A plot gives you the action. The reaction is what moves a story.
Plot points like “Once upon a time…” “Until one day…” and “The End” are useful markers. Beyond plot points, it’s important to know how your characters react at each of those moments.
When a farmer loses his crop, we need to know if he’s happy or sad. What are his worries and fears? Does he blame aliens or nature?
When someone reactions are surprising, we’re drawn into the story. We all want to know why the farmer blames aliens.
The Ira Glass storytelling world of public radio and podcasts has a rule. Don’t advance the plot more than a minute without checking in on your characters’ feelings.
The story of Cinderella has a pretty simple plot that gets you from one event to the next: Once upon a time, Cinderella lived with her stepmother and stepsisters. Every day, she cooked and cleaned for her family like she was a maid. Until one day, Cinderella received news of The Ball…
The emotional ties in the story are vital. We, as the audience, have to know that Cinderella is aware her stepfamily is evil. We have to know that she hates being a maid to this family. We have to understand what a big deal “The Ball” is to Cinderella.
These reactions create the heart of the story. The action (plot) is just the movement between scenes.