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Just learned that most story ideas come from a tiny pool of basic plots
I was reading this book called The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker and it blew my mind. He says every story ever written fits into just seven patterns like overcoming the monster or the quest. I always thought I needed completely original ideas but now I see it's more about how you twist those old bones. Has anyone else found that knowing this made their writing easier or harder.
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aaron1973mo ago
Did you read that same book or just hear about it online? @thompson.finley I see your point but knowing the patterns actually helped me stop staring at a blank page. I used to think I had to invent something totally new. Now I just take the "quest" plot and change the setting, like a group of hikers looking for a lost mine instead of some fantasy world. The trick is adding your own characters and details to make it feel fresh.
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