Plot Treatment for Book

[Whosis]

What is generally the best thing to do to improve/add to the plot in a plot-deficient book? How does recognition of the genre of the book affect the amount/type of plot to generate for it?

The best thing I've heard is to give the hero heck, although I don't consider it necessarily the most savvy thing to do. The plot deems much consideration so it does not spiral out into an unrelated UFO sighting, for example. It has to connect together. It does have to build, but a hero-intensive plot is not the only one I think there is out there. There is also the outside world to consider.

This is the path I've been determining for my latest novel, to have the unexpected influence of the outside world upon the actions of the protagonists. I think that determining that the book is more of a comedy (like Vonnegut) is making me settle for less plot activity. Is this acceptable? A lot of times, something bad happens (more likely in books) or almost happens (more likely in movies) to the protagonist, but I don't think a book about a more or less average person in his middle ages warrants a tragedy. He has so little to lose to begin with.

So is this reasonable to expect different treatments of plot, depending on what genre you think the book fits into? I don't think it has to detract from literary status, although a lot of great books have intense plots.

For anyone interested in analyzing what I have so far in my book, here it is. A middle aged person seeks job/girlfriend. His new girlfriend turns out to be a clepto. He turns her back to good, and they fight some local crime they happen upon at their job. I'm currently working on perfecting that last part, but I think it could raise moral dilemmas with what the protagonists are doing in terms of trying also to keep their jobs, being true to moral enlightenment, etc. I've recently tried convincing myself that not a lot needs to happen in a comedy--if that's what it indeed is. Life has enough issues that come up in the meantime.

Please alert me if there's already a post out there about plot treatment, although I think there is more here also with the consideration of genre-labeling and what I'm trying to do with my current plot. I'm also trying to consider how to build a new plot up from the foundation. How does a person come up with new ideas--the newspapers? How does someone come up with that perfect plot?

[Whosis]

btw, I know the outside world effects the protagonist (giving him heck), but there's the possibility of him affecting the world instead, which is more of what I was getting at. I think this is also a feature in my book that I've recently added, to build up the characters enough that they want to make a difference in the world, something I think is uncommon in books. Mostly, the action does happen to the protagonists, I believe. :wave:

[chirpy]

I think the gist of a story is that it is made up of three parts. Character, Setting, and Plot. Are you familiar with "checks and balances"? Congressional/Character, Judicial/Setting, Executive/Plot.

I am drinking too much coffee with too little food to be coherent enough to write more.

also: Klepto is spelled with a 'K'

[Whosis]

I have not heard of checks and balances in literature. I would be interested to hear more.

[chirpy]

All I mean by it is that characters influence and are influenced by plot and setting.
When I am stuck in a scene, I draw a triangle and write the purpose of the scene in the center. Maybe I need Jean to finally snap and yell at everyone. Then, I list the characters (Jean, Brit, Jack) in or affecting the scene next to one point on the triangle. On another point, I write all my plot relevant details. On the third point, I will write the setting. Summer school classroom, lunch time.

Jean is hungry and cranky (character) because she only has string beans for lunch (setting) and her crush, Brit, is flirting with Jack (plot).
Jack is bored but content (character) because Brit shared her lunch with him (setting) even though he likes Jean (plot).
Brit is worried about Jean (character) because Jean is on another weird diet (setting) but is giving her space because she wants to be a good friend (plot).
Stuck in summer school (setting) a love triangle forms (plot).
A love triangle in an example outline for using triangle outlines?!!? CHRISTMAS.

[Whosis]

I'll have to try using this sometime. Are those four sentences what you would classify as "purpose of the scene," or is it supposed to be much shorter?

[chirpy]

Yes I think so. It would be too long to write all that out sanely, but the previous scenes and future scenes should compensate. I like every side character to have their own side story even if I never tell anyone about it.

For other writing help: clevergirlhelps(.)tumblr(.)com is super useful. Clicking on Tags underneath the header will take you to her tag page and you can find tags for plot, comedy, and apocalypse there.