How to Design the Plot Framework of Urban Novels

✅ 1. Complete plot structure - Cause, Process, Climax, Ending

 ⭕️  The Cause - is the starting point of the conflict, while the process and climax are the situations we need to describe emphatically. 

 ⭕️  The Process - is when the main character is insulted or looked down upon, which is a concentration of negative emotions. 

 ⭕️ The Climax - is the situation that main protagonist turn the table, which is the outburst of positive emotions. 

 ⭕️ The Ending - is a brief introduction to the end of the story and the beginning of the next episode.

When we design the story of the first paragraph, we need to understand why we are designing such a story. In other words, we should figure out what kind of plot we want to write, and then design stories that slap one’s face around that plot.

>>> For example, In book “The Charismatic Charlie Wade”,

- The Cause of the conflict: His aunt in a welfare house falls ill and needs treatment, so the MC asks his grandmother for money. (← Origin of the conflict)

- The Process of the story: the MC is humiliated in various ways, and many people appear to humiliate the MC. (← Concentration of negative emotions)

- The Climax: comes when the MC gets 10 billion dollars and inherits the rich business empire. (← Outburst of positive emotions)

- The Ending, it is revealed that the MC takes over the Emgrand Group and opens the second plot segment: the Xiao family wants to cooperate with the Emgrand Group. (← Wrap up the story and link the preceding to the following)

✅  2. The Turning Point of the plot  [From a Normalized Event to an Abnormalized Event]

⭕️ Where the Turning Point should be? 

- when the Cause turns to the Process, or the Process turns to the Climax.

⭕️ The Turning Point refers to the key to the transition "from a normalized event to an abnormal event".

⭕️ Many authors talk a lot about humiliating parts, but emotions are a process of accumulation and explosion.

>>> Counter-example: MC does housework at home every day, but one day he suddenly breaks out. 

[ This kind of plot lacks an emotional trigger, because the fact that MC does the housework is a normalized event, there’s not much negative emotions. ]

>>> Example A. 

The Turning Point - the Cause turning to Process

In book “The Billionaire Pauper”: MC delivers express (normalized event) → MC discovers his girlfriend having an affair while delivering the express to a hotel room (negative abnormal event)

In book “The Almighty Dragon General”: MC works as the warden in prison (normalized event) → the heroine suddenly comes to call off the engagement (negative abnormal event) → the MC receives a letter from his father stating that a marriage has been arranged for him (positive abnormal event).

>>>Example B: 

The Plot Triggers - the Process turning into the Climax

In book “The Charismatic Charlie Wade”: The whole family takes turns humiliating the MC (a normalized event) → Grandma demands that the heroine divorces the MC and marry the villain (abnormal negative event), otherwise it is impossible to give money.

⭕️ Not only urban novels, but all novels basically share the same principle. In addition, abnormal events do not necessarily have to be negative.

>>> For example, in Harry Potter, Harry has been living in the stairwell all along, and one day he suddenly receives an admission letter from Hogwarts (Trigger Point).

⭕️ Try to avoid: 

###a. “Bullying scene” as the beginning of the story.

- Reason: Lack of good plot trigger points.

- How to solve: MC is beaten by a group of people, but he tolerates it because he wants to continue his studies (normalized event) → The principal not only ignores the fact, but announces that the MC has been dismissed after knowing the violence (abnormal event).

###b. “X days later” or “X months later”

- Reason: The Turning of events requires a tight rhythm.

- How to solve: The author can delete the previous useless descriptions and start writing directly from the plot of “X days later” or “X months later”.

>>> Counter-example:

MC doesn’t do a good job in the housework and is beaten by his mother-in-law (Chapter 1) → Two days later, the MC gets up and finds that today is his wedding anniversary, so he’s in a good mood and go to buy a gift. But when he returns home, he finds his wife having an affair (Chapter 2). 

Here, the content of Chapter 1 is invalid. Since the Trigger Point is the wife’s infidelity, there is no need to spend more time describing how the MC is humiliated by his mother-in-law.

✅  3. How to better design the Turning Point [“wish + obstacle”]

⭕️ The First Step: Creating the conflicts

⭕️ The Second Step: Intensifing the conflicts. There are two ways (Of course, it’s okay to use both):

a. Strongly highlight the protagonist’s wishes;

b. Significantly strengthen the obstacles he faces.

>>> For example, in “The Charismatic Charlie Wade”: 

a. 

MC’s wish 1: Hope grandma borrow money to save people. (The person saved is the MC’s aunt in the welfare house, reinforcing the MC’s strong desire)

MC’s obstacle 1: The satire and disdain from grandma and relatives. (A detailed description of the sarcasm from grandma and relatives, which greatly strengthens the obstacles)

b. 

MC wish 2: Wish to be with FL. (The FL firmly sides with the MC, exaggerating the MC’s strong desire)

MC obstacle 2: Grandma forces MC and FL to divorce. (If they don’t get divorced, no money will be given, which greatly strengthens the obstacles)

[ These two have become the second major conflict in the plot. By creating and intensifying these two conflicts, the writer manages to advance the story, which is the progression from cause to process and from process to climax. ]

✅  4. How to better create conflicts

⭕️ A. Emotional betrayal + Show superiority

For example, at the beginning of book “Secretly The Billionaire Heir", the MC is betrayed emotionally, and the heroine as well as her lover show superiority to the MC.

⭕️ B. Bullying/Framing

For example, in the early stages of book "TRILLIONAIRE IN DISGUISE" , there are plots of bullying.

However, the plot of bullying or framing seems to have a mediocre effect on our platform.

⭕️ C. Radicalization/Prejudice

For example, in book "The Charismatic Charlie Wade" and "The Almighty Dragon General", due to the prejudice against the MC in the early stage, the villain often performs extreme behaviors (such as breaking off an engagement, forcing the MC to divorce, etc.).