Plot Archetypes IV

As promised, here’s my longest list of plot archetypes. Any idea you have can be categorized as one or multiple of these, although it might take a bit more searching. Credit goes to author Ronald Tobias.

However, don’t think this is the definitive list. As you write more stories, you might notice patterns in your writing. Certain plots or storylines that you like to write and think are useful. If you see this pattern, define it as an archetype and add it to your own list of options! Over time, you will get your own set of archetypes and what you learned about them.

Archetypes

Quest

A search for a person, place or things. (Can be an internal quest, as the hero looks for something within themselves.)

Adventure

A journey that’s more about the road taken, than who’s taking it (or the destination). Similar to “Voyage” archetype discussed before.

Pursuit

The hero pursuing a villain, or vice versa, doing whatever they can to stay one step ahead. (Very common in (spy) thrillers.)

Rescue

Someone is gone (lost, captured, waylaid). Someone the hero truly cares about or needs. So they go after them.

It creates a nice triangle between the rescuer, the rescued, and the villain.

Escape

This can be the start of a story or follow a Rescue plot. The hero escapes from a prison (literally or metaphorically) and has to fight their way home.

Revenge

The hero seeks retribution against someone who has wrong them. (Often, they become just as bad as their enemies in the process.)

Riddle

The hero must unravel a mystery to reach a solution. Usually about hiding something in plain sight. (This is your typical mystery or detective story.)

Rivalry

The hero competes against an opposing force. (An irresistible force meets an immovable object.) Two equal side battle it out over something.

In such a story, they need to balance their ultimate goal with their personal values and morals.

Underdog

A rivalry, but with a significant shift in status. The hero is at a great disadvantage and needs to be smarted and stronger to beat their (more powerful) opponent. (This is the Rags to Riches from before.)

Temptation

About an internal conflict with the hero’s own weaknesses. (Such as insecurity, addiction, impulsiveness.)

These stories are often about primal, core desires of humans. That makes it a true struggle to fight against these weaknesses, while navigating the world. (Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don’t.)

Metamorphosis

A physical transformation of the hero’s character or daily life. (Often due to some supernatural force.)

The hero either finds a way to turn back into who they were, or they build a new life as what they’ve become. Could be called a “transformation back to humanity”

Transformation

An emotional (or spiritual) transformation. (As opposed to the physical one from Metamorphosis.) The hero must deal with an extreme change in their circumstance. Usually, the undergo a positive shift because of it.

Maturation

The classic “coming of age” tale. Dealing with the cusp of adulthood, or growing up in general. The hero must grow up in response to their circumstances, gaining a new understanding of the world and new purpose.

Love

Two lovers find each other, are separated by internal or external complications, but overcome their obstacles to be reunited. (Obviously the basis of every romance novel.)

Forbidden Love

A Love archetype, but the love happens in spite of everything working against it or their society forbidding it. These stories often focus on divided loyalties. (A classic example is Romeo and Juliet.)

Sacrifice

The hero undergoes a major transformation, but at great personal cost. This bold sacrifice—usually for the good of their loved ones or the world around them—showcases human nature at its greatest potential. It usually happens at the end of a difficult period of growth for the hero.

Discovery

The hero learns something that shakes their perception of the world they know. Now they must adapt and understand what that revelation means to them. This usually results in a search for truth and who the hero (or their loved ones) truly are.

(I also call this a “perception” plot. Nothing actually happens or changes, it’s just that the perception of the truth changes and that has consequences.)

Wretched Excess

The hero lives a life far beyond what is socially acceptable. (Usually they make hedonistic choices that alienate what is actually important to them.)

This must lead to their downfall. You can call this archetype the psychological decline of a character.

Ascension

The hero rises (from a terrible, disadvantaged situation) to become something greater. (This is also similar to Rags to Riches form the previous chapters.)

Usually, the story revolves around a moral dilemma that causes this positive change for the hero.

Descent

The opposite of “Ascension”. The hero begins in an amazing, comfortable, powerful situation … and watches their world crumble as a result of their own hubris or mistakes.

In this case, the moral dilemma causes negative change for the hero.

Now write!

Pick a few archetypes. Smash them together into a plot. (You can add multiple on the same character, but you generally want to spread them.) Now you have a clear idea of the purpose of each of your storylines. You know the general direction of a character’s arc or the overall plot.

Within those confines, you’ll notice you can still do anything you like and get very creative. But whenever you get stuck, you have a nice handhold.

We are now done with Plot Archetypes! Let’s move on to some plotting tools that improvisers (like me) probably enjoy.