Plot, aka what happens in your story, is one of the most important parts of writing. (Some would say it is the most important but I, for one, love character-driven writing more so…second most important to me.)
This article is going to explain three different types of story structures. Story structures, like the 3 Part Structure, are one way to organize your plot. If your plot is what happens in your story, story structure is how it happens.
For some people, they can’t write their plot without a story structure pattern to help them. For others, like myself, it’s a helpful guide but not a step-by-step map to follow. And for others still, story structures confuse the hell out of them.
I’m going to quickly run through three different types of story structures: 3 Part Structure, 7 Party Structure, and Dan Harmon’s Story Circle. Do all three work? Yes, of course. Will all three work for you? Maybe. Will all three work for one story? No.
If you never used a story structure to outline your plot before DO NOT FEEL THE NEED TO CHANGE YOUR PLOT. This is a guideline. A map. A path. Follow it as much as you’d like and no further. If you’re stuck with what to do next, this may be the thing to help you figure it out.
So without further ado:
The 3 Part Structure
This is likely the most familiar story structure to most people. This is the one they teach in middle school, the good, the old, the reliable, the 3 Part Structure.
The 3 Acts
The 3 Part Structure is, obviously, spilt into three parts called Acts. Act 1 is called the Setup; Act 2 is the Confrontation; Act 3, the Resolution. The Acts have been typically assigned a certain percentage of the story. Act 1 is approximately 20-30% of the novel whereas Act 2 takes up the bulk of the book at 50-60%. Act 3 takes the rest at 20%. Are these exact percentages? Of course not. The key is that the bulk of the novel is Act 2.
Act 1, the Setup
Act 1 is labeled “The Setup” because it sets up the story and the characters. This is where the main character is introduced and the “status quo” of their life. Act 1 is broken into three key parts: Exposition, Inciting Incident, and Plot Point One.
Exposition is the part of the story where we first meet the main character and get a peek at their normal life, whether that’s on a far-off planet or downtown Los Angeles. The writer introduces the reader to the “status quo.” This is what Jane’s life looks like right now and has looked for, at least, long enough to be normal to Jane.
Then there is the Inciting Incident. This is The Event that changes the status quo. Jane gets fired from her job. There’s a meteor about to crash into Earth. Aliens invade. Something happens that cannot be ignored. This is the one thought that typically sparks your idea in the first place. I knew the inciting incident of my novel before I knew anything else (My main character’s father is kidnapped. BAM! Life changed. Story is moving!)
And it all leads to Plot Point One. This is the moment the main character chooses to do something. This has also been called “crossing the threshold.” This is the moment the character walks into the wardrobe, goes down the rabbit hole, or in my case, defies authority to search for their father themself. The story starts to pick up speed here.
Act 2, the Confrontation
Act 2 is the bulk of the story. This is where the character rises, falls, and rises again. This section is also split into three parts: Rising Action, Midpoint, and Plot Point Two.
The Rising Action is a bit of a misnomer. It sounds like there is only one rising action but in writing, there’s a lot more here than one action. This is the part of the story where the character learns the stakes and is tested in overcoming multiple obstacles.
These trials and triumphs all lead to the Midpoint, adeptly named as it is typically in the middle of the story. This is another The Event and this one also upends the character’s journey. A betrayal, an attack, or something that turns everything on its head for the character.
And then, in Plot Point Two, reeling from the Midpoint, the character is tested and fails. This is the point in the story where everything looks bleak; the character doubts themself or their circumstances. They’ve been kicked down.
Act 3, the Resolution.
Act 3 is the beginning of the end of the novel. The stakes are clear even if the path forward isn’t. In Act 3, there is the Pre-Climax, the Climax, and the Denouement.
The Pre-Climax can be described by the famous adage: It’s always darkest before dawn. The main character is in the dark, after failing in Plot Point Two, and needs to choose (again) to move forward. This is the moment that any emotional growth truly comes forward. How does your character pick themself up after they’ve been beaten? Who are they in this moment and how have you prepared the reader to accept this emotional change in your character?
The main character will prove themself (or not) in the Climax of the story. This is the David vs. Goliath moment when David either slays Goliath or is eaten.
Finally, no matter how the Climax ends, (Does the main character prevail? Or do they only see another day to fight for what is right?) there is the Denouement. The Denouement wraps up all (or most) of the loose ends. The consequences of the climax are clear and the new status quo has emerged. If there is a sequel, some loose ends are left open; if this is one book, everything is a tied up as can be (that doesn’t mean every little thing—but it does mean a satisfying conclusion for the reader).
The pros of the 3 Part Structure are that is simple to follow, clear in execution, and full proof. Seriously, this story structure has been followed by nearly everyone. It works.
The cons of the 3 Part Structure are that is very limited. Rising Action, the bulk of Act 2, suggests tests and triumphs, but not how many, or how to execute them. How much Rising Action is too much? How much is not enough?
