3 Act Structure Diagram

Character Arc

Story Spine

Inciting Incident Plot Echo 1 Midpoint Plot Echo 2 Climax

Crisis

1st Turning Point 2nd Turning Point ACT I ACT II ACT III

Story Spine -- Outer story: the attempt to achieve a particular goal/desire Character Arc -- Inner story: the main character’s growth and evolution from limited to expanded sense of self

The Stepping Stones of Story Structure

Story Spine/Narrative Arc – the outer story: the main character’s attempt to achieve a particular goal/desire

Character Arc – the inner story: the main character’s growth and evolution from limited to expanded sense of self

ACT 1 Dramatizes: life before ‘the call’ of the inciting incident; the response to the incident (character either accepts or rejects first then is ‘forced’ to accept); and the decision made in response to the call that establishes a story goal and question. Inciting Incident – the catalyst that upsets the status quo/balance and motivates the character to respond and take action to reestablish balance. This response sets up a Goal and raises a Story Question – Will the character achieve the goal or not?

1st Turning Point – the decision/plan that arises from the Inc Inc and propels us from Act 1 to Act 2. A sense of no turning back. We are very aware the story has begun.

ACT 2 Dramatizes the obstacles and challenges (provided by the antagonistic forces) to reaching goal. Plot Echo #1 – a reminder of the initial story Q raised at Inciting Incident but with a new element that raises the stakes.

Midpoint – an intersection between story spine and character arc. A shift in direction. Often a temporary triumph followed by a reversal of fortune. Sometimes the initial goal is revised or changed.

Plot Echo #2 – another reminder of the Story Q/goal and now stakes are even higher, possibility of achieving goal looks bleaker. Antagonistic forces are stacked against.

CRISIS: character’s moment of truth – out of despair/facing fears! transformation (allowing outer goal to be accomplished)

2nd Turning Point – a new plan emerges to go after the goal and confront the antagonistic forces. A sense of no turning back.

ACT 3 Dramatizes the characters’ change (or lack of) through action that resolves the outer story goal (to defeat or be defeated by ant. forces) and answers the Story Question raised in Act 1. Climax – Final confrontation with the forces of antagonism. Lots of tension. When all seems hopeless, character’s transformation from crisis is proven through action. The Story Question established at the Inciting Incident is answered at the Climax.

The Stepping Stones of My Story’s Structure

ACT 1 Inciting Incident – the catalyst that upsets the status quo/balance and motivates the character to respond and take action to reestablish balance. This response sets up a Goal and raises a Story Question – Will the character achieve the goal or not?

Inciting Incident ______Character Goal ______Story Question ______

1st Turning Point – the decision/plan that arises from the Inc Inc and propels us from Act 1 to Act 2. A sense of no turning back. We are very aware the story has begun.

Decision/Plan ______

ACT 2 Plot Echo #1 – a reminder of the initial story Q raised at Inciting Incident but with a new element that raises the stakes.

Plot Echo/Event ______

Midpoint Scene(s) ______

Plot Echo #2 – another reminder of the Story Q/goal and now stakes are even higher, possibility of achieving goal looks bleaker. Antagonistic forces are stacked against.

Plot Echo/Event ______

2nd Turning Point – a new plan emerges to go after the goal and confront the antagonistic forces. A sense of no turning back.

Decision/Plan ______

ACT 3 Climax – Final confrontation with the forces of antagonism. Lots of tension. When all seems hopeless, character’s transformation from crisis is proven through action. The Story Question established at the Inciting Incident is answered at the Climax.

Climactic Scene(s) ______Story Q Answer ______