Eddie's grandmother who was a famous singer back in the day.

ROSITA. A pig who gave up her music dreams to become a devoted wife and mother of 25 piglets.

JOHNNY. A teenage gorilla who wants to sing, despite his father grooming him for the family business (the mafia).

MEENA. A teenage elephant with an amazing voice, but she also has severe stage fright.

Plot

THE SIGNUP. Miss Crawley writes up the announcement for the singing competition and her glass eye pops out of her head and lands on the typewriter, adding two extra zeros to the amount of prize money up for grabs.

Without this plot point, there would be no story.

THE GUNSHOT. Mr. Moon (Buster) tells the cast members to get a good night’s rest, despite now knowing the error about the prize money amount.

Buster is in it for the long haul. He knows the risks and chooses to move forward with his plan.

THE HALFWAY POINT. Mr. Moon fixes up the theatre to make it awesome for Nana Noodeman, in an effort to gain her support and endorsement.

Buster makes progress, but then he hits “the wall.”

THE WALL. When the theatre floods, it completely collapses. The bank takes over the property. Buster moves in with his friend, Eddie, who is living in his parents’ pool house. All the characters are at an all-time low. 

Mr. Moon sees no way of saving his ruined theatre and accepts the fact that his life’s dreams are crushed forever. But wait...

THE FINISH LINE. Mina the elephant sings the finale at the newly refurbished open air theatre and the performance is packed.

Clearly, these are just the highlights. There’s a LOT of action that happens to get to each of these plot points. But seeing the structure in this story can help you pinpoint the five main plot points in your own stories. 

If you liked this post, you’ll also enjoy the other summaries in the Plot Arc Library. 

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Plot Arc Summary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, this 5-point plot synopsis may interest you, especially if you're also a writer. There’s a little bit of disagreement around how others define them, but this is my take. The Marathon Method of Plotting is the easiest way to break down plot and analyze any story.

The Signup

A mysterious letter arrives for Harry, but he is not allowed to open it. More letters continue to arrive in the days before his 11th birthday, though he is prevented from opening any of them.

If Harry had never received the letter, there would be no story.

The Gunshot

Harry boards the train at King’s Cross Station at Platform 9¾ to go to Hogwarts.

When Harry takes a leap of faith to board the train to Hogwarts, his journey begins.

The Halfway Point

Harry, Ron, and Hermione discover a three-headed dog, and Hermione points out that it was guarding a trap door to something.

This is a hingepoint in the story and now they want to know what is hiding down there.

The Wall

Harry is almost seized by Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest, but a centaur saves him.

This is Harry’s lowest point, even lying on the ground, nearly at the mercy of Lord Voldemort. But the centaur’s rescue does not end the book or solve the main problem, so Harry still has a bit of work to do.

The Finish Line

Harry lies to Quirrel about what he sees in the mirror. He defeats Quirrel by touching him, and Quirrel’s skin burns on contact.

Defeating Quirrel, Voldemort’s human host, releases Voldemort back into spirit form and Harry is safe… for now.

For more plot summaries, see my Plot Arc Library.

QUESTION: What's your favorite scene in this Harry Potter book? I know it's hard to choose; there are so many good ones! I love the snake scene at the zoo and also the sorting hat. Leave a comment and let me know!

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Plot Arc Summary of The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson

I found this book at a Scholastic Book Fair (among others) held at my children’s elementary school years ago. When I read the back-cover copy, I was intrigued and subsequently purchased the book. The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson has been called an Ocean’s Eleven book for kids.

Book Summary:

This summary comes from the Scholastic website.

Jackson Greene swears he's given up scheming. Then school bully Keith Sinclair announces he's running for Student Council president, against Jackson's former friend Gaby de la Cruz. Gaby wants Jackson to stay out of it, but he knows Keith has "connections" to the principal, which could win him the presidency no matter the vote count.

