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Last updated on Nov 22, 2023

Story Structure: 7 Types All Writers Should Know

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

Nothing makes the challenging task of crafting your first book  feel more attainable than adopting a story structure to help you plot your narrative.

While using a pre-existing blueprint might make you worry about ending up with a formulaic, predictable story, you can probably analyze most of your favorite books using various narrative structures that writers have been using for decades (if not centuries)!

This post will reveal seven distinct story structures that any writer can use to build a compelling narrative. But first…

What is story structure?

Story structure is the order in which plot events are told to the reader or audience . While stories can be told in a wide variety of ways, most Western story structures commonly share certain elements: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

A tightly controlled structure will answer a reader's questions, provide a climax followed by resolution and information at the end of the story, further the characters’ development, and unravel any central conflicts. In other words, it's responsible for a satisfying narrative experience that accomplishes the author’s aims.

Writing is an art, but if there’s one part of the craft that’s closer to science, this would be it. Become a master of story structure, and you will have the world at your feet.

Classic story structure

When people discuss different story structures, they often talk about the different frameworks used to analyze stories. When you boil them all down, all stories have certain shared elements.

Elements of classic story structure:

• Exposition. This first part establishes a protagonist's normal life and greater desires, and usually culminates in the inciting incident.
• Rising action. The protagonist pursues their new goal and is tested along the way.
• Climax. Our hero achieves their goal — or so they think!
• Falling action.  The hero now must deal with the consequences of achieving their goal.
• Resolution. The conclusion tying together the plot, character arcs, and themes.

These are all common ‘ beats ’ to most stories. It can be easier to see these moments in genres with higher stakes (such as a military thriller), but you’ll find them in almost any type of story. 

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Seven Story Structures Every Writer Should Know

Now that we’ve established the most essential components of story, let’s look at seven of the most popular story structures used by writers — and how they deploy these components:

• Freytag's Pyramid
• The Hero's Journey
• Three Act Structure
• Dan Harmon's Story Circle
• Fichtean Curve
• Save the Cat Beat Sheet
• Seven-Point Story Structure

1. Freytag’s Pyramid

• Introduction. The status quo is established; an inciting incident occurs.
• Rise, or rising action. The protagonist actively pursues their goal. The stakes heighten.
• Climax. A point of no return, from which the protagonist can no longer go back to the status quo.
• Return, or fall. In the aftermath of the climax, tension builds, and the story heads inevitably towards...
• Catastrophe. The protagonist is brought to their lowest point. Their greatest fears have come true.

This structural model is less frequently used in modern storytelling, partly due to readers’ limited appetite for tragic narratives (although you can still spot a few tragic heroes in popular literature today). By and large, commercial fiction, films, and television will see a protagonist overcome their obstacles to find some small measure of success. That said, it’s still useful to understand the Pyramid as a foundational structure in Western literature — and you will still see it occasionally in the most depressing contemporary tales.

To learn more, read our full guide on Freytag’s Pyramid here .

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2. The Hero’s Journey

Campbell’s original structure uses terminology that lends itself well to epic tales of bravery and triumph — with plot points like “Belly of the Whale,” “Woman as the Temptress,” and “The Magic Flight.” To make The Hero’s Journey more accessible, Disney executive Christopher Vogler created a simplified version that has become popular amongst mainstream storytellers.

Here, we’ll look at Vogler’s streamlined, 12-step version of The Hero’s Journey.

• The Ordinary World. The hero’s everyday life is established.
• The Call of Adventure. Otherwise known as the inciting incident.
• Refusal of the Call. For a moment, the hero is reluctant to take on the challenge.
• Meeting the Mentor. Our hero meets someone who prepares them for what lies ahead — perhaps a parental figure, a teacher, a wizard, or a wise hermit.
• Crossing the First Threshold. The hero steps out of their comfort zone and enters a ‘new world.’
• Tests, Allies, Enemies. Our protagonist faces new challenges — and maybe picks up some new friends. Think of Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road.
• Approach to the Inmost Cave. The hero gets close to their goal. Luke Skywalker reaches the Death Star.
• The Ordeal. The hero meets (and overcomes) their greatest challenge yet.
• Reward (Seizing the Sword). The hero obtains something important they were after, and victory is in sight.
• The Road Back. The hero realizes that achieving their goal is not the final hurdle. In fact, ‘seizing the sword’ may have made things worse for them.
• Resurrection. The hero faces their final challenge — a climactic test that hinges on everything they’ve learned over their journey.
• Return with the Elixir. Having triumphed, our protagonist returns to their old life. Dorothy returns to Kansas; Iron Man holds a press conference to blow his own trumpet .

While Vogler’s simplified steps still retain some of Campbell’s mythological language with its references to swords and elixirs, the framework can be applied to almost any genre of fiction. To see how a ‘realistic’ story can adhere to this structure, check out our guide to the hero’s journey in which we analyze Rocky through this very lens.

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3. Three Act Structure

Act 1: Setup

• Exposition . The status quo or ‘ordinary world’ is established.
• Inciting Incident. An event that sets the story in motion.
• Plot Point One. The protagonist decides to tackle the challenge head-on. She ‘crosses the threshold,’ and the story is now truly moving.

Act 2: Confrontation

• Rising Action. The story's true stakes become clear; our hero grows familiar with her ‘new world’ and has her first encounters with some enemies and allies. (see Tests, Allies, Enemies)
• Midpoint. An event that upends the protagonist’s mission. (Similar to the climax in Freytag’s pyramid)
• Plot Point Two. In the wake of the disorienting midpoint, the protagonist is tested — and fails. Her ability to succeed is now in doubt.

Act 3: Resolution

• Pre Climax. The night is darkest before dawn. The protagonist must pull herself together and choose between decisive action and failure.
• Climax. She faces off against her antagonist one last time. Will she prevail?
• Denouement. All loose ends are tied up. The reader discovers the consequences of the climax. A new status quo is established.

When we speak about a confrontation with an antagonist, this doesn’t always mean a fight to the death. In some cases, the antagonist might be a love rival, a business competitor, or merely an internal or environmental conflict that our protagonist has been struggling with the entire story.

If you’re interested in using this model to plot your own story, read our guide to the three-act structure , and be sure to sign up to our free course on the subject.

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4. Dan Harmon's Story Circle

Another variation on Campbell’s monomyth structure, the Story Circle is an approach developed by Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon. Again, heavily inspired by the Hero's Journey, the benefit of Harmon's approach is its focus on the protagonist's character arc. Instead of referring to abstract concepts like 'story midpoint' and 'denouement', each beat in the story circle forces the writer to think about the character's wants and needs.

• A character is in a zone of comfort... This is the establishment of the status quo.
• But they want something... This 'want' could be something long-standing and brought to the fore by an inciting incident.
• They enter an unfamiliar situation... The protagonist must do something new in their pursuit of the thing they want.
• Adapt to it... Faced with some challenges, they struggle then begin to succeed.
• Get what they wanted... Usually a false victory.
• Pay a heavy price for it... They realize that what they 'wanted' wasn't what they 'needed'.
• Then return to their familiar situation... armed with a new truth.
• Having changed... For better or worse.

Created by a writer whose chosen medium is the 30-minute sitcom, this structure is worded in a way that sidesteps the need for a protagonist to undergo life-changing transformations with each story. After all, for a comedy to continue for six seasons (and a movie) its characters can't completely transform at the end of each episode. They can, however, learn small truths about themselves and the world around them — which, like all humans, they can quickly forget about if next week's episode calls for it.

To learn more and see this structure applied to an episode of Rick and Morty, check out our full post on Dan Harmon's Story Circle .

Side note: for this kind of character-driven plot (and, indeed, for all of these structures), you're going to want to know you're protagonist inside and out. Why not check out some of our character development exercises for help fleshing your characters out, like the profile template below.

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5. Fichtean Curve

Fleshed out in John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction , the Fichtean Curve is a narrative structure that puts our main characters through a series of many obstacles on their way to achieving their overarching goals. Resembling Freytag’s Pyramid, it encourages authors to write narratives packed with tension and mini-crises that keep readers eager to reach the climax.

Bypassing the “ordinary world” setup of many other structures, the Fichtean Curve starts with the inciting incident and goes straight into the rising action. Multiple crises occur, each of which contributes to the readers’ overall understanding of the narrative — replacing the need for the initial exposition.

To discuss this unusual structure, it’s perhaps best to see it in use. We’ll use Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You as an example. Needless to say, spoilers ahead.

Rising Action

• First crisis. Lydia’s family is informed her body was found in a nearby lake. From this first crisis's climax, the narrative flashes back to provide exposition and details of the family’s history.
• Second crisis. In flashbacks, we discover that, 11 years prior, Marilyn abandoned her family to resume her undergraduate studies. In her absence, the family begins to fall apart. Marilyn learns she is pregnant and is forced to return home. Having lost her opportunity for further education, she places the pressure of academic success on her children.
• Third crisis. Back in the present, Lydia’s father, James, is cheating on Marilyn. The police decide to close the investigation, ruling Lydia’s death a suicide. This results in a massive argument between her parents, and James leaves to stay with the “other woman.”
• Fourth crisis. Flashback to the day Lydia died. From her perspective, we see that she’s misunderstood by her parents. She mourns her brother’s impending departure for college, leaving her as the sole focus of her parents’ pressure. Isolated, she tries to seduce a friend — who rejects her advances and explains he’s in love with her brother.
• Lydia takes a boat into the lake in the middle of the night — determined to overcome her fear of water and reclaim control of her life. Lydia jumps off the boat, into the water, and out of this life. As in a classical tragedy, this moment is both devastating and inevitable.

Falling Action

• Some level of resolution is achieved, and readers get to at least glimpse the “new norm” for the characters. Lydia’s family lean on one another in their grief. While they may never be able to make their amends with Lydia, they can learn from her death. Not all of the loose ends are tied off, but readers infer the family is on the long road to recovery.

Note: In the rising action stage, all of the crises should build tension towards — and correspond with — the story’s major climax. Like the three-act narrative structure, the Fichtean Curve’s climax typically occurs two-thirds through the book.

While this structure lends itself well to flashback-heavy novels such as Everything I Never Told You, it is also incredibly common in theatre. In stage plays like The Cherry Orchard and A Doll’s House , the action takes place in a fixed time and place, but backstory and character development are revealed through moments of high drama that occur before the audience’s eyes.

For a deeper look at this structure, head to our full post on the Fichtean Curve .

6. Save the Cat Beat Sheet

Another variation of the three-act structure, this framework created by Hollywood screenwriter Blake Snyder, has been widely championed by storytellers across many media forms.

Fun fact: Save the Cat is named for a moment in the set up of a story (usually a film) where our hero does something to endear himself to the audience.

While many structures are reluctant to prescribe exactly when in a story the various beats should take place, Snyder and Save the Cat have no such qualms. The number in the square brackets below refers to the page that the beat should take place — assuming you’re writing a 110-page screenplay.

• Opening Image [1]. The first shot of the film. If you’re starting a novel , this would be an opening paragraph or scene that sucks readers into the world of your story.
• Set-up [1-10]. Establishing the ‘ordinary world’ of your protagonist. What does he want? What is he missing out on?
• Theme Stated [5]. During the setup, hint at what your story is really about — the truth that your protagonist will discover by the end.
• Catalyst [12]. The inciting incident!
• Debate [12-25]. The hero refuses the call to adventure. He tries to avoid the conflict before they are forced into action.
• Break into Two [25]. The protagonist makes an active choice and the journey begins in earnest.
• B Story [30]. A subplot kicks in. Often romantic in nature, the protagonist’s subplot should serve to highlight the theme.
• The Promise of the Premise [30-55]. Often called the ‘fun and games’ stage, this is usually a highly entertaining section where the writer delivers the goods. If you promised an exciting detective story, we’d see the detective in action. If you promised a goofy story of people falling in love, let’s go on some charmingly awkward dates.
• Midpoint [55]. A plot twist occurs that ups the stakes and makes the hero’s goal harder to achieve — or makes them focus on a new, more important goal.
• Bad Guys Close In [55-75]. The tension ratchets up. The hero’s obstacles become greater, his plan falls apart, and he is on the back foot.
• All is Lost [75]. The hero hits rock bottom. He loses everything he’s gained so far, and things are looking bleak. The hero is overpowered by the villain; a mentor dies; our lovebirds have an argument and break up.
• Dark Night of the Soul [75-85-ish]. Having just lost everything, the hero shambles around the city in a minor-key musical montage before discovering some “new information” that reveals exactly what he needs to do if he wants to take another crack at success. (This new information is often delivered through the B-Story)
• Break into Three [85]. Armed with this new information, our protagonist decides to try once more!
• Finale [85-110]. The hero confronts the antagonist or whatever the source of the primary conflict is. The truth that eluded him at the start of the story (established in step three and accentuated by the B Story) is now clear, allowing him to resolve their story.
• Final Image [110]. A final moment or scene that crystallizes how the character has changed. It’s a reflection, in some way, of the opening image.

