The Seven Point Plot came up in another thread, where it elicited some interest and questions. I just knew I had it filed away somewhere, and since Kathy has a fair few questions to wade through before she'll have the time to explain it further, I finally summoned up the energy for a search through my files.
And, in fact, I found three different versions.
The first one seems to be attributed to the late Scott Meredith, a very high- profile literary agent in his time, but there is a question mark after his name, and I have no idea why I put it there. So here is what Scott Meredith (or someone) had to say:
a protagonist (1) has a problem (2) and endeavors to solve it (3)
but meets with difficulties (4) whereupon he learns something (5)
which enables him to make another attempt (6)
leading to a resolution (7)
The second version is from Algis Budrys (and is probably the one recommended here by K. D. Wentworth):
(1) a character (2) in context (3) with a problem
(4)which the character tries to solve
(5) only to experience unexpected failure
(6) followed by either victory or defeat, leaving a need for (7) validation
Version number three is entitled "The Seven Basic Steps of Human Action" by John Truby (according to a quick search at Google, he teaches screenwriting):
1) a problem or need affecting the hero
2) desire (what the hero wants)
3) an opponent (someone competing for the same goal as the protagonist)
4) a plan (for overcoming the opponent and achieving success)
5) battle (a final conflict which determines which of them attains the goal
6) self-revelation (a fundamental understanding the hero gains, which in some way fulfills the original need)
7) a new equilibrium (the conflict resolved, the world goes on, but with the hero at a higher or lower point than before)
Personally, I have a little problem with 3) here, since the antagonist could just as easily be working against the protagonist without necessarily competing for the same thing. And need there be an antagonist at all? Couldn't the hero be simply struggling against a set of circumstances?
And, in fact, I found three different versions.
The first one seems to be attributed to the late Scott Meredith, a very high- profile literary agent in his time, but there is a question mark after his name, and I have no idea why I put it there. So here is what Scott Meredith (or someone) had to say:
a protagonist (1) has a problem (2) and endeavors to solve it (3)
but meets with difficulties (4) whereupon he learns something (5)
which enables him to make another attempt (6)
leading to a resolution (7)
The second version is from Algis Budrys (and is probably the one recommended here by K. D. Wentworth):
(1) a character (2) in context (3) with a problem
(4)which the character tries to solve
(5) only to experience unexpected failure
(6) followed by either victory or defeat, leaving a need for (7) validation
Version number three is entitled "The Seven Basic Steps of Human Action" by John Truby (according to a quick search at Google, he teaches screenwriting):
1) a problem or need affecting the hero
2) desire (what the hero wants)
3) an opponent (someone competing for the same goal as the protagonist)
4) a plan (for overcoming the opponent and achieving success)
5) battle (a final conflict which determines which of them attains the goal
6) self-revelation (a fundamental understanding the hero gains, which in some way fulfills the original need)
7) a new equilibrium (the conflict resolved, the world goes on, but with the hero at a higher or lower point than before)
Personally, I have a little problem with 3) here, since the antagonist could just as easily be working against the protagonist without necessarily competing for the same thing. And need there be an antagonist at all? Couldn't the hero be simply struggling against a set of circumstances?
