The 7 Plot Archetypes To Build Your Story Foundation
If you’re anything like me, once I get an idea for a story, my mind cranks out plots as fast as I can justify buying a new pair of expensive jeans. Some of those plotlines are obviously genius and some are like Fight Club - we don’t talk about them. So, it’s important to flesh out what kind of story you’re going to tell before your creative brain takes you through the looking glass.
To do that, we’re going to look at the seven most common plotlines.
OVERCOMING THE MONSTER
The underdog hero sets out to destroy the monster using courage and strength to restore balance to the world. A battle usually occurs between two crucial characters and the monster must be defeated for the hero to win.
Your “monsters” can be your antagonist, villain, something evil, or a problem or internal struggle your protagonist must overcome.
Examples: James Bond, War of the Worlds, Jaws, Star Wars, A Series of Unfortunate Events
RAGS TO RICHES
The downtrodden protagonist, miserable in their current situation but deserving better, acquires power, wealth, or a mate, turning their life around. Yet while they seem to have achieved success, they almost lose it all only to overcome a crisis and gain it back while growing to become the hero that was always within.
Examples: Cinderella, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annie, Holes, Jane Eyre
“Somebody gets in to trouble, gets out of it again. People love that story. They never get sick of it.”
THE QUEST
A call to adventure is heard and the hero has an epic journey, usually accompanied by one or more companions, in search of treasure or goal while facing temptation and overcoming powerful odds and challenges along the way.
Examples: The Odyssey, Lord of the Rings, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Treasure Island, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Princess Bride
VOYAGE AND RETURN
The protagonist is thrust into a strange or fantasy world where normal rules don’t apply and must overcome threats to make their way back home a hero, having grown as a person or learning a valuable lesson.
Examples: Alice in Wonderland, Chronicles of Narnia (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), Back to the Future, The Hobbit, Lord of the Flies
COMEDY
The hero and heroine are oh so destined to be together, but something is standing in their way. Misunderstandings, confusion, miscommunication force the characters apart until eventually the truth comes out, the air is cleared, and the two live happily ever after.
Examples: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Pride and Prejudice, Sixteen Candles, Every Hallmark Channel movie ever
TRAGEDY
Think Shakespeare. The fall of a good character. The protagonist is destroyed in some way by not resolving their inner conflict – a fatal character flaw or huge mistake is their undoing – and the story’s goal is not achieved so there’s no happy ending here and the result is often death.
Examples: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Goodfellas, Scarface
REBIRTH
The unlikable protagonist falls to a dark power – imprisonment, magic spell, illness, or character flaw such as addiction or greed – but over the course of the story, finds redemption and long-lasting change.
Examples, A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, The Handmaid’s Tale, Beloved, The Secret Garden
Understanding the plot archetype of your story will help the flow, bring clarity and strengthen it. But remember, as with everything, these are foundation guides. Use one, use some together, create subplots. Write your story your way. And now that you have the basic plotlines laid out, you can let your characters loose to begin their journey.