Some writers may find this structure too prescriptive, but it’s incredible to see how many mainstream stories seem to adhere to it — either by design or coincidence. Over on the Save the Cat website, there are countless examples of films and novels analyzed with Snyder’s 15 beats . You’ll be surprised how accurate some of the timings are for each of the beats.

For a deeper dive into this framework, and to watch this video where Reedsy’s Shaelin plots out a Middle-Grade fantasy novel using Snyder’s method — head to our full post on the Save the Cat Beat Sheet .

7. Seven-Point Story Structure

A slightly less detailed adaptation of The Hero’s Journey, the Seven-Point Story Structure focuses specifically on the highs and lows of a narrative arc .

According to author Dan Wells, who developed the Seven-Point Story Structure , writers are encouraged to start at the end, with the resolution, and work their way back to the starting point: the hook. With the ending in mind, they can have their protagonist and plot begin in a state that best contrasts the finale — since this structure is all about dramatic changes from beginning to end.

• The Hook. Draw readers in by explaining the protagonist’s current situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should be in direct contrast to what it will be at the end of the novel.
• Plot Point 1. Whether it’s a person, an idea, an inciting incident, or something else — there should be a "Call to Adventure" of sorts that sets the narrative and character development in motion.
• Pinch Point 1. Things can’t be all sunshine and roses for your protagonist. Something should go wrong here that applies pressure to the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.
• Midpoint. A “Turning Point” wherein the main character changes from a passive force to an active force in the story. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist decides to start meeting it head-on.
• Pinch Point 2. The second pinch point involves another blow to the protagonist — things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. This might involve the passing of a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.
• Plot Point 2. After the calamity of Pinch Point 2, the protagonist learns that they’ve actually had the key to solving the conflict the whole time.
• Resolution. The story’s primary conflict is resolved — and the character goes through the final bit of development necessary to transform them from who they were at the start of the novel.

For a deeper look into Wells's approach — including the key to using it — check out our full post on the seven-point story structure .

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: story structures aren't an exact science, and you should feel welcome to stray from the path they present. They're simply there to help you find your narrative's footing — a blueprint for the world you're about to start building.

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Narrative Writing: A Complete Guide for Teachers and Students

MASTERING THE CRAFT OF NARRATIVE WRITING

Narratives build on and encourage the development of the fundamentals of writing. They also require developing an additional skill set: the ability to tell a good yarn, and storytelling is as old as humanity.

We see and hear stories everywhere and daily, from having good gossip on the doorstep with a neighbor in the morning to the dramas that fill our screens in the evening.

Good narrative writing skills are hard-won by students even though it is an area of writing that most enjoy due to the creativity and freedom it offers.

Here we will explore some of the main elements of a good story: plot, setting, characters, conflict, climax, and resolution . And we will look too at how best we can help our students understand these elements, both in isolation and how they mesh together as a whole.

WHAT IS A NARRATIVE?

A narrative is a story that shares a sequence of events , characters, and themes. It expresses experiences, ideas, and perspectives that should aspire to engage and inspire an audience.

A narrative can spark emotion, encourage reflection, and convey meaning when done well.

Narratives are a popular genre for students and teachers as they allow the writer to share their imagination, creativity, skill, and understanding of nearly all elements of writing.  We occasionally refer to a narrative as ‘creative writing’ or story writing.

The purpose of a narrative is simple, to tell the audience a story.  It can be written to motivate, educate, or entertain and can be fact or fiction.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING NARRATIVE WRITING

Teach your students to become skilled story writers with this HUGE   NARRATIVE & CREATIVE STORY WRITING UNIT . Offering a  COMPLETE SOLUTION  to teaching students how to craft  CREATIVE CHARACTERS, SUPERB SETTINGS, and PERFECT PLOTS .

Over 192 PAGES of materials, including:

TYPES OF NARRATIVE WRITING

There are many narrative writing genres and sub-genres such as these.

We have a complete guide to writing a personal narrative that differs from the traditional story-based narrative covered in this guide. It includes personal narrative writing prompts, resources, and examples and can be found here.

As we can see, narratives are an open-ended form of writing that allows you to showcase creativity in many directions. However, all narratives share a common set of features and structure known as “Story Elements”, which are briefly covered in this guide.

Don’t overlook the importance of understanding story elements and the value this adds to you as a writer who can dissect and create grand narratives. We also have an in-depth guide to understanding story elements here .

CHARACTERISTICS OF NARRATIVE WRITING

Narrative structure.

ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Set the scene by introducing your characters, setting and time of the story. Establish your who, when and where in this part of your narrative

COMPLICATION AND EVENTS (MIDDLE) In this section activities and events involving your main characters are expanded upon. These events are written in a cohesive and fluent sequence.

RESOLUTION (ENDING) Your complication is resolved in this section. It does not have to be a happy outcome, however.

EXTRAS: Whilst orientation, complication and resolution are the agreed norms for a narrative, there are numerous examples of popular texts that did not explicitly follow this path exactly.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

LANGUAGE: Use descriptive and figurative language to paint images inside your audience’s minds as they read.

PERSPECTIVE Narratives can be written from any perspective but are most commonly written in first or third person.

DIALOGUE Narratives frequently switch from narrator to first-person dialogue. Always use speech marks when writing dialogue.

TENSE If you change tense, make it perfectly clear to your audience what is happening. Flashbacks might work well in your mind but make sure they translate to your audience.

THE PLOT MAP

This graphic is known as a plot map, and nearly all narratives fit this structure in one way or another, whether romance novels, science fiction or otherwise.

It is a simple tool that helps you understand and organise a story’s events. Think of it as a roadmap that outlines the journey of your characters and the events that unfold. It outlines the different stops along the way, such as the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, that help you to see how the story builds and develops.

Using a plot map, you can see how each event fits into the larger picture and how the different parts of the story work together to create meaning. It’s a great way to visualize and analyze a story.

Be sure to refer to a plot map when planning a story, as it has all the essential elements of a great story.

THE 5 KEY STORY ELEMENTS OF A GREAT NARRATIVE (6-MINUTE TUTORIAL VIDEO)

This video we created provides an excellent overview of these elements and demonstrates them in action in stories we all know and love.

HOW TO WRITE A NARRATIVE

Now that we understand the story elements and how they come together to form stories, it’s time to start planning and writing your narrative.

In many cases, the template and guide below will provide enough details on how to craft a great story. However, if you still need assistance with the fundamentals of writing, such as sentence structure, paragraphs and using correct grammar, we have some excellent guides on those here.

USE YOUR WRITING TIME EFFECTIVELY: Maximize your narrative writing sessions by spending approximately 20 per cent of your time planning and preparing.  This ensures greater productivity during your writing time and keeps you focused and on task.

Use tools such as graphic organizers to logically sequence your narrative if you are not a confident story writer.  If you are working with reluctant writers, try using narrative writing prompts to get their creative juices flowing.

Spend most of your writing hour on the task at hand, don’t get too side-tracked editing during this time and leave some time for editing. When editing a  narrative, examine it for these three elements.

• Spelling and grammar ( Is it readable?)
• Story structure and continuity ( Does it make sense, and does it flow? )
• Character and plot analysis. (Are your characters engaging? Does your problem/resolution work? )

1. SETTING THE SCENE: THE WHERE AND THE WHEN

The story’s setting often answers two of the central questions in the story, namely, the where and the when. The answers to these two crucial questions will often be informed by the type of story the student is writing.

The story’s setting can be chosen to quickly orient the reader to the type of story they are reading. For example, a fictional narrative writing piece such as a horror story will often begin with a description of a haunted house on a hill or an abandoned asylum in the middle of the woods. If we start our story on a rocket ship hurtling through the cosmos on its space voyage to the Alpha Centauri star system, we can be reasonably sure that the story we are embarking on is a work of science fiction.

Such conventions are well-worn clichés true, but they can be helpful starting points for our novice novelists to make a start.

Having students choose an appropriate setting for the type of story they wish to write is an excellent exercise for our younger students. It leads naturally onto the next stage of story writing, which is creating suitable characters to populate this fictional world they have created. However, older or more advanced students may wish to play with the expectations of appropriate settings for their story. They may wish to do this for comic effect or in the interest of creating a more original story. For example, opening a story with a children’s birthday party does not usually set up the expectation of a horror story. Indeed, it may even lure the reader into a happy reverie as they remember their own happy birthday parties. This leaves them more vulnerable to the surprise element of the shocking action that lies ahead.

Once the students have chosen a setting for their story, they need to start writing. Little can be more terrifying to English students than the blank page and its bare whiteness stretching before them on the table like a merciless desert they must cross. Give them the kick-start they need by offering support through word banks or writing prompts. If the class is all writing a story based on the same theme, you may wish to compile a common word bank on the whiteboard as a prewriting activity. Write the central theme or genre in the middle of the board. Have students suggest words or phrases related to the theme and list them on the board.

You may wish to provide students with a copy of various writing prompts to get them started. While this may mean that many students’ stories will have the same beginning, they will most likely arrive at dramatically different endings via dramatically different routes.

A bargain is at the centre of the relationship between the writer and the reader. That bargain is that the reader promises to suspend their disbelief as long as the writer creates a consistent and convincing fictional reality. Creating a believable world for the fictional characters to inhabit requires the student to draw on convincing details. The best way of doing this is through writing that appeals to the senses. Have your student reflect deeply on the world that they are creating. What does it look like? Sound like? What does the food taste like there? How does it feel like to walk those imaginary streets, and what aromas beguile the nose as the main character winds their way through that conjured market?

Also, Consider the when; or the time period. Is it a future world where things are cleaner and more antiseptic? Or is it an overcrowded 16th-century London with human waste stinking up the streets? If students can create a multi-sensory installation in the reader’s mind, then they have done this part of their job well.

Popular Settings from Children’s Literature and Storytelling

• Fairytale Kingdom
• Magical Forest
• Village/town
• Underwater world
• Space/Alien planet

2. CASTING THE CHARACTERS: THE WHO

Now that your student has created a believable world, it is time to populate it with believable characters.

In short stories, these worlds mustn’t be overpopulated beyond what the student’s skill level can manage. Short stories usually only require one main character and a few secondary ones. Think of the short story more as a small-scale dramatic production in an intimate local theater than a Hollywood blockbuster on a grand scale. Too many characters will only confuse and become unwieldy with a canvas this size. Keep it simple!

Creating believable characters is often one of the most challenging aspects of narrative writing for students. Fortunately, we can do a few things to help students here. Sometimes it is helpful for students to model their characters on actual people they know. This can make things a little less daunting and taxing on the imagination. However, whether or not this is the case, writing brief background bios or descriptions of characters’ physical personality characteristics can be a beneficial prewriting activity. Students should give some in-depth consideration to the details of who their character is: How do they walk? What do they look like? Do they have any distinguishing features? A crooked nose? A limp? Bad breath? Small details such as these bring life and, therefore, believability to characters. Students can even cut pictures from magazines to put a face to their character and allow their imaginations to fill in the rest of the details.

Younger students will often dictate to the reader the nature of their characters. To improve their writing craft, students must know when to switch from story-telling mode to story-showing mode. This is particularly true when it comes to character. Encourage students to reveal their character’s personality through what they do rather than merely by lecturing the reader on the faults and virtues of the character’s personality. It might be a small relayed detail in the way they walk that reveals a core characteristic. For example, a character who walks with their head hanging low and shoulders hunched while avoiding eye contact has been revealed to be timid without the word once being mentioned. This is a much more artistic and well-crafted way of doing things and is less irritating for the reader. A character who sits down at the family dinner table immediately snatches up his fork and starts stuffing roast potatoes into his mouth before anyone else has even managed to sit down has revealed a tendency towards greed or gluttony.

Understanding Character Traits

Again, there is room here for some fun and profitable prewriting activities. Give students a list of character traits and have them describe a character doing something that reveals that trait without ever employing the word itself.

It is also essential to avoid adjective stuffing here. When looking at students’ early drafts, adjective stuffing is often apparent. To train the student out of this habit, choose an adjective and have the student rewrite the sentence to express this adjective through action rather than telling.

When writing a story, it is vital to consider the character’s traits and how they will impact the story’s events. For example, a character with a strong trait of determination may be more likely to overcome obstacles and persevere. In contrast, a character with a tendency towards laziness may struggle to achieve their goals. In short, character traits add realism, depth, and meaning to a story, making it more engaging and memorable for the reader.

