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a starter map for plot
Stories need a beginning, a middle where something goes wrong, and an end where someone fixes it (or doesn't).
That's plot. We walk through the Maven Kid Story Map — three big shapes and twelve little dots — that helps you figure out what happens next when you get stuck. Plot isn't a secret grownup thing. It's three shapes. Once you know the shapes, you can build any story.
The three shapes of every story
| Shape | What it does |
|---|---|
| Beginning | Tell us who, where, what they want |
| Middle | Something goes wrong. Then worse. |
| End | Someone fixes it. Or learns something. Or both. |
The Kid Story Map (12 little dots)
- 1. Who is this story about?
- 2. Where do they live?
- 3. What do they want most?
- 4. What stops them from getting it?
- 5. Who helps them?
- 6. Who tries to stop them?
- 7. What's the worst thing that happens?
- 8. How do they almost give up?
- 9. What gives them one last try?
- 10. What do they do?
- 11. Does it work? Why or why not?
- 12. What did they learn?
Plot is three shapes and twelve little dots. Once you know the shapes, every story you write makes sense. Even the wild ones. Especially the wild ones.
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
From the Maven Catalog
- Kid Free eCourse — Make a Plot
- Kid Master Course — Kid Story Builder
- Kid eBook — Three Shapes, One Story
- Kid Planner — Kid Plot Planner
- Kid Toolkit — Kid Plot Toolkit
Fill in the twelve dots for your next story. Use the three shapes. The plot makes sense. You stop getting stuck. Stories start finishing.