Kia Garriques

A theory proposed by Christopher Booker suggests that there are only seven basic plots in story telling so I’ve decided to list them to see if anyone gets inspired. They are the perfect starting point for those who want to write but are still a bit uncertain of the direction they want to take.

Overcoming the Monster

Examples would be ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and ‘Beowulf.’ Our hero or heroine must defeat the monster in order to stop them destroying the world.

Rags to Riches

A classic example is ‘Cinderella’. The main character works their way up from nothing to greatness; this can be a gradual slog or an overnight success, it’s up to you!

The Quest

The most obvious example would be ‘The Odyssey’. The hero must go on a journey, perhaps fighting some baddies along the way, to retrieve a treasure or something of great importance.

Voyage and Return

Robinson Crusoe was stranded on a remote island and had to find his way home. This is the kind of story we’re looking for here; our character gets lost and must find a way home.

Comedy

This is not necessarily the kind of comedy that makes you laugh but a story that involves confusion of some kind that has a lot of consequences. Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ epitomises this.

Tragedy

Examples are ‘The Picture of Dorian Grey’ or ‘Macbeth’. The characters has a fatal flaw which they cannot overcome and this results in their downward spiral.

Rebirth

‘A Christmas Carol’ is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s reformation from a miser to a selfless man and this is what rebirth is all about. The protagonist is on the edge of turning in to the nastiest person on the planet but manages to change their ways just in time.

 

Can you think of any more or is Booker correct? See how many different stories you can produce from the list!