Writing Forum

I have let my stories develop organically to a point and now I've got to think about how to make it into something that people can enjoy. I'm only a few chapters into my book on plot which recommends a few things that ARE formulaic, but not terribly so. The author advocates what he calls the "LOCK" (damit, do you ever have to write in a room with a bunch of people who won't shut the f up? Sigh) so system or principle or whatever, he suggests Lead (being the main protagonist), Objective (being the main story question), Confrontation (being the opposition to the Lead acheiving the Objective or not) and Knockout (the last battle in which the main story question is resolved.)

He also advocates for the importants of the three act structure. As a small refinement he suggests the wisdom of two doors seperating the three acts. Like the hero's journey, this basic novel structure proposes one way doors that compel the lead protagonist (or, I suppose, antagonist or whatever, the focus) out of his safe world. Until he goes through the first door he can remain happily in his current situation, but answering the call he is forced into the conflict and can not go back after that first doorway. In a movie the author says it normally comes somewhere about the 1/4 mark; In a book he recommends the 1/5 mark. All the conflict leads to another door of no return. This one is at about the 3/4 mark for books and movies and pushes the Lead to the final decisive action, the last battle, the confrontation that will resolve the major story question.

At least that's what I got from the author of my book 2 chapters in. It doesn't seem ground breaking. It seems formulaic even, but the truth is that I can see how my organically grown novel starts are weakened by not taking these basic formulas into consideration. It also may help me stop my floundering about and focus my rambling into a story that I can bring to a satisfying close.

What do you think?

LSO