: Re: How do I construct a plot out of my many setting/character details? In my creative writing, I typically am inspired by short interactions between things: An overheard conversation. A person's

@Cody1607638

Vote Up Vote Down

A few strategies:

Until you have a great plot, try writing "good-enough" plots. Better to be writing something with a cliche plot, than not to be writing at all. (Edited to add: Also, sometimes once you've got an initial "good-enough" plot in place and fleshed out, that gives you enough substance to twist and warp into something new and exciting.)
Plot is conflict. Find the characters who might get involved in some conflict - whether it's "let's use our powers to fight crime," or "I don't like the way Justin's using his power to beat people up just because they stole a TV," or "I'm not happy in my relationship ever since I can read my girlfriend's mind." You say you've got detailed character sketches - I'm sure your characters have problems. If they don't, they could. If they do, they could be more complicated than they are. Pick a conflict, a problem, an issue to be resolved. Could that be a basis for an entire story? If not - why not? Could it be developed, complicated, or twisted into something that could carry a story?
An antagonist is great for creating conflict, and hence, plot. Who, in your world and details, might make a good antagonist? If there are rules that must not be broken, or power resources that could be taken advantage of, or things that are important to the characters that might be taken away - any of these could be a goal of the antagonist; you could work backwards to figure out who might have such goals, and then work forwards from there to figure out what exactly he'd do to reach his goals.
Look for any element that's unique to your world, your characters, your sketches. Throw around story ideas related to those - what could conceivably happen involving those characters and concepts, that's so well-tied to them that they wouldn't be able to happen with other people, or in a different setting? Those are ideas that are probably not cliche, that may be very original or at least unfamiliar - because your ideas are your own, unique creations, so any plot highly-tailored to them and them alone will be unique as well.

Hope these are helpful :)

(0)

Login to post a comment!