Story Structure: 3 Models For Your Book

Narrative structure is composed of two things: story and plot. Whereas the plotis a chain of events that dictate a book, the story refers to the underlying factors that drive the dramatic action. The story would encapsulate the protagonists, key conflicts, and setting of the book. Meanwhile, the plot would indicate the connected crucial moments that make up the narrative at hand.

The importance of narrative structure is in its name. If a story didn’t have structure, then it would be a formless blot without a clear beginning, middle, and end. It’s story structure that lends definition and comprehensibility to a narrative — which is paramount to holding a reader’s attention throughout a story. For longer projects like trilogies or series, structure becomes even more important!

Fichtean Curve

A plot that follows a Fichtean Curve start right in the rising action — which is sprinkled with exposition and several crises that include their own rising and falling action. These main points include:

• Rising Action (including multiple crises)
• Climax
• Falling Action

The Fichtean Curve starts with the inciting incident and propels the story straight into the rising action. Multiple crises should occur, and each of these should contribute to the readers’ overall understanding of the narrative — replacing the need for the initial exposition.

Rising Action

The rising action should take up the majority of the novel and include several crises that almost look like their own little Freytag Pyramids: each crisis should have a build-up, a breaking point, and some resolution… which then builds back up, crests, and then falls again, all building up to the major climax.

Climax

The crises of the rising action should build tensions 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.

Example: Readers know this moment is coming but aren’t sure how it will unfold.

Falling Action

From the climax on, some level of resolution is achieved, and readers get to at least glimpse what the “new norm” is for the characters.

In Media Res

Latin for “into the middle of things,” In Media Res is a narrative structure that starts midway through the story. It typically includes these parts:

• Middle Crisis
• Rising Action (including exposition, often in flashbacks)
• Climax
• Falling Action (including exposition, often in flashbacks)
• Denouement

While the Fichtean Curve also begins without exposition, you can think of In Media Res as beginning on the third or fourth crisis of a Fichtean Curve. This way, the stakes are already high, and the rest of the rising action is devoted to filling the blanks and explaining why this conflict exists to readers — all while continuing to build tension.

Because of the rising flood of crises, the Fichtean curve works well for action-packed novels, such as thrillers or mysteries.

Middle Crisis

Whereas in the three- and five-act narrative structure, the story starts with the everyday life, before the protagonist sets out on some journey, with In Media Res, the story starts in the thick of it.

Rising Action

While the beginning of the story introduces us to the conflict at hand, the Rising Action involves the slow zoom-out of the camera so we can get the bigger picture — and what led the story up to this point. This is often done through dialogue and flashbacks. Crises also occur here, building up towards the climax.

Climax

As with typical climaxes: the tension breaks, and the turning point takes place.

Falling Action

Exposition often takes place during the Falling Action, further adding to the context of the story. We learn more about how the conflict came to be, and the character is given a chance to reflect on the climax.

Denouement

As with typical denouements: loose ends are tied, and lingering questions are resolved.

Bottom of Form

Seven-Point Story Structure

The Seven-Point Story Structure focuses specifically on the highs and lows of a narrative arc… The Seven-Point Story Structure is made up of:

• The Hook
• Plot Point 1
• Pinch Point 1
• Midpoint
• Pinch Point 2
• Plot Point 2
• Resolution

According to the Seven-Point Story Structure creator, author Dan Wells, writers are encouraged to start at the end, with the resolution. You should know what the final state for your protagonist/plot will look like. Once you’ve got that determined, go back to the starting point — the hook — and have your protagonist/plot begin in a state that contrasts the final one. From there, fill in the rest of the five plot points to flesh out how the protagonist/plot gets from that first state to the final one.

The Hook

The start of the seven-point narrative structure draws readers in by explaining the protagonist’s situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should directly contrast with what it will end 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” 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 on the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.

Midpoint

A more apt name for this part might be “Turning Point,” — as it doesn’t technically need to fall in the middle. But it does need to include the main character changing from a passive force to an active force in the novel. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist starts meeting it head-on here.

Pinch Point 2

Not again! The second pinch point involves another hit to the protagonist — things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. Also called the “Dark Night of the Soul,” this might involve passing a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.

Plot Point 2

Phew! After the calamity the protagonist undergoes in the Pinch Point 2, they learn 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 to transform them from who they were at the start of the novel.

Story structures aren’t an exact science and 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.