This is where the 7 Part Structure may help.
The 7 Part Structure
The 7 Part Structure is very similar to the 3 Part Structure. So similar that I’m going to refer you to the 3 Part Structure for a more detailed explanation of some parts of the 7 Part Structure. (There will be some confusion as the 7 Part Structure also has Plot Points One and Two but they aren’t the same…because that would be too convenient.)
The 7 Part Structure gets rid of the 3 Acts and focuses on the scenes within the 3 Part Structure we’ve already seen. This is helpful for those writers who get too stuck in the idea of “How long should Act 1 be? Is my Midpoint actually in the middle of my story or not? Is Act 2 long enough or is Act 3 too long?” I also think this is a great model for anyone who wants to insert more “Pinch Points” as they are called here to add more tension and more trials and tribulations to their story.
The 7 Parts are:
The Hook — See Exposition above.
Plot Point One
This is actually a combination of the Inciting Incident and Plot Point One in the 3 Part Structure. This is the moment where something changes for the main character and the character chooses to respond.
Pinch Point One
This is the Rising Action in the 3 Act Structure. The 7 Part Structure calls for another Pinch Point after the Midpoint but the premise of the Pinch Point is applying pressure to the main character. This means there can be many pinch points in a novel.
Midpoint
Dissimilar to the 3 Act Structure, this is the moment the main character becomes a more active force in the story. Unlike the 3 Act Structure, this is an emotional turning point for the character, not a disorienting event.
Pinch Point Two
This is the disorienting event; this is similar to the Midpoint. This is the moment a huge blow hits the main character and things go wrong.
Plot Point Two
This is the moment the character picks themself up from the events of Pinch Point Two, more similar to the Pre-Climax moment from the 3 Part Structure.
Resolution
The primary conflict is solved and the character has fully transformed from the beginning of the story. The Climax and Denouement of the 3 Part Structure are both here.
The pros of the 7 Part Structure are that there are no acts to be concerned about and that Pinch Points can be easily multiplied for a longer, more arduous journey.
The cons of the 7 Part Structure are that there are many scenes and moments packed into several parts. Plot Point One is both the “Call to Action/Inciting Incident” as well as the “Answer to Action.”
Both the 3 Part and 7 Part Structures are visually represented as a wave, going up and down, until it reaches a climactic moment and tapers off. However, this linear approach may not work for everyone, so I will briefly explain Dan Harmon’s Story Circle.
Story Circle
First, here are two links to others who’ve explained Dan Harmon’s Story Circle: a blog post, and a YouTube video. It would be best to hear the full explanation from the man himself (in the YouTube video linked here!) but for a brief introduction and teaser, let me introduce you to the Story Circle.
Just like the 7 Part Structure, there are no acts, but instead, 8 parts. I’ve summed it up like this.
Zone of Comfort
Just like the Hook and the Exposition, this is the status quo.
Want
The Story Circle allows a shift in perspective—instead of something happening to the main character, they could just want something. (Of course, this can be replaced with an inciting incident sort of event.)
Unfamiliar Situation
To get what they want, the main character has to do something they’ve never done before.
Adaptation
It was new at first and there were some challenges, but then the main character begins to succeed. This is a simpler way of looking at Rising Action and/or Pinch Points. (How does your character adapt to new situations and what happens because of these adaptations?)
What They Wanted
They get what they want but Dan Harmon calls this “a false victory.” Unlike the Midpoint or Plot Points, the disorienting event hasn’t happened yet and the character has not yet suffered a huge blow (either loss of mentor or betrayal).
Heavy Price
Until now. This is the moment the other shoe drops or they realize that what they wanted wasn’t what they needed. The emotional change within a character turns here.
Return to the Familiar
The main character returns to their zone of comfort. They could have the thing they wanted, or not, but they have changed in some way from their journey.
Change
The final moment is when it is clear how the character has changed, for better or worse.
The Story Circle is by far the clearest way to visualize the main character’s emotional and physical journey. The pros of the Story Circle are that it is centered on one character’s journey and easily allows anyone to insert their character in the process. Who is my character? What is normal for them? What do they want? Where do they have to go to get it? Etc. The questions to be answered are easily spelled out here.
The con of the Story Circle is that it has been made for a 30-minute episode, not for a full-length novel. It’s not focused on the other characters or even an antagonist. That being said, I do believe it’s the easiest of the three structures explained here to expand for a novel. The “Unfamiliar Situation” and “Adaptation” sections can be repeated ad nauseam to build a longer story.
Regardless of which story structure you use (if any!) the objective remains the same: how to tell a compelling story in a way that makes sense to the reader AND you! Take from these structures what makes sense and leave the rest! You have a story to write and I can’t wait to read it!
