The Three Little Pigs & Plot Points

Oink. Let the pigs teach you how to develop your story.

Let’s talk about the Three Little Pigs. It’s a pretty simple structure. You already know this story deep down and could tell it at will. I am using it here to demonstrate plot points. A plot point is something that needs to happen in order to move the story forward. It effectively causes the events or characters toward the next plot point.

You might be thinking that that is essentially what an outline does. Yes, but no. Your outline will include things like establishing voice and setting. Those are important, but an outline is more about the structural blueprint. It’s a framework. A plot point, on the other hand, is a point along a line. The line is your story from beginning to end. Your outline will capture all of that, but it’s helpful to know the plot points to ensure that your story makes sense to your readers.