Three types of people are going to read this. 

The first group barely understands the meaning of the word "story." It's okay if you're one of those people because you have a lot in common with the multitude. We all had to start somewhere. I promise nobody is going to laugh at you. That you know of.

The second group thinks they have a pretty good understanding. They've read up, watched YouTube videos on the subject, talked to writer friends, engaged in forum conversations, practiced and developed their skills, and they're only here looking for tips that might help them iron down their mastery of the subject.

The third and largest group thinks they're in the second but they're actually part of the first.

There's an easy test to see where you are. Can you tell me which of the following is the PLOT of the Harry Potter book series? No cheating.

  1. An orphaned boy learns he's a wizard and discovers a new life in a magical world.

  2. A young man destroys the wizard who failed to kill him as a child.

  3. An organization of wizards teaches children how to use magic in an ancient hidden castle.

  4. Harry becomes a student at Hogwarts, a wizarding academy in Scotland. As Harry develops through his adolescence, he learns to overcome the problems that face him.

So which is it? Did you even guess or did you just skim down here to peek at the answer? Don't argue with me, I know what you people are like.

MOST of you will fumble over that question for a long time. It doesn't make you stupid, it means you've listened carefully to the majority who use the word poorly, and by majority I mean college literature profs confusing the plot of a story with its synopsis. How are you supposed to identify it as separate from the theme, setting, characters, conflict, and resolution if everyone uses those words to mean whatever's convenient? 

And WHY, you ask, do we need to separate it at all from those other things? BECAUSE, I answer, they exist separately in your story and each is managed separately. You can't do that if you can't distinguish between them.

So that's what I'm going to attempt, to the best of my ability, in the next few chapters, and when I get through that I'll have finished most of what I set out to do. That doesn't mean I'll stop, because there will never be an end to questions, and as you've no doubt become aware, I have an opinion on all of them.