When you think of a story you\u2019d like to write, there are a few different ways it could go. Using a story type, consciously, is an excellent way to get started <\/a>and stay true to and anchored in the authenticity of your plot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this article, we\u2019ll not only help you understand what story types or plot lines are, but also guide you on how to use them consciously in your writing, and we\u2019ll also look into the pros and cons of using them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many writers tout the brilliance of The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories<\/em> by Christopher Booker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The book is an essential guide for beginners looking to start<\/a> somewhere<\/em> and is an inspiration board for pros looking to feed their creative intellect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you have never heard of this book, you will have come across these seven story types- the master plots- simply by reading various stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the seven main story\/plot types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Often, overcoming the monster isn\u2019t literal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It could be a psychological overcoming of inner demons. It might not even be the main plot, but rather the subplot<\/u><\/a> used to worsen a situation for the character(s).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether the monster is literal or psychological, this plot type follows the arc of anticipation, frustration, and escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The characters anticipate the arrival of the monster and they dream of defeating it, only to find out, to their utter frustration, that it\u2019s nearly impossible to do. When they try harder, things only get nightmarishly bad, before something they do clicks and they\u2019re able to defeat or escape the monster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly every famous and inspirational person that ever wrote an autobiography<\/u><\/a> or memoir has used their rags-to-riches story as the narrative in their book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s one of the most relatable experiences \u2013 to be broke and then to gain success. Self-help gurus and life coaches frequently use this plotline to inspire and pump up the underdog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the quest story type, the characters have a mission to complete \u2013 find an object\/person or pursue an objective. And along the way, they\u2019ll need to navigate obstacles, which is why adventure stories frequently fall under this category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These challenges may be nearly fatal, and the characters have to overcome them in order to accomplish their objective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a voyage and return story, the protagonist is literally sent to a foreign place from which they will return wiser and stronger. The unfamiliarity of the foreign place induces challenges for the protagonist to tackle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The idea here is to help the character grow into a more mature version of themselves, through varied life experiences in the new land. This type is featured in many stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This one sounds almost religious, doesn\u2019t it? Though it is, indeed, a prevalent concept in many religions across the world, a rebirth story arc can simply be about a transformation the protagonist undergoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a narrative that focuses on the radical changes the character will have to make in order to have a good life and be happy. Even with a literal rendition of the rebirth storyline, the aim is still to get the character to change, grow and lead a better life this time around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Comedic plotlines are great tools for reflecting on the ways of society, no matter which century or decade, or which city or country we\u2019re looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Comedy is usually induced through subversion, exaggeration, absurdity, and confusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tragedy is like the antithesis of the \u2018overcoming the monster\u2019 plotline. The protagonists set themselves up for an epic failure. They fail to overcome the monster, so to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main character decides that they must rise to a challenging situation, only for things to go wrong. The tragic story type is rife with emotional content and follows the arc of anticipation, frustration, and despair. Only, instead of an escape at the end<\/a>, there\u2019s pain and destruction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Story types are broad narrative categories that most stories can be pegged on. But they don’t work for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you do use them, it’s important to remember that you can veer away from them as much as you like. It’s your story!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of the pros and cons of using story types in your writing: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we\u2019ve discussed what the seven types of stories can do for your writing, let\u2019s explore a few examples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While Bram Stoker\u2019s Dracula<\/em> had the iconic vampire hunter Van Helsing slaying (the monster)<\/strong> Count Dracula, it might not always be so literal. It might not even be the main story type at play; it could be a subplot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The memoir<\/u><\/a> The Pursuit Of Happyness<\/em> is actually a single father\u2019s rags-to-riches story, but throughout, the man tries to overcome his psychological \u2018monster\u2019 \u2013 fear of poverty and failure. His struggle to defeat his inner demons makes the story relatable and compelling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2021 film starring Will Smith, King Richard,<\/em> does this rags-to-riches<\/strong> story of a classic underdog as humbly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s all too easy for this type of story to get corny, but the movie\u2019s plot avoids this by staying true to the storyline; it focuses on Venus Williams, instead of Serena Williams, and ends at the beginning (rather than the pinnacle) of the tennis player\u2019s stellar career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The iconic memoir Eat, Pray, Love<\/em> by Elizabeth Gilbert has the subtitle \u2018one woman\u2019s search for everything\u2019. This effectively captures the \u2018quest\u2019<\/strong> story type the memoir is anchored to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The protagonist travels around the world to shake things up and catapult herself into a more conscious life. The clarity in her writing is a reflection of how she\u2019s anchored her story to the \u2018quest\u2019 narrative, making it a classic example of that story type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Matt Haig\u2019s The Midnight Library<\/em> is arguably the most soulful rendition of the \u2018rebirth\u2019<\/strong> story type. Metaphysically so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Forlorn and hopeless, Nora Seed attempts suicide. In her near-death state, her soul goes into a library of all the lives she could ever live and she ultimately chooses the one that\u2019s right for her. This rebirth narrative is candidly human and introspective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The thriller Dark Matter<\/em> by Blake Crouch follows the \u2018journey and return\u2019<\/strong> story type. The protagonist is content with his life, albeit wistful about not being \u2018successful enough\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He is catapulted into his worst nightmare when that wistful thinking lands him in a life where he\u2019s a celebrated particle physicist, but his wife is not his wife and his son was never born!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Are The Main Story Types?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Overcoming The Monster<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rags To Riches<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Quest<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Voyage And Return<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rebirth<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Comedy<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tragedy<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Using Story Types: Pros And Cons<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pros <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Cons <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nExamples Of Different Types Of Stories<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Pursuit Of Happyness<\/em><\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
King Richard<\/em><\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Eat, Pray, Love<\/em><\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Midnight Library<\/em><\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dark Matter<\/em><\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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