The protagonist, the story's main character, wants something that brings satisfaction or resuls in misery. The more this character wants, the more intense the struggle to get it becomes.
Plot creates a harmonious fit for a series of events. It unites and controls various scenes and characters in a cause-and-effect pattern. Each event promotes another to happen until a resolution occurs. During the unraveling of the story, the reader learns that the conflict either can or cannot become resolved.
Is this a story?
Joe gets up for his big meeting of the year, drives to work, presents his advertising campaign which meets with success. He meets his girl friend for a drink and goes home to sleep.
No story results because Joe only follows a sequence of events. No conflict or action arises.
How about this?
Today is Joe's big meeting of the year. The alarm never goes off so Joe gets up late. His car doesn't start. He pushes it to a gas station just as a Brink's truck filled with bank robbers turns the corner and hits him broadside. They kidnap him but he breaks free. He eventually gets to his office late for the meeting.
Lots of conflict created!
In order for the resolution to tie up the story, we need to see a change in Joe. How does Joe change? Does he walk right in after his adventure and win the account? Has all the chaos made him realize how his life is a whirl and he needs to slow down.? Does he go along with the bank robbers and discover a new career path?
Joe needs a personality to prepare him for his struggle. He needs more dimensions.
Fictional characters are constantly making choices and solving problems; some good, some not so good. Opposite dimensions of a character always tug at him.
Joe needs strengths that give him the ability to strive (courage, love, altruism, ambition) and flaws that lead to a breakdown if not checked (fear, lust, power-hunger) to become well-rounded.
Creative Write: Develop a story idea in five to six sentences. Introduce your character to a problem he most solve. His efforts will only worsen the problem yet is he is relentless. Move the story in wild ways. Stay open to nuances.
Outline a problem that will help your character learn about his flaws. Have him make a final, enormous effort, overcome the flaw but never triumpth over the story problem
Create an event that grows from a character's successes in the past or one strength of character.
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