A-Sentence-A-Step Plot Exercises.

[magistrate]

I mentioned this over at allbingo, but I'm working on a bunch of challenges to get me thinking about short-form plot. Basically, I'm taking the following plot structures:

Six Short-Story Beats

1. A situation
2. A complication
3. A sense of motion
4. A crisis (which defies some expectation)
5. A change in direction
6. A resolution

The Seven-Point Plot Structure:

1. a character,
2. in a situation,
3. with a problem,
4. who tries repeatedly to solve his problem,
5. but repeatedly fails, (usually making the problem worse),
6. then, at the climax of the story, makes a final attempt (which might either succeed or fail, depending on the kind of story it is), after which
7. the result is “validated” in a way that makes it clear that what we saw was, in fact, the final result.

The Hero's Journey:

1. The hero is confronted with a challenge,
2. rejects it,
3. but then is forced (or allowed) to accept it.
4. He travels on the road of trials,
5. gathering powers and allies, and
6. confronts evil—only to be defeated.
7. This leads to a dark night of the soul, after which
8. the hero makes a leap of faith that allows him to
9. confront evil again and be victorious.
10. Finally, the student becomes the teacher.

Three Short-Story Essentials

1. Require the character to make a choice,
2. show that choice by actions, and
3. those actions must have consequences.

...three of which I found discussed at Philip Brewer's blog, and one of which I put together after thinking about successful short stories on my own.

I'm trying to take these structures and write extremely short stories/synopses with them – using one sentence for each point in the list.

I'm also finding it surprisingly difficult.

But I figured that while I was striving and trying new things, I might as well put the results up for people to see (and quite possibly best :P ). Just to keep things organized in this post, the card I'm using is below, and I'll link my fills for the squares.

Situation: Deliverance Setting: Forbidden Zone Complication: I Told You So	Situation: Revolt Setting: Spy School Complication: Out of Ammo	Situation: Abduction Setting: Bug War Complication: Hopelessly Outnumbered	Situation: Self-sacrifice for kin Setting: Torture Cellar Complication: Keep It Safe from Them	Situation: Daring enterprise Setting: Elevator Complication: Something Went Click
Situation: Self-sacrifice for an ideal Setting: Genius Loci Complication: Are You a God?	Situation: Pursuit Setting: Inside a Computer System Complication: Stranded in a Blizzard	Situation: Obtaining Setting: Underground City Complication: Caught in Bed Together	Situation: Ambition Setting: Abandoned Laboratory Complication: On Fire	Situation: An enemy loved Setting: Hotel California Complication: It Looks Hungry
Situation: Crime pursued by vengeance Setting: Red Light District Complication: Everything Is Spiders	Situation: Involuntary crimes of love Setting: City of Canals Complication: Pinned by a Boulder	Situation: Recovery of a lost one Setting: After the End Complication: Hull Breach	Situation: Conflict with a god Setting: Prehistory Complication: It's a Bomb!	Situation: Remorse Setting: Youth Center Complication: Stumbling in the Dark
Situation: Crimes of love Setting: Golden Age of Piracy Complication: Snake Pit	Situation: Adultery Setting: The War Room Complication: It Happens to a Lot of Guys	Situation: Slaying of kin unrecognized Setting: Last Fertile Region Complication: I Thought You Brought It	Situation: Rivalry of kin Setting: Opium Den Complication: No Parachute	Situation: Enmity of kin Setting: Sapient Ship Complication: Falsely Accused
Situation: Discovery of the dishonour of a loved one Setting: Herland Complication: Knife in the Back	Situation: Supplication Setting: Cardboard Prison Complication: Locked in with Monster	Situation: The enigma Setting: Galactic Sargasso Complication: Only One Spacesuit Left	Situation: Erroneous judgement Setting: Death World Complication: ... 05 ... 04 ... 03 ...	Situation: Fatal imprudence Setting: Bazaar of the Bizarre Complication: Naked in Public