10 Basic Fiction Plot Devices You Should Know
If you’re an avid reader or a creative writer, you’re likely familiar with the most common plot devices used in fictional prose. These are also commonly found in film, theater, and other artistic mediums. The last ad you got on YouTube might have even employed one of these - and employed it well if you can recall the product.
However, you might not be familiar with their specific names, or maybe you’ve found yourself turning to the same devices over and over in your writing. You’re in a rut, and you’re looking to make a change by adding a new tool to your belt. Or, you might be looking to subvert your reader’s expectations by taking a traditional trope and turning it on its head. A noble pursuit. But before you can take that next step, you need to know the basics.
It’s all about the fundamentals, baby.
Here are 10 basic plot devices you should know before starting your next story - including how they work and when you should use them.
1) Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing involves placing hints or clues for your reader as to what will happen later in the story. These moments can also be used to suggest a character's thoughts, motivations, or feelings without explicitly stating them. For example, if a character gets a chill down their spine meeting a stranger, it could foreshadow danger later on. Foreshadowing can be subtle enough that readers don't notice it until after they've finished the book, giving them a sense of satisfaction when they put the pieces together upon some reflection - even a second read. Great stories have several layers, and as the writer, you have the power to build these layers in.
2) Flashbacks
Flashbacks help provide information about past events or characters' backstories without having to info-dump and overwhelm your reader. Rather than interrupting your current scene with long paragraphs of exposition, cut to a flashback where you can flesh out the backstory with exciting dialogue, action scenes, dream sequences, etc., ultimately keeping your readers better engaged. Flashbacks can also help establish important relationships between characters, explaining why they act certain ways toward each other.
3) Deus Ex Machina
Deus ex machina (or "God from the Machine") is a narrative device in which an unexpected event or character unexpectedly solves all the protagonist's problems with little effort or explanation. This may be one of the oldest devices on the list, and it was most commonly associated with Greek tragedies—where Gods would intervene at times when all hope seemed lost. Now, it’s often seen as a cop-out, and it can feel contrived and unsatisfying to readers. Use discretion when employing this strategy in your storytelling.
4) Plot Twist
This one’s all about the misdirect. Your reader (or protagonist) might think they’ve got your story figured it - but you suddenly pull them in a new direction with the plot twist. These are done best when you leave subtle hints along the way or have a very strong motivation for a character or plot to reverse course so suddenly. If your story is in the first person, you could leverage your main character’s ignorance of other characters’ inner workings to develop the plot twist. And you can choose whether you want the reader to be in the know for some sweet, sweet dramatic irony.
5) Love Triangle
Ah, the love triangle. This one typically involves three characters, two of whom are in love with the third. To pull off this device, make sure to fully develop all three characters and make all choices plausible. This one’s typically a lot of fun for fandoms, too. #TeamEdward, anyone?
6) The Cliffhanger
The cliffhanger might be the device most likely to anger your audience - since you’ll be ending the story without resolving the conflict. In fact, you’ll be leaving the reader hanging at the most tense point in the story. If you’ve got a sequel planned, it might be an effective route for your story, but beware the disgruntled reader!
7) Chekhov’s Gun
If there’s a gun in the first act, then it better go off by the third. Chekhov’s Gun involves a detail that seems insignificant at first but ends up being a key component of your story. A good writer is deliberate with every detail as they build those narrative layers, and if there’s no point to that detail you included in the plot - then scrap it.
8) Death Trap
In real life, if somebody is trying to kill you, they’ll likely go for the quickest and most efficient method possible. But there’s no fun in that!
To keep a reader hooked, storytellers frequently contrive a death trap in which they develop an elaborate (and usually slow) method for eliminating the main character, and wouldn’t you know it - that leaves the protagonist just enough time to hatch an escape plan! Fun and satisfying when done well.
9) In Media Res
It can be hard to lure your reader in at the beginning of your story as you try to build the world or establish your main cast. With the in media res plot device, which translates to “in the midst of things,” you start in the middle of the action, sucking your reader in from the first page. Your reader will wonder how the character got to that point - and from here you can use flashbacks or other plot devices to flesh out your story.
10) Race Against Time
Another way to strongly engage your reader is to create a sense of urgency in your novel - think MacGyver trying to defuse a bomb before the clock strikes zero. You don’t have to hit your reader over the head with this one so obviously, though. A simple, compelling consequence for your character not reaching a goal by a certain deadline would suffice.
Knowing which plot devices to use when writing fiction can help you curate better stories and engage your readers more effectively. Layer several devices for a more compelling story, and avoid repeatedly leaning on the same tropes in your work.
It’s a big literary world out there - explore it with as many weapons in your arsenal as possible.
Best of luck, my friends.
And remember - writing is a verb.
With love,
J.B.