*Note: Unless I happen to have a lot of free time on day, this book will only update on Sundays from now on. I've got a lot of other things going on, but I won't forget to update at least a little bit!
You've probably noticed by now that I've been using a lot of examples from film when discussing plot structure and character conflict. Why? Because film is engrossed in every storyteller's mind. Most writers write with the conversion to an onscreen performance in their minds, even if they don't realize it. (The other reason is that I like to use examples that my readership is familiar with, which often include the sorts of shows we mutually enjoy.)
With this in mind, the general Western style of film when approaching plot is a three-act structure. The original structure was five acts, and I'm not saying that's a bad way to write, but for this chapter I'll be focusing on a three-act structure. This is the most common way of writing and making films in the West - I'm sure if you want to write more acts than that, there are resources out there to help you.
I'm assuming everyone here passed seventh grade, but in case you didn't, here's a diagram about the elements of plot. Credit for the graphic goes to Paths to Literacy.
Quick review about all the elements of plot (I'll discuss each one in detail later on):
Exposition:Â The opening of the story. Introduces us to the characters and the world they live in, and allows the reader to have a grasp on the book's premise before they delve into the conflict. Should not include info-dumps or confusing material.
Inciting Incident (listed on the graph as "conflict"): The single event in a story that propels the conflict and forces the characters to act. For example, in She-Ra, the inciting incident is Adora leaving the Horde - this officially starts the "rubber band" of tension between her and Catra for the rest of the show.
Rising Action:Â A series of events that stretches the "rubber band". Conflict escalates, characters develop, and the stakes are raised during this time. This is the point in which the writer must be careful to not bore the reader, and keep them on the edge of their seat (we'll discuss more on this later).
Climax:Â In which the "rubber band" breaks from the tension. The characters either get what they need or they don't. The turning point of the story - everything that happens afterward stems from the climax.
Falling action:Â In which the author begins to "wrap things up" after the big snap. In a happy story, this is where all the loose ends are tied up and everyone lives happily ever after. In a tragedy, this is where you show where the characters are after the negative climax and how they cope with the sadness of where you took the story.
Resolution/Denouement (I prefer the latter due to the fact that some stories don't have resolutions): In which the story ends - pretty simple.
So, what does this have to do with the three-act structure?
The answer is everything! The basic plot diagram helps you see the most important parts of the story - it's like the character development timeline on "Backstory, Part 2: Deciding What to Include". But the three-act structure can help you hone in on more important events in the story that may not fit on a simple plot diagram. That being said, let's look at all the parts of the three-act structure. I'll be using my own work, Alura, as an example - spoilers, by the way (skip the second paragraph of each section if you want to avoid them).
Act 1:Â Begins at the start of the book, and ends with the characters going into the unknown (literally or figuratively). Some examples of the end of Act 1 are a character getting a new job (or a raise), starting a relationship, moving schools, or some other big transition. It's not the same thing as the inciting incident. That's just what gets your story rolling, while the end of Act 1 is actively spinning the gears. For reference, the end of Act 1 should already be on the "rising action" phase of plot.
In Alura, the end of Act 1 is also the end of Part 1 - where Light Spinner allows Micah to live with her while he studies magic, something neither of them have experienced at all. This poses several questions to the reader. For example, Light Spinner will have to navigate a way to keep Micah out of her personal life and past, while Micah will have to navigate living with a stern, rich Delvalian and learning magic one-on-one. And both of them will probably be wondering whether this arrangement will work out in the long run, or if it'll blow up in their faces.
Act 2: Act 2 is the longest act, and this is where you really don't want to bore your readers. It covers the rest of the rising action, all the way just before the climax. A midpoint will split Act 2 into two sections. This midpoint could be a major event that severely changes the characters, or a character uncovering an important piece of information. When plotting, I usually refer to the places before and after the midpoint as "Act 2.1" and "Act 2.2" respectively, since each part usually ends up being as long as Acts 1 and 3.
In Alura, Act 2 begins with Light Spinner training Micah in magic from her home. The midpoint is when she fights the Horde in Illuras and realizes that she's not powerful enough as she is to stop them. Act 2.2, then, is about her pursuits of the Spell to remedy this crisis within herself, and the act closes just before she decides to perform it with Micah's help.
Act 3:Â Act 3 covers the climax, falling action, and denouement. It's basically the act where you wrap things up, and I find that it's often the shortest as well (not for every writer though). The main thing to look out for is that you tie up any loose ends you had before. For example, if a character heard a mysterious voice earlier in the book, you probably need to come back to who it is and what role it plays in the story, or cut it out completely.
In Alura, Act 3 opens with the Spell and closes with Light Spinner joining the Horde under the alias Shadow Weaver. Between then, all that was left of the story was exploring how Micah reacted after she fled; how the Guild handled being down three members; how they reacted to Light Spinner's "death"; and how Light Spinner fared following the Spell. Don't try to start a new conflict or a new story. Wrap up what you already have here.
I hope this chapter was beneficial to writers. In the next chapter, I'm going to detour on something that a lot of writers struggle with: when a general story idea becomes a cliché, and what to do if you feel your story going in the "hashed-out" direction.