Good Writing Technique #2: The Rampant Plot Bunny
In fanfiction, the "plot bunny" refers to an idea, any idea, that can translate into a plot and eventually become a full-fledged story.
The plot bunny I classify as a good writing technique not just because of common sense. The plot bunny provides two elements that I find essential to writing. But first...
Did you "aw" yet? Good. You are ready.
Setting The Rabbit Trap
The easiest way to catch the elusive plot bunny is to ask "what if" or "what would happen if." In the fanfiction world, it would look like this: what if Bones won a bet with Seeley? What if Spock knew kung fu? What would happen if Miley Stewart was a Broadway star instead of a pop star? What would happen if Jack Bauer found a bomb inside a famous politician's daughter's wedding cake? In original fiction, plot bunnies create new characters to suit their needs, or can segue into an already developed story and form a new arc.
What's Up, Doc?
Element 1: Plot bunnies have entertainment value. The more absurd the idea, the more fun it is to create! Well, depending on the content, of course. "What if this character in the story died?" may not be the funnest idea to pursue. But essentially, plot bunnies tend to lend another perspective of a scene, character, plot point, etc. Making it work for you is not only fun for you to write, but intriguing for the audience to read. Most plot bunnies have that "I never thought of it that way" ring to them, and often make the most memorable stories.
Note: hilarious and implausible are two different things. Plot bunnies known for their sheer implausibility are clearly labeled in blurbs as "crack." These may also be hilarious, but the label is a fitting warning for die-hard fans of a series. "Crack" is not a term used in original fiction, probably because any writer would be reluctant to deem his or her own work as such. Another reason is that original stories are not based on someone else's fictional universe, so there is no comparable standard of behavior or plot. Whatever crazy, impossible thing that's happening in an original thus has no "crack" factor.
I can't believe I just wrote that. Anyway!
It Keeps Going and Going and Going
Element 2: their best asset is their one flaw; plot bunnies are annoyingly persistent. Many a online writer have mentioned that plot bunnies have the tendency to gnaw at their minds until they have been written down on paper or on word processor. This helps because plot bunnies practically guarantee a result. If it's at the expense of aggravating you, think of it this way: writer's block is much more frustrating, time-consuming, and relentless. Would you rather be stuck in a muse-less hole or in a near obsessive state of creativity and focus?
Summary: If you're ever stuck with writer's block, catch a plot bunny. The ideas you come up with may be good or bad, but their mere existence will help the recharge your creativity and hopefully lead you to your next story. Also, there's a fanbase for the absurd, so if you want to label your story to attract people who appreciate that sort of thing, go for it.
Image from fanpop.com, concerning bunny wallpapers
The plot bunny I classify as a good writing technique not just because of common sense. The plot bunny provides two elements that I find essential to writing. But first...
Did you "aw" yet? Good. You are ready.
Setting The Rabbit Trap
The easiest way to catch the elusive plot bunny is to ask "what if" or "what would happen if." In the fanfiction world, it would look like this: what if Bones won a bet with Seeley? What if Spock knew kung fu? What would happen if Miley Stewart was a Broadway star instead of a pop star? What would happen if Jack Bauer found a bomb inside a famous politician's daughter's wedding cake? In original fiction, plot bunnies create new characters to suit their needs, or can segue into an already developed story and form a new arc.
What's Up, Doc?
Element 1: Plot bunnies have entertainment value. The more absurd the idea, the more fun it is to create! Well, depending on the content, of course. "What if this character in the story died?" may not be the funnest idea to pursue. But essentially, plot bunnies tend to lend another perspective of a scene, character, plot point, etc. Making it work for you is not only fun for you to write, but intriguing for the audience to read. Most plot bunnies have that "I never thought of it that way" ring to them, and often make the most memorable stories.
Note: hilarious and implausible are two different things. Plot bunnies known for their sheer implausibility are clearly labeled in blurbs as "crack." These may also be hilarious, but the label is a fitting warning for die-hard fans of a series. "Crack" is not a term used in original fiction, probably because any writer would be reluctant to deem his or her own work as such. Another reason is that original stories are not based on someone else's fictional universe, so there is no comparable standard of behavior or plot. Whatever crazy, impossible thing that's happening in an original thus has no "crack" factor.
I can't believe I just wrote that. Anyway!
It Keeps Going and Going and Going
Element 2: their best asset is their one flaw; plot bunnies are annoyingly persistent. Many a online writer have mentioned that plot bunnies have the tendency to gnaw at their minds until they have been written down on paper or on word processor. This helps because plot bunnies practically guarantee a result. If it's at the expense of aggravating you, think of it this way: writer's block is much more frustrating, time-consuming, and relentless. Would you rather be stuck in a muse-less hole or in a near obsessive state of creativity and focus?
Summary: If you're ever stuck with writer's block, catch a plot bunny. The ideas you come up with may be good or bad, but their mere existence will help the recharge your creativity and hopefully lead you to your next story. Also, there's a fanbase for the absurd, so if you want to label your story to attract people who appreciate that sort of thing, go for it.
Image from fanpop.com, concerning bunny wallpapers