The smallest meaningful unit
Mar. 6th, 2005 09:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tefnutI've been thinking a lot about what is a story recently.
After reading posts on plotting, especially this one by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
penknife, and writing one myself, I realised I was always using the same four concepts.
(definition adapted from CyberEnglish, Dictionary.com and other sources)
These definitions conflict with each other. They tell me that a plot can be a story, which can be the plot of a narrative, which is a story. 8-/
From what I understand: a conflict motivates a plot. The plot and its subplots are organised in an abstract structure known as a story. The narrative is the realisation of this story into a written form. Logically, the same story can produce more than one narrative (the story can be told more than one way, it still remains the same story).
So: conflict < plot < story < narrative.
I'm not sure about that and I might be completely wrong. In which case please feel free to enlighten me!
What's the point of all of this? I think it might be helpful, when analyzing one's fiction (or someone else's, when one is a beta-editor), to find out where are the weak/strong points of it and where they are located on this scale. Is the story lacking in plot, or is there something wrong with the narrative? Is the author good at organising various plots into a coherent story? Are the conflicts believable?
Anyway, I'll try to keep this structure in mind while writing my next story (the One Big Bad Meanie New Bitch of a Story, that is). Hopefully it will kick me into producing some narrative!
After reading posts on plotting, especially this one by
penknife, and writing one myself, I realised I was always using the same four concepts.- Conflict: Opposition between characters or forces in a work of drama or fiction, especially opposition that motivates or shapes the action of the plot.
- Plot: The structure of a story. Or the sequence in which the author arranges events in a story. The pattern of events or main story in a narrative or drama.
- Story: An account or recital of an event or a series of events, either true or fictitious. Or: a usually fictional prose or verse narrative intended to interest or amuse the hearer or reader; a tale; a short story. Or: the plot of a narrative or dramatic work.
- Narrative: a narrated account; a story.
(definition adapted from CyberEnglish, Dictionary.com and other sources)
These definitions conflict with each other. They tell me that a plot can be a story, which can be the plot of a narrative, which is a story. 8-/
From what I understand: a conflict motivates a plot. The plot and its subplots are organised in an abstract structure known as a story. The narrative is the realisation of this story into a written form. Logically, the same story can produce more than one narrative (the story can be told more than one way, it still remains the same story).
So: conflict < plot < story < narrative.
I'm not sure about that and I might be completely wrong. In which case please feel free to enlighten me!
What's the point of all of this? I think it might be helpful, when analyzing one's fiction (or someone else's, when one is a beta-editor), to find out where are the weak/strong points of it and where they are located on this scale. Is the story lacking in plot, or is there something wrong with the narrative? Is the author good at organising various plots into a coherent story? Are the conflicts believable?
Anyway, I'll try to keep this structure in mind while writing my next story (the One Big Bad Meanie New Bitch of a Story, that is). Hopefully it will kick me into producing some narrative!
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Date: 2005-03-06 08:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-06 10:04 am (UTC)OT: Your icon is very good-looking.