Plot spinning from pop psychology

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Man, I wish I could remember what book this idea came from, but the author of one of the many craft books I’ve read (or at least skimmed) recommended a way to come up with a plot premise.

Open to a random page in any pop psychology book and you can find a sentence to weave into a plot. Throw in characters that embody those attributes, or make the theory a central device in the story.

So since I have Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus on hand and I heart Random.org, I thought we could try this. So I pulled up three random numbers in the page range—let’s spin some plots!

From page 58—oh, how convenient, there’s a subhead:

It is difficult for a man to listen to a woman when she is unhappy or disappointed because he feels like a failure.

From page 134—another subhead!

Fulfilling a primary need is required before one is able to fully receive and appreciate other kinds of love.

A man becomes fully receptive to and appreciative of the six kinds of love primarily needed by women . . . when his own primary needs are first fulfilled.

And from page 285:

To be successful in our relationships we must accept and understand the different seasons of love. Sometimes love flows easily and automatically; at other times it requires effort.

How do you envisions these scenarios becoming central or sub plots? What kind of characters would people these plots? Share your plots in the comments!

One thought on “Plot spinning from pop psychology”

  1. Gal is always coming up with new ‘at home’ solutions for her new family and child. When the man of the house looses his job there is drama and pain. Once he hits the bottom in his home office room looking for work he sees her and her pashion for her child and her ways of working her solutions to daily issues of child rasising and parenting. He then turns his focus to supporting her and loving her and her ideas save the day…

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