While I would not deny that there might be a book with the
"20-some odd basic plot types," the notion of it is almost an
example of a contemporary belief legend--that is, you will hear
many people affirm the existence of such a list or even such
a book (and probably some scam-artist has put one together,
especially to be marketed like those old "If you can draw
this, you can be an artist" ads) -- but if the list exists,
it is certainly inadequate, and if the book exists, it
almost certainly will misguide aspiring writers. Of course
there are motif, tale types, and formulas (including whole
scaffoldings to be filled in) for genre fiction--but the
person who usually announces the existence of the list of
all the possible plots is usually suggesting or implying
not only a denigration of writers and fictions, but a general
disdain for the concept of artistic creativity (notice I don
not say "originality"--a different and degraded concept). I
hope someone comes up with a title--wanna bet it's by
Rudolph Flesch?
Tom Dillingham
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