 Drama: July 27, 2011 Issue [#4504] |
  Drama
This week: Episodic Plot Structure Edited by: Joy  
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In writing a series of stories about the same characters, plan the whole series in advance in some detail, to avoid contradictions and inconsistencies.
L. Sprague de Camp
Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
- E. L. Doctorow
"When a man publishes a book, there are so many stupid things said that he declares he'll never do it again. The praise is almost always worse than the criticism."
- Sherwood Anderson
"Writing is making sense of life. You work your whole life and perhaps you've made sense of one small area."
Nadine Gordimer
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Hello, I am Joy , this week's drama editor. Our discussion in this issue is about the episodic plot structure . |
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
Do you watch or recall any TV series like The Incredible Hulk, The Knight Rider, or Star Trek? If you were hooked on such a show, you could hardly wait for the following episode of the familiar hero or main character and his or her next adventure. This was because the character, the setting, or some other continuing aspect of the story appealed to you and made you feel a kinship with it.
The episodes of such shows are held together by a common thread or a strong character and are based on what is aptly called as the episodic plot construction. Some great works of literature, such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Odyssey, Don Quixote, The Adventures of Zorro, Moll Flanders, and the detective series starring Sherlock Holmes, have used episodic plots.
These series of unconnected or loosely connected stories had fallen out of fashion until recently, so much so that if a novel was based on episodic structure, its consideration for a Hugo or an Edgar or any other important award had become taboo. During the recent years, however, the tide has turned, and many authors have started writing either a novel or a series of stories and novels with a common bond, usually a character. Let's not forget that a place or a setting can also be used as a character.
In our time, Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, Ann Rice's Vampire Chronicles, and Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels would be examples to episodic structure. Then from Writing.com, The Basestealers Club and Case of the Missing Coach by Vivian  , Two Worlds Apart and Two Worlds Apart: The Saga Continues by SHERRI GIBSON  and Budapest Moon and Moldavian Moon series by StephBee  are more examples that make us WdC members proud.
Strictly speaking, plots of episodes alone will not support a series of books or series of stories to make up a book. While the main character is central to episodic series with solid episode plots, the emotional journeys of the characters make their writing worthwhile.
What especially separates the episodic series from climactic novels is the denouement at the end of each separate story. With the episodic plot, although an adventure is ended, new seeds are sown for the next episode.
If we were to show the workings of the episodic plot, it would look like this in a diagram:
The red line in the bottom shows the character or the setting which is essential for the episodic plot to work. The yellow line in the middle is the additional theme or idea line to reinforce unity in the work, although it is not absolutely necessary.
In comparison, a climactic plot would look like this:
In a book or series of books with episodic structure:
 Plot action begins early and increases with each story, chapter, or book.
Locations and characters are more plentiful and varied.
Parallel plots or subplots reinforce the main plot.
Scenes become shorter, and funny and serious scenes alternate toward a snowballing total effect.
If you want to write a novel consisting of loosely connected stories, to evade the disconnected feeling, you can give the main character a goal to be after, so that idea of the goal unites the different stories.
Episodic plots may cover a variety of genres, but almost all of them depend on a sense of mystery. Even in world-building fantasy stories and epics like Harry Potter books, mysteries and escalating stakes are inserted to keep the general focus intact and the readers' interest unwavering.
Last year, in "The WDC NanoLounge" , if you remember, instead of a climactic novel, we discussed writing the loosely connected stories, which NaNoWriMo organization accepted as valid. If you are planning to take the challenge this year, why not pick an episodic plot? It won't be any easier, but you and I may find it to be a wonderful learning experience. 
Until next time, keep plotting.
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 Enjoy!
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Your Drama Newsletter Editors: NickiD89  Fyn  Joy
Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.
This Issue's Tip:
After you write a serious scene, story, or a chapter, go back to it and insert some wit or humor. This will add another dimension to your work. To be inspired with or to learn about humor, consult comedy writers in this site, starting with Ẃeβ࿚ẂỉԎḈĥ  .
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 Reading Recommendation: A book with drama
If you have a recommendation, a few words on a book or a product review, send it to me or to this newsletter. I'll highlight it here.
Review by Fyn
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Helen McNicol 
A great topic this time :) I'll never forget the betrayal of Tatiana in Paula Simons Bronze Horseman series when Alexander has an affair...he was such a wonderful protagonist and as a reader I felt personally betrayed when they had been through so much already and he did that to her. They did eventually get their happy ending, but that stayed with me longer after...
Thanks for commenting, Helen. Yes, good storytelling leaves the reader with an experience that the reader will own as if it really belonged to her or him.
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StephBee
Joy thanks so much for featuring a passage of The Wolf's Torment in this week's drama newsletter. Yes, it was a little crime, but it will resonate in that leaves Theresa with doubt that she has to wrestle with the rest of the novel.
A little crime goes a long way.
Smiles
Thanks for commenting, Steph.
Yes, little crimes of the heart will go a long way.
Btw, I don't mind repeating: I loved your book.
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BIG BAD WOLF is Howling 
Trying to protect your siblings is always crazy.
Why always? I bet it is only in your protagonist's mind.
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