Plot Structure Scenarios
Devised by Heather Forest Copyright © 2000

Peruse the following sections and choose one or several elements from each. Write a story that incorporates all the given items.

Introduce Character(s)
Choose one or more characters.

• girl
• boy
• animal
• man
• woman
• idea
• spirit
• machine
• thing
• plant, etc.
  

Setting
Environment:

• farm
• village
• otherworldly
• city
• mountains
• forest
• arctic
• ocean
• desert

Time:

• olden
• modern
• future

Problem
In trouble:

• Caught stealing
• Told a lie
• Saw or heard a secret
• Lost something
• Been captured
• Under a spell or curse
• Goes to forbidden place
• Finds forbidden object
• Has enemy
• Is undervalued
• Is unrecognized
• Causes jealousy
• Forgets something
• Broke something
• Does not like something
• Needs something
• Needs to escape or hide
• Needs to rescue someone
• Needs to rescue something
• Needs to prove worth

Inner Traits
Inner Traits That Cause Original Trouble:

• Is greedy
• Dangerously curious
• Doesn't follow advice
• Is lazy
• Is pessimistic
• Is blindly in love
• Is enraged & seeks revenge
• Is naive & trusting
• Is clumsy
• Is untrained
• Lacks confidence
• Is foolish

Inner Traits That Aid Solution:

• Is courageous
• Is resourceful
• Is imaginative
• Is kind
• Is generous
• Is clever
• Is loyal
• Is strong
• Is optimistic

Solution

• Has helper (Magical or Non-magical)
• Is rescued
• Is transformed
• Discovers skill
• Finds magic
• Helps self:
  Exercises cleverness
• Uses inner traits
• Journey undertaken to obtain solution

Conclusion

• Returns to original setting new in some way:
  Is rewarded
• Is wiser
• Is transformed
• Comes with gift or treasure

End

• Lives well
• Passes luck or reward on to others
• Has positive impact on the world
• Offers wisdom

Use the following link for examples of folk tales: http://www.storyarts.org/library/nutshell/index.html

This page last updated on July 16, 2006