How to Use a Story's End to Help You Write the Beginning

Character Goals Are Evident From the Very Beginning

When you enter a race, what's the goal? To finish, to get a certain time, or to win? It could be any or all of these. But if you enter the race, you're going to have a goal.

Same thing with a novel. Your character has to have a goal. There are both needs and wants. There are character goals and story goals. Sometimes it may be one in the same, but usually not. In Wonder Woman, she wanted to end the war, but she needed to find love. Ending the war was the story goal - the want. Finding love was the character goal - the need.

The Character Goal vs. Need

Start with the end in mind! In Wonder Woman, Diana wanted to end the war. Since that was going to be the end, we know that she had to be challenged in the beginning - with her questions about who she was and who her father was. She spent her whole life training physically as a warrior. That was her status quo. Fighting. It was part of who she was and part of how she would be able to reach the end.

But ultimately, she also had to find love to truly end the war. It was what gave her the real inner strength to end the war of all wars. It was what was needed to help her grow.

Your Character Needs to Have a Goal

If your main character's goal it to feel loved, then you also need a story goal. Feeling loved is the character's need. The story goal then becomes the character's want. What is your character good at? Bad at? How could your MC be challenged? What would they succeed in?

In Moana, the story goal was to save her village and restore health to the island. That is what Moana wanted to do. When she "Gunshot" happened, she set off into the ocean to obtain her goal - her want.

But Moana also had a need. She needed to find her own identity. This need was the character goal. When she became humble enough to listen to her grandmother and her own heart, she discovered who she truly was and what she was capable of becoming - a master Wayfinder. This is what she needed to reach her goal, the story goal, of restoring the heart Te Fiti, so that her village could have fish again and thrive once more.

Your Character Dictates the Plot

The four fundamentals of a novel are character, plot, conflict, and theme. The character is what all the other elements hinge from. The characters actions and reactions dictate the plot. The wants, needs, and goals dictate the conflict, and the ending - how all the conflict is resolved - dictates the theme based on the character's needs and wants and how he or she changed in order to reach those goals.

Ask yourself the following questions.

1. What does my character want? (This is the story goal.)
2. What does my character need to do or change in order to reach the want? (This is the character goal, which they probably don't realize.)
3. How can my character be challenged to make reaching the want harder? (This is the conflict.)
4. What will my character learn as a result of fulfilling the need? (This is the theme.)

You might also like: The Only 5 Plot Points You Need to Start Writing Your Novel, Stop Researching and Start Writing, or From Idea to Novel: How to Write Your 1st Novel.  

What is YOUR MC's want (story goal)? Share in the comments!

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How to Plot Your Novel's First Plot Point

5 Popular Examples of the Signup

The Signup is also known as the catalyst or the inciting incident. It's when the main character encounters an event that begins the story. Without this particular event, the story would never have happened. If your friend never signed you up for the local 5k, you wouldn't have run in it. That's the Signup.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

The inciting incident, catalyst, or Signup of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is when the U.S. government informs Indiana Jones that the Nazis are seeking the Ark of the Covenant in Cairo and they ask him to go after it himself. He never would have if they didn't ask him to, but especially since the Nazis were hunting it too.

Anastasia

The first plot point (The Signup) of Anastasia is when Anya is 8 years old at the ball, and the evil Sorcerer, Rasputin, arrives interrupting the celebration. The story then cuts to 10 years later.

The Bourne Identity

The first essential plot point of The Bourne Identity is when Jason Bourne discovers his IDs at the Zurich bank and realizes he has no memory of his an entire past life.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

The first plot point in A.I. is when a humanoid robot named David (a Mecha prototype) is given to Henry and Monica Swinton when their son, Martin, contracts a rare disease.

Hotel Transylvania

The Signup of the popular children's movie, Hotel Transylvania, is when the human, Jonathan, is on a hike and accidentally discovers the monster hotel. If he hadn't discovered it, the movie would never have started.

You might also like: The Only 5 Plot Points You Need to Outline Your Novel, How to Plot Your Novel with a Movie Soundtrack, or The Shape of a Story.

What's the Signup of a book or movie you have recently read or watched? Share in the comments!

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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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How to Get Out of a Writing Rut

...and Tap Into Your Muse

It happens. We all get into a bit of a funk from time to time. It's easy to feel blah and have no drive. Life is hard...

What is this?!?! I'm supposed to be encouraging and inspiring you! Not opening the jar of darkness and letting negativity in.

But it's true. Most of us live busy lives. Jobs. Children. Family. Chores. Community. Church. You gotta walk the dog, check homework, wash the dirty dishes from the cake you just baked, mow the yard, do the laundry, take a meal to your neighbor who just got home from the hospital, pick up the living room, vacuum the house, get your oil changed, put air in the tires, de-wrinkle the clothes in the dryer - again, organize your bookshelves, pay the bills, do your nails, give your son a haircut, go school shopping, buy a new pitch fork for your compost pile, drive your husband to the dealership, email the lawyer, email 20 other people, go for a run, and remember to drink plenty of water.

