Take a favorite piece of of media (but not something YOU created,) and reverse engineer an outline from it.
Back when I first thought about writing, I had an idea for a story that involved a fairly standard twist - the antagonist identified at the beginning of the story would turn out to be something else (a dupe, or a red herring) while the real antagonist would be revealed at or after the climax of the action. About 2 weeks later, I read ASCENSION by Meljean Brook, and realized she’d written a story using exactly that plot, with a secondary romantic story line woven through it. I tried reverse-engineering the outline, and was moderately successful. Now that I know more about plot and structure, here’s the rundown:
CH1
Scene 1
A: Main Plot: Protagonist is investigating
a. Antagonist is subtle, working behind the scenes
b. Backstory explains the setup
c. Protagonist notices something that could be the Main Plot, but...
B: Subplot introduced
a. Secondary character introduced - history between Protagonist, Secondary
b. Backstory explaining subplot/history between characters
C: Main Plot - minor characters introduced
a. One is related to subject of murder investigation
b. Suspicions raised about characters
c. Relative didn't hang out with others until after the murder
d. Protagonist has a lead - former friend of the girl who's related.
CH2
Scene 1
D: Secondary plot
a. backstory regarding relationship
b. decision to continue to figure things out
E. Main Plot
a. Protagonist interviews former friend of grieving relative
b. Relative had been hanging around with other girls before murder, not after - but more obviously after
c. Relationship issues
F. Secondary Plot
a. Relationship issues reflect history of the Protagonist and Secondary
b. More backstory, some movement toward reconciliation (or at least the
possibility)
CH3
Scene 1
G. Main Plot -
a. Another lead is interviewed
b. Girls at same location?
c. Red herring - girls parked there, but are somewhere else.
d. Second red herring - subject not demon.
e. Pacing slows a bit - investigation slightly bogging down?
f. Dialog and character development.
g Interview commences.
h. Dialog to provide information on how much this character knew, and when
H. Secondary Plot -
a. Interplay between Protag and Secondary - her interest is growing.
b. So is his. Among other things.
Scene 2
I. Main Plot -
a. Protagonist and Secondary go to another location to interview another source
b. Source has been killed
c. Investigation undertaken
d. More deaths - not just source, but another vampire and a human
e. Can't be a demon acting directly, unlikely but possibly vampire - more likely human
CH4
Scene 1
J. Sub Plot -
a. more backstory about the main characters
b. Character details
c. Decision is made to pursue relationship, but carefully (subplot climax)
CH5
Scene 1
K. Main Plot
a. More Investigation - details about the dead vamp and relationship with coroner revealed
b. also a revelation that one of the girls is related as well.
c. Murders occurred after sunrise, so definitely human
Scene 2
L. Main Plot
a. They leave the morgue.
b. Phone call - antagonists want to meet
c. It's a Trap!
Scene 3
M. Main Plot
a. Meeting at football field
b. details revealed - girls misled about nature of things
c. conflict - girls attack, attack ultimately fails
CH6
Scene 1
M. Main Plot -
a. Protagonists recover
b. Previous encounter analyzed - they weren't acting on their own
c. Previous hints about the library point to conclusion that it's at the center.
Scene 2
N. Main Plot
a. Demon is the librarian.
b. confrontation and trickery ensue
c. Antagonist is defeated
O. Subplot -
a. reiteration of intent to have relations.
b. The end.
It's interesting to note that I kind of skipped over a lot of the romantic secondary plot points in favor of the major plot - shows my initial bias, since I had no interest in putting together a romantic plot. There is definitely room in the story for a secondary plot, however, so looking at how Brook wove the two together is instructive. In the early part of the story, the plot lines alternate - Main, Second, Main, Second, Main, Second. Then, she ramps up the tension to a (literal) climax in the Secondary plot line (which, depending on one's point of view, could also be the main plot if you're viewing this as a romance story with a mystery subplot). Then the main story takes over, with a few lines of secondary plot tucked in here or there (mostly as character interaction, not as an entire scene), peaking and then tapering off, with a final romantic interaction between the two main characters to close out the story.
