PLOT

Assignment Plot: Of a character Sketch.

Start thinking about what the character you created wants from the world. It could be as simple as wanting to get home after a long day at school and work. It could be saving up the money to buy a car or moving to a new city. Try to keep it something you're familiar with. But put them in a situation where they must accomplish something to reach their goal. Write those details down.

• Nixie longs to be heard. She feels ignored and put aside by those in her life.

• She wishes to return to her normal height and to be able to use her voice again.

Now brainstorm about what or how might interrupt your character in pursuing her goal (above). Think of two or three options and pick the most (or least) dramatic.

• Nixie gets cursed by a sea witch while at sea

• Nixie and the stranger fall for each other

Write out how that interruption might happen and how it makes develop details that help your reader visualize your character, and to why she wants the object of her goals, to help show your audience what makes her tick. Then help them to feel the frustration (or sadness and or rage) of not being able to reach it right away. As you use the Narrative Arc to tell a fully developed story make sure you’re revealing details about your character.

• Nixie cannot break her curse as originally planned.

• Marriage?

• death maybe?

Write out of your Character Sketch based story in an outline or bullet points, with clear indications of which plot points address which part of the narrative arc.