
Blog: Mel's Muse
Showing posts categorised as 'Plot'
The Battle Of Conflict - My Writers' Group's Take On Story
BATTLE - OUR GROUP BOOK
The main focus of our meeting this morning - midst laughter and chat - was the final construction and distribution of the booklet we have put together as a group. Titled Battle, and told in narrative, poetic and comic form, the theme confronts some of...
Creative Writing Workshop: Characteristic Conflict
In the last Creative Writing Workshop, we looked at the way in which we can go about Creating Credible Characters. Now I'm going to show you how you can bring creativity to the way you construct conflict. This is crucial when it comes to writing fiction and memoir...
Creative Writing Workshop: Creating Credible Characters
When we looked at the issue of Crafting Character in the last Creative Writing Workshop, I said that Characters - whether in fiction or true-life stories - need:
Credibility - to be true to life Creativity - in the way they respond to conflict Complexity - the depth which makes them three dimensionalSo...
Creative Writing Workshop: Digging Deep For Plots
In the Introduction of this Creative Writing Workshop, I asked the question, Are You On the Right Track? There was nothing flippant about this. Before you begin to write your book, there are questions to be asked. And answered!
The content of this, and future tutorials, will...
How To Be A Writer Of Christian Fiction Books

Are you an established writer or aspiring author who is also a Christian? Is there a novel you want to write (or have written) for which you are unable to find a publisher? Do you enjoy reading mainstream fiction but find that Christian fiction books leave you cold? How does...
Develop Plot Ideas: A Combination Of Negative Personality Traits
My posts, in the last few days, have covered the way in which an aspiring author can use a combination of plot ideas to develop characterisation. For the purposes of demonstrating this aspect of creative writing, I’ve used a classical story taken from the Bible: the tale of Samson and Delilah. Since the entire...
Developing Plot Ideas To Show Characterisation
I suggested, last week, that creative writing - that is writing a novel – requires an understanding of human nature. So where is an author to turn for such material? How can your book have that ring of authenticity whilst maintaining a page turning quality?
Any well-known, classical, story may be used as the...
Creative Writing Plot Ideas: Dealing With Manipulative People
Whether you’re looking for new creative writing plot ideas, characters for your novel, or how to deal with negative personality traits in real life, there’s plenty of material to be found in this old story about Samson and Delilah. Tom Jones song must, surely, have made her one of the best known bad girls...
Creating Character Led Conflict In Your Novel
Last month I began what turned out to be a series about Transactional Analysis. It was what I call a combi-article: one designed to help real people with real needs, but also to inform the creative writing of authors of fiction. Titled Conflict Resolution: Relationship Psychology – And Creating Fictional Characters, my intention was...
Creative Writing Tips And The Definition Of Denouement

This article has been revised &
updated on: 6th
September, 2010.
Photo: Looking back down to the end of the funicular railway at the sea below!
Photo: Looking back down to the end of the funicular railway at the sea below!
I expect many of you, as an aspiring author, will know that a novel has a beginning, a middle and an end. That’s pretty obvious, I would have thought. But...
The Structure Of A Novel: Twelve Tips

You’ve decided to start writing a novel but you’ve no idea where to begin. Or perhaps you’ve already made a start but haven’t a clue how to proceed. You thought that once you’d started it would simply flow, but now you’re finding that pulling all the strands together to bring the wretched thing to its...
Crafting Fiction: Understanding How Scenes In Novels Are Constructed - Part 1

How do you go about constructing the scenes in a novel? Many writers simply sit down and write, in the belief that to do otherwise impedes the flow of creativity. Others ‘story-board’ the plot in a carefully assembled series of scenes for each character, arranged in sequence on a pin board. Yet others do something...
Modern Morality: What Is Its Place In Contemporary Fiction?