So Jackson assembles a crack team: Hashemi Larijani, tech genius. Victor Cho, bankroll. Megan Feldman, science goddess. Charlie de la Cruz, reporter. Together they devise a plan that will take down Keith, win Gaby's respect, and make sure the election is done right. If they can pull it off, it will be remembered as the school's greatest con ever, one worthy of the name The Great Greene Heist.

The following actions represent the novel’s five main plot points. When you think about the plot, think about how it applies to running a marathon.

The Signup

Jackson’s friend, Hashemi (Hash) suggests there’s another way for Gaby to win, then specifically asks Jackson if he has a plan. Without this invitation to help Gaby, there would not have been a story to tell.

The Gunshot

On the way to study hall, Jackson slipped Charlie a note: “I have a plan.” Jackson finally accepted the call to action and began his journey to help Gaby win the election.

The Halfway Point

Victor borrows the keys to the art supply closet to take pictures of all the keys so that they could have a way to “hack” the Gutenbabel 4200. This represents significant progress toward the plan.

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The Wall

Jackson is getting grilled by the friendly security guard, Mr. James. Jackson calls “CODE RED” because he sees no way out. He has hit rock bottom.

The Finish Line

When Gaby runs up Jackson in the gym at the school formal, he pockets his phone in HER jacket so that he wouldn’t be caught with his cell phone. Gaby has won the election and Jackson didn’t get caught. The final chapter explains how they pulled it off.

I recently found out about the SEQUEL: TO CATCH A CHEAT!

Jackson receives a link to a faked security video that seems to show him and the rest of Gang Greene flooding the school gym. The jerks behind the video threaten to pass it to the principal — unless Jackson steals an advance copy of the school’s toughest exam.

QUESTION: Have you seen Ocean’s 11? The original 1960 version was directed by Lewis Milestone. The remake of Ocean’s Eleven was made in 2001, starring George Clooney. Let me know in the comments!

To see more posts like this, visit the Plot Arc Library!


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Plot Arc Summary of Mulan and Mulan II

Mulan doesn’t fit the traditional princess role, or at least it didn’t back in 1998, but it has become a Disney classic. Fans of the first Mulan movie welcomed the sequel, Mulan II. According to the Marathon Method of Plotting, the five main plot points of this story are found below. 

 

Mulan

Summary of Mulan, according to Google, Wikipedia, and IMDB:

“Fearful that her ailing father will be drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan takes his spot -- though, as a girl living under a patriarchal regime, she is technically unqualified to serve. She cleverly impersonates a man and goes off to train with fellow recruits. Accompanied by her dragon, Mushu, she uses her smarts to help ward off a Hun invasion, falling in love with a dashing captain along the way.”

• The Signup - The war was announced and Mulan’s father was called to go fight.
• The Gunshot - Mulan cut her hair and ran away to join the war efforts so her father wouldn’t have to go fight.
• The Halfway Point - Mulan finally figures out how to get the arrow from the top of the wooden post, which signifies her willingness to succeed.
• The Wall - After Mulan and the army defeat the Hun army in the avalanche, she is kicked out of the army because they discovered she is a girl. They abandon her and move toward the city.
• The Finish Line - They defeat the Hun leader, Shan Yu, in the fireworks tower and the Emperor is saved.

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Mulan II

Summary of Mulan II:

“Mulan and her new fiancé, General Li Shang travel on a special mission to escort the Emperor's three daughters across the country to meet their soon-to-be fiancés for arranged marriages so that the two kingdoms can form an alliance.” 

• The Signup - When the Emperor calls for Mulan and Shang.
• The Gunshot - When Mulan and Shang choose three guards for the three princesses and they set off on their journey. (The stakes: if they don’t complete the task in three days, the Mongols will destroy China.)
• The Halfway Point - After the carriage is accidentally destroyed, the three guards take the princesses to the nearby village to declare their love for them.
• The Wall - Mulan loses Shang to the river below and she decides to take the place of the princesses so they won’t have to be forced into a loveless marriage.
• The Finish Line - Mulan and Shang get married (he didn’t die, afterall) because Mushu steps in to be the Great Golden Dragon of Unity, which ultimately releases the princesses from their vows.

