There is a popular theory that there are really only seven basic plots in literature. That’s it. Every book can be stripped down to one of seven distinct storylines (Christopher Booker’s book Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories is a good place to read up on them). Why then do we keep reading the same stories over and over again?
Simply put, it’s the details. Many stories have characters triumphing over something, but each story has a different character, triumphing over a different thing, in a different way. While there may only be seven or twenty or thirty-six plotlines, there are an almost infinite number of plot devices that can be used to play out each plot.
However, and this is a big however so pay attention, there is one very important rule that must always be applied to every plot device: IT MUST MAKE SENSE.
Nobody is ever going to believe that a man with no legs could outrun police. It seems like this should be self evident, but some authors-very few but some-will still try to trick their readers. This is especially true in mystery books.
Authors want surprise endings that no one is ever going to expect. In mysteries, many writers try to pull off what I call The Butler Did It suspect. This is the person you would least expect to commit the crime. Why don’t you expect them to be guilty? Because the author never offers any clues to suggest that The Butler was guilty.
A surprise ending is fine, as long as the reader can go back, re-read the book, and undestand how the crime was solved. If there is no evidence that The Butler did it, then The Butler didn’t do it.
lisa Said:
on February 23, 2007 at 7:50 am
I love how you recomend a book you haven’t actually read
But you’re right. Maybe that’s why I’m afraid of mystery novels so much, because they might be as atrocious as this.
girl1 Said:
on February 23, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Hey, I totally read the chapter headings of Booker’s book. If he wanted people to actually read his entire book, he shouldn’t have made the chapter titles so self-explanatory.
lisa Said:
on February 25, 2007 at 10:13 pm
You’re right. Good point. I can take it off the reading pile now.
girl1 Said:
on February 26, 2007 at 10:16 am
Not cool, ducky. Just not cool. Quit trying to use me to make your reading pile smaller. Wait! No, if you get rid of that book, I get to give you another one to replace it on the pile.
lisa Said:
on February 27, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Yes. If I dump a book, you can give me another one. Hell, I’ll be ready for new books as soon as I compact the pile from four stacks to three. I bet I could do that now if I just made them taller…