First Plot point...

[lonewolfwanderer]

How soon should this happen?

Because in my WIP i have a lot of things to lay out before the first plot point happens, and i fear that these aspects may cause the story to dawdle a bit. However, they are things that need to set up prior to the first major plot point.

 

[Mouse]

I don't get what you mean by 'first plot point.' Surely the first bit of plot should start at the beginning?

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

Sorry, I mean like the "Call to adventure", the point at which the MC crosses over the threshold from the "Ordinary World" into the "Magical World".

 

[AnyaKimlin]

First chapter - work in everything else later.

 

[Mouse]

Ah... I'd get that in as soon as possible. First chapter, I'd say.

Although... are you writing epic? I think that takes longer to get going. I'm not being very helpful, am I?

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

First chapter - work in everything else later.

Ye that is the trouble with my WIP... I've got things like a love triangle to build up before this point (because involved parties split up at said threshold, and it plays a major role in the later story), his ill "Nanny" dies (Which kinda initiates the whole story), plus a few other things that have to be set up prior to my MC's "call to adventure".

Its complicated really..

Ah... I'd get that in as soon as possible. First chapter, I'd say.

Ye, i was afraid of that...

Although... are you writing epic? I think that takes longer to get going. I'm not being very helpful, am I?

Well, i don't really know at this point whether it'll be epic or not. All i know right now is it will be at least 2 books, possibly more but divided into two major parts.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I'd query exactly what you're laying out first. There's often a danger when we build a world or plot that we think the reader needs to know the world and all the background at the start, where that's rarely the case. In fact, I find 80 percent of what I know has no place, certainly in book one. So, my question is what sort of information are you putting in before the plot point? If it includes things like kingdoms, laws, ancient prophecies, background history of the characters, the lay out of the world, customs, etc etc I think I'd strip it to the bare minimum and get to the plot point, especially if it's one involving conflict.

Hook us first and then we'll read on and enjoy the world, but without a hook it becomes a little boring. Imho.

Just saw your post above - the love triangle is the conflict, right? It doesn't need built in advance, it can start with the impact and then build the history as you write.

The dead granny might be a nice start, though. Sorry Gran.

And it's probably a good idea to know what genre you're writing in soonish as epic requires different stuff than eg urban, by and large.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Ye that is the trouble with my WIP... I've got things like a love triangle to build up before this point (because involved parties split up at said threshold, and it plays a major role in the later story), his ill "Nanny" dies (Which kinda initiates the whole story), plus a few other things that have to be set up prior to my MC's "call to adventure".

Its complicated really..

Start with your inciting incident and then work out ways to explain the rest to your readers.

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

What needs to happen before the threshold is: Show the love triangle (Show that William has eyes for the Lord's daughter, and show the signs of his best friend's feelings**); Show the dreams; Nanna dies, and William finds the pendant (Which initiates the story itself. Everything starts moving behind the scenes at this point)

In my WIP there is One major conflict, and a minor one. The love triangle is the minor conflict, and needs to be shown before the threshold of the major conflict, because it will become impossible to show later on due to the structure of the story. What i'm worried about is the distance from the start of the book to the first threshold. (although mind you, the threshold happens after William finds the pendant, so i have room after that)

**His best friend is the Lord's Daughter's Lady-in-Waiting, and her feelings need to be assumed through the eyes of the MC. He doesn't realize them, but i need the reader to recognize the signs (which will be quite the feat, methinks).

EDIT: Oh and what i mean by setting up, i don't mean world building or the likes. I mean setting up the various plot threads... Putting the pieces into place

 

[Dozmonic]

Hook happens in the first chapter. The first plot point happens approximately 25% of the way through your novel.

 

[Mouse]

The first plot point happens approximately 25% of the way through your novel.

Sez who?

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

Hook happens in the first chapter.

Ye, I can do the hook in the first chapter. I'll utilize the bit of breathing room i have after William finds the pendant because it'll be some time before he is approached by the call to adventure.

The first plot point happens approximately 25% of the way through your novel.

Does that extend to a series? Because it is possible my WIP may evolve into an epic?

 

[Dozmonic]

A series has continuing themes and characters, but the story of each book is still a story in its own right and will conform to the structure just fine, yeah.