I was talking to someone about plot structure this morning.
You are right. What do I know?
But that has never stopped me before.
Years ago, I read an excellent description of that awful phrase ‘the story arc’ for a movie. Which was that, at the start, there is an unresolved problem. The climax of the film is the resolution of that problem. And the core of the film is the unravelling or further complication of the problem.
Novels which sell well would, obviously share that basic structure though, with what is called ‘literary fiction’, it can be replaced by an immense amount of waffling around with polysyllabic words not getting anywhere except possibly a Booker Prize nomination.
The other thing I have heard which is, I think, valuable is that the best movies set up the central characters and the main plot elements within the first two minutes.
The best example I have ever seen of that is the original Die Hard movie where, under the opening credits, all the main characters and their back stories are set up as well as the unresolved marital problem and the elements for the main action plot.
But, as I say, what do I know?
SO IT GOES - John Fleming's blog 