And his girl friend is dumping him. Some way Tom succeeds at something important and learns something in the process. Dramatic structure is explained in more detail in a sample story line, Prom Date. The basic plot is the main source of conflict, which creates tension. Plots have to have conflict to keep our interest.
Tension comes from the main characters opposing each other or striving for something.
Then all the details that drive the story this way and that make up the full plot. Writing the full story without knowing the plot, is a gamble that everything will work, and frequently it doesn't. Click the green text to see the full topic. The fundamental building block of screenplays. It lasts an average of three minutes and takes place in one location.