Plot Generator

Discover thousands of random plots to inspire your writing

While there are not many plot generators available on the internet, it is still possible to explore various plots and topics and use them as inspiration for your writing. This one in particular has countless ideas to get you started, and if that’s still not enough, you can also check out the writing prompt generator or creative writing tool Taleforge.

Why is a good plot important to a story?

A plot is an integral part of any story. It is the sequence of events that happen, how they happen, and why they happen. It's a sequence of events that are usually connected by cause-and-effect relationships. Some stories are made up entirely of this sequence, with no other elements.

The plot can be summarized in a single sentence that includes all the important information about it: "Mowgli stays with the pack for years and then leaves to find his own kind." This sentence tells us what happens in the story, who it happens to, and why it happens.

How is a story plot constructed?

In order to have a story, you need a plot. A story is just a plot that has been drawn out in more detail. The most basic part of constructing a plot is figuring out the protagonist and antagonist.

A protagonist is the main character in the story who struggles with some sort of problem or issue to overcome. An antagonist is usually the person or thing that is trying to prevent them from overcoming this challenge. It could be anything from an outside force like weather, an illness, or an injury; or it could be another person such as a boss at work who wants their employees to work too many hours for too little pay.

The next step in constructing your plot would be determining why these two characters are opposing each other and how they will interact with one another throughout the story.

What is the classical story arc structure?

The story arc structure is a common narrative structure that follows the rise and fall of a protagonist. The story begins with a sense of tension or conflict, which then gradually subsides to show the protagonist living in some sort of peace. This is followed by an increase in tension and conflict, which leads to a climax. The climax is followed by a conclusion where the protagonist finds resolution for their problems.

Effective plot structures

The classic "Hero's Journey" plot and its cousin, the "Three Act Structure," are two of the few plots that are able to effectively summarize a story. These narrative structures have been utilized to great effect in numerous stories throughout history. Here are a few of the most well-known stories with successful plots and the components that make them work so well. The Hero's JourneyThe Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell is a classic plot structure that has been used in a lot of stories over the years. It follows a hero as they transition from the mundane to the extraordinary and back again. There are three distinct phases to the hero's journey: the beginning, the end, and the return. The hero begins their journey during the departure and is given a significant quest to complete. They face physical and mental challenges along the way, forcing them to confront their fears and ultimately growing and learning from the experience. During this phase, the hero frequently acquires allies and potential allies, such as mentors and sidekicks. They must overcome obstacles once they reach their destination in order to finish their quest and return home. This plot structure is extensively utilized in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic tale "The Hobbit." Bilbo Baggins, the main character, travels with a group of dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to recover a treasure that was taken by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo encounters a number of challenges on their journey, including a contest to solve a riddle with Gollum, battles with trolls, and a huge spider. The fact that Bilbo learns and grows from the experience is just as important as his final success in reclaiming the treasure. The Three Act StructureThe Three Act Structure is another classic plot structure that, like the Hero's Journey, has been used in a lot of stories over the years. There are three acts, and each one has its own distinct narrative arc. The protagonist is introduced, their objective is made clear, and the stakes of their journey are established in the first act. This section is essential for establishing the world and the upcoming conflict. The protagonist travels throughout act two, frequently on a journey that appears to never end. They have to overcome obstacles during this section, which eventually brings them to the story's climax at the end of act two. The protagonist confronts their greatest obstacle in act three and reaches the conclusion, which can result in success or failure. The novel "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald features this structure. Jay Gatsby's goal of reuniting with Daisy Buchanan is established when we meet him in Act 1. In Act 2, Gatsby is forced to go down a path of debauchery and temptation, which he succeeds in doing but ultimately leads to his demise. His final challenge in Act 3 is to win Daisy's love back, which he fails to do, resulting in his death by the book's conclusion. The Switchback Plot: A less well-known but just as effective plot device, the switchback plot involves a character whose journey takes them through a series of turns before they finally arrive at their destination. The protagonist has a clear goal at the beginning, but the story takes a series of unexpected turns that eventually lead to a surprising conclusion. The audience stays engaged by keeping them guessing where the story will go with this kind of plot structure. The novel "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding is one of the best examples of this structure. A group of schoolboys who are stranded on an island are the focus of the book. The boys are initially determined to survive and escape the island, but as their journey progresses, their feelings of powerlessness and fear lead them down a darker path. The boys' brutality eventually leads to a tragic conclusion, revealing the darkness of human nature. In conclusion, these are just a few examples of successful story plots. Numerous narrative tools, such as the Hero's Journey, the Three Act Structure, and the Switchback Plot, can be used to help tell compelling stories. Fortunately, as we have seen, an effective plot can sometimes be made with just a few key elements.

5 questions to help you come up with plot ideas

1. What conflict could arise between two characters?
2. How could I incorporate a unique socio-cultural issue into the story?
3. What outcome would change the life of the protagonist?
4. What unexpected event could spark the climax of the story?
5. How could I change the environment to provide new challenges and opportunities?

Can I use the random plot ideas that this tool creates?

Yes you can. The Story Shack claims no copyright on any of these names, but it is of course possible that some of the values this name generator provides are already owned by anyone else, so please make sure to always do your due diligence.

How many ideas can I generate with this Plot Generator?

The Plot Generator can generate thousands of ideas for your project, so feel free to keep clicking and at the end use the handy copy feature to export your plot ideas to a text editor of your choice. Enjoy!

What are good plot ideas?

There's thousands of random plot ideas in this generator. Here are some samples to start:

More on plot ideas across the web

Can't get enough of generating plot ideas? Then continue exploring:

• reedsy.com
• writingexercises.co.uk