Popular Character Traits in Children’s Stories

• Determination
• Imagination
• Perseverance
• Responsibility

We have an in-depth guide to creating great characters here , but most students should be fine to move on to planning their conflict and resolution.

3. NO PROBLEM? NO STORY! HOW CONFLICT DRIVES A NARRATIVE

This is often the area apprentice writers have the most difficulty with. Students must understand that without a problem or conflict, there is no story. The problem is the driving force of the action. Usually, in a short story, the problem will center around what the primary character wants to happen or, indeed, wants not to happen. It is the hurdle that must be overcome. It is in the struggle to overcome this hurdle that events happen.

Often when a student understands the need for a problem in a story, their completed work will still not be successful. This is because, often in life, problems remain unsolved. Hurdles are not always successfully overcome. Students pick up on this.

We often discuss problems with friends that will never be satisfactorily resolved one way or the other, and we accept this as a part of life. This is not usually the case with writing a story. Whether a character successfully overcomes his or her problem or is decidedly crushed in the process of trying is not as important as the fact that it will finally be resolved one way or the other.

A good practical exercise for students to get to grips with this is to provide copies of stories and have them identify the central problem or conflict in each through discussion. Familiar fables or fairy tales such as Three Little Pigs, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Cinderella, etc., are great for this.

While it is true that stories often have more than one problem or that the hero or heroine is unsuccessful in their first attempt to solve a central problem, for beginning students and intermediate students, it is best to focus on a single problem, especially given the scope of story writing at this level. Over time students will develop their abilities to handle more complex plots and write accordingly.

Popular Conflicts found in Children’s Storytelling.

• Good vs evil
• Individual vs society
• Nature vs nurture
• Self vs others
• Man vs self
• Man vs nature
• Man vs technology
• Individual vs fate
• Self vs destiny

Conflict is the heart and soul of any good story. It’s what makes a story compelling and drives the plot forward. Without conflict, there is no story. Every great story has a struggle or a problem that needs to be solved, and that’s where conflict comes in. Conflict is what makes a story exciting and keeps the reader engaged. It creates tension and suspense and makes the reader care about the outcome.

Like in real life, conflict in a story is an opportunity for a character’s growth and transformation. It’s a chance for them to learn and evolve, making a story great. So next time stories are written in the classroom, remember that conflict is an essential ingredient, and without it, your story will lack the energy, excitement, and meaning that makes it truly memorable.

4. THE NARRATIVE CLIMAX: HOW THINGS COME TO A HEAD!

The climax of the story is the dramatic high point of the action. It is also when the struggles kicked off by the problem come to a head. The climax will ultimately decide whether the story will have a happy or tragic ending. In the climax, two opposing forces duke things out until the bitter (or sweet!) end. One force ultimately emerges triumphant. As the action builds throughout the story, suspense increases as the reader wonders which of these forces will win out. The climax is the release of this suspense.

Much of the success of the climax depends on how well the other elements of the story have been achieved. If the student has created a well-drawn and believable character that the reader can identify with and feel for, then the climax will be more powerful.

The nature of the problem is also essential as it determines what’s at stake in the climax. The problem must matter dearly to the main character if it matters at all to the reader.

Have students engage in discussions about their favorite movies and books. Have them think about the storyline and decide the most exciting parts. What was at stake at these moments? What happened in your body as you read or watched? Did you breathe faster? Or grip the cushion hard? Did your heart rate increase, or did you start to sweat? This is what a good climax does and what our students should strive to do in their stories.

The climax puts it all on the line and rolls the dice. Let the chips fall where the writer may…

Popular Climax themes in Children’s Stories

• A battle between good and evil
• The character’s bravery saves the day
• Character faces their fears and overcomes them
• The character solves a mystery or puzzle.
• The character stands up for what is right.
• Character reaches their goal or dream.
• The character learns a valuable lesson.
• The character makes a selfless sacrifice.
• The character makes a difficult decision.
• The character reunites with loved ones or finds true friendship.

5. RESOLUTION: TYING UP LOOSE ENDS

After the climactic action, a few questions will often remain unresolved for the reader, even if all the conflict has been resolved. The resolution is where those lingering questions will be answered. The resolution in a short story may only be a brief paragraph or two. But, in most cases, it will still be necessary to include an ending immediately after the climax can feel too abrupt and leave the reader feeling unfulfilled.

An easy way to explain resolution to students struggling to grasp the concept is to point to the traditional resolution of fairy tales, the “And they all lived happily ever after” ending. This weather forecast for the future allows the reader to take their leave. Have the student consider the emotions they want to leave the reader with when crafting their resolution.

While the action is usually complete by the end of the climax, it is in the resolution that if there is a twist to be found, it will appear – think of movies such as The Usual Suspects. Pulling this off convincingly usually requires considerable skill from a student writer. Still, it may well form a challenging extension exercise for those more gifted storytellers among your students.

Popular Resolutions in Children’s Stories

• Our hero achieves their goal
• The character learns a valuable lesson
• A character finds happiness or inner peace.
• The character reunites with loved ones.
• Character restores balance to the world.
• The character discovers their true identity.
• Character changes for the better.
• The character gains wisdom or understanding.
• Character makes amends with others.
• The character learns to appreciate what they have.

Once students have completed their story, they can edit for grammar, vocabulary choice, spelling, etc., but not before!

As mentioned, there is a craft to storytelling, as well as an art. When accurate grammar, perfect spelling, and immaculate sentence structures are pushed at the outset, they can cause storytelling paralysis. For this reason, it is essential that when we encourage the students to write a story, we give them license to make mechanical mistakes in their use of language that they can work on and fix later.

Good narrative writing is a very complex skill to develop and will take the student years to become competent. It challenges not only the student’s technical abilities with language but also her creative faculties. Writing frames, word banks, mind maps, and visual prompts can all give valuable support as students develop the wide-ranging and challenging skills required to produce a successful narrative writing piece. But, at the end of it all, as with any craft, practice and more practice is at the heart of the matter.

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT NARRATIVE

• Start your story with a clear purpose: If you can determine the theme or message you want to convey in your narrative before starting it will make the writing process so much simpler.
• Choose a compelling storyline and sell it through great characters, setting and plot: Consider a unique or interesting story that captures the reader’s attention, then build the world and characters around it.
• Develop vivid characters that are not all the same: Make your characters relatable and memorable by giving them distinct personalities and traits you can draw upon in the plot.
• Use descriptive language to hook your audience into your story: Use sensory language to paint vivid images and sequences in the reader’s mind.
• Show, don’t tell your audience: Use actions, thoughts, and dialogue to reveal character motivations and emotions through storytelling.
• Create a vivid setting that is clear to your audience before getting too far into the plot: Describe the time and place of your story to immerse the reader fully.
• Build tension: Refer to the story map earlier in this article and use conflict, obstacles, and suspense to keep the audience engaged and invested in your narrative.
• Use figurative language such as metaphors, similes, and other literary devices to add depth and meaning to your narrative.
• Edit, revise, and refine: Take the time to refine and polish your writing for clarity and impact.
• Stay true to your voice: Maintain your unique perspective and style in your writing to make it your own.

NARRATIVE WRITING EXAMPLES (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of narratives.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to read these creative stories in detail and the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the critical elements of narratives to consider before writing.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of story writing.

We recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with, to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

NARRATIVE WRITING PROMPTS (Journal Prompts)

When students have a great journal prompt, it can help them focus on the task at hand, so be sure to view our vast collection of visual writing prompts for various text types here or use some of these.

• On a recent European trip, you find your travel group booked into the stunning and mysterious Castle Frankenfurter for a single night…  As night falls, the massive castle of over one hundred rooms seems to creak and groan as a series of unexplained events begin to make you wonder who or what else is spending the evening with you. Write a narrative that tells the story of your evening.
• You are a famous adventurer who has discovered new lands; keep a travel log over a period of time in which you encounter new and exciting adventures and challenges to overcome.  Ensure your travel journal tells a story and has a definite introduction, conflict and resolution.
• You create an incredible piece of technology that has the capacity to change the world.  As you sit back and marvel at your innovation and the endless possibilities ahead of you, it becomes apparent there are a few problems you didn’t really consider. You might not even be able to control them.  Write a narrative in which you ride the highs and lows of your world-changing creation with a clear introduction, conflict and resolution.
• As the final door shuts on the Megamall, you realise you have done it…  You and your best friend have managed to sneak into the largest shopping centre in town and have the entire place to yourselves until 7 am tomorrow.  There is literally everything and anything a child would dream of entertaining themselves for the next 12 hours.  What amazing adventures await you?  What might go wrong?  And how will you get out of there scot-free?
• A stranger walks into town…  Whilst appearing similar to almost all those around you, you get a sense that this person is from another time, space or dimension… Are they friends or foes?  What makes you sense something very strange is going on?   Suddenly they stand up and walk toward you with purpose extending their hand… It’s almost as if they were reading your mind.

NARRATIVE WRITING VIDEO TUTORIAL

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

When teaching narrative writing, it is essential that you have a range of tools, strategies and resources at your disposal to ensure you get the most out of your writing time.  You can find some examples below, which are free and paid premium resources you can use instantly without any preparation.

FREE Narrative Graphic Organizer

THE STORY TELLERS BUNDLE OF TEACHING RESOURCES

A MASSIVE COLLECTION of resources for narratives and story writing in the classroom covering all elements of crafting amazing stories. MONTHS WORTH OF WRITING LESSONS AND RESOURCES, including:

NARRATIVE WRITING CHECKLIST BUNDLE

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OTHER GREAT ARTICLES ABOUT NARRATIVE WRITING

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Explore our Premium Teaching Unit on STORY WRITING

Elements of Creative Writing

(3 reviews)

J.D. Schraffenberger, University of Northern Iowa

Rachel Morgan, University of Northern Iowa

Grant Tracey, University of Northern Iowa

Copyright Year: 2023

ISBN 13: 9780915996179

Publisher: University of Northern Iowa

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Colin Rafferty, Professor, University of Mary Washington on 8/2/24

Fantastically thorough. By using three different authors, one for each genre of creative writing, the textbook allows for a wider diversity of thought and theory on writing as a whole, while still providing a solid grounding in the basics of each... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Fantastically thorough. By using three different authors, one for each genre of creative writing, the textbook allows for a wider diversity of thought and theory on writing as a whole, while still providing a solid grounding in the basics of each genre. The included links to referred texts also builds in an automatic, OER-based anthology for students. Terms are not only defined clearly, but also their utility is explained--here's what assonance can actually do in a poem, rather than simply "it's repeated vowel sounds,"

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Calling the content "accurate" requires a suspension of the notion that art and writing aren't subjective; instead, it might be more useful to judge the content on the potential usefulness to students, in which case it' s quite accurate. Reading this, I often found myself nodding in agreement with the authors' suggestions for considering published work and discussing workshop material, and their prompts for generating creative writing feel full of potential. It's as error-free, if not more so, than most OER textbooks (which is to say: a few typos here and there) and a surprising number of trade publications. It's not unbiased, per se--after all, these are literary magazine editors writing the textbook and often explaining what it is about a given piece of writing that they find (or do not find) engaging and admirable--but unbiased isn't necessarily a quantity one looks for in creative writing textbooks.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The thing about creative writing is that they keep making more of it, so eventually the anthology elements of this textbook will be less "look what's getting published these days" and more "look what was getting published back then," but the structure of the textbook should allow for substitution and replacement (that said, if UNI pulls funding for NAR, as too many universities are doing these days, then the bigger concern is about the archive vanishing). The more rhetorical elements of the textbook are solid, and should be useful to students and faculty for a long time.

Clarity rating: 5

Very clear, straightforward prose, and perhaps more importantly, there's a sense of each author that emerges in each section, demonstrating to students that writing, especially creative writing, comes from a person. As noted above, any technical jargon is not only explained, but also discussed, meaning that how and why one might use any particular literary technique are emphasized over simply rote memorization of terms.

Consistency rating: 4

It's consistent within each section, but the voice and approach change with each genre. This is a strength, not a weakness, and allows the textbook to avoid the one-size-fits-all approach of single-author creative writing textbooks. There are different "try this" exercises for each genre that strike me as calibrated to impress the facets of that particular genre on the student.

Modularity rating: 5

The three-part structure of the book allows teachers to start wherever they like, genre-wise. While the internal structure of each section does build upon and refer back to earlier chapters, that seems more like an advantage than a disadvantage. Honestly, there's probably enough flexibility built into the textbook that even the callbacks could be glossed over quickly enough in the classroom.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Chapters within each genre section build upon each other, starting with basics and developing the complexity and different elements of that genre. The textbook's overall organization allows some flexibility in terms of starting with fiction, poetry, or nonfiction.

