Thread: How do you construct a complicated story?

I would say some books, like the Lord of the Rings series, don't need complicated storylines, while others, like mysteries, do better with a planned, twisted story that goes from one surprise or revelation to the next. I personally like both types, as I think each book has its own level of complexity that suits it best.

However, how do you create a complicated storyline? For example, in my mind even a book like Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has a relatively complex storyline, and has enough going on to keep you guessing. But when I read a book like that I wonder, how would I go about creating something like this? And of course you can take it a step farther with something like the Lost television series, where the plot is crazily convoluted.

I know the goal is to have events take place that keep the reader's interest and makes a good story, and then intertwining those separate incidences so that they seem to be connected and make sense.

I was hoping to hear some tips on how you would go about building a complicated plot.

Any advice would, as always, be greatly appreciated.

There are, on average, twenty different plot-lines going on simultaneously in most of my novels. You'd think I'd need to outline to have an idea where they are going/should be going, but I never outline. I have a chapter dedicated to one plot-line, another to the next, and I continue them in that fashion until I pull everything together at the denouement. I can't really give you any tips because I don't use post-it notes, separate documents for ideas, or anything like that. I just write. Everything comes together as it was meant to be.

Lost, by the way, was so convoluted that the writers used a cop-out at the end because they couldn't explain everything. You don't want that. It's like reading an incredible story for five hundred pages only to be given a crappy "he was dead the whole time" ending at the finale. Waste of time.

I am trying it out for the first time now, I had a pretty convoluted story in my head and as I write I keep thinking of fresh twists.

Writing is complicated in of itself IMO so asking how to write a convoluted plot is like asking how to write. You just have to write down what you have and as you come up with more twists and turns, you'll have more of an idea of where to put them. You may also help to write the scenes out of order (writing is generally like this anyway) and as you develop more of the story, you'll be able to put the scenes where they make sense.

Originally Posted by Sam W

Lost, by the way, was so convoluted that the writers used a cop-out at the end because they couldn't explain everything. You don't want that. It's like reading an incredible story for five hundred pages only to be given a crappy "he was dead the whole time" ending at the finale. Waste of time.

Don't remind me. I was in shock after those last 15 minutes. Such a BS of an ending. I prefer to have the show end at season 5 and make up own my own ending. Anything would be better than what we got. It's strange that fans of the show (including myself) can come up with lots of ways to connect the mysteries that plagued the show. Season 6 as a whole was disappointing IMO and that ending just ruined it. I will forever remember season 1-5 as the great show it once use to be.

Just think of real life. Hardly anything that happens to us in our day-to-day lives is what you would call "simple"--each event of the day is either a complication of something that started earlier, or the beginning of something that else that's going to get complicated.

Take as an example a relationship between two friends. While sitting around complaining about how boring life is is something two friends will often do, if you examine all the issues between them just for one 24-hour period, you will find their lives and dealings to be quite complex. (NOTE: Complexity does not automatically confer entertainment value. Always try to keep that in mind.)

To try for complexity is a pretty noble goal, but constructing a believable (that's BELIEVABLE!) plot with lots of twists and turns takes a lot of practice.

You just have to write down what you have and as you come up with more twists and turns, you'll have more of an idea of where to put them.

This is how it goes for me, the complicated bit is then in remembering all the past references that need to be tweaked to fit in with the new idea, and finding them.

I know what you are talking about with "complex" story. I am working on creating more complex plots and thinking of ways to keep it all together so that I know where everything is at and how to include it all.

I think the best way that is going to work for me is working backward. Having an overall idea for a story I think of the ending. Not always the detailed ending that will finish the story, but in the mystery example I need to know what crime was committed and by who. I then need to figure out why the crime was committed and how.

I can then flesh out all of the details that make the plot complex and intertwine them into the narrative so that everything is gradually revealed to the reader and nothing is known to them before it becomes necessary.

Once you write the first draft you can then do a read through to see where you can add foreshadowing and clues to the reader as well as put in some red herrings to keep them guessing and wondering what will happen next.

Another thing that helps me during the planning is pen and paper. That way I can put ideas onto paper almost exactly how they appear in my head. Short unfinished sentences. Charts. Notes. Drawings.... whatever needs to be.

Originally Posted by wmd

I think the best way that is going to work for me is working backward. Having an overall idea for a story I think of the ending. Not always the detailed ending that will finish the story, but in the mystery example I need to know what crime was committed and by who. I then need to figure out why the crime was committed and how.

I can then flesh out all of the details that make the plot complex and intertwine them into the narrative so that everything is gradually revealed to the reader and nothing is known to them before it becomes necessary.

I do something similar. I draw a beginning and an end point, with straight threads tying them together. I use sub plots as the weft of a weave and connect them at relevant points of the story. The finished product is like a woven rug and I can see where there are holes in the story or irrelevant sub plots. I hate loose ends and this enables me to catch any stray subplots.

Kudos if you get my thinking, a lot don't lol

Plan the piece. Know where you want to start and how you want to end. Then list events along the way to get from the beginning to the end.

After that, it takes a lot of thought in fleshing the storyline out. Jot down ideas, a lot of 'what ifs' to be incorporated, including subplots that intertwine with the main storyline. Take good notes as you write, keeping track of what's going on. As you write, ideas will come to mind, incorporate those that work. Once you have the first draft finished, set it aside for a bit--maybe think events, scenes and plotlines over, and then go back and revise. Make sure everything fits, is in place and at the right time. Make sure there are no loose plot threads that need some sort of resolution.

For me, it works best to write from beginning to end, as opposed to a scene here and there and then put them all together, or to write in reverse (end to beginning).

Also, read a few of those novels whose complexity you believe works very well. Don't read for pleasure, but study how the authors did it--put it all down and how it came together, supporting and improving the story. That will give you ideas as well to model/incorporate/modify while including it in your writing

That's just my suggestion. Everyone tackles writing a novel a bit differently.

If you're going to have significant plot turns, or "twists," those usually take some premeditation and planning. For instance, looking at the HP novels, they all had a twist at the end more or less, and in order to sustain the events that lead to that twist in a believable way she writ with them in mind from early on. Such as in the second book where the journal that Ron's sister, Harry's future wife, found, was actually Voldemort's old diary. Rowling had known this little secret from the beginning, just as she had known what was under that one teacher's turbin. Although, to be fair, at the point of writing the second book she had no idea the diary would end up being a Horcrux; at that point she hadn't even invented Horcruxes.

I have enough trouble remembering whether or not I've eaten breakfast, without worrying about all that stuff too.

I can pretty much sum up what everyone is saying here. "one word at a time..." Just one word at a time and take a steady pace.

Thanks everybody for the responses! I really appreciate all the tips and different insights.

It sounds like, as usual, each writer has their own method, but this gives me some different techniques to try. I'd say the hardest part is getting all the events to seem connected, but I'm sure that will come with practice.

Thank you all.

I have a bad habit of coming up with epic sagas, and then realizing I'm not skilled enough to actually do something on that scale.

Originally Posted by Jones6192

I have a bad habit of coming up with epic sagas, and then realizing I'm not skilled enough to actually do something on that scale.

The whole "I'm not skilled enough" argument. It's BS in my opinion. Writing is an acquired skill. Some do possess natural talent but anyone can write anything. It may take you more drafts to complete but you certainly could do something that scale. Just pace yourself. Write what you have. The more ideas you come up with, the more you'll have an idea of where things belong. If it feels too big to accomplish. Write down the ideas you do have when they come to you and eventually you'll be comfortable with the amount of ideas you have that you'll be more confident in creating something out of it. Then just write and see where it takes you.