Want more plot outlines? Visit the Plot Arc Library!

Which movie was your favorite? Mulan the first? Or Mulan the second? Share your comment here.

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Plot Synopsis of Brave

Disney’s movie, Brave, is a story about a family torn apart by pride and sewed back together through bravery and love.

In this installment of the Plot Arc Library, I bring you the five main plot points of Brave.

The Signup

The first main plot point of this story is when Merida’s parents announce her upcoming betrothal.

Without this plot point, there would be no story. There would be no race to run. Merida did not want the other clans to come. She did not want to get married. She wasn’t ready. She wanted to change this fate imposed upon her.

The Gunshot

The second plot point is when Merida runs away in an effort to change her fate. She follows the wisps deeper into the forest.

At this point, Merida’s journey has begun. She is running a marathon to reach her goal.

The Halfway Point

The third plot point of Brave comes after Merida’s mother is turned into a bear and they go looking for the witch’s cottage so Merida’s mother can be turned back into a human. They meet the legendary mean bear.

Merida begins to understand the witch’s words of caution. She starts thinking of ways that she can break the spell.

The Wall

This fourth plot point is when Merida’s father locks in her room with the tapestry after her mom leaves.

This is Merida’s lowest point. She is all alone and feels helpless and unable to act.

The Finish Line

Of course, this plot point is where I have to issue a SPOILER ALERT. Brave ends with Merida’s mother getting turned back into herself. Both of them have changed as a result of going through this journey.

Finally, Merida’s fate has changed. They understand each other better and they have a much deeper connection.

Of course, there are many, many other things that happen throughout this story, but ultimately, these are the main five plot points that frame the structure of this story.

Be brave and plot on, my friend!

If you've seen Brave, what's your favorite scene? Share your comment here.

You might also like:

• Plot Like A Novelist and Outline Your Story in Less Than a Month

• How to Plot Your Novel's First Plot Point

• Wonder Woman, the Amazon Princess: Plot Arc Library Movie Outline

• Plot summary of A Christmas Carol

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Plot Arc Summary of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol is a classic holiday tale by Charles Dickens. Its themes include love, change, and forgiveness. Quite possibly the most-quoted line in this work of literature is one of the most quoted lines in all of the greats across multiple decades. "God bless us, everyone!"

I became enamored with this story after watching the movie, The Man Who Invented Christmas, released in 2017. It's the story of how Dickens came up with the idea for the story and the trials he went through to make it come to life. Of course, I always love watching all the movies about authors and their lives.

So, what are the five main plot points of A Christmas Carol? Let's dive in...

The Signup

The first main plot point is when Scrooge is visited by the first ghost, the ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley, who died 7 years prior. Marley's ghost is cursed with chains of greed as he wanders the Earth. He warns Ebenezer that if he doesn't listen to the ghosts who will visit him during the night, that Scrooge will have a similar curse with chains much heavier, built from years of greed and selfishness. This warning is basically an invitation to change. If Marley hadn't appeared to Scrooge, there would be no story.

The Gunshot

The journey really begins when the first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, takes Scrooge to visit scenes of his childhood Christmases.

The Halfway Point

Scrooge's goal is to get through the night so he can wake up and go back to work, ending the nightmare. Throughout the story, his goal changes and he wants to end the nightmare and the effects of his cursed lot in life if he doesn't change his ways.

The Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to see home and family of his overworked and underpaid clerk, Bob Cratchit. Scrooge witnesses Tiny Tim, who will die unless the course of events change.

The Wall

Scrooge reaches his lowest point when the silent ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Ebenezer a time in the future where nobody is mourning over his own death. The only people in attendance are businessmen who are promised lunch for doing so. Scrooge's grave is neglected and he also sees the tenderness of the Cratchit family mourning over the death of Tiny Tim.

