Don’t know about y’all, but I still struggle with premise vs plot every time I start writing.
Each time I think I’ve got a lock on the difference, and guess what? Turns out I don’t.
I can come up with a lot of ideas (premise) but turning one of those ideas into a full-grown plot more often than not, slips through my mind like water through a sieve.
When I read a good article, book or post on premise and plot, I latch on like a hungry baby with a bottle and reach out to share with y’all.
According to Roz Morris, over at Nail Your Novel, I need to take my idea/premise and covert it into events. Events that need a sense of change. The events must matter to the characters be irrevocable, present them with dilemmas and push them out of their comfort zone.
Her explanation puts the concept of premise in a whole different light.
Ms. Morris even gives examples of what type of events, from larger than life, extraordinary earth shattering events to more subtle life choices. Or a mixture of both.
She suggests I treat the premise as an environment, with interesting challenges and an exciting route.
What do these events need to advance the story?
- A sense of increasing pressure
- A sense of urgency and complication
- Events that challenge the characters in uncomfortable ways, revealing their true nature.
Her post helped me see how to advance my premise into a real story.
Hope it helps you guys too. Click on the link and read her entire article.
Self-editing masterclass snapshots – do you have a plot or a premise? by Roz Morris
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