: Re: How Can I Make a Great Plot? I'm a plotter, meaning I plan and develop my books before ever writing the first draft. I've given a good deal of thought to character, stakes, and the other

@Tiffany377

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I just wanted to add something. Part of a satisfying plot is escalation of tension. Escalation of tension even applies to low-drama pieces.

Some describe this as a try-fail cycle, as in try to resolve a problem, fail, which results in the problem getting worse or more complicated, and then try again. There is no rule for how many times the resolution attempt should fail. Some do suggest that less than three attempts seems to suggest the problem was not very hard and therefore not a big deal.

One pattern I see in really satisfying plots is this: There is a problem yielding an unthinkable outcome. The try-fail cycle continues until the unthinkable thing happens, expanding the problem. This bigger problem is what's ultimately resolved.

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