The Finish Line

The story ends with Scrooge waking on Christmas morning as a changed man. He sends a turkey to the Cratchit family, gives Bob a raise, and becomes a second father-figure to Tiny Tim.

Wouldn't it be nice if human character could change this drastically so easily? Minus all the ghosts?

Are you a Dickens fan? Do you love "A Christmas Carol"? Do you own a copy? What's your favorite movie rendition of this popular story? Share your thoughts here.

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Plot Arc Summary of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Let’s flashback to the 80’s. Ferris Bueller is a 1986 classic. Here’s the basic plot summary:

Ferris Bueller loves to skip class because he always gets away with it. It’s his senior year and he wants to ditch one last time. This time, he fakes being sick and gets his best friend, Cameron, who actually is sick, to join him, along with his girlfriend, Sloane. Hot on their heels is Principal Rooney trying to catch him in the act.

Here are the 5 main plot points.

The Signup

Ferris Bueller convinces his parents that he’s sick.

The Gunshot

His best friend, Cameron, who actually is sick, comes over in his car. Ferris convinces Cameron to get the Ferrari and then they pick up Ferris’ girlfriend, Sloane, from school.

The Halfway Point

The threesome enjoys a day out in the city: fancy restaurant, a baseball game, and more.

The Wall

They realize the Ferrari got too many miles added to it and in an effort to roll the miles backward, they end up crashing the car. Cameron is beside himself and Ferris feels bad about making his friend feel bad.

The Finish Line

Ferris just barely runs back home and jumps in the bed right before his parents get to his bedroom. Of course, there are tons of things that happened that I left out, but these are the five main plot points, the major turning points in the story.

Plotting doesn’t have to be super complicated. Start off by identifying your own five plot points and pick a scene to write.

What's your favorite part about this movie? Favorite quote? Share your comment here.

Check out the plot summary of A Christmas Carol for more entries in the Plot Arc Library.

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Plot Summary of Stargate

A 1994 Sci-Fi Adventure Movie

Even though I’m not a huge sci-fi nerd, I did watch Stargate a couple of times. Once when it came out. And once a few days ago.

Here’s the basic plot summary:

“In modern-day Egypt, professor Daniel Jackson teams up with retired Army Col. Jack O'Neil to unlock the code of an interstellar gateway to an ancient Egypt-like world. They arrive on a planet ruled by the despotic Ra, who holds the key to the Earth travelers' safe return. Now, in order to escape from their intergalactic purgatory, Jackson and O'Neil must convince the planet's people that Ra must be overthrown.”

To turn this summary into a one-sentence logline, it might look like this.

A professor and a retired Army Colonel unlock a galactic gate to an ancient Egypt-like world where they become stranded and in order to get back home, they must convince the people that their dictatorial leader must be overthrown.

This simple plot summary of the Stargate movie can be further analyzed with the following breakdown into the 5 main plot points.

The Signup

Daniel Jackson, an Egyptologist and linguist, is invited to a military base to help solve the coordinates of a hieroglyphic “stargate”. If he was never invited, they stargate would never have gotten solved, and thus the story would never have happened.

The Gunshot

Jackson solves the puzzle and opens a wormhole where he and several military members travel to a distant planet. There’s no turning back now. The “race” has begun!

The Halfway Point

One night, Ra’s ship lands atop the pyramid structure and a large-scale battle ensues. Jackson dies, but Ra puts him in a tomb-like healing contraption so that he can heal.

The Wall

Jackson’s love interest, Sha’uri, is killed. He is emotionally at his lowest.

The Finish Line

The people of the planet Abydos learn the true identity of Ra’s soldiers and revolt against the “kingship”. When they join forces with Jackson and his military soldier comrades in the war against Ra, they are able to defeat Ra and win the battle so that the humans can return to Earth.

There are a lot of things that happen, obviously, in between these five main plot points, but this is Stargate stripped down to its essence.

