The Thirty-six (plus one) Dramatic Situations

Georges Polti says that all stories boil down to just 36 dramatic situations and takeoffs of those situations. Somebody else out there added #37. If you're stuck for a situation, try this. A situation appears below randomly (in bold print). If you'd like more information, or want to see the subplots for the situation, click on its link below.

(Note: In several cases, specific gender in the original descriptions has been replaced with non-specific gender. After all, men aren't the only ones out there having adventures! And women aren't only there to be loved, taken advantage of, or rescued.)

Still stuck for plot ideas? Try Hatch's Plot Bank. Over 2000 scenarios, some mundane, some very strange, that should get your creative juices flowing! Or take a plot idea from roleplaying games at The Big List of RPG Plots. Just remember that you don't want to write a story ABOUT that RPG campaign!