What’s a Plot Point in
Fiction Writing?
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
The most engaging stories are those that have compelling plot points that maintain tension throughout the entire narrative. Whether you are an aspiring writer or just looking to hone your skills in the storytelling craft, understanding how to create a compelling plot point is a must. In this article, I’ll discuss everything you need to know to create an appealing plot point that maintains tension throughout your novel, memoir, or short story.
What Is a Plot Point?
A plot point is a significant event that occurs in a story that propels the narrative forward. It is a crucial moment that impacts the main character's journey and can shift the story in a new direction. A great plot point can elevate an ordinary story into an unforgettable one. Plot points are often charted during the novel outline or memoir outline process, so that writers know they’re following cause and effect logic. A strong plot point that fits cohesively within the larger plot arc can be the driving force that keeps the reader engaged and invested in your story.
Ingredients of a Strong Plot Point
A good plot point should be significant, with the potential to change the course of the story. While it should be somewhat unexpected, leaving readers anticipating what happens next, it also does need to feel like it belongs to the promise of the premise that you’ve established so far. A plot point should have an emotional impact on the reader, causing them to feel invested in the character's journey because the plot point affects whether the protagonist, especially, is going to be successful or struggling in that specific scene or chapter. Finally, a good plot point should be relevant to the story and have consequences that affect the character’s internal conflict and external conflict, or tension with a secondary character.
Intersecting a Plot Point with Character Wants and Needs
A plot point should intersect with the character's objective, motivation, and need. It should be something that challenges the character and makes them grow throughout the story. The plot point should create conflict and tension, forcing the character to make difficult decisions that ultimately struggle to reach a successful ending to their journey (if they do not ultimately succeed, your story idea will count as a tragedy, which can be tougher to pull off, but is still completely valid).
The Plot Point and Character Relationships
A plot point can also arise from character relationships. It can be a result of the character's actions or decisions, or the shift in your story’s trajectory can be caused by external factors. When a plot point arises from character relationships, it allows for more complex and nuanced storytelling, because you have the potential to add conflict to scene. It allows for characters to grow and change in unexpected ways. Make sure that you are aware of the balance of your character-driven versus random events. For the most part, a proactive character should make a push toward a plot point, rather than the story happening to a passive protagonist.
When creating a plot point, it's essential to consider the character and action beats. These are the smaller moments leading up to the plot point that set the stage for the crucial event. By emphasizing these moments, the tension and conflict build up, making the plot point more impactful when it happens, because readers will know the stakes for your main character, and why the specific development matters. It should have real consequences for the character, shaking up their world and forcing them to grow and change.
To execute a plot point for maximum emotional impact, it needs to be crafted with care. The reader should feel invested and attached to the character's journey. The plot point should create tension and conflict, forcing the reader to care about the outcome.
Common Mistakes Writers Make with Plot Points
Some common mistakes writers make with plot points include not building them to be significant enough, making them too predictable, or making them unrealistic (or not in line with what readers know about the characters). It's essential to consider the character's journey and how the plot point impacts them before crafting your specific sequence of story events.
Crafting an appealing plot that maintains tension throughout a novel or short story is essential for grabbing your reader's attention and keeping it. By understanding what makes a good plot, how it intersects with character wants and needs, and how to execute it for maximum emotional impact, you can create unforgettable stories that resonate with your readers.
Click here to purchase Writing Irresistible Kidlit, my book on fiction craft for MG and YA novels, out from Writer's Digest Books. This will show you my writing craft philosophy and give you lots of valuable advice, including tips for the novel revision process and self-editing. There are over 35 example novels cited and discussed throughout. It’s a valuable resource for any writer’s toolkit.
Click here to purchase Successful Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.