Even if you’re like me, and you’re not a sci-fi nerd, what’s your favorite book or movie in the genre?? Share your comment here.

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Plot Summary of My Girl 2

When I watched this movie with my two kiddos, I knew I had to include it in the Plot Arc Library.

My Girl is a story of a spunky 11-year-old hypochondriac tomboy who isn’t afraid of death, but when her best friend and neighbor dies saving a ring she had lost, she experiences death first hand.

Fast forward a couple years to My Girl 2, and Vada Sultenfuss is a maturing young lady vying for her own independence. When her teacher assigns a report, she decides it’s time to learn more about her mother who died during childbirth.

The Signup

Vada Sultenfuss is assigned a class project to write a paper about someone she has never met, but still admires. This gets her thinking about her late mother.

The Gunshot

Vada buys a plane ticket to California, where her mother graduated high school, and she plans to stay with her uncle Phil during spring break.

The Halfway Point

Once in California, Vada learns that the high school her mother attended burned down. But eventually she and Phil’s soon-to-be step-son, Nick, are able to track down an old yearbook.

The Wall

After visiting several people that knew her mother, Vada learns that she might have a different dad and feels betrayed, lost, and like she doesn’t belong anywhere in the world.

The Finish Line

She tracks down the man she thinks might be her dad and gets to see old home movies of her mother and learns a song she used to sing.

Of course, there are lots of other things that happen, even after the Finish Line, but this gives you the gist of the 5 main plot points.

If you'd like to see more plot summaries, you can read Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Wonder Woman, Jurassic Park, or Shrek.

What’s the last movie you watched or a book you recently read? Share your comment here.

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Plot Arc Summary of Wonder Woman, the Amazon Princess

Plot Arc Library Movie Outline

Sometimes plot seems so very simple. And other times, it eludes us. Plot is merely the events of what has happened in a story. It goes hand-in-hand with the characters, conflict, and the theme. These four things together make up a story. But a plot structure, the story arc, can sometimes be hard to understand. That's why it helps to look at examples. Today's Plot Arc Library installment and plot structure example is Wonder Woman, the story of the Amazon princess. Below, you'll find the 5 main plot points.

The Signup

If the German war plane had never crashed into the ocean through the forcefield surrounding the Amazon warriors, Diana would never have known about the war and she would not have left her island home. Without this plot point, the story would never have started.

The Gunshot

Just like the runners in a race take off running when the gun fires, Diana embarks on her own journey to help end the war when she sets sail on the boat with the American spy soldier, Steve Trevor.

The Halfway Point

This plot point finds Diana fighting alone as she crosses No Man's Land and captures the enemy trench. Steve and Diana share a kiss.

The Wall

This is the deepest darkest moment, the abyss. Diana's "wall" is when Steve hijacks the bomber with the poison and sacrifices himself to save everyone else.

The Finish Line

Diana's memory of Steve helps her realize that people have good inside themselves and she continues fighting until the war ends.

For more plot summaries, check out Ferris Bueller's Day Off, My Girl 2, Jurassic Park, or Shrek.

What's your favorite superhero movie? Share in the comments!

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Plot Synopsis of Shrek

Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona on a Whirlwind Adventure

The very beginning of Shrek introduces the fairytale: a princess is locked in the highest tower of the tallest castle, far far away. She must stay there and wait for her prince charming to rescue her with a true love's first kiss. Shrek laughs. "Yeah right, like that's ever gonna happen." But yet it does. Read on...

The Signup

The point that begins the story is when Shrek inadvertently helps Donkey out by scaring off the soldiers who are chasing Donkey. Donkey then becomes a loyal friend and follows Shrek... everywhere! If Donkey didn't follow Shrek home, Shrek wouldn't have had anyone to take him to Duloc to find Lord Farquad.

The Gunshot

The second plot point of Shrek is when he and Donkey set off to find Lord Farquad in Duloc to get his land back and send all the fairy tale creatures back to where they came from. The adventure begins.

