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Monday, October 7, 2013

How to Plot With the Three-Act Structure

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

First up from the mailbag:
"Maybe I'm a sucker for plot, but I'd be interested in big
picture plotting thoughts (Aristotle, 3 act, "save the cat",
type stuff) in practical application."
The plotter in me cheered at this one, because I love
talking about plot. This question alone could fill the blog
this week, and since many others echoed an interest in
plotting, I sense a plot week coming on.

These big-picture structure formats can be incredibly

helpful in plotting a novel, because they give you hard
plot goals to aim for. Even if you're a pantser, structure
formats can help during revisions when you have a first
draft done and want to make sure all your plot points are
working right. Jami Gold did a great post on this over at
her blog, using Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat" beat sheets.
How they work: A structure is like a rough map, the line
drawings in a coloring book. How we overlay our story
(color in the line drawings) is up to up, but the structure
provides guides and boundaries to help keep us focused.
Turning points like, "leave the ordinary world" is just a
way of saying, "the protagonist does something new that
starts the plot." This can be a literal enter a magic
wardrobe and discover Narnia, or decide to wear a dress
to school for the first time ever to catch the eye of the
boy you like.
Some folks fear using one of these structures will create
a formulaic novel. If you follow them exactly and take
them literally, then yes, that could happen, but the
strength of these structures is to let them guide you and

remind you of the important story elements of a novel.

The moments are metaphorical or symbolic, and they
suggest types of situations to aim for. And even when a
story does follow them exactly, if done well, readers
don't even notice. The novel feels tightly plotted, not
predictable.
Common Structure Formats:
The Three-Act Structure: The basic beginning, middle,
end format we're most familiar with in storytelling.
Setup, rising action and stakes, resolution.
The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell's 17-step myth
structure that outlines the journey a mythic figure (hero)
undergoes on an adventure.
Michael Hauge's Six Stage Plot Structure: A variation of
the Three-Act Structure that focuses on six critical
elements of a plot. This one is also connected to his
internal character arc structure.
Blake Snyder's Save the Cat Beat Sheets: A screenwriter

format for crafting great screenplays using 15 beats (or

turning point). It's been adopted by novelists everywhere
because the same basic rules apply to novels.
I'm going to focus on the Three-Act Structure first,
because it's probably the most common story structure
out there, and it's the one I use. The other formats also
generally follow this structure so it's a good foundation
to have before we explore the other three.
People have broken the Three-Act Structure down in a
myriad of ways, but it unfolds basically like this:
Act One: The Beginning
Act One is roughly the first 25% of the novel. If focuses
on the protagonist living in his world and being
introduced to the problems he needs to solve. Something
about his life is making him unhappy, but hes not yet
ready to do anything about it. He might not even be
aware of the problem, but feels unsatisfied in some way.
He's presented with an opportunity to change his life,
and he either accepts the challenge or tried to avoid it

and gets dragged into it anyway. By the end of the first

act, he's on the plot path that leads to the climax of the
book.
Everything is this first act familiarizes the reader with the
world and characters and sets up the problem the book
is going to spend the next 75% trying to resolve.
I use the words "sets up" but this is different from setup.
This first act is NOT about explaining what the reader
"needs to know" to get the book. You want to jump right
into the action and have something happening, and that
something will lead you to the inciting event, which is
where the protagonist takes the first step onto the path
of the core conflict.
Act One is all about showing the protagonist's world (his
life, dreams, issues, etc, as well as the literal setting) and
letting readers see the problems and flaws he'll need to
overcome to get what he ultimately wants. In essence,
it's where you say "See how screwed up this guy's life is?
This is what he has to fix before he can win."

Act One typically contains three key plot moments:

Opening Scene
This is the introduction of the protagonist, the opening
scene problem, the setting, the rules of the world, any
critical traits or details readers need to know, etc.
Something is happening that will draw readers in and
allow them to get to know (and like) the protagonist.
(More on the opening scene here)
Inciting Event
This is when the opportunity to change or fix whats
wrong presents itself. The protagonist is uncertain
whether or not to take advantage of this opportunity,
but eventually he does, either through his choice or from
outside forces acting upon him.
The inciting event focuses the narrative (and plot) onto
the core conflict of the novel. This is the moment when
you say to your readers, "Here's what the book is going

to be about." Even if the problem is going to get bigger

later, the seed of the conflict the plot needs to resolve
will be right here. The protagonist might not even be able
to see the bigger picture yet, but you know this is point
when things change for him. Had he not experienced
this, the book would not have unfolded the same way.
(More on the inciting event here)
Act One Problem
This problem transitions to the middle of the book and
gives the protagonist something to do (a goal), and a
choice to make. Its the first major step once the
protagonist is on the path to the core conflict. Its also
where the stakes are significantly raised for the first
time.
The choice is the big moment here, and the protagonist
must choose to act. Greater forces could have gotten him
here, but he must decide to move forward on his own.
Agreeing to act will force him out of his comfort zone (his
normal life) and into an unfamiliar (and often