Interface rating: 4

Easy to navigate. I particularly like the way that links for the anthology work in the nonfiction section (clearly appearing at the side of the text in addition to within it) and would like to see that consistently applied throughout.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

A few typos here and there, but you know what else generally has a few typos here and there? Expensive physical textbooks.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The anthology covers a diverse array of authors and cultural identities, and the textbook authors are not only conscious of their importance but also discuss how those identities affect decisions that the authors might have made, even on a formal level. If you find an underrepresented group missing, it should be easy enough to supplement this textbook with a poem/essay/story.

Very excited to use this in my Intro to CW classes--unlike other OERs that I've used for the field, this one feels like it could compete with the physical textbooks head-to-head. Other textbooks have felt more like a trade-off between content and cost.

Reviewed by Jeanne Cosmos, Adjunct Faculty, Massachusetts Bay Community College on 7/7/24

Direct language and concrete examples & Case Studies. read more

Direct language and concrete examples & Case Studies.

References to literature and writers- on track.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

On point for support to assist writers and creative process.

Direct language and easy to read.

First person to third person. Too informal in many areas of the text.

Units are readily accessible.

Process of creative writing and prompts- scaffold areas of learning for students.

Interface rating: 5

No issues found.

The book is accurate in this regard.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Always could be revised and better.

Yes. Textbook font is not academic and spacing - also not academic. A bit too primary. Suggest- Times New Roman 12- point font & a space plus - Some of the language and examples too informal and the tone of lst person would be more effective if - direct and not so 'chummy' as author references his personal recollections. Not effective.

Reviewed by Robert Moreira, Lecturer III, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 3/21/24

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama.

As far as I can tell, content is accurate, error free and unbiased.

The book is relevant and up-to-date.

The text is clear and easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

I would agree that the text is consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Text is modular, yes, but I would like to see the addition of a section on dramatic writing.

Topics are presented in logical, clear fashion.

Navigation is good.

No grammatical issues that I could see.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

I'd like to see more diverse creative writing examples.

As I stated above, textbook is good except that it does not include a section on dramatic writing.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter One: One Great Way to Write a Short Story
• Chapter Two: Plotting
• Chapter Three: Counterpointed Plotting
• Chapter Four: Show and Tell
• Chapter Five: Characterization and Method Writing
• Chapter Six: Character and Dialouge
• Chapter Seven: Setting, Stillness, and Voice
• Chapter Eight: Point of View
• Chapter Nine: Learning the Unwritten Rules
• Chapter One: A Poetry State of Mind
• Chapter Two: The Architecture of a Poem
• Chapter Three: Sound
• Chapter Four: Inspiration and Risk
• Chapter Five: Endings and Beginnings
• Chapter Six: Figurative Language
• Chapter Seven: Forms, Forms, Forms
• Chapter Eight: Go to the Image
• Chapter Nine: The Difficult Simplicity of Short Poems and Killing Darlings

Creative Nonfiction

• Chapter One: Creative Nonfiction and the Essay
• Chapter Two: Truth and Memory, Truth in Memory
• Chapter Three: Research and History
• Chapter Four: Writing Environments
• Chapter Five: Notes on Style
• Chapter Seven: Imagery and the Senses
• Chapter Eight: Writing the Body
• Chapter Nine: Forms

Back Matter

• Contributors
• North American Review Staff

Ancillary Material

• University of Northern Iowa

About the Book

This free and open access textbook introduces new writers to some basic elements of the craft of creative writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The authors—Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger, and Grant Tracey—are editors of the North American Review, the oldest and one of the most well-regarded literary magazines in the United States. They’ve selected nearly all of the readings and examples (more than 60) from writing that has appeared in NAR pages over the years. Because they had a hand in publishing these pieces originally, their perspective as editors permeates this book. As such, they hope that even seasoned writers might gain insight into the aesthetics of the magazine as they analyze and discuss some reasons this work is so remarkable—and therefore teachable. This project was supported by NAR staff and funded via the UNI Textbook Equity Mini-Grant Program.

About the Contributors

J.D. Schraffenberger  is a professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. He is the author of two books of poems,  Saint Joe's Passion  and  The Waxen Poor , and co-author with Martín Espada and Lauren Schmidt of  The Necessary Poetics of Atheism . His other work has appeared in  Best of Brevity ,  Best Creative Nonfiction ,  Notre Dame Review ,  Poetry East ,  Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Rachel Morgan   is an instructor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. She is the author of the chapbook  Honey & Blood , Blood & Honey . Her work is included in the anthology  Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in American  and has appeared in the  Journal of American Medical Association ,  Boulevard ,  Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Grant Tracey   author of three novels in the Hayden Fuller Mysteries ; the chapbook  Winsome  featuring cab driver Eddie Sands; and the story collection  Final Stanzas , is fiction editor of the  North American Review  and an English professor at the University of Northern Iowa, where he teaches film, modern drama, and creative writing. Nominated four times for a Pushcart Prize, he has published nearly fifty short stories and three previous collections. He has acted in over forty community theater productions and has published critical work on Samuel Fuller and James Cagney. He lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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How to Structure a Story: The Fundamentals of Narrative - article

As children, we learned stories begin with "once upon a time" and end with "happily ever after." While this may be the most simplistic view of a story, it offers storytellers advice on a narrative structure that stands the test of time.

A good book has a beginning, middle, and end—but a good storyteller knows it’s not always that simple. Getting from beginning to end requires you to follow a certain structure in order to create an engaging and exciting experience for the reader.

What is Narrative Structure?

Narrative structure, also referred to as a storyline or plotline, describes the framework of how one tells a story. It's how a book is organized and how the plot is unveiled to the reader.

Most stories revolve around a single question that represent the core of the story. Will Harry potter defeat Voldemort? Will Romeo and Juliet end up together? Will Frodo destroy the Ring?

The series of events that follow in an attempt to answer this defining question is what creates your narrative structure.

Various components work together to build a narrative structure , but it’s mostly centered around the development of your plot and your main character(s).

Types of Narrative Structure

Linear/Chronological : When the author tells a story in chronological order. This structure can include flashbacks, but the majority of the narrative is told in the order that it occurs. Most books tend to fall under this narrative structure.

Nonlinear/Fractured : A nonlinear structure tells the story out of chronological order, jumping disjointedly through the timeline. David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas is an example of this narrative structure, as it switches between multiple characters at different points in time.

Circular : In a circular narrative, the story ends where it began. Although the starting and ending points are the same, the character(s) undergo a transformation, affected by the story's events. S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders is an example of circular narrative structure.

Parallel : In parallel structure, the story follows multiple storylines, which are tied together through an event, character, or theme. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby or the movie Finding Nemo are both examples of this structure.

Interactive : The reader makes choices throughout the interactive narrative, leading to new options and alternate endings. These stories are most prominent as "choose your own adventure" books.

Types of Narrative Arcs for Plot Development

Regardless which narrative structure you choose, one of the biggest components to creating a great storyline or narrative structure is developing your plot . These are all the actions that will take place in the book, culminating in an interesting and satisfying ending.

These structures are often considered “arcs” because of the way a story rises and falls, creating an arc shape. The most fundamental narrative arc includes the following five plot stages:

Exposition : This is your introduction, where you introduce the characters, establish the setting, and present the primary conflict.

Rising action : This second stage is where you introduce the primary conflict and set the story in motion. Each succeeding event should be more complicated than the previous, creating tension and excitement as the story builds.

Climax : This is the turning point in the story—the point of the highest tension and conflict. This is the moment that should leave the reader wondering what’s next.

Falling action : In this stage, the story begins to calm down and work toward a satisfying ending. Loose ends are tied up, explanations are revealed, and the reader learns more about how the conflict is resolved.

Resolution : The main conflict gets resolved and the story ends.

This narrative arc is the most basic framework for developing a book’s plot. Although you can vary it slightly, your story should follow this basic structure.

However, more comprehensive frameworks exist if you need extra help developing a plot.

The 3 Act, 8 Sequence structure is used by both authors and screenwriters alike to develop an engaging storyline.

Act 1 – The Beginning

Sequence 1 – Status Quo and Inciting Incident: Established the main character in his/her normal life, ending with a point that sets the story into motion.

Sequence 2 – Predicament and Lock-In: Sets up the central conflict of the story and the main character accepts the call to action.

Act 2 – The Middle

Sequence 3 – First Obstacle: The character faces the first obstacles toward reaching their goal, building the tension and putting them at a point of no return.

Sequence 4 – Midpoint: A decisive moment where the main character faces the central conflict in some way, usually realizing something that changes him/her.

Sequence 5 – Rising Action: Continue to raise the stakes for your main character, usually with a subplot of some sort that builds up to the main conflict.

Sequence 6 –Biggest Obstacle: The main conflict or the highest point of tension in your story. This should be the most difficult moment for your character, so make it count.

Act 3 – The End

Sequence 7 – Twist: Here, your character deals with the remnants of the main conflict or realized a new goal they have to achieve.

Sequence 8 – Resolution: Where you’ll give the answer to your story’s main question, thus resolving the conflict and bringing your story to a satisfying close (or a cliffhanger, if you’re writing a series).

As you can see, this narrative structure follows a very similar pattern as the basic five-element framework, but it can provide you with a little more information and guidance as you work to build out your plot.

Types of Emotional Arcs for Character Development

The second component to creating a narrative structure is the process of how your main character will develop and change from the beginning to the end of your story.

While a good story will have both a plot and character arc, most are driven primarily by one or the other.

If your story’s question revolves around a physical or external goal, such as Harry Potter defeating Voldemort, then that story will be mostly plot-driven.

On the other hand, character-driven stories will feature more emotional arcs. These stories aim to answer an internal question, such as J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, which deals with the main character, Holden Caulfield, going through the loss of childhood innocence.  

But things aren’t always so black and white. Many stories that seem plot-driven on the surface have very strong character arcs running through them.

That’s because every good story has a protagonist and an antagonist with strong goals, and whether or not they achieve those goal plays a large part in the narrative structure.

As long as your character has a strong desire or motivation to drive them , and that motivation plays a role in the plot, you have a character arc.

Ultimately, character-driven narrative structures fall into three categories: positive, negative, and static.

Positive or Growth Character Arcs

Positive narrative arcs are when throughout the story, the main character overcomes a flaw, fear, or false belief and ultimately becomes a better person by the end.

Let’s take a look at this character arc within the framework of the 8-sequence narrative structure.

• Sequence 1 – Status Quo and Inciting Incident: Shows the character in their normal world until something shakes it up, causing a desire to emerge
• Sequence 2 – Predicament and Lock-In: The character realizes he/she must change to reach their goal
• Sequence 3 – First Obstacle: He/she faces a conflict that challenges his/her belief
• Sequence 4 – Midpoint: The main character begins to take initiative to confront their flaws and fears
• Sequence 5 – Rising Action: Realizing something from their past or a secret, the reader gets a glimpse into why the main character holds this false belief, but the main character isn’t quite ready to fix it yet
• Sequence 6 –Biggest Obstacle: Something causes the protagonist to realize the truth, giving them the advantage to overcome the antagonist and fight the problem head-on
• Sequence 7/8 – Twist/Resolution: The main character has officially changed for the better

Elizabeth Bennett’s character Pride and Prejudice and Nick Carraway from The Great Gatsby are some examples of the growth character arc.

Negative or Tragic Character Arcs

Negative narrative arcs occur when the main character holds some sort of flaw, desire, or false belief that ultimately leads to their downfall.

Let’s take a look at this character arc within the framework of the 8 sequence structure.

• Sequence 1 – Status Quo and Inciting Incident: Shows the character in their normal world until something shakes it up, causing them either to eagerly pursue a desire or forced into a circumstance
• Sequence 2 – Predicament and Lock-In: The character takes an action that seems promising, but will ultimately cause a negative change within them
• Sequence 3 – First Obstacle: Their beliefs are rattled, but they manage to cling to their false desire
• Sequence 4 – Midpoint: The character is confronted with an undeniable reality…
• Sequence 5 – Rising Action: … but chooses instead to fling themselves further into their desire regardless of knowing better
• Sequence 6 –Biggest Obstacle: Your character reaches a breaking point, but chooses instead to pursue their false desire with reckless abandon
• Sequence 7/8 – Twist/Resolution: The character either achieves a goal (twist) or fails to achieve anything, resulting in a tragic ending, which is often death

Gatsby’s character from The Great Gatsby, Walter White from Breaking Bad, and Darth Vader from Star Wars are all examples of the tragic character arc.

Static Character Arcs

Static narrative arcs are when the main character’s morals and beliefs are challenged, but they ultimately hold true to themselves through the end.