The Halfway Point

The Halfway Point aka midpoint, is when Shrek and Princess Fiona begin to like each other. It's a high point in the story.

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The Wall

And now we get the low point. When Princess Fiona accepts Lord Farquad's proposal to marry him, after which everyone is sad and lonely. Donkey is all alone. Shrek is sad. Fiona is lonely. Even the Dragon is sad. It seems as though there is no way to find happiness.

The Finish Line

But yet, happiness finds a way! Donkey and Dragon plot up a scheme -- so long as Donkey can convince Shrek to get on board with the plan -- to get the Princess back into Shrek's life, since they were "obviously" meant to be together. The Finish Line is when Shrek and Fiona marry each other and kiss to get their "happily ever after."

You might also like: Wonder Woman, My Girl 2, or Jurassic Park.

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PLOT YOUR NOVEL

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Plot Summary of Comes a Wind by Linda Arms White

Plot Arc Library: Picture Book Outline #1

This is the first official installment of a picture book outline for my new Plot Arc Library. Comes a Wind is a children's picture book written by Linda Arms White and illustrated by Tom Curry.

Summary/Hook/Pitch/About/Description:

While visiting their mother's ranch, two brothers who constantly try to best each other swap tall tales about big winds are surprised by the fiercest wind they have ever seen.

Plot Point 1: The Signup (aka the catalyst)

Mama wrote her two sons a letter inviting them over to celebrate her birthday -- with one birthday wish: for them to get along and "stop squabblin'"

Plot Point 2: The Gunshot (aka the point of no return)

After the wind picks up when Mama heads in the house to fetch some lemonade, Clement says, "Looks like it comes a wind."

Clyde starts the squabblin' by saying... "You call that a wind? Why, one day it was so windy..."

And the trouble ensues.

Plot Point 3: The Halfway Point (aka the midpoint)

Mama returns with the lemonade and goes back in for the cake. More tall tales are told. And then... the sky turns a dusty red as the wind picks up and cows start flying.

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Plot Point 4: The Wall (aka rock bottom)

Mama returns with the cake and is blown over the barn. The wind stops and she lands on top of the weather vane.

Plot Point 5: The Finish Line (aka the climax)

Clement and Clyde work together to rescue Mama and they finally agree:

"Now that--" said Clement.
"--was a wind!" said Clyde.

Did you like this Picture Book Outline in the Plot Arc Library? Do you have a special request of a popular movie or picture book you'd like me to use as a future example? Share in the comments!

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Plot Synopsis of Jurassic Park

The Marathon Method of Plotting

This is the first official installment in my brand new Plot Arc Library. Movies are faster to absorb than reading an entire novel. So when studying story structure and plot points, it's a great idea to look at popular movie examples to understand plot arc.

The nature of a plot point is such that it is short, like a simple mile marker in a race. Just a spec on the larger spectrum of the full story (or race). The more examples you see (and study), the easier plotting will become. When you think about plotting your novel like running a marathon, it starts to make a little more sense.

Plot Point 1: The Signup

The first plot point of the five major plot points in any story is also known as the inciting incident, the call to action, the defining moment, or the catalyst. The Marathon Method of Plotting calls the first plot point in the narrative story arc THE SIGNUP.

John Hammond, the old rich man who owns Jurassic Park, invites archaeologist, Alan Grant, to join him for the weekend to check out his new park in hopes that he will agree to endorse it. John keeps it a mystery from Alan, but says it's right up his alley.

Plot Point 2: The Gunshot

The Gunshot is the point of no return.

In Jurassic Park, this is the moment when we see that Alan has agreed to visit the park. He is on the helicopter with his colleague, Ellie, a chaotician, Ian Malcolm, the "bloodsucking lawyer", and of course John Hammond, himself. Alan is on the journey now. There's no turning back.

