Good bones make Great Stories

Good stories have the same skeletons. The most important bones are the same: a central character, an incident that kicks the story into gear, lots of conflict and complications, help and solutions, and a resolution.

Award winning author Angela Hunt created a simple and brilliant plotting tool that works for all types of fiction, from children’s picture books to complicated mysteries or historical fiction. Her plotting method which she details in The Skeleton Plot works for the free spirited writers (pantsers) who work out plot details as they write and for those writers who outline chapters and scenes before they write (plotters).

As I’ve shared this tool in classrooms of young writers, we begin with a simple sketch of a skeleton. The skull is a simple circle, with two smaller circles for the eye sockets. This represents the main character (protagonist) and the eyes are two needs. One need will be a part of the protagonist’s “inner journey,” and the other need connects to an outward goal.

In The Novel Idea: Best advice on Writing Inspirational Fiction, Hunt refers to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Her hidden need isn’t directly stated, but we sense her unhappiness as she sings “Somewhere over the Rainbow.” She lives with her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. What happened to her parents? Her hidden need is to feel like she has a home.

The neck bone connects the skull to the body, and this tiny bone is the inciting incident, or a specific event that begins the story. Something happens to change the protagonist’s life. A tornado picks up Dorothy and takes her to Oz. Her second need (eye socket) is the outward goal of finding the wizard so she can return to Kansas.

Below the neck bone are the ribs. The ribcage represents conflict and difficulties that the character must overcome as they pursue their goal. As Dorothy follows the yellow brick road, the obstacles increase in difficulty. Initially, she comes to an intersection and doesn’t know which way to go until a scarecrow befriends her. The ribs grow larger as Dorothy’s problems become worse and she eventually faces the wicked witch. The final rib is the bleakest moment when everything feels lost. For Dorothy, it’s when the hot air balloon took off without her.

The two leg bones below the ribcage lead to the help the protagonist needs. For Dorothy, the good witch arrives and tells Dorothy that her ruby slippers will carry her home to Kansas as she says, “There’s no place like home.” At the beginning of the story, Dorothy ran away, but now she desires to be with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. As she realizes home is with them, her hidden need is met. She clicks her ruby shoes and is transported back home.

The final bone is the foot. This is a short closure. Dorothy wakes up and is surrounded by family and friends. She has struggled but changed. She learned she has a home.

Follow this skeleton as you write and plot and your writing will contain the bones that are in all great stories.

Skull – Main character

Eye sockets – Character needs – an inner need and outward goal

Neck bone – Inciting incident

Ribs – Conflicts

Leg bones – Help and solutions

Foot  – Resolution

Both books in the above links are inexpensive and give excellent, concise writing tips for educators and fiction writers. Check them out. The beauty of this plot method is that you can add many details or keep it to the bare bones.

Happy Writing!

Gretchen Carlson

Author of More Than Grit

Photo by Mathew Schwartz, from Unsplash.com View his photos and work in biomechanics