In general, there are two main types of writers: plotters and pantsers.
I’m definitely an advocate for plotting your novel. If you do the legwork on the front end, you’ll be more organized later—you essentially give yourself a road map when you’re drafting. I’ve already written about balancing action and reaction scenes within your story, but today we’re going to look at the big picture: the overall narrative arc of your book.
When it comes to plot-driven novels, there is very little leeway; you need to know where your story is headed. You need to know how to put this kind of story together so you can build your story arc from the ground up. That’s where this guide comes in.
What is a Plot-Driven Story?
A plot-driven book (versus a character-driven one, which I’ve covered here) is more focused on the actual events of the story than anything else. Honestly, that’s really it.
Instead of highlighting the characters’ inner conflicts, plot-driven stories focus on a specific end goal. In this kind of novel, the characters find themselves at Point A and have to get to Point Z. Along the way they face several obstacles. It is certainly not an easy journey, but in the end, they either reach Point Z or reach an impassable obstacle, such as death.
(By contrast, more often than not, character-driven stories begin at Point A with the characters aiming at Point Z. However, as the characters grow and change, they may learn more about themselves or their motivations regarding the mission, and end up at Point W instead.)
This does not mean that a plot-driven story requires flat characters! These stories are often chock full of dynamic characters who learn more about themselves and how to interact with each other and the world around them. However, typically their motivations, their reasons for doing what they’re doing, do not change. Their short-term goals may change, but the long-term goal remains the same. As such, the progression of the plot is determined more by the end goal than by any changes within the characters themselves.
In short: characters change in a plot-driven story, but their overall goal or mission stays the same, and that is ultimately what drives the narrative arc.
Examples of a Plot-Driven Story
Science fiction and mystery are the two genres most notorious for plot-driven stories. More often than not, the characters within them have specific goals set by others, so there’s a clear endpoint to the tale.
While it’s less common for fantasy novels to be plot-driven, it has still worked in the past with great success. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most well-known examples of plot-driven fantasy books. While each of the characters is well developed, with his/her own motivation and reason for being in the story, the overall emphasis is placed on the world Tolkein creates within the series (Middle Earth). The main narrative arc follows the heroes as they try to fight a specific evil (Sauron) by reaching a specific goal (destroy the One Ring). Along the way, they encounter many obstacles, learn many things, and meet many new people, but the fact remains that they must destroy the One Ring.
How Do You Write a Plot-Driven Story?
This may come as a shock, but compared to character-driven stories, plot-driven stories rely more on, well… plotting.
In general, character motivations (and even goals, depending on the narrative arc of your manuscript) don’t change very much in this kind of novel, so the middle of the story can be particularly tricky to write. It’s helpful to have a completed plot outline ready to go when you draft, so writer’s block doesn’t whack you upside the head by page four.
Whether you prefer to outline with bullet points, paragraphs, or in a spreadsheet, your starting place should be the same: the end. Looking at the big picture, focus on who your characters are, where they want to end up, and where they’re starting out.
This can be something as simple as Dora the Explorer evading Swiper, or something as dangerous as Frodo destroying the One Ring. (“Dora the Explorer is a plot-driven story” is not the hot take I was expecting to write today, but when the boot fits… Come to think of it, many children’s stories tend to be plot-driven. After all, their focus is less on emotional nuance and more on teaching children about the progression of events.)
Once you’ve developed the narrative arc and your characters’ motivations, you can then pick out tangible goals for each character. What does he or she want? How will they get it done? What goes wrong when they try that?
Chart a path for them from one conflict to the next. Be sure to include breaks for emotional development as well. If there isn’t any ebb and flow to your storytelling, your pacing will feel rushed and your characters will appear to have the emotional intelligence of soggy cardboard. Even Dora the Explorer took the time to celebrate her successes with her friends.
Are you a plotter, or a pantser? Do you prefer to write plot-driven or character-driven stories? Tell me about your process in the comments—I’d love to hear from you. And, as always, happy writing!
