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A review by brianwork
20 Master Plots: And How to Build Them by Ronald B. Tobias
3.0
This book has some decent tips in it that make it worth a read, but it isn't the sort of writing book I would refer back to constantly. So much of the book is spent reiterating things that have already been said, and certain aspects of the worldview are now dated. I do like the examples that are given in the book with plot breakdowns, and the first six chapters about plots in general (before going into the individual ones) are the best part of the book, and well worth a read on their own.
That said, I'm not actually a fan of the "20 Master Plots" the book uses. To Tobias's credit, he does state that plots can be broken down into any number, and this is just the way he separates them. I see many of his categories as more theme than plot, and some of the books/movies listed under certain plots seem to be there based more on a subplot or famous scene than for the main plot of the story. Even then, there are still good observations to be gleaned from many of the sections, whether you look at them as plots or themes.
When it comes to breaking down a story into its main plot, I prefer Blake Snyder's system from "Save the Cat." It feels more relevant to finding similarities in the story being told than what is found here, and although "StC" is specific to screenwriting, I find that its breakdown of genre (or plot) applies equally well to fiction. His second book, "Save the Cat Goes to the Movies," goes into more depth on this and would be the better choice for someone looking for a book purely about genre or plot.
That said, I'm not actually a fan of the "20 Master Plots" the book uses. To Tobias's credit, he does state that plots can be broken down into any number, and this is just the way he separates them. I see many of his categories as more theme than plot, and some of the books/movies listed under certain plots seem to be there based more on a subplot or famous scene than for the main plot of the story. Even then, there are still good observations to be gleaned from many of the sections, whether you look at them as plots or themes.
When it comes to breaking down a story into its main plot, I prefer Blake Snyder's system from "Save the Cat." It feels more relevant to finding similarities in the story being told than what is found here, and although "StC" is specific to screenwriting, I find that its breakdown of genre (or plot) applies equally well to fiction. His second book, "Save the Cat Goes to the Movies," goes into more depth on this and would be the better choice for someone looking for a book purely about genre or plot.