Talking Books

Aristotelian Plot Checklist

For use only after you have a completed first draft!
 
(Note: For ease of use, copy the questions below into your word-processor window and answer them there.)

The overall change my character experiences is:

 

 

My central Action Plot is (circle all that apply):

 

Conflict                 Lack            Mystery      

 

      And that Conflict/Lack/Mystery is:

 

      The stakes are:

 

      My subplots are:

 

My central Emotional Plot is:

 

      The stakes are:

 

      This change happens because:

 

 

Exposition:  The situation at the beginning:

 

Rising Action:  The action starts when:

 

   Then this event happens:

 

   Because of whose action?:

 

(Keep answering those two questions for all the major events of the novel until you've arrived at:)

 

Climax:  Everything comes together when:

 

Falling Action:  And then?

 

Resolution:  The reader can tell things have changed because:

 

 

The cathartic emotion I want the reader to have experienced by the end is:

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All material (c) 2005-2008 by Cheryl Klein. Questions, comments, and conversation welcomed at chavela_que at yahoo dot com.