Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/26112
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/26112
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I'm a plotter, meaning I plan and develop my books before ever writing the first draft. I've given a good deal of thought to character, stakes, and the other parts of novel creation, and I feel like I have a solid understanding of those areas.

The same can't be said for the plot.

I don't think I create bad plots. My readers (I've written several small fan fiction pieces) seem to agree with me. I do think my plots could be better, a lot more interesting, and add a lot more to the story.

I have some ideas of what I can do to add to my plots, but I still feel like I'm missing the large picture. I have _most_ of the parts, but I'm not sure if I have _all_ of the parts.

This has led me to ask the question: **What constitutes a great plot?**

Is it twists that you never saw coming? Is it a complicated web that becomes clear only at the end? Is it something else I haven't identified yet? What makes a plot great?

_Note:_ This question is not a duplicate of [this question](https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/20718/how-can-i-create-an-inter-connected-plot-across-a-series). That question deals with creating a connected plot across a series of books. This question deals with simply creating a great plot, connected or not, whether for a series or a single novel.

Original score: 9