STORYTELLING EXERCISE: PLOT ANALYSIS
When you dissect and analyze a plot, you can see how and why it works. You can see strengths and weaknesses in the construction. This newfound knowledge will inform your work, imparting the skills you need to tell better stories.
Study: Choose a story youve read, and conduct an analysis using the following guide:
1. Write a summary of the central plot in 250 words or fewer.
2. Break the story into three acts, using a single sentence each to describe the setup (beginning), conflict (middle, plot), and resolution (end). Note the inciting incident. 3. Create an outline, listing all important actions within the story that move the plot (and subplots) forward. If youre working with a long-form story, such as a novel, outline the first few chapters. Does the outline reveal new insights into the story? Can you see how the plot is structured?
4. How are the characters or the story world different at the end? What has changed? 5. What does this story mean? Identify the motifs and themes.
6. Write a logline for the story (one or two sentences).
7. Write a critique of the story, identifying what objectively worked or didnt work, and include commentary about your subjective responsewhat you liked and didnt like.
Writing a Critique:
1. describe: give the reader a sense of the writer’s overall purpose and intent.
2. analyze: examine how the structure and language of the text convey its meaning. 3. interpret: state the significance or importance of each part of the text.
4. assess: make a judgment of the work’s worth or value.2. Practice:
After receiving feedback and correcting it, analyze your own story. Use the seven questions above to evaluate a story youve written, and then based on your findings, write a paragraph describing what you learned and how your story could be improved.
3. Question (personal opinion): Do you think analyzing stories is informative, or does it take the magic out of the stories you enjoy? Is it a little of both? How does analyzing stories improve your storytelling skills?