Plot Point 3: The Halfway Point

When Alan saves one of John's two grandchildren, Timmy from the car dangling in a tree, he has overcome a major challenge, but we know that there will be many more challenges to overcome: the storm, getting back to the safety of the compound, and more.

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Plot Point 4: The Wall

The Wall is the lowest point, the darkest abyss, rock bottom.

In Jurassic Park, The Wall is when the velociraptors attack. They attack Ellie after she gets the power turned back on. They attack John's two grandchildren when they are in the kitchen back at the compound. They continue to attack until the T-rex shows up, allowing everyone to escape.

Plot Point 5: The Finish Line

The Finish Line is the climax of the story, the point in which the goal has been reached (or failure has been established).

In this story, the Finish Line is when everyone escapes from the raptors and T-rex and Alan shouts to John as they climb in the Jeep, "Hammond, after careful consideration, I've decided not to endorse your park."

You might also like Wonder Woman, Shrek, or My Girl 2.

Did you like this Plot Point Example? Do you have a special request of a popular movie you'd like me to use as a future Plot Point Example? Share in the comments!

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How Can the Story of Easter Help You Write a Novel?

The 5 Main Plot Points of the Life of Jesus Christ

As I write this, Easter was about a month ago. Even though Easter is over, it's a timeless holiday that most Christians celebrate all year long. So how can taking a second look at the world's greatest hero who ever lived help you write your novel? Well, following the Marathon Method of Plotting, you'll see how even the life of Jesus follows the classic plot of the Hero's Journey.

The Sign Up

Just like any racer would never run in a race unless they first register for it, Jesus' life never would have happened unless He was born. He had to be born on the Earth before his story could truly begin.

The Gunshot

When the gunshot of a race signals the runners to take off, they embark on their journey. They accept the journey ahead and continue running (or occasionally walking) to finish the race and complete their goal.

With the life of Jesus, the Gunshot point is when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the River Jordan to "fulfill all righteousness." He was baptized to show his willingness and acceptance of the Plan of Salvation. Once he was baptized, there was no turning back on his journey to save all mankind. He was in it to win it.

The Halfway Point

In a marathon, the halfway point represents a major accomplishment: a HALF marathon! You're halfway there!

In the life of Jesus Christ, the Halfway Point does not correlate directly to the halfway point of his years lived on Earth. If that were the case, it would have occurred when he was merely 16, but it didn't happen when he was a teen. The Halfway Point is when Jesus gathered together his twelve disciples. He is receiving help along his journey, as well as training them to continue after he's gone. This point represents reaching a major milestone.

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The Wall

The Wall is the point in a marathon when your legs are like rubber, and your feet are throbbing (more so than usual). Mental blocks are formed, and you're racked with doubt, fear, and pain. How does a runner get past the Wall? They look inside to their internal inspiration and simply keep going.

The Wall for Jesus, in the story of Easter, occurred during the events of Easter week, when Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane to redeem all mankind from sin. The Atonement is the Wall because it represents the lowest point in Jesus' life - when he redeemed all mankind. He bled from every pore because the agony was so great.

The Finish Line

Once a runner crosses the finish line, the story isn't over, but they have reached their goal. When your main character accomplishes their goal, the finish line (or climax) has been reached. The Finish Line for Jesus is when He was lifted up on the cross at Calgary and he cried out, "It is finished." Then He died.

Bonus Plot "Point": The After Party

What comes after the Finish Line? The After Party!

After three days, Jesus Christ was resurrected, the final act in his journey to help mankind reach eternal life. Because Jesus Christ was resurrected, all those who have died will also be resurrected. When Mary learned of his resurrection, she RAN to go tell the others. It was a celebration of life *and* death! The ultimate "after party" indeed!!!

When you follow the Marathon Method of Plotting, you can start writing your novel as soon as you can define these 5 main plot points in your own story.

Do you have a special request for a story, novel, or movie to be added to the Plot Arc Library? Let me know and I'll add it to the queue! Share in the comments!

Keep on keepin' on...

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