1. Enter the Plot A STORYLINE CONDUCTS THE READER THROUGH A STORY. BUT FIRST, THE READER MUST BE HOOKED IN THE OPENING LINES.

2. Graphic View of the Plot

3. Pick a Story: Rescue Mission  Plot Point 2:  “…when the distress call came in. He could hear the sound of gunfire over the airwaves....’it sounded like a popcorn machine.’”  Fictionalized version: Sergeant Roy Benavidez strolled up to the door of the radio quasit hut, but didn’t go in. From long familiarity he knew that the intense tropical sun would, by now, even though it was still early morning, have made the hut more suitable for barbecuing than communicating. Only if one of the monsoon thundershowers showed up would there be any relief from the heat today, and then the humidity and insects would negate any benefits from lower temperatures. Still, after a forgettable breakfast, consumed more for potential energy than from enjoyment, he knew the only place to get news from the field was at the hut. At the door this morning, however, he didn’t need to go inside to recognized desperate sounds indicating a group of rangers needed help.

4. A Sample of fictionalized fact: From Ms. Meyers, 7th Gr. ELA  Review the objective: DIRECTIONS: Now it’s your turn to write Think of an experience that happened in your own life that would make a good action/adventure story. Outline five major factual events from that experience that could become plot points in the story. For each of these plot points, tell how you would embellish or exaggerate the truth to turn this real-life event into a piece of realistic fiction.

5. Sample Fiction: Plot Point #1 A sudden rainstorm flooded the highway causing a car to hydroplane off the highway. The young male driver, his female passenger and the baby in the back remained stunned.  Now Add Fiction: Rain pelted the windshield as the young army recruit struggled to keep his eyes on the road. Having moved from Georgia he was not used to this weather. He glanced over at his young wife, sleeping after her night in the hospital. Suddenly the car jolted and spun as time became a blur. The sickening crunch of the car hitting the guardrail was coupled with the sensation of paralyzing force as gravity swung their helpless bodies around and his head slammed into the airbag.