emotionally scary) situation. But this step into the

unknown is vital for his goals, both the external plot goal
and his internal character arc goal. This choice is what
officially launches the middle.
(More on how choices affect plot here)
Act Two: The Middle
Middles make up roughly 50% of a novel. The protagonist
leaves whats familiar to him and undergoes a series of
challenges that will allow him to get what he wants. He
struggles and fails repeatedly, learning the valuable
lessons hell need in Act Three to defeat the antagonist.
Good middles show this struggle and growth, and braids
together the plot and subplots, smacking the conflicts
against each other. Each clue, discovery, and action
brings him closer to the act two disaster that sends him
hurtling toward the climax and resolution of the novel.
Hell start off with some level of confidence, sure of his
plans, but as things spiral out of control hell become
more and more uncertain and filled with self-doubt until

hes forced to consider giving up entirely.

Act Two typically contains three key plot moments:
Act Two Choice
The act two choice is a transitional moment, linking the
beginning and the middle. The protagonist embraces
whatever problem hes confronted with, and accepts
the opportunity it offers to resolve that problem. How
he decides to deal with that problem establishes how the
plot is going to unfold until the next step on the plot
path.
This problem is going to be a big one, because it's what's
going to drive your plot for the next 25% of the book
until the midpoint. It'll be the first major piece of the
core conflict puzzle. In most cases, it ends in failure,
because the protagonist hasn't yet learned the things he
needs to learn to be victorious.
The act two choice frequently launches the protagonists
character arc as well, because his flaw will be his

weakness during the middle of the novel. Hell struggle

and fail, not seeing what he needs to do to become the
person he wants to be.
(More on character arcs here)
Midpoint Reversal
The midpoint reversal occurs in the middle of the novel.
Something unexpected happens and changes the
worldview the protagonist has had all along. His plan no
longer works or is no longer viable, and things have to
change. This choice and new plan is what sends the plot
into the second half of the middle.
A good midpoint reversal will also raise the stakes, even
if they were high to begin with. It often adds a level of
personal consequence that wasn't there before, or
reveals a secret (or problem) that was hidden.
Sometimes it requires a sacrifice, be it a personal belief
or an ally. Sometimes it's all of these things at the same
time.

This moment will also be large enough that it can carry

the plot from the middle to the 75% mark (the next 25%
of the book) and the beginning of the climax.
(More on midpoint reversals here)
Act Two Disaster
This act two disaster hits around the 75% mark of the
novel. It's the moment when it all goes wrong for the
protagonist, and is often the result of trying to fix
whatever went wrong at the midpoint. The big plan to
save the day fails miserably and he's worse off now than
he's been the entire novel. The stakes are raised yet
again, and it all becomes too much to handle.
Often, whatever lie the protagonist has been telling
himself is stripped away, forcing him to see the truth,
however harsh. If the antagonist has been a secret or a
mystery, this is often when his identity is discovered
(often with devastating effect). Even if the antagonist
has been known all along, new information is revealed
about him to make the task seem insurmountable now.

In clich speak, its the darkness before the dawn. It all

becomes too much and the protagonist feels like giving
up, but finds the strength to carry on. He realizes the
only way to succeed is to face the problem head on and
do what hes been scared to do all along.
Act Three: The End
The ending is the last 25% of the novel. The protagonist
decides to take the problem to the antagonist. Hell use
all the things hes learned over the course of the novel to
outwit and defeat that antagonist. They battle it out, and
hell win (usually), then the plot wraps up and readers
see the new world the protagonist lives in, and the new
person hes become after undergoing these experiences.
The final battle with the antagonist doesnt have to be an
actual battle, just two conflicted sides trying to win. The
protagonist gathers himself and any allies and challenges
the antagonist. There is often a journey involved, either
metaphorical or literal, as a final test.

Act Three typically contains three key plot moments:

Act Three Plan
After digging deep down and finding the emotional
strength to continue, the protagonist puts a new plan
into action, using everything hes learned over the course
of the novel. He finally knows who he is and whats he
supposed to do, and he sets off to accomplish that.
The plan is usually ambitious, clever, and unexpected,
even though it also feels inevitable. This is what the
protagonist and the supporting characters were meant to
do all along. The plan may or may not be revealed to
readers at this point. Often the actual details are kept
secret, even though the general idea is mentioned to
help drive the plot forward. The plan doesnt have to be
something that will actually work if you want to surprise
the protagonist in the climax and force him to think on
the run. Whats important is that the protagonist thinks
itll work. Once the climax starts, plans can fail and the
protagonist can have to revise in a hurry to win.