See, also, my post titled: Does Glamorising Abusive Sexual Relationships Adversely Influence Society? written in response to a recent BBC discussion about the merits (or otherwise) of a book like 50 Shades of Grey.
What do you learn about life, characterisation, plot or theme from what you read, or watch on...
The Seven Plot Lines: Rebirth

It seems appropriate to be thinking of Rebirth as the last of the seven story plots on Christmas Eve, because the birth that we celebrate tomorrow is the one that is meant to bring rebirth to the human race.
Kasia Body’s review of The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker in The Daily Telegraph (2004)...
Creative Writing Tutorial: Voyage And Return
We’ve now looked at five of the seven plot lines which form the basis of all storytelling, and move on, today, to the penultimate Voyage & Return.
Rags to RichesOvercoming the Monster
The Quest
Comedy Tragedy
Voyage and Return Rebirth VOYAGE & RETURN
Voyage and Return frequently follows not simply a physical journey, but an inner voyage of overcoming something...
The Seven Plot Lines That Form The Basis Of A Creative Writing Process
I began this series by saying that, according to tradition, there are only seven basic plots which form the basis of all the stories ever told or written. They are:
Rags to Riches Overcoming the Monster The Quest Voyage and Return Comedy Tragedy RebirthWe've already looked at the first three, and discovered that some story plots are...
The Seven Story Plots: Parts 1 & 2

It is said that there are only seven basic plots, to which all storylines adhere. Of these seven plot lines perhaps the best known is the rags to riches story. This, after all, is the basis of many of our favourite nursery rhymes and fairy stories. Think Cinderella, and Jack...
Creative Writing Techniques: How To Find Ideas For Plots
It seems that these days almost everyone is writing a book! Despite the fact that we’re told that computers have dumbed down and depleted our appetite for reading, increasing numbers of would-be authors are emerging. So with apologies to those who may already have read the following, I’m revising an article I wrote some time...
Plotting Stories: Off-topic Blogs May Be The Best Growing Medium For Your Budding Novel

One of the benefits of modern technology is that, as a writer, you have more information at your finger tips about who is connecting with your blog personality, and which content for your blog attracts most readers, than ever you could in the real world. So it’s exciting to know that, since I began...
The How-to Of Creative Writing - Plotting Is A Journey
This is the last Post in this Series. Over the past few weeks you’ve been learning how to Plot your Story. Complete the process of writing your book by subscribing FREE to the next series.
SUBSCRIBE NOW *FREE* TO THE NEXT SERIES: CREATIVE WRITING – CRAFTING THE STORY. Your contact details will be kept secure at...
The How-to Of Creative Writing - Where To Begin
Related Posts: Joining
up the Dots
HOW TO PLOT A NOVEL & HOOK YOUR READER
At what point do you decide if you’re going to like the book you’ve picked up to read? Almost certainly, it will be by the time you’ve reached the bottom of the first page. If the narrative hasn’t hooked you by...
The How-to Of Creative Writing - Joining Up The Dots
LINKS TO PREVIOUS SESSIONS
How did you get on with the last session? I hope the update on all the previous tutorials was a help. For those of you who’ve just joined, the post titled The How-to of Creative Writing – What Makes A Story A Plot? – will link you to all relevant sessions.
STORY...The How-to Of Creative Writing - What Makes A Story A Plot?
I’m sorry I’m rather late with this week’s How-to of Creative Writing. I’ve been developing my website in the hope that it will make it easier for visitors to navigate. Also, I wanted to make sure that my readers – you! – understand what it’s all about. I hope you’ll take a look around and...
Creative Writing - Creativity In Conflict
DEALING WITH CONFLICT – DO YOU KNOW HOW?
Ever felt that you fall out with your partner / colleague / mother about the same thing, over and over? Not sure why this happens? Even less sure what to do about it?
This Post will, I hope, be of interest to anyone reading it, not simply to...
BBC Radio Devon Interview
Listen to me chatting to Dave Fitzgerald about my latest release, Chosen, on BBC local radio.
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