• Sequence 1 – Status Quo and Inciting Incident: The main character is his/her normal world
• Sequence 2 – Predicament and Lock-In: The main character’s world is turned upside down
• Sequence 3 – First Obstacle: They are forced into a new journey with unavoidable conflicts
• Sequence 4 – Midpoint: The character gains some skill he/she needs to change the stakes, and now they begin actively engaging in conflict to defeat the antagonist
• Sequence 5 – Rising Action: The main character suffers a major defeat or breaking point, but they manage to find a spark of hope or opportunity
• Sequence 6 –Biggest Obstacle: The final showdown between the protagonist and antagonist
• Sequence 7/8 – Twist/Resolution: The antagonist is defeated and the main character stands firm in his/her truth

Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, and Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit are all examples of a static character arc.

Building a Narrative Structure

As you can see, these character arcs easily fall in-line with the plot narrative structure. Some books even tend to have multiple characters experiencing different character arcs on top of the plot structure.

It may take some time to work everything out, but taking the time to work through your plot and character arcs will go a long way to ensure you’re writing an engaging and exciting story.

First, try to decide if your story will be mostly plot-driven or character-driven. If you feel stuck, use these questions to help you figure it out:

• What is your protagonist’s goal? Is it external, like defeating a villain? Or is it internal, like overcoming a deeply-held belief?
• How about your antagonist?
• Will your story be centered around specific events of conflict that move your story forward? Or are they more focused on the personal, internal struggle of your character(s)?
• When you set out to write a story, what comes to mind first, a riveting plot or a cast of compelling characters?

This exercise is merely to help you understand which of the two takes precedence in your story—not which one you follow and which one you ignore.

Often, the decision between a plot-driven or character-driven story will come down to personal preference. Which is most appealing to you? Then, the one you don’t choose will just become secondary.

Plot-Driven Narratives

When your focus is on plot, you should pay special attention to the events that will occur in your story.

Plot-driven narratives are exciting, action-packed , and fast-paced. They compel the reader to keep reading just to find out what will happen next.

When writing a plot-driven story, make sure all your plot points tie together seamlessly to create a full narrative structure. As you focus on events, it’s easy to forget about the characters and their motivations.

Remember: your story isn’t about things that are happening to the character, it’s about how your character is reacting to and participating in these events.

While many of these events may be out of your character’s control, they should still have an active role within them.

In every scene, you should be asking yourself these questions:

• What is my character’s motivation?
• Why is he/she making this decision and not another one?
• What in the character’s background led them to make this decision?

As a result, your characters will tie into your plot arc.

Character-Driven Narratives

When your story’s focus is on characters, you should explore how a character arrives at a particular choice.

Character-driven narratives tend to focus more on internal conflicts than external ones, such as the internal or interpersonal struggle of the character(s).

When writing a character-driven story, make sure you’re putting extra attention toward developing interesting, realistic, and charismatic characters . The true test of a good character-driven story is one where the reader feels a deep, emotional connection to your characters.

Your plot may be simple—used less to create action and more to further develop the character’s arc—but you still need to make sure your characters are actually doing something.

The main character should interact with others and their environment, and these things should shape your character in some way.

Put your character in situations that show the reader who they truly are. Test them. Make things difficult.

• What’s the worst thing that can happen to my character right now?
• If I throw it at them, how would they respond?

As a result, your plot will tie in to your character’s narrative arc.

• Literary Fiction
• Daniel Southerland</a> and <span class="who-likes">5 others</span> like this" data-format="<span class="count"><span class="icon"></span>{count}</span>" data-configuration="Format=%3Cspan%20class%3D%22count%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22icon%22%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%7Bcount%7D%3C%2Fspan%3E&IncludeTip=true&LikeTypeId=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" >

Agreed with Ruben, amazing!

Thank you Ruben 

I am attempting to write my first book.  It didn't come to me in a dream, but the content of my book will be about real life experiences.  The problem for me is that I have so much information that I think I will need to find a way to organize the information so that will flow,  be meaningful, and identifying to its audience, so that it will hold their attention.  

Very nice insight,  and very interesting. I'm currently writing my second book. , Now let me forewarn you,  I've never studied literature or even delved in to the art of story writing. My story came to me as in a dream and from there i started writing, not having a clue as to what I was doing, To be honest. I don't know what I'm doing. you could say. however reading your article I discovered that in my book are contained   Icarus, Oedipus and man in the hole. my book is more about a woman's trials and tribulations. .And it just happened they are in that same order. except that my character will rise at the end. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. Now I know that despite needing much help i am at least following some order that I hadn't even known existed. Again thank you.

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How to Use Plot Formulas

If you’re a new writer, a plot structure or plot formula is your shortcut to writing a great story. A plotting method can…

• Help you get an overview of your story.
• Help you figure out where to begin and end your story.
• Help you decide what happens next .
• Help you keep on track , know where you are, and how far you still have to go.
• Help you find and fix weak points in your story.
• Speed up  the processes of plotting, writing, and editing.

Many writers, especially prolific writers of genre fiction, use plot formulas, and I think even those who don’t profess to pre-planning, possess an innate sense of how to structure a story so that it’s effective and powerful .

If you’re a new writer, or a writer who’s struggling to complete a writing project, then studying plot structure can help you gain mastery over your storytelling.

Why I ♥ plot structure & plot formulas:

• They simplify something that can be very complicated and overwhelming.
• I love the idea of a universal story that unites us all.
• They help me turn ideas into stories fast (and the faster I progress with a project, the less likely I am to flake out).
• I love to (try to) understand how things work .
• They allowed me to finish (and publish) a story for the first time in my life.

What is plot structure?

I’m using the terms plot structure and plot formula synonymously.

I’m sure every writer has their own definition, but for the purposes of this post, I’d like to define a plot structure  or plot formula as  any simplified story framework that helps you create your own story .

In this post I’ve subdivided plot structure into three categories of “plot helpers”:

1 | PLOT FORMULAS:  methods designed to help writers structure a story. 2 | PLOT CATALOGUES:  lists (usually hoped to be exhaustive) of plots or plot elements that have been collated for readers or (less frequently) for writers . 3  | PLOT STUDIES:  examinations of plots or plot elements, often with an anthropological bent, for the benefit of scholars, critics, or readers .

I’ll be detailing some of my favourite “purpose-built” plot structures below, but  your favourite novel, fairy tale, anecdote, triad, or mantra can also act as a story framework . For example, one triad I really love is this one that my writing buddy, Andreea, shared with me one day:

• Something for beginners/first-timers/everyone
• Something for your tribe/frequent readers
• Something for yourself

I used it to write this post, and I use it in all of my stories too. It’s so simple, but it helps me in several ways:

• It reminds me to think of my audience and their specific needs.
• It reminds me that I need to guide readers through the levels of information or training that I’m providing.
• It reminds me to add my own personal touch.
• It reminds me to enjoy what I’m doing by including something for me, even if I’m the only one who understands or appreciates it.

A recent study found that literary works exhibited a fractal quality. I think good plot structures also have this “fractal” trait – they can be applied at the macro or the micro level, or anywhere in between.

And if you use them to their fullest potential, you can take them beyond the written story. You can start shaping your life story too.

Won’t a plot formula make my story formulaic?

If by formulaic you mean, “predictable”, then no. How predictable your story is depends on how well you know the context you’re writing in, and how good you are at understanding your reader’s expectations and then thwarting them.

If by formulaic you mean, “unoriginal”, again, I would argue: no. Complete freedom in any creative project can be difficult or even paralysing. That’s why many writers fear the blank page.

All writers work within the arguably “formulaic” constraints of form, genre, and even formatting, and yet the variety of stories they generate is seemingly endless. Plot formulas, when used well, work to aid creativity, not to hinder it.

When can you use a plot structure?

The best plot structures and plot formulas help you at all stages of creating a story: – Brainstorming – Plotting – Outlining – Structuring – Writing – Problem solving – Editing – Re-drafting

You can never consult your plotting method too early or too late. We make much ado of being “ plotters ” or “ pantsers “, but really everyone plots , whether before, during, or after writing the story.

Turn to your plot structure whenever you need guidance.  But don’t be afraid to trust your own judgement and bend the “rules” of the plot formula, either!

How to Choose a Plot Structure

• Go with whichever one sparks more ideas.
• Go with whichever one helps with problems you’re facing.
• Choose one at random.
• Combine several together.

Once you’ve chosen a plot structure… stick with it. Don’t look for an alternative as soon as you start to become frustrated with your first choice. You’ll only end up wasting time. As with everything else, there is no single perfect choice. And it may be the case that different projects need different methods.

Keep experimenting. Keep writing. Keep improving.

How to use a plot structure

You will probably be tempted to dive straight in and start applying your chosen plot structure to your current work in progress. Here’s how you might proceed:

• Create a detailed outline of your WIP. You might want to use a spreadsheet or outlining app. If you’d like to see an example of a completed novel outline, you can click here to download one I’ve prepared.
• Study your chosen plot structure, and see how your scenes (or beats) fit into the formula .
• Would this scene work better at another part of the story?
• Is this scene unnecessary?
• If this scene feels right, do I need to adapt the plot structure?
• What is the purpose of this stage?
• Does my story really need this stage?
• If it does, how can I incorporate this stage into my story?

To become more proficient with your chosen plot structure, it really helps to use it frequently.

• Practice plotting your own stories. Even if you never write any of them, just sit down and create plot outlines. If you don’t go into too much detail, you can easily create a plot in a few hours. Spend a week repeating this exercise and really putting the formula through its paces.
• How do the scenes fit into the various stages?
• What problems do you have assigning the scenes to stages, and why?
• Are any stages skipped?
• Are there any extra stages that your story structure doesn’t seem to account for?
• Do any stages seem to be in a different order?

Plot Formulas

Please note, this list is far from exhaustive! I’ve tried to fit as many as I can onto the cheatsheet, so don’t forget to pick it up here .

Lester Dent’s Plot Formula

This was the first plot formula I ever came across. It was a huge revelation for me that novels (or stories) could be written by numbers, and that doing so could provide the writer with a simple framework for checking pacing and action, among other things.

I’m not sure where the plot formula was originally published, but you can find a description of it  here , and there’s a summary in your cheatsheet . Michael Moorcock talks about using the formula in an interview in the book, Death is No Obstacle:

MM: Another thing that made an impression on me, though nobody else seems ever to have benefited from it or to understand why I should find it worthwhile, was Lester Dent’s Master Plot Formula. Lester Dent was the write of Doc Savage, and hundreds of detective stories under different names. He’s credited by both Hammett and Chandler with being the first of the hardboiled detective writers, though his stories haven’t lasted. He claimed that he’d sold over four hundred stories under this formula, and he recommended it to everyone. First, he says, split your six-thousand word story up into four fifteen hundred word parts. Part one, hit your hero with a heap of trouble. Part two, double it. Part three, put him in so much trouble there’s no way he could ever possibly get out of it. Then – now this could be Lester Dent or it could be what I learnt when I was on Sexton Blake Library, I forget – you must never have a revelation of something that wasn’t already established; so , you couldn’t unmask a murderer who wasn’t a character established already. All your main characters have to be in the first third. All your main themes and everything else has to be established in the first third, developed in the second third, and resolved in the last third. Basically, that’s all Lester Dent was saying. CG: So you’ve piled up trouble on trouble: where does your resolution come from? MM: Well, your resolution comes from whatever you’ve seeded into the first part. You can’t have a  deus ex machina ; so you have to have some event occurring, a minor problem, probably less emphasised, and a major problem; and in solving the major problem you also solve the minor problem. That’s one convention, anyway.

Lester Dent invented his formula as a way to help him write pulp fiction, but I think the specific break-down can be helpful for anyone writing adventure stories.

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

Blake Snyder calls this plot formula a “beat sheet”, but “save the cat” – a related technique – is certainly more memorable.  Save the Cat is a book on screenwriting, so the Beat Sheet provides page numbers that suit a film script. However, the “beats” can still be useful for structuring longer works, especially for those of us who write or visualise stories cinematically.

“Good structure is ironclad.” – Blake Snyder

ACT ONE (THESIS)

• Opening Image (1) – set tone, mood & style; give “before” snapshot of hero.
• Theme Stated (5) – declaration of theme, argument or story purpose (by minor to main character).
• Set-up (1-10) – introduce hero’s quirks; how & why they need to change
• Catalyst (12) – bad news that knocks down set-up, but ultimately leads the hero to happiness.
• Debate (12-25) – hero questions their ability to proceed.

