Product Description

This title enables beginning and advanced writers alike. The art of plot development has become synonymous with having a single great idea and the pressure upon the writer to achieve this frequently causes both trepidation and a feeling of futility. The purpose of this book is to give hope and encouragement to every author by demonstrating how plot is, in reality, an amalgamation of many ideas or elements of writing, including characterization, suspense and conflict amongst others. Deftly analysing the elements of classic storytelling, "The Plot Thickens" enables both beginning and advanced writers to consider how these elements can combine - in many previously unimagined ways - to produce the kind of plot that will make their work transcendent. No longer will the construction of the winning plot prove an insurmountable target. Driven by the requirements of publisher and film-maker, the author may feel that concept is all-important but, based upon his wide experience of fiction of all kinds, Noah Lukeman brilliantly shows that this is not so and thereby brings not only encouragement but also immensely practical advice which every author will welcome. Writers will find it impossible to walk away from this invaluable guide without having boundless new ideas.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #337607 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Noah Lukeman is a New York literary agent whose clients include Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Award finalists, American Book Award winners and New York Times bestselling authors. Before becoming an agent, he worked on the editorial side of several major publishing companies. He has been a guest speaker on the subjects of writing and publishing at forums conducted by numerous organizations. He is the author of The First Five Pages, also published by Hale.

Customer Reviews

Far more than a writer's tool...
How does a writer turn an idea into a plot? How many brilliant flashes of inspiration lead to books, movies, or plays? Not many because ideas wither away without great characters and events that drive the story forward. Although this book is plot development, Noah Lukeman addresses the threads that are woven throughout the story in order to create the fabric from which beautiful, lasting images are created.

He uses many examples from film because this is the media where life is visualized for the audience, and his "chief concern is illustrating (sometimes abstract) points." (Lukeman) An example:
* A young man is unhappy and feels trapped in his rural life.
* He hungers for adventure.
* He is inducted into thrilling adventures by chance.
* He is part of a mystical adventure, for which he is unprepared.
* Circumstances force him to face his inadequacies.
* He gains friends and companions along the way.
* Ultimately he finds the confidence he needs to succeed.
* He saves the realm.
The ideas belongs to many stories from Lord of the Rings to Harry Potter to Star Wars, and more. The magic of each story is wrapped into the characters and the lives they live; they are real.

Each chapter and the introduction are deeper than I can show in a review. The book should be on every writer's desk.

Both chapters one (Characterization: The Outer Life) and two (Characterization: The Inner Life) are 90% questions. I decided that a great addition to the book would be a CD listing of all of the questions. However, as I read and contemplated the details a writer must know about the people who live in their stories, I realized that a CD would make it too easy. By taking time to write the questions and answer them, they become part of a writer's arsenal. Even more significant is the gathered information can generate ideas to carry the story forward and create new plots.

Chapter Three -- Applied Characterization discusses whether the character is major or minor, the frequency s/he appears, entrances and exits, and more. "Plot does not magically appear with the creation of a character; Frankenstein's monster might open his eyes, but until he gets up from the table and does something, there is little basis for a plot." (NL) Think of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde -- if the elixir he drank had killed him there would be no story, yet if it was murder mystery a or ghost story the death is instrumental to the plot.

Chapter Four -- The Journey takes us on an emotional or mental experience (not necessarily a trip) that brings about change. Simple and familiar examples are Star Wars, Saving Private Ryan, The Bourne Identity, Speed, Cujo, Carrie, etc.

Chapter Five -- Suspense, "more than any other element, affects the immediate, short-term experience of the work." (NL) What is the destination, why is it significant, and what obstacles stand in the way? In The Lord of the Rings, if the dark riders killed the young hero Frodo, then there would be no story. The suspense is heightened because we know the ring has been awakened, it is calling to its dark master, and Frodo (and anyone near him) is in grave danger. This is how J.R.R. Tolkien created the roller coaster. A great writer constantly raises the stakes and provides some relief between encounters.

Chapter Six -- Conflict causes changes; they can be obvious (court, sports, or battle scenes, etc.) or subtle, such as Sandra Bullock's role in Miss Congeniality: Gracie Hart must become Gracie Lou Freebush, a beauty queen. No matter what the conflict is, it must exist on multiple levels because people, therefore characters, are complex. One single conflict is not enough to propel a plot.

Chapter Seven -- Context "influences suspense, conflict, pacing, progression, and ultimately meaning." (NL) A writer or editor must keep the entire work in mind, and gauge the overall impression of each element in the creation of the story -- does it work? Judging repetition of information is one of the important steps. The keys in a murder mystery may be listed for analysis, but repeating the scenes can be disastrous and boring, yet might be necessary to solve the case. The obscure repetition of inferred information can also be deadly.

Chapter Eight -- Transcendency taps "... into the universal, timeless truths and facets of the human condition." (NL) The examples are clear and powerful.

The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life is profound, and as I read, I applied much of the information to my own life -- in the end, I am richer than I was before I opened the first page. The highest compliment I can give to a book is that it made a difference to me.

Noah Lukeman's books should be required reading. Without doubt, this is five-star book for everyone.

Victoria Tarrani

Good book but...
the title is rather misleading in my opinion. I haven't got time to make a full review but I just wanted to say that and explain why that is.

If you're looking for a book about the processes involved in plotting out, then move on, this one won't give you that. This book spends a lot of time talking about character, conflict, suspense etc, all important elements in the plot, that is true. I personally had already read books about character, a seperate book entirely about suspense and conflict, and one or two others which mentioned those things. I was looking for a book which would give me some insight into plotting structure, pacing, things more directly related to plot.

The book itself is great as I say, it's just the title which is a bit misleading.

The best book on writing fiction (& other things) out there
Man, oh man, what should I say? Most books on writing are filled with common-sense advice that make you wonder why you bothered forking out money for them. I'd even go as far as to put Lukemann's own "The First Five Pages" in that category.

But this one, this one makes a difference. Even if you don't do the exercises, but just wrap your mind round the questions he asks, you'll come out feeling inspired and with a much deeper insight into your characters. And perhaps a plot idea or three.

Always worth dipping into.

If you buy no other book on "how to write a novel", buy this one.