Plot - Part 4 of the Literary Elements Series
The Literary Elements Series: Part 4 of 5
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Element #4 - Plot
Plot is the action, movement and/or growth in the story.
The character is just going about their daily life when something happens - the introduction of conflict, a change in circumstances, an interruption in their regular pattern of life.
Then, as a result of that change, the character must ask themselves how to proceed. They can either:
Avoid
Ignore
Fight
Flee
Take action
Or do something else that will change themselves or their habits
How the character answers this question moves the story along until the character hits a critical turning point. At that point, there must be at least the suggestion that the character has made a decision and/or change if not a definite choice or alteration.
We then start to see how this pivotal turning point affects the character’s future (and possibly the future of many others). And the action or conflict is resolved in some way.
Basically, your plot (or the action of your story) has a beginning, middle, and end, as originally described by Aristotle. Freytag’s Pyramid, developed by German novelist Gustav Freytag, added two elements. He asserted that there is a “rising action” between the beginning and the middle and a “falling action” between the middle and the end.
To give you an example, let me tell you one of my favourite family stories.
A Story
As a young man, my grandfather was offered a job in Toronto and moved there from B.C. so that he could accept the position and continue to support his mother and younger brother after the death of his father.
In Toronto, he met the woman who would eventually be my grandmother. They dated for a while and wanted to get married, but my grandfather did not know how he would be able to financially support two households. This went on for a while, until one day the woman gave him an ultimatum. She was getting older and wanted to have children. So she said they needed to either get married and start a family or break up.
He didn’t know what to do. He loved the woman and was very committed to her, but he also had an obligation to his mother that he could not morally escape, nor did he want to put his mother in a difficult position.
My grandfather spent a sleepless, stressed-out week, trying to make the numbers change and figure out a way that he could carry both households on his income. But each time he did the calculations, he came up short. How could he choose?
He must have wished thousands of times for an answer, so much so that the solution manifested itself within a week. His mother received a letter stating that she had inherited some money from a distant relative - enough that she would be able to support herself.
This left my grandfather free to marry my grandmother, which he did shortly after.
Lessons for Business
In business, plot demonstrates action to your ideal client to show them how they will move from where they are now to where they want to be. A great way to demonstrate the action you want your ideal client to take is to share a case study - the story of a past client who was delighted by your service.
When you tell this story in a way that gives details your ideal client can relate to and that touches on their deepest dreams, the story becomes very personal. We say it is both intimate and immediate, meaning that the audience identifies and feels a sense of urgency towards the story and within their own lives.
Relate to a Business Setting
In business, your main plot is the action you want your ideal clients to take. You may also have subplots, such as what they need to do to get ready to work with you. But ultimately the focus should be on that main action as it will determine the focus of your story.
Business Owner / CEO
As the business owner and CEO, you have your own plot. Your plot is the action you are taking - growing your business, introducing a new program, running a VIP retreat, etc.
That plot is important, but it is secondary to your ideal client’s plot. They should be the centre of attention throughout the narrative.
Your Ideal Client
As for your ideal client, their plot revolves around realizing that they have a problem, discovering what that problem is, figuring out what their options are to solve the problem, choosing a solution to move forward with, and then taking action.
You may have heard this referred to as the Buyer’s Journey. I like to think of it as a quest, where our ideal clients are the heroes of their own journey.
Here are some things to think about:
What action does your ideal client need to take to identify their problem and start to investigate solutions?
What action does your ideal client need to take in preparation for working with you?
What action will your ideal client take while working with you? And beyond?
What’s Next?
Spend some time making notes about plot and actions for both yourself and your ideal client. Make a list of numbered steps from the first time your ideal client hears about you through working with you right up to being a delighted customer who has become a brand advocate. Drill down and create as many separate steps as you need.
Progressive, fulfilling actions through plot make your brand storytelling so powerful it multiplies your impact. Take the time it needs to get it right.
Stay tuned for the next - and last - part of this five-part series on Literary Elements. We’ll talk about Language next.