ACT TWO (ANTITHESIS)

• Break into Two (25) – hero (through their own decision) moves into the antithetical world.
• B Story (30) – break from main story; often a “love” story; meet new characters antithetical to earlier ones.
• Fun and Games (30-55) – provides the promise of the premise; movie trailer moments; whatever’s cool.
• Midpoint (55) – fun and games over; hero reaches false peak or false collapse; changes dynamic; raises stakes.
• Bad Guys Close In (55-75) – bad guys regroup; internal dissent in hero’s team; hero isolated and headed for fall.
• All Is Lost (75) – false defeat (that feels real); “whiff of death” (often of mentor); end of old way.
• Dark Night of the Soul (75-85) – darkness before the dawn; hero feels they’re beaten and forsaken.
• Break into Three (85) – internal B story provides solution to A story.

ACT THREE (SYNTHESIS)

• Finale (85-110) – triumph for hero; bad guys dispatched (in ascending order); hero changes world.
• Final Image (110) – opposite of opening image; proof of real change.

Nigel Watts’s Eight-Point Arc

Almost every book on novel writing includes its own version of a plot formula, but I thought Nigel Watts’s was especially practical.

• Stasis: once upon a time
• Trigger: something out of the ordinary happens
• Quest: causing the protagonist to seek something
• Surprise: but things don’t go as expected
• Critical Choice: forcing the protagonist to make a difficult decision
• Climax: which has consequences
• Reversal: the result of which is a change in status
• Resolution: and they all lived happily ever after (or didn’t).

“So, how to use this information? Rather than using it to build a story, I find it most useful as a checklist against which to measure a work in progress. If I sense a story is going wrong, I see if I’ve unwittingly missed out a stage of the eight-point arc. It may not guarantee you write a brilliant story, but it will help you avoid some of the pitfalls of a brilliant idea gone wrong.” – Nigel Watts

Dan Wells’s 7-Point Plot Structure

I don’t know if Dan Wells (who you might also know from the Writing Excuses podcast ) ever wrote about his 7-stage structure, but the presentation he gave to explain it has been very influential.

This is the first plot formula I came across that introduced the idea of plotting a story out of order .

Plotting order:

• Plot turn 1
• Plot turn 2

Story order:

The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

The Snowflake Method is closer to a plot  process than a plot formula, in the sense that (at least in its basic form) it helps writers brainstorm story ideas and character profiles, but doesn’t provide guidance on the story’s content.

• 1-sentence summary (1 hour)
• Expand sentence to full paragraph summary (1 hour)
• One page summary for each character (1 hour each)
• Expand each sentence in summary (#2) to full paragraphs. (several hours)
• 1 page description of each major character (1-2 days)
• Expand each paragraph from #4 into full page synopses. (1 week)
• Expand character descriptions from #3 into full character charts. (1 week)
• Turn 4-page summary from #6 into a scene spreadsheet.
• (optional) Expand each scene from spreadsheet into multi-paragraph description.
• Start writing first draft.

In my opinion, the Snowflake Method’s greatest strengths are:

• It guides the writer to follow a top-down approach, which can save so much time in the long-run.
• It provides an estimated timeline for completing each stage of the plotting process.

The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler

The Writer’s Journey was initially titled: “A Practical Guide to The Hero With a Thousand Faces “, which is a fair description, in my opinion. In Hero , Joseph Campbell is purposefully vague about the monomyth’s structure, because his overall aim is to unify human experience, not to delineate it.

Vogler, on the other hand, wants to simplify the teachings of the monomyth in order to tell a better story – specifically, a film story.

• Ordinary World
• Call to Adventure
• (Acceptance or) Refusal of the Call
• Meeting with the Mentor
• Crossing the Threshold to the Special World
• Tests, Allies and Enemies
• Approach to the Inmost Cave
• The Road Back
• The Resurrection
• Return with the Elixir

“The Hero’s Journey, I discovered, is more than just a description of the hidden patterns of mythology. It is a useful guide to life, especially the writer’s life. In the perilous adventure of my own writing, I found the stages of the Hero’s Journey showing up just as reliably and usefully as they did in books, myths, and movies. In my personal life, I was thankful to have this map to guide my quest and help me anticipate what was around the next bend.” – Christopher Vogler

The New & Improved Gary Provost Paragraph

Yet another example that shows that a plot formula doesn’t need to be complicated. Here is an archetypal story summarised in one paragraph:

Once upon a time, something happened to someone, and he decided that he would pursue a goal . So he devised a plan of action , and even though there were forces trying to stop him , he moved forward because there was a lot at stake . And just as things seemed as bad as they could get , he learned an important lesson , and when offered the prize he had sought so strenuously, he had to decide whether or not to take it , and in making that decision he satisfied a need that had been created by something in his past .

You may also have come across Gary Provost’s sentence length paragraph , which can help you with your writing style. What else could you need?

The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby

Stars (★) mark the minimum 7 steps that, according to Truby, are essential to every story.

• Self-revelation, need and desire – combination of steps 20, 3 & 5.
• Ghost and story world – the hero’s counterdesire.
• ★ Weakness and need  – the hero’s flaws are keeping them from having the life they desire.
• Inciting event – outside event that spurs the hero to action.
• ★ Desire  – the hero’s story goal.
• Ally or allies – the hero gains an ally.
• ★ Opponent and/or mystery – an opponent or mystery that keeps the hero from reaching their goal.
• Fake-ally opponent – a shapeshifter or false friend.
• First revelation and decision: changed desire and motive – a revelation causes the hero to make a decision that results in a change in direction.
• ★ Plan – the hero’s plan to overcome their opponent and reach their goal.
• Opponent’s plan main counterattack – the opponent’s plan to overcome their opponent and reach their goal.
• Drive – increasingly desperate (and possibly immoral) series of actions the hero takes to defeat the opponent and reach the goal.
• Attack by ally – an ally confronts the hero about their increasing desperation and immorality.
• Apparent defeat – lowest point when the hero believes they’ve lost. For fall arcs, this may be an “Apparent victory” instead.
• Second revelation and decision: obsessive drive, changed desire 
and motive – the hero receives a new piece of information that allows them to continue towards their goal.
• Audience revelation – the audience learns a vital piece of information that’s kept from the hero.
• Third revelation and decision – the hero learns something about the opponent that will help them win.
• Gate, gauntlet, visit to death – pressure on the hero grows and they’re forced to face difficult trials.
• ★ Battle – a final (violent) conflict that determines who wins.
• ★ Self-revelation – the hero learns who they truly are.
• Moral decision – a decision that proves what the hero has learnt in the self-revelation.
• ★ New equilibrium – the need and desire have been fulfilled and the world goes back to normal, though the hero has changed.

I can’t say that Truby’s step-names strike me as very elegant or memorable, but he makes up for it by providing plenty of examples.

The One Page Novel by Eva Deverell

I created the One Page Novel as an amalgamation of some of my favourite methods. As the name suggests, it’s designed to fit on one page , and it uses example fill-in-the-blank scenes to speed up the plotting process.

The One Page Novel is an 8-stage method, and like Dan Well’s story structure, it’s plotted out of order…

Each stage has a unique function, and they all help to support the larger structure:

• Stasis: the character isn’t living to their full potential – opposite state to Resolution.
• Trigger: an internal or external impulse (or both) forces the character to take the first step towards their Resolution state.
• Quest: the character enters the new world of adventure, meets mentors or allies and makes a (bad) plan to solve the problem the Trigger created.
• Bolt: the (bad) Quest plan inevitably goes wrong.
• Shift: the character makes the paradigm shift necessary for them to inhabit their Resolution state.
• Defeat: the character makes the ultimate sacrifice.
• Power: the character finds a hidden power within themselves that allows them to seize the prize.
• Resolution: the character is living up to their full potential in their Resolution state.

Click here to watch a free workshop that walks you through using The One Page Novel method.

Honourable mention: The Fool’s Journey Plot Structure

Even though there hasn’t been a study of The Fool’s Journey as a plot structure, I do have a loooong 2-part blog post on how you can use the archetypal story of the Tarot’s major arcana to help you structure your story with myth motifs and imagery.

• The Magician
• The High Priestess
• The Emperor
• The Empress
• The Hierophant
• The Chariot
• Strength / Justice
• Wheel of Fortune
• Justice/Strength
• The Hanged Man

Plot Catalogues

Twenty master plots and how to build them by ronald tobias.

Tobias details each master plot according to the 3-act structure.

“Story requires only curiosity to know what will happen next. Plot requires the ability to remember what has already happened, to figure out the relationships between events and people, and to try to project the outcome.” – Ronald Tobias

• Metamorphosis
• Transformation
• Forbidden Love
• Wretched Excess

Plotto is a fascinating (and very thorough!) plotting method written by William Wallace Cook and published in 1928. It’s made up of a variety of plot components that fit together in somewhat complicated ways to create somewhat curious plot starters. I found this comment on  Story Games , and I couldn’t have described the book better:

I own and love Plotto. It is like walking around in a filing cabinet that was organized by someone with very specific bad ideas about information management, and who lives in the late twenties. It is not particularly friendly or easy to use, but it is really, really fun once you get the hang of it.

I thought the masterplot chart would be the easiest part of the method to use in brainstorming, without spending a lot of time looking up the meaning of letters and numbers. To that end, I arranged the 3 clauses (A, B, and C) in a table. You can click here to download it .

A subtle person / Falling into misfortune through the wiles of a crafty schemer, / Comes finally to the blank wall of enigma.

Bestseller? Hmm…

The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations by Georges Polti

Georges Polti became fascinated by an anecdote about Schiller and Goethe looking to define the thirty-six dramatic (“tragic”) situations supposedly discovered by Gozzi … and found exactly thirty-six dramatic situations. However, a quick glance at any of the dramatic situations will show you that each of them has several sub-sections with possible plot permutations.

Leaving aside the number, the descriptions that Polti provides are probably too florid for modern tastes, and reference dramatic (stage) works that most of us aren’t familiar with. But the titles and sub-titles can be useful for brainstorming conflicts, and the “elements” are helpful for a quick reference. For example, the sub-sections of “Pursuit” are:

A. Fugitives from justice pursued for brigandage, political offences, etc. B. Pursued for a fault of love C. A hero struggling against power D. A pseudo-madman struggling against an Iago-like alienist

And the elements are: Punishment and Fugitive .

Here are Polti’s 36  Dramatic Situations:

• Supplication
• Deliverance
• Crime pursued by vengeance
• Vengeance taken for kin upon kin
• Falling prey to cruelty/misfortune
• Daring enterprise
• Enmity of kin
• Rivalry of kin
• Murderous adultery
• Fatal imprudence
• Involuntary crimes of love
• Slaying of kin unrecognised
• Self-sacrifice for an ideal
• Self-sacrifice for kin
• All sacrificed for passion
• Necessity of sacrificing loved ones
• Rivalry of superior vs. inferior
• Crimes of love
• Discovery of the dishonour of a loved one
• Obstacles to love
• An enemy loved
• Conflict with a god
• Mistaken jealousy
• Erroneous judgement
• Recovery of a lost one
• Loss of loved ones

In Story Structure Architect, Victoria Schmidt re-interprets Polti’s list of dramatic situations, bringing the total up to 55 and updating the descriptions as well as the examples.

Plot Structure Studies

Poetics by aristotle.

Despite the fact that it was written over 2000 years ago ( two. thousand. years. ) Poetics contains many statements about plot that are still amazingly thought-provoking and practical. For example:

VIII. Unity of plot does not, as some persons think, consist in the Unity of the hero. For infinitely various are the incidents in one man’s life which cannot be reduced to unity; and so, too, there are many actions of one man out of which we cannot make one action. Hence, the error, as it appears, of all poets who have composed a Heracleid, a Theseid, or other poems of the kind. They imagine that as Heracles was one man, the story of Heracles must also be a unity. But Homer, as in all else he is of surpassing merit, here too–whether from art or natural genius–seems to have happily discerned the truth. In composing the Odyssey he did not include all the adventures of Odysseus–such as his wound on Parnassus, or his feigned madness at the mustering of the host–incidents between which there was no necessary or probable connection: but he made the Odyssey, and likewise the Iliad, to centre round an action that in our sense of the word is one. As therefore, in the other imitative arts, the imitation is one when the object imitated is one, so the plot, being an imitation of an action, must imitate one action and that a whole, the structural union of the parts being such that, if any one of them is displaced or removed, the whole will be disjointed and disturbed. For a thing whose presence or absence makes no visible difference, is not an organic part of the whole.

Aristotle divides (tragic) plot into 3 parts – beginning, middle, and end – which make up a unified whole , and stresses that the structure should be probable , and the scenes should follow on from each other logically (and not employ the dreaded “deus ex machina”). He also stipulates the inclusion of the following scenes:

• Reversal of the Situation ( peripeteia ) – “a change from bad fortune to good, or from good fortune to bad”.
• Recognition ( anagnorisis ) – “a change from ignorance to knowledge, producing love or hate between the persons destined by the poet for good or bad fortune”.
• Scene of suffering ( pathos ) – a destructive or painful action, such as death on the stage, bodily agony, wounds and the like.