You think there's any time left for writing?

I get it. Sometimes it feels like there's not enough time in the day. Sometimes there is and sometimes there isn't.

Start Small

While this isn't exactly what I'd call Writer's Block, it's getting pretty close.

Commit to just 10 minutes. It's long enough to write a page. And if you write a page, you'll feel inspired to want to write another page the next day. And the next day and the next day. If you don't know what to write about, then just write nonsense.

Write about the mundane things of your day. Describe your living room. Explain to someone how to make your favorite meal. Write a fake letter you could never mail. Just 10 minutes. Start small and invite the Muse by actually writing. Anything at all...

Find Pleasure in the Little Things

This past Sunday, my family and I drove around the neighborhood looking for all the sunflower fields. I've lived here for 13 years and not once have I ever noticed a single field of sunflowers. And suddenly there's a dozen!!! Almost overnight fields of sunflowers popped up spontaneously. How did this happen? I allowed myself to be captured by the wonder and curiosity of a child.

We drove around trying to find as many fields as possible. Questions arose. How did this happen? Who planted them? Why? Does one single person own all this land in random lots? Is there some kind of secret gardening society I don't know about? It can't possibly be coincidence. Did a flock of birds make it happen? Did an airplane have a malfunction and drop a shipment of sunflower seeds over western North Carolina?

My pleasure in admiring this flower predestined for a sunny disposition led me to ride around the neighborhood looking for evidence of more? I smile (and wonder in amazement) when I think about it. And if anyone knows what happened... PLEASE let me know!!!

Push Through It and Do It Anyway

So you're tired. You just don't FEEL like writing today. I totally get it. But you know what? Once you get started, you'll liven up. You'll wake up. You'll feel the (pencil) lead running through your veins. The Muse will take hold and guide you to the next field of sunflowers if you let it.

But you have to be willing. You have to decide to write. Even if you don't want to. Start small. Find something to make you smile. And then start writing. The Muse will come. I promise. It did for me and it will for you.

Got a solution for my sunflower quandary? I'm all ears!

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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

What's your favorite Shrek scene? Share in the comments!

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You Know You're a Writer Who Runs [6 of 10]

When You Plan Your Vacations

You know you're a runner when you plan your vacations around an upcoming race.

You know you're a writer when you plan your vacations around a writing conference or retreat.

You know you're a writer who runs when you do both!

The Story Behind Writers Who Run

In 2014, this was me. I was listening to an interview on a podcast about portable businesses and how much she loved traveling the world in her wanderlust nature. It was then that I realized the only time I ever traveled was to go to a race or to attend a writing event.

That's when the idea for a retreat for writers and runners was born. The Writers Who Run Retreat.

Racing for Runners is Like a Social Event for Introverts

Some people run for the sheer joy of it. Some people run even though they hate it. Some people prefer the companionship of others when they run. No matter your poison, it's your choice to partake. You can't not run. It's in your blood, part of your DNA, for whatever reason. Love it or hate it, you're a runner.

I for one, love it. I would love to incorporate more "running for the sheer joy of it" into my life. But there are only so many hours in the day, two of which are spent driving. If there was a way I could run and drive at the same time, I would do it. Anyone want to become a millionaire? Bottle that idea up!

I tend to run just to train for races. I love racing. I'm slow and I rarely place (it's happened twice - they were very small races), but I love the adrenaline rush a race offers me. If you love to run and you've never entered a race, do it once. The bigger the better - unless you have a fear of crowds.

Writers Need Other Writers

Writers are just as odd as runners. What's even more unique is when you find the two inside the same human being. A writer who runs. There's a Facebook group for that.

When writers go to writing events such as workshops, conferences, and retreats, they are being brave. What if they have never shown their work to anyone else before? What if they have never admitted to anyone that they even like to write?

Writers going to a conference for FUN are also bold. They are saying that they are serious about their writing. That they have something to say to the world and they want help to make their writing the best that it can possibly be.

We need other writers. To read their words. To hear their advice. To talk to and brainstorm with. To network and encourage and inspire one another.
If you're proud to be a writer, give me a "HOO-RA!"
Leave a comment and shout it out to the world! HOO-RA!

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RELATED POSTS:

You Know You're a Writer [1 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [1 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [2 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [2 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [3 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [3 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [4 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [4 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [5 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [5 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [6 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [6 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [7 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [7 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [8 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [8 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [9 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [9 of 10]
You Know You're a Writer [10 of 10] | You Know You're a Runner [10 of 10]

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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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