Characters are essential to a novel, but readers stay for a unique and engaging plot, which is why the plot of your story is crucial. Because the plot is so important to a novel, many writers find themselves writing multiple different plotlines. Plot lines are a series of events and occurrences that create the plot. Plotlines are important, but you don't want your reader to feel overwhelmed. When writers add subplot upon subplot the story can easily become frustrating and confusing for the reader. In order for plotlines to be manageable for readers, they should be cohesive and understandable. If your story has many distinct plot threads, it can be difficult to piece them all together, but here are 5 tips that will ensure your plotlines all connect.
Identify the Endpoint
When trying to put together plotlines, the first thing to do is identify the final outcome for your plot. What holds your story together is the end goal or finale, so it is important to identify the outcome early on. Ask yourself the following questions: how do I want my story to end? What needs to happen for the plot to be resolved? Answering these questions can be helpful when tying your plot together.
Use Transition Words
A simple method to bridging together plotlines is by including transition words. Transition words are words that smoothly connect different thoughts or ideas without page breaks or awkward jumps. To establish a good flow in your writing, it is crucial you use transition words to signal to the reader that two plot scenes are connected and related. While you incorporate transition words into your writing, remember to vary the transition words you include. Transition words a great for linking two sentences, but repeating the same word can get boring. There are thousands of transition words to choose from, but below I listed 15 of the most effective transition words to use:
Afterward
Also
But
Despite
Finally
Following
However
In addition to
Last
Nevertheless
Next
Then
Therefore
Relating to
Still
Utilize Symbols & Links
A good way to join together scenes and plotlines is through symbols and links. A "link" occurs when an aspect of one plotline is closely related to an element in another. There are two subgroups of "links" that can be useful for your story. The first subcategory is direct links, while the second category is indirect links. Direct links refer to when a theme or object is obviously shared between two plotlines. For example, maybe different people from different plotlines come across the same note. An indirect link is broader and more abstract. Some examples include a smell, a song, or themes like desire or friendship. If you include themes that are prevalent throughout the story and you weave them into each scene, your plot is sure to feel cohesive. As mentioned, the continued theme could be expansive, but it could also be more specific.
Add Narrative Transitions
If your story has many plotlines an effective way to tie your plot together is through narrative transitions. A narrative transition is exactly what it sounds like: a transition between scenes fueled by narration. Narrative transitions are less centered around action and are more centered around the thoughts and feelings of the narrator. In most cases, narrative transitions are simply two to three sentences. Narrative transitions are different than a transition by transition words because narrative transitions also give insight into your characters. Narrative transition stitch aspects of your story together, so it sounds coherent and complete.
Don't be Afraid to Delete
It is possible to tie plotlines together, but sometimes you may have too many plotlines. A large quantity of plot lines is sure to overwhelm readers and won't keep them interested. If you feel you may have too many plotlines, count them to determine the answer. On average a book has 3 to 7 plot lines. Your story should have a minimum of three plotlines to ensure it has complexity, but having more than 7 plot lines may be excessive. While planning or editing your novel, make sure to consider the number of plotlines you have.
An intriguing plot is sure to engross readers, but you don't want to hit readers over the head with a large number of plotlines. You should have your readers feel comfortable with the amount of plot in your novel, and let them be surprised when characters meet. Even though bridging plotlines is difficult, it isn't impossible. Hopefully, these tips help you tie your plotlines together.
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