Basic plot techniques, How do you write your stories? Options

[Sparrowsmith]

Okay, so this section still has that fresh 'newly opened' smell, so lets get the ball rolling.

I'm basically thinking we get some beginner's tips out for writing. Anything you guys like to use when writing. These can be professional, or just little quirks you've picked up that work.
I'm basically gonna start off with an easy one: Loops.

I was taught these at a writing class a while back, though they might have other names elsewhere. A loop is essentially a question that you ask early in the story, then answer later. They are open plot lines that you are going to close when the time comes. Loops can be short, long, or even reversed (more on this later.) The most important loops are your opening and closing loops (these are often the same). The opening loop is your inciting incident. The event that puts all the others in motion.

Let's take a classic game plot, Final Fantasy VII. In the opening, Cloud and Avalanche jump off of a train and begin attacking guards. We don't know who these characters are, or what they're doing. Theses are our two loops. The first one gets answered in the first few minutes. The second one takes a little longer to develop, but once we know why they're there (to destroy the reactor) we're now wondering WHY they want to destroy the reactor, WHY have they brought Cloud on board, WHAT is a SOLDIER, WHY did Cloud get a headache as they approached the reactor.

The inciting incident (jumping off the train, attacking the guards) gives us enough questions to establish ALL of this. So what can we learn from this? Keep lots of loops open at once. They don't have to be open for very long (they can be as simple as 'who is that' or 'where did that character go') but they are what keep people interested.

This brings us to the next important point regarding loops. Make sure you close them! The popular TV show Lost had a dedicated fanbase because it KEPT OPENING LOOPS. We never had a clue what was going on, and it kept our interest peaked. But eventually the show got too spread out, and a lot of the loops weren't closed. The show still ended well, but it certainly didn't answer everything, and this annoyed a lot of fans.

So close your loops Especially if they're important.

I said I'd come back to reversed loops. Now, I'm not actually sure if these are even a real thing, but it's what I call them
A reversed loop, according to the dictionary of Sparrow, is a question that gets answered before the question gets asked. Sort of.
In the film Primer (VERY COMPLICATED) Abe's(?) wife mentions that she can hear bumping in the attic. Abe says this is just some birds (or rats....). It seems very unimportant. Later in the film, after the two protagonists invent time travel, it is revealed Abe has come back from a different timeline, and that the sound in the attic is actually the real Abe from this timeline.
So to recap:
*sounds in the attic*
"Where is the Abe from this timeline?"

The question came after the answer.

So without further adieu, let's hear any techniques you use when writing.

[KD648]

I have to say that the most important thing to me, when I start writing, is that I hit all of the major story "beats". If you're really into writing, read Blake Snyder's "save the cat", but if you're not I'll outline it as briefly as I can. Basically, it argues that all good stories follow the exact same formula. I didn't believe it either, but when you think about it, the formula just happens to be versatile enough to do pretty much anything, it just covers what the audience should be "feeling" at any given moment.

1: Opening: the first image that the audience sees should have some grander meaning than just "this is where it starts", even if it's just a cut to something before the story starts. It shows either the way things currently are, and more often than not, why they need to change.
2: Theme stated: the "theme" of the story is either revealed or explained in some subtle manner, generally to the main character. A hint of foreshadowing that the audience can enjoy on a second read or playthrough.
3: Catalyst: something happens that kick-starts the character into action, forcing them to progress on this journey. Since we're talking about star wars, in episode four, the catalyist is when Luke's aunt and uncle are killed. Also, for the sake of clarity, I'm going to use the example used in "Save the Cat" Legally Blonde. In Legally blonde, the catalyist is when Elle is dumped by her boyfriend.
4: Debate: The main character isn't quite sure if they can, or will, go on this journey and solve the problem presented by the catalyst. The character is progressing slowly, but hasn't fully committed. Can Luke really fight the empire with nothing but "the force"? Is Elle actually smart enough to get into Harvard?
5: Move into act 2: the character commits, and fully progresses into the adventure, generally involving a change of location or some kind of physical change in his environment. In star wars, this is when Luke and Han Solo finally get off tattoine (spelling?) and into space. In Legally Blonde, Elle is accepted into Harvard.
6: Fun and Games: This is where the story delivers and the most "fun" part of the game is. In Star Wars, it's sneaking around the death star. In legally blonde, it's Elle's first few days at harvard. The character is a fish out of water, and the fun comes from watching them try to adapt. This is the section people tend to remember most fondly of the story.
7: The "B" story starts: The main character begins forming a relationship with another character in the story, giving us a break from the action of the "main" story. This can be romantic, but doesn't have to be. In Star Wars, it's Luke and Han Solo's friendship. In Legally Blonde, it's Elle and her manicurist Paulette.
8: Midpoint: A false "high" or "low" in the story right at the center. In Star Wars it's escaping the death star/the death of obi-wan, and in Legally Blonde it's when Elle gets put on the case. The character thinks they have won, or thinks they have lost, but the audience knows it's not over yet.
9: Bad Guys Close In: Pretty much what it says. Tension rises as the bad guys get stronger and the hero steadily loses ground. In star wars, it's returning to the weakened rebel base after being attacked by Tie-fighters (again, spelling?) and in Legally Blonde it's Elle having proof of her client's innocence, but being unable to use it and losing the trust of her co-workers. This is where the writer does his best to build conflict.
10: All is Lost: A crushing blow to the hero, from which they (seemingly) cannot recover. In Star Wars it's when Han Solo leaves, and in Legally Blonde it's when Elle is hit on by her boss.
11: Dark Night: Where we see the hero, defeated. In star wars, it's Luke's final conversation with Han, and in Legally Blonde it's where Elle tells Emmett she's leaving. This is the scene where we see the hero's reaction to the All is Lost moment, and we can understand how hard it is for them to overcome. The lowest point of the story.
12: Move into Act 3: But, it's clearly not over yet (again). The main character learns an important lesson or otherwise becomes stronger (generally with the help of the character from the B story), and returns to the world of act 2, in charge. In Star Wars, it's the battle at the Death star (luke is going into space again, but this time he knows what he's doing), and in Legally Blonde it's Elle's return to the courthouse in her bright pink suit. The hero has recovered from their crushing defeat at the All is Lost moment, and is ready for the final showdown with the bad guys.
13: Climax: The final showdown. Pretty self explanitory, but the most climactic scene of the movie. In Star Wars it's the race down the tunnel, and in Legally Blonde it's Elle confronting the real murderer.
14: Resolution: A chance for the audience to relax slightly and to show what happens to the characters after the climax. It's here we are rewarded for the hero's bravery. In Star Wars it's watching all of Luke's friends cheer and congratulate him as he lands, and in Legally Blonde it's watching Elle reject her idiot ex-boyfriend.
15: Final Image: Generally connected to the opening image in some way, it's the final shot of the story where we get to see how much our character has grown. In star wars it's the last scene where the awards are given to Luke and Han, proving Luke is no longer just a country boy, and in Legally Blonde it's seeing Elle graduate, proving she is no longer just a ditzy blonde.

Again, the book is awesome, so if you do a lot of reading I suggest you buy it right away. It's mostly about screenwriting, but it applies to pretty much any commercial storytelling. ANYWAY, these beats are the tool that's the most important to me whenever I write a new story.