MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More by Bryn Donovan Read Free Book Online
Authors: Bryn Donovan
or it could just be long days at the office.
A family member was estranged because she behaved deplorably in the past, but now she wants reconciliation.
The whole family or a few members are on a journey or quest and meet up with obstacles along the way.
The stresses of long hours at a job, parenting, and caretaking are pushing one or more family members to the breaking point.
The family members are separated against their wishes, perhaps by war, financial necessity, or for legal reasons.
They have a visitor or house guest, invited or not, who poses challenges. (Note that this is the plot of many ghost stories.)
Members of the family are in a legal battle over something, such as the custody of a child or the settlement of a will.
Members of the family are in a physical battle—on opposite sides of a war, or in opposite corners of a boxing ring.
A family member has an interest or activity that other people in the family disapprove of—or they would, if they knew about it.
One family member, likely a sibling, is jealous of the other, because of her relationship, wealth, success, attractiveness, children, or some combination of the above.
Two or more siblings are leaving the other one out of discussions, get-togethers, or even group vacations.
A gathering of the extended family brings up old tensions and/or new revelations.
The high expectations of an occasion, such as Christmas or a wedding, lead to stress and conflict.
A lack of communication in the family has led to a huge misunderstanding.
Family members disagree about whether to keep or sell a home, land, or a business.
Someone is getting married to a person that nobody else in the family can stand.
The families of an engaged couple meet for the first time, and it doesn’t go well—either because they are very different, or because some of the family members already have a history.
Two people in the family are in love with the same person.
Two people in the family are in love with and/or having sex with one another.
Parents refuse to have anything to do with their child because they disapprove of his lifestyle...or the child breaks things off with the parents, because he disapproves of them.
One family member loans a lot of money to another, who may not be able to pay it back after all.
The parents die, and one sibling has to take on the role of a parent.
25 WORKPLACE PLOTS
Not very many novels and scripts focus on the workplace, but workplace conflicts are a common subplot in all kinds of stories. Many of the conflicts here involve chain of command and teamwork, which make them appropriate for school stories and war stories as well.
A boss or employee is incompetent, stupid, rash, or lacks social skills.
Someone in a position of power is too demanding or just plain malicious and bullies subordinates.
The new person is different. Because of her gender, race, previous experience, or some other factor, she is ostracized or sabotaged.
The new boss is very young and/or inexperienced. No one trusts or respects her.
The new person has lied about his experience, and actually has no idea what he is doing.
The company is facing layoffs, which is freaking everyone out.
A person or team has been given a seemingly impossible assignment.
New procedures make it almost impossible to get even ordinary work done.
The work itself is so difficult, unpleasant, time-consuming, or dangerous that it’s ruining people’s lives.
Someone is asked to behave unethically in his job for the company’s benefit.
Someone knows about her company’s immoral actions. She either blows the whistle or debates whether she should.
Someone has behaved unethically in her job, and now it looks like she could be caught.
Someone is accused, rightly or wrongly, of behaving unethically or making a huge mistake, and he faces big consequences.
Family obligations, illness, addiction, or another factor makes it almost impossible for someone to meet the demands of the job.
A dramatic rumor, true or untrue,
A family member was estranged because she behaved deplorably in the past, but now she wants reconciliation.
The whole family or a few members are on a journey or quest and meet up with obstacles along the way.
The stresses of long hours at a job, parenting, and caretaking are pushing one or more family members to the breaking point.
The family members are separated against their wishes, perhaps by war, financial necessity, or for legal reasons.
They have a visitor or house guest, invited or not, who poses challenges. (Note that this is the plot of many ghost stories.)
Members of the family are in a legal battle over something, such as the custody of a child or the settlement of a will.
Members of the family are in a physical battle—on opposite sides of a war, or in opposite corners of a boxing ring.
A family member has an interest or activity that other people in the family disapprove of—or they would, if they knew about it.
One family member, likely a sibling, is jealous of the other, because of her relationship, wealth, success, attractiveness, children, or some combination of the above.
Two or more siblings are leaving the other one out of discussions, get-togethers, or even group vacations.
A gathering of the extended family brings up old tensions and/or new revelations.
The high expectations of an occasion, such as Christmas or a wedding, lead to stress and conflict.
A lack of communication in the family has led to a huge misunderstanding.
Family members disagree about whether to keep or sell a home, land, or a business.
Someone is getting married to a person that nobody else in the family can stand.
The families of an engaged couple meet for the first time, and it doesn’t go well—either because they are very different, or because some of the family members already have a history.
Two people in the family are in love with the same person.
Two people in the family are in love with and/or having sex with one another.
Parents refuse to have anything to do with their child because they disapprove of his lifestyle...or the child breaks things off with the parents, because he disapproves of them.
One family member loans a lot of money to another, who may not be able to pay it back after all.
The parents die, and one sibling has to take on the role of a parent.
25 WORKPLACE PLOTS
Not very many novels and scripts focus on the workplace, but workplace conflicts are a common subplot in all kinds of stories. Many of the conflicts here involve chain of command and teamwork, which make them appropriate for school stories and war stories as well.
A boss or employee is incompetent, stupid, rash, or lacks social skills.
Someone in a position of power is too demanding or just plain malicious and bullies subordinates.
The new person is different. Because of her gender, race, previous experience, or some other factor, she is ostracized or sabotaged.
The new boss is very young and/or inexperienced. No one trusts or respects her.
The new person has lied about his experience, and actually has no idea what he is doing.
The company is facing layoffs, which is freaking everyone out.
A person or team has been given a seemingly impossible assignment.
New procedures make it almost impossible to get even ordinary work done.
The work itself is so difficult, unpleasant, time-consuming, or dangerous that it’s ruining people’s lives.
Someone is asked to behave unethically in his job for the company’s benefit.
Someone knows about her company’s immoral actions. She either blows the whistle or debates whether she should.
Someone has behaved unethically in her job, and now it looks like she could be caught.
Someone is accused, rightly or wrongly, of behaving unethically or making a huge mistake, and he faces big consequences.
Family obligations, illness, addiction, or another factor makes it almost impossible for someone to meet the demands of the job.
A dramatic rumor, true or untrue,
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