AIT L3
Developing short plot ideas with a protagonist
Developing short plot ideas with a protagonist requires focusing on speed, efficiency, and emotional impact, often restricting the narrative to one major conflict, a few key characters, and a swift resolution. Key considerations include creating a protagonist with a clear desire, setting up immediate stakes, and ensuring character change (or revelation) within a constrained word count.
Generally, stories follow a 6-part structure: Exposition (background), Inciting Incident, Rising Action, Crisis (the tough decision), Climax (showdown), and swift Resolution.
Your Task:
- Get a workbook.
- In the appropriate space, generate ideas (brainstorm) for your possible plot.
- In the appropriate space, generate ideas for your main character – description and personal background.
Short Plot Ideas To Get You Thinking:
These short plot ideas for 14-year-old Australian students focus on adventure, daily life, and mystery, featuring relatable settings like school, the bush, and the beach. Themes include self-discovery, friendship, and digital life, providing creative starting points for short stories.
Australian Setting & Adventure
- The Coastal Find: While on a family camping trip at a remote WA beach, a teen finds a message in a bottle pointing to a hidden spot on a nearby, un-mapped island.
- Bushfire Escape: A group of friends hiking in the Darling Range must use their wits to find safety when a surprise bushfire cuts off their trail.
- Outback Road Trip: Two friends on a driving trip across the Nullarbor find an old, abandoned car with a mysterious diary inside.
School & Daily Life
- The Uniform Revolt: A student decides to challenge the strict school uniform policy by designing something absurd yet technically compliant, sparking a school-wide movement.
- The Lost Phone: A teenager loses their phone, only to realize the person who found it is posting as them on social media, forcing them to find the culprit.
- First Shift Fiasco: A student’s chaotic first day at a busy suburban retail job involves a celebrity sighting and a major misunderstanding.
Mystery & Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- The Secret Attic: Upon moving into a new home, a student hears a strange, consistent tapping noise coming from the attic, revealing a hidden room.
- The Digital Clone: An AI starts answering school assignments for a student, but it starts writing things the student would never say, taking over their academic life.
- Supermarket Sentry: After taking a shortcut through a quiet local supermarket, a teen realizes they are trapped in a time loop, repeating the same 10 minutes.
Coming of Age & Social
- The Last Surf: A competitive teen surfer must choose between winning a local championship and helping a rival who gets into trouble in the water.
- Viral Fame: A quiet kid accidentally goes viral for a strange talent and has to handle the sudden pressure of popularity at school.
- The Swap: Twins swap lives for a day to experience each other’s social lives, resulting in unexpected consequences.