The first two rely on surprise , what we now call a “plot twist”. Aristotle writes that “the recognition which is most intimately connected with the plot and action is… the recognition of persons”. If you consider the best plot twists you’ve read or watched, you’ll probably find that mistaken identity plot twists are still the most popular.

The third element ensures drama , and a reaction from the audience. Aristotle warns against drama for mere spectacle, and goes on to explain (in excellent detail) what sorts of scenes will arouse true fear and pity .

I definitely think this is a book to keep by your bedside and dip into when you need some ancient wisdom.

The Hero With a Thousand Faces (The Hero’s Journey or monomyth) by Joseph Campbell

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know how much  I love Joseph Campbell . However, if you’re looking for a quick and simple plot formula to apply to your story, you may find The Writer’s Journey  better suited to your needs.

The Hero With a Thousand Faces is a fascinating book that deserves a slow, ponderous reading. It has a lot to teach you about stories, and your place in them, so please don’t be satisfied with second-hand accounts.

With that said, here are the myth motifs that make up the monomyth:

STAGE 1: SEPARATION

• The Call to Adventure
• The Refusal of the Call
• Supernatural Aid
• The Crossing of the First Threshold
• Belly of the Whale

STAGE 2: INITIATION

• The Road of Trials
• Meeting with the Goddess
• Woman as Temptress
• Atonement with the Father
• The Ultimate Boon

STAGE 3: RETURN

• Refusal of the Return
• The Magic Flight
• Rescue From Without
• The Crossing of the Return Threshold
• Master of Two Worlds
• Freedom to Live

Story erupts, no matter how deeply repressed or buried. Whether in night-dreams, or through one’s creative products, or the tics and tocks of neurosis, the story will find its way up and out again. – Joseph Campbell

Morphology of the Folk Tale by Vladimir Propp

This is an abridged form of a study conducted by Vladimir Propp to compare the elements of various folk tales. He managed to reduce his formula to a set of basic “functions” that are combined and embellished to create a huge variety of stories.

Each tale begins with an “initial situation” – a brief description of the hero’s state and character before the story takes him up – to which are added any of the following functions:

• ABSENTATION: One of the members of a family absents himself from home.
• INTERDICTION: An interdiction is addressed to the hero.
• VIOLATION: The interdiction is violated.
• RECONNAISSANCE: The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance.
• DELIVERY: The villain receives information about his victim.
• TRICKERY: The villain attempts to deceive his victim in order to take possession of him or of his belongings.
• COMPLICITY: The victim submits to deception and thereby unwittingly helps his enemy.
• VILLAINY: The villain causes harm or injury to a member of a family; or 8a. LACK: One member of a family either lacks something or desire to have something.
• MEDIATION (THE CONNECTIVE INCIDENT): Misfortune or lack is make known; the hero is approached with a request or commend; he is allowed to go or he is dispatched.
• BEGINNING COUNTERACTION: The seeker agrees to or decides upon counteraction.
• DEPARTURE: The hero leaves home.
• FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR: The hero is tested, interrogated, attacked, etc., which prepares the way for his receiving either a magical agent or helper.
• HERO’S REACTION: The hero reacts to the actions of the future donor.
• PROVISION OR RECEIPT OF MAGICAL AGENT: The hero acquires the use of a magical agent.
• SPATIAL TRANSFERENCE/GUIDANCE: The hero is transferred, delivered, or led to the whereabouts of an object of search.
• STRUGGLE: The hero and the villain join in direct combat.
• BRANDING: The hero is branded.
• VICTORY: The villain is defeated.
• LIQUIDATION: The initial misfortune or lack is liquidated.
• RETURN: The hero returns.
• PURSUIT/CHASE: The hero is pursued.
• RESCUE: Rescue of the hero from pursuit.
• UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL: The hero, unrecognized, arrives home or in another country.
• UNFOUNDED CLAIMS: A false hero presents unfounded claims.
• DIFFICULT TASK: A difficult task is proposed to the hero.
• SOLUTION: The task is resolved.
• RECOGNITION: The hero is recognized.
• EXPOSURE: The false hero or villain is exposed.
• TRANSFIGURATION: The hero is given a new appearance.
• PUNISHMENT: The villain is punished.
• WEDDING: The hero is married and ascends the throne.

Propp’s study is short and easy to read, and offers a lot of value to writers, especially if you’re fond of fairy tales and folklore.

I hope this post helped you learn a bit more about plotting, and that you found a plot formula to suit your needs.

As you read, I’m sure you noticed all the similarities between these plot formulas, plot catalogues, and plot studies. I highly recommend you take a few minutes to  make some notes in your writing journal .

Thank you for reading!

Don’t forget to share this post with your writer friends, and pick up your cheatsheet below.

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What Is Story Structure?

Story Structure | What Is Story Structure?

In the previous installment of this series we asked the question, “Does Story Structure Exist?”  Seems simple enough, but with all the variations in the way stories are assembled – who is in them, what they do, and how all that turns into a message – it isn’t unreasonable to wonder if stories spring from the mysteries of our common humanity or if there is some organizing principal behind it all.

At the end of that exploration, we left the discussion with the conclusion that some sort of structure probably does exist, but if so, what exactly is it?  And that is the subject of this second installment.

So what is story structure?

First let’s ask “What is a story, ” since it pretty hard to describe how something is structured if you haven’t defined what the thing is.

For our purposes, let’s define a story as a map for solving problems, attaining goals, and navigating the rocky shoals of human relationships all the while trying to get a grip on our own feelings.

Now I know that’s really fluffy and also rather wide ranging, but whenever you are starting a new area of study, it’s best to begin with some broad outlines to get a sense of the thing and then focus and refine that later as you get more into the nitty gritty.

So, let’s see story as a map (for now) that documents the course some people took to try and improve things,  and how well they did is determined by where they ended up. That’s the message of a story, and getting there is the experience of the story.

When all is said and done, the story has proven to be a guidebook provided by the author that has conveyed to the reader a means for dealing with all these issues – what to do and what not to do, and has also given the reader a senses of what it is like to go through it all.  In other words, “When it feels like this, and things look like that, here’s how you get through it.”

We can all relate to stories – all of us: any age, culture, gender, or belief system.  Intuitively, we know if some element of the story -a choice a character makes or a plot even – rings true to life or comes off as a contrived clinker.

How many times have you thought of a story, “Nobody would do that!” or “C’mon, that doesn’t even make sense.”  What engenders those comments is our innate sense of story structure.

When a story veers off course dramatically or, worst of all, breaks structure completely, we all feel it, even though few of us are thinking about structure at the time, and even fewer of us to define exactly what was bent or broken.

And the amazing thing is that even though the form of storytelling varies from culture to culture, the deep underlying nature of the structure beneath the storytelling is the same from culture to culture.

Why do we all have that built-in structure sensor?  Simple.  We all think with the same brain.  Our brains are essentially identical.  We all experience love and hate, longing and fearing, happiness and sadness, faith and disbelief.  We just feel those emotions about different things based on our unique individual experience.

Story structure connects with our underlying psychology – the part of us that is the same from person to person – our common operating system.  Storytelling deals with the subject matter and style, and that varies from person to person – each individual’s unique life experience – our programming.

Nature vs. Nurture.  Both are at play.  When it comes to story structure, that’s the nature part.  When it comes to the storytelling, that’s the nurture.

So, in a sense,  you might say that story structure is the psychology of the story, and storytelling is the personality of the story, as if the story were something of a super character with its own psychology and own personality.

And you know, from one perspective, that’s exactly what it is, as we shall see in the next installment of this series.

For now, let’s settle on this temporary simplification: Story structure is the underlying psychology of the story.

Next installment, we’ll develop a more clear understanding of what story structure is by revealing how it came to be.

Until then, May the Muse be with you!

Melanie Anne Phillips Co-creator, Dramatica

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Hopkinton High School English Department

How to Structure a Creative Narrative

Below is a diagram of the “Three-Act Structure” that is helpful to follow when writing a creative narrative. Outlined in BLUE are the steps you ought to follow, and an approximation of how long you should remain in each step. In RED are some suggestions that point out some of the more common mistakes that student writers make when they write short stories. See the bottom of this page for a glossary of helpful terms.

EXPOSITION (Act One) Here, you need to establish your point of view, your main character, and your setting. Avoid the temptation to lift lines directly from the story/letter/poem you are responding to, but be sure to match your setting (and especially the tone) to the piece you are responding to. Was the reading prompt uplifting? Your piece should be too. For starting points, an easier way in is to begin with a description of either the location or the main character of this piece. A short narrative really doesn’t have room for more than 2 or 3 characters, but your story might only have one. What does he or she look like? What is an action you could focus on that helps set the mood? Is your character trying to keep a bag of groceries from spilling out of his arms? Is she walking her dog, listening to her favorite song?

PLOT (Two “Problems” – acts 1 through 3) The biggest shortcoming here on the creative response on the MCAS is when you lose sight of your target. This means either creating a plot twist that really has no relation to the reading prompt (the original story, poem, etc), or doesn’t really develop a problem/resolution cycle. It’s a REALLY good idea to map out where your piece is going before you begin it. Another Creative Writing mistake, indicated in red above, is speeding through the second act. The MCAS isn’t looking for the next great American author, but they do want some attention to detail, some sense of character development, perhaps a second story arc that runs parallel to the first. Attached below is a screenshot of the Common Core rubric for Narrative Writing, which was largely what prompted the MCAS to adopt a Narrative Writing element. Four of the five elements describe how to organize a narrative, and the bulk of the key points land in the “Plot” section.

Finally, BEWARE THE HUGE PROBLEMS!!! Do NOT have your person get abducted by the mafia, stabbed to death in a city square, or run over by a drunk driver. In a more positive story, you don’t have to win the championship game in the final seconds. You don’t have to have your person get married.Or win the lottery. Aim for those smaller “problems,” the realistic tragedies or triumphs

CONCLUSION Wrap it up. But don’t feel like you have to make a satisfying ending that solves EVERY problem. Create a sense of closure. An easy trick here is to revisit an image from early in the story, especially one that maybe has picked up a different meaning.

Acts  = fiction is generally divided into three acts – an introductory section, the middle – which is the bulk of the story, and the conclusion. Denouement  = The winding down of the story – what can you introduce at the ending that doesn’t further the plot, but gives a sense of closure? Exposition  = The very first part of the story, where the writer introduces the characters, the setting, the mood. Mood  = The overall feel of the story POV  = Point of View – who is telling the story? From what timeline (i.e. is the story taking place now? A week ago? A lifetime ago?) Problem = Any moment that throws the protagonist out of his or her routine. This does NOT have to be an Earth-shattering problem, or even something you might traditionally think of as a “problem” necessarily. Finding a priceless antique sword in your attic, or getting asked out on a date might be a narrative “problem.” Protagonist  = Main character Setting  = Where and when the story takes place

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What is Narrative Structure: Understanding Story Frameworks

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on May 24, 2024

Categories Storytelling , Filmmaking , Writing

Narrative structure refers to the organized manner in which a story is told. It encompasses the sequence of events and the way in which a writer chooses to present the plot to the audience.

The narrative framework is essential in storytelling as it influences how the audience perceives and understands the story.

Key elements, such as characters, settings, and events are woven within this structure to bring depth and meaning to the tale.

Understanding the different types of narrative structure s is key to effective storytelling.

Linear narratives follow a chronological sequence, while non-linear structures may employ flashbacks or parallel plots.

Some narratives are framed around a central motif or theme, demonstrating the complexity of narrative architecture.

Tools and techniques such as foreshadowing, character development arcs, and pacing play significant roles in engaging readers and ensuring that the story unfolds in a compelling manner.

Across various mediums—from literature to film and interactive media—the essence of a good narrative remains constant: the ability to connect with the audience.

Cultural narratives and stories also profoundly affect the way narrative structures are developed, as storytelling traditions and audience expectations vary across societies.

Key Takeaways

• Narrative structure is the organizational framework of a story.
• Different narrative techniques enhance storytelling and audience engagement.
• Cultural and medium-specific considerations influence narrative construction.

Narrative Elements

Narrative elements are the fundamental components that comprise the essence of storytelling. They work in harmony to deliver a comprehensive and engaging narrative experience.

Setting and Characters

Setting plays a vital role in establishing the backdrop against which a story unfolds.

It encompasses the geographical location, historical period, and the specific environment where the narrative takes place.

Within this landscape, characters emerge as the central figures through whom the story is experienced.

The protagonist , whose character development is often pivotal, interacts with a cast of characters, each contributing to the progression of the tale.

