Why don't storytellers make better plots?

Why don't storytellers (and even many story-writers) make better plots?

Here are a few "plot confusions" that might contribute to the problem:

  1. For many storytellers, plots don't always seem as interesting as characters, places, and points of view—so we aren't as motivated to understand their essence and ways to help them grow;

  2. Indeed, plots often seem abstract and mathematical (they aren't really), whereas most storytellers care more about emotions and experiences. So we don't enjoy good relationships with the world of plot; and

  3. We've been told to "assemble" plots (examples range from misunderstandings of Aristotle to the Hero's Journey, Freytag's pyramid—and many more "plot formulas"!)—so plots don't seem as "artistic" as the other elements of story.

In truth, plot is intimately interwoven with characters, the physical world, and character emotions.

So why do we believe those misleading falsehoods and half-truths?

Growing vs. Making

Our money-oriented, “mass production” society tends to ignore the “growing” aspects of much of the world, as reflected, in part, in

  • Over-industrialization,

  • Dehumanizing of “the other” and often ourselves,

  • And a preference for pseudo-science over real arts and humanities.

These social forces can seem very remote from storytelling, but I believe that they may sometimes deflect our attention (often unconsciously) from where that attention most belongs!

Can't We Do Better?

I think that we can do even better with the “warm” aspects of stories (character, emotion, etc.) once we begin to enjoy plot—and its intimate connections to the other storytelling elements.

In short, another name for rectifying our misconceptions about plot could be “plot liberation.”

If you want to connect all the elements of story—and recognize how they work together organically—then a better understanding of plot should take you an important distance on your artistic journey!