• Setting : Time, Location, Environment
• Characters : Protagonist, Secondary Characters, Character Relationships

Plot and Structure

The plot is the sequence of events that propels the narrative from start to finish, incorporating elements such as the climax and the resolution.

Story structure , commonly framed in models such as the three-act structure and the five act structure , organizes these events to enhance the thematic impact and emotional journey of the audience.

• Plot Elements : Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution
• Structures : Three-Act Structure (Setup, Confrontation, Resolution), Five Act Structure (Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Denouement)

Narrative structures are carefully designed to evoke emotion and drama , ensuring that the themes resonant through every layer of the narrative.

Types of Narrative Structures

The narrative structure is crucial as it dictates the framework of how a story is told, conveying the plot to the audience with varying effects.

Linear Narrative

A linear narrative presents events in a chronological sequence from start to finish. This traditional narrative structure follows a clear, straightforward path often aligned with the hero’s journey —beginning with the ordinary world, moving through trials, and culminating in a return transformed.

Nonlinear Narratives

Nonlinear narratives , in contrast, disrupt the chronological flow.

Such structures employ techniques like flashbacks or parallel narratives to create a complex and engaging story .

A nonlinear narrative might juxtapose different timelines or stories, revealing connections and themes as the narrative unfolds.

Circular and Episodic Structures

The circular narrative ends where it begins, creating a sense of closure that echoes the starting point.

In episodic structures , the narrative consists of a series of loosely connected episodes or stories, similar to chapters in an odyssey that can often be rearranged without altering the sense of the narrative.

Narrative Techniques and Tools

In crafting a narrative, writers employ a variety of techniques and tools to structure their story, ensuring that each plot point is purposefully placed to build tension and advance the overarching conflict .

Exposition and Inciting Incident

Exposition is the introduction of background information. It sets up the key elements such as characters, setting, and initial conflict.

The inciting incident then disrupts the balance, compelling the protagonist to action.

This pivotal moment is what fundamentally changes the story’s direction, laying the foundational plot points.

Rising Action and Climax

During the rising action , suspense and tension escalate through a series of plot points leading to the midpoint , where the narrative takes a significant turn.

As the protagonist encounters obstacles, the stakes are elevated, culminating in the climax —the peak of the story where the main conflict reaches its highest intensity.

Falling Action and Denouement

Following the climax, the falling action addresses the fallout of the story’s peak events.

Conflicts begin to resolve and the consequences of the climax unfold.

The denouement or resolution provides closure as the narrative wraps up, leading to either a satisfying ending or setting the stage for future developments.

Developing Character Arcs

Character arcs are crucial for character development ; they outline the transformation or journey a protagonist undergoes throughout a story.

Creating compelling character arcs involves delving into motivations, backstories, and depicting growth or transformation.

Motivations and Backstory

To shape a character arc that is believable and engaging, the protagonist’s motivations and backstory are essential components.

A character’s backstory provides the context for their current desires and conflicts.

It is within this personal history that motivations take root—driving the character forward and informing their decisions and growth.

When developing character arcs, consideration of their past experiences can add depth to the narrative and explain the why behind their actions.

• Backstory: Understanding where the character comes from, including past experiences that shape their worldview.
• Motivations : The desires, needs, or goals that propel the protagonist into the narrative’s central conflict.

Growth and Transformation

An intricately designed character arc follows the protagonist through a journey of self-discovery and change.

The process often entails overcoming internal or external obstacles that lead to significant personal growth, or in some cases, decline.

The hallmark of a well-crafted character arc is the character’s transformation, moving them from one psychological state to another—generally from a place of weakness or struggle to greater strength or understanding.

Storytelling Across Mediums

Narrative structure is central to crafting stories that captivate audiences, whether it be through the written word in novels, the enactment of plays, or the visual storytelling of film .

This structure ensures that themes are conveyed and emotions are elicited in an engaging and cohesive manner regardless of the medium.

Literature and Novels

In literature , particularly novels, classic story structure involves a clear beginning, middle, and end, often with subplots woven throughout the main narrative.

Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” demonstrates this effectively by balancing the development of various characters and their relationships while exploring themes of social class and family.

Literature relies on the narrative to evoke emotions and engage readers’ imaginations.

Plays and Drama

Moving to the stage, plays and drama present narrative structure through dramatic structure .

Shakespeare’s works, for example, exhibit masterful command of both comedy and tragedy through acts and scenes, allowing the audience to experience a gamut of emotions from laughter to sorrow.

The structure of a play is vital in orchestrating the audience’s response and sustaining the dramatic tension.

Filmmaking and Screenwriting

In filmmaking and screenwriting , narrative structure dictates the pacing and unfolding of a story on screen.

Directors like Quentin Tarantino often play with nonlinear narratives to create a unique impact. Still, a cohesive story remains the foundation.

From establishing shots to climactic moments, screenwriting formats the blueprint of the visual and auditory elements that will ultimately bring the film to life.

Cultural Narratives and Stories

Cultural narratives and stories encompass a wide range of collective experiences that reflect the values, traditions, and beliefs of different societies.

They often serve as a means to pass down history , morals, and lessons from generation to generation.

Myths and Legends

Myths offer insights into the ancient societies that created them, explaining phenomena or expressing their worldviews.

For example, Greek mythology intricately weaves tales of gods, like Zeus and Hera, illustrating how they believed the divine influenced their lives and world.

Legends, although sometimes rooted in historical fact, are embellished over time to include fantastical elements such as the legend of King Arthur, which blends history with the mythical sword Excalibur and the wizard Merlin.

Folktales and Oral Traditions

Folktales are a vital component of cultural heritage, encompassing a variety of storytelling traditions passed down orally.

They often come with moral lessons , like Aesop’s fables.

Oral traditions form the backbone of many cultures’ historical narratives before the advent of the written word, allowing stories to evolve with each telling.

For instance, African folktales often feature cunning animals, like Anansi the spider, to teach lessons about wisdom and trickery.

Influences on Narrative Structure

Narrative structure is shaped by various elements that influence how a story unfolds.

These elements include traditional narrative frameworks, cultural influences, and the creative choices of the writer.

Traditional Frameworks

Classic narrative structures often follow a framework known as the Hero’s Journey , conceptualized by Joseph Campbell.

This archetype lays out a series of steps that a protagonist typically goes through, including departure, initiation, and return.

Campbell’s monomyth has influenced countless stories, providing a familiar rhythm that resonates with audiences.

Cultural Influences Cultural context is a critical factor that influences narrative structure. Different cultures may have unique storytelling traditions which reflect their values, beliefs, and historical experiences. These can directly impact the thematic content of the story as well as its structural presentation.

Creative Writing Choices

A writer’s individual style and objectives greatly affect narrative structure. Creative writing often involves playing with traditional structures, perhaps by using non-linear timelines or fragmented narratives.

• Emphasize character development over plot
• Implement unconventional plot structures
• Explore thematic elements in novel ways

The narrative structure isn’t just a rigid formula but a flexible guideline that allows for creative expression while maintaining coherence for the reader.

Through understanding the interplay between these influences, writers can create engaging narratives that resonate with their intended audience.

Story Plotting and Pacing

Effective narrative structure is crucial in crafting a story. It involves story plotting , which is the careful arrangement of events and key moments within the tale, and pacing , which dictates the speed at which these events unfold.

Pacing is intrinsic to maintaining interest and managing suspense .

A well-paced story can keep readers on the edge of their seats by introducing tension at the right moments. Too swift a pace, and the story might feel rushed; too slow, and it may drag.

Catalysts work as pivotal points within the plot, sparking significant change and pushing the story forward.

They often lead to a character crossing the threshold into a new and challenging world or situation.

Below is a breakdown of elements affecting story plotting and pacing:

Catalyst: Initiates the action, presenting the protagonist with a challenge or goal.

Tension & Suspense: Built through dilemmas, the presence of stakes, and uncertainty.

Twists and Turns: Keep the reader guessing and contribute to the story’s dynamism.

Crossing the Threshold: Represents the point of no return, where protagonists are fully committed to their journey.

To control pacing, authors might use shorter scenes or sentences to increase speed or provide more detailed descriptions in critical moments to slow down the narrative.

This control plays a critical role in creating a rhythm that feels natural yet compelling, ensuring that the story’s unfolding is perfectly attuned to its content and emotional impact.

Engagement and Audience Connection

Narrative structure serves as a critical tool in building engagement and fostering a connection with the audience .

The way a story is arranged can significantly affect the audience’s ability to understand and share the feelings of the characters, thus forging a sense of empathy .

A well-structured narrative ensures that story events evoke the targeted emotional responses at the appropriate times.

The introduction of a protagonist whom the audience can relate to is an essential element in creating an engaging narrative.

The development of the protagonist’s character should encourage the audience to invest emotionally, illustrating the power of relatability in narrative structures.

It’s this journey of the protagonist that often becomes the crux of audience engagement:

• Introducing the Protagonist: A character with traits that resonate with the audience.
• Developing the Character: Through challenges and growth, the audience builds empathy.
• Resolving the Conflict: The climax and resolution provide a satisfying conclusion to the protagonist’s journey.

The use of story beats within the narrative can create a rhythm that works almost like a musical composition.

Each beat is a cue for the audience’s emotions, whether it’s suspense, joy, or sadness.

A strong narrative structure aligns these beats with the internal experiences of the audience, making the story not just something they watch or read, but something they feel and experience .

Conclusions and Endings

In narrative structure, the conclusion serves as the capstone of the story’s journey. It is where the plot lines converge to provide closure.

As part of this closure, the denouement plays a critical role. It follows the climax and allows for the unraveling of the story’s complexities, tying up loose ends, and ensuring that the narrative makes sense from beginning to end.

The resolution marks the point in the story where conflicts are resolved. It answers the reader’s lingering questions and solidifies the outcomes for the characters.

Whether characters return to a semblance of their former lives, transformed by their experiences, or move forward into an altered reality, the reader expects a sense of completion.

Catharsis is the emotional release readers experience at the narrative’s conclusion. A strong conclusion aims to elicit this response, providing relief or emotional satisfaction after the build-up of tension throughout the story.

Ideal conclusions offer a return to balance, leaving the reader with a lasting impression .

It is essential that the conclusion adheres to the established tone and themes of the narration. A well-crafted narrative ending can resonate with readers, prompting them to reflect on the story’s significance long after turning the final page.

Creative Writing: Narrative structure

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• How to write a narrative essay | Example & tips

How to Write a Narrative Essay | Example & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A narrative essay tells a story. In most cases, this is a story about a personal experience you had. This type of essay , along with the descriptive essay , allows you to get personal and creative, unlike most academic writing .

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Table of contents

What is a narrative essay for, choosing a topic, interactive example of a narrative essay, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about narrative essays.

When assigned a narrative essay, you might find yourself wondering: Why does my teacher want to hear this story? Topics for narrative essays can range from the important to the trivial. Usually the point is not so much the story itself, but the way you tell it.

A narrative essay is a way of testing your ability to tell a story in a clear and interesting way. You’re expected to think about where your story begins and ends, and how to convey it with eye-catching language and a satisfying pace.

These skills are quite different from those needed for formal academic writing. For instance, in a narrative essay the use of the first person (“I”) is encouraged, as is the use of figurative language, dialogue, and suspense.

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Narrative essay assignments vary widely in the amount of direction you’re given about your topic. You may be assigned quite a specific topic or choice of topics to work with.

• Write a story about your first day of school.
• Write a story about your favorite holiday destination.

You may also be given prompts that leave you a much wider choice of topic.

• Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself.
• Write about an achievement you are proud of. What did you accomplish, and how?

In these cases, you might have to think harder to decide what story you want to tell. The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to talk about a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

For example, a trip where everything went according to plan makes for a less interesting story than one where something unexpected happened that you then had to respond to. Choose an experience that might surprise the reader or teach them something.

Narrative essays in college applications

When applying for college , you might be asked to write a narrative essay that expresses something about your personal qualities.

For example, this application prompt from Common App requires you to respond with a narrative essay.

In this context, choose a story that is not only interesting but also expresses the qualities the prompt is looking for—here, resilience and the ability to learn from failure—and frame the story in a way that emphasizes these qualities.

An example of a short narrative essay, responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” is shown below.

Hover over different parts of the text to see how the structure works.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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• College Essay Format & Structure
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If you’re not given much guidance on what your narrative essay should be about, consider the context and scope of the assignment. What kind of story is relevant, interesting, and possible to tell within the word count?

The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to reflect on a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

Don’t worry too much if your topic seems unoriginal. The point of a narrative essay is how you tell the story and the point you make with it, not the subject of the story itself.

Narrative essays are usually assigned as writing exercises at high school or in university composition classes. They may also form part of a university application.

When you are prompted to tell a story about your own life or experiences, a narrative essay is usually the right response.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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