Climax
The climax is the final showdown with the antagonist.
The protagonist faces whomever or whatever has been
making his life miserable for 400 pages, and because hes
learned XYZ over the course of the novel, he wins (or
loses spectacularly if thats the type of book youre
writing). This realization is also what was missing in his
life all along. Whatever happens, the core conflict
problem is resolved.
The climax often has one last increase in stakes, making
this final battle matter on a bigger scale. Look at what
the protagonist has at stake on a personal level. Look at
how that ties into the story from a thematic aspect, so
the ending has more poignancy. Its not uncommon for
this rise in stakes to happen after a twist or surprise.
(More on what makes a good endings here)
Wrap Up
The wrap up is the happily ever after, or the burning

apocalypse if that's how you prefer it. What the

protagonist is going to do now that hes resolved his
problem. In essence, the final scene says, yes, there was
a point to this novel and here it is. It gives readers a
sense of closure and reassurance that the novel was
worth their time.
What makes any plotting structure so valuable as a tool is
that these elements can be anything you want them to
be. The structure is just a frame to hang the story on, and
knowing solid, proven turning points can help you decide
what events need to happen to get the most out of your
own plot.
They also help you find holes in your plot and places
where the stakes might need to be raised. If you notice
the protagonist never fails, that's a red flag that you
might not have enough at stake or enough conflict
driving the plot. Or you might not have a solid character
arc that allows your protagonist to grow. It's a map, a
guide, but the scenes and problems encountered are all
up to you.

Any other questions on how to use this to plot?

Labels: plots, structure
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23 comments:
1.
Andrea MackOct 7, 2013, 7:46:00 AM
Plot is something I still struggle with. Thanks for this very
useful post!!!
Reply
2.
Rachel6Oct 7, 2013, 8:13:00 AM
I think I have a decent middle...but we'll see.
Thanks for explaining the structure so well! I'll have to
come back to this post several times!
Reply
3.

Janice HardyOct 7, 2013, 10:34:00 AM

Andrea, hope it helps! Knowing the end ahead of time
helps a lot as well, since you have an end point to write
toward. You don't have to know the exact details, but if
you know what "winning" means for the protagonist, you
can work backward and plot the steps to get there.
Rachel, I made a template of of it. I use it for every book
and lay my working synopsis into it. Very useful.
Reply
4.
Tiny1Oct 7, 2013, 12:02:00 PM
This comes at a perfect time for me, as I'm currently
trying to plot out my NaNoWriMo novel! Thanks, this is
very helpful :) Now, back to plotting, with a new
perspective...
Reply
5.
Janice HardyOct 7, 2013, 12:17:00 PM

Tiny1, I love when that happens. The right post for the
right writer. These structures will really help with NanNo
planning. It'll take some of the pressure off in Nov since
you'll have a solid plan to write from.
Reply
6.
catherinemede.comOct 7, 2013, 2:26:00 PM
Thanks Janice, have reposted this on my writers facebook
page - a timely reminder for all of those who are about to
undertake NaNo
Reply
7.
ChicoryOct 7, 2013, 6:47:00 PM
Thanks for the breakdown -especially of the final third.
That's where I often get hung up.
On a side-note, it occurred to me (after reading a
breakdown of Star Wars: A New Hope in the Hero's
Journey plot structure) that the first Pirates of the

Caribbean also uses a Hero's Journey structure. (Just

thought that's a fun thing to think about.)
Reply

8.
Deborah LeighOct 8, 2013, 12:38:00 AM
This is EXCELLENT! Thanks for taking the time to break
this down into such great detail! As I read, I was both
heartened and bummed. I actually have most of these

milestones in my WIP, but the pace is wrong, and I'm

missing some of the bridges that would make it all a tad
less shallow and rushed. I have to shave what are likely
info dumps posing as substance and include more true
building blocks. This post will be a helpful tool.
Reply
9.
Natalie AguirreOct 8, 2013, 7:07:00 AM
This is great, Janice. I only plot out the major plot points
you've mentioned. This is really helpful to stay focused.
Glad you're focusing on plot this week.
Reply
10.
Carol BaldwinOct 8, 2013, 11:40:00 AM
This is awesome. Now, just have to DO IT! Thanks for the
explanation. For my writing students and for me!!
Reply

11.
Janice HardyOct 8, 2013, 2:28:00 PM
Catherine, thanks! This would be a lot of help to NaNoers
for sure.
Chicory, the hero's journey is very popular in film,
actually. It's probably the second most common novel
structure as well. A lot of folks even merge the hero's
journey with the three-act structure for a more wellrounded format.
Deborah, thanks! This is great for revisions for those
reasons. First drafts can fall out of our heads, and it's nice
to have a structure to help us tighten our manuscripts.
Natalie, same here. Plotting seems to be high on the list
of trouble spots for a lot of writers. Folks here have
asked for tips on it, writers I talk to elsewhere have as
well.
Carol, that's always the hard part, right? You can do it!

Once you get a sense of how structure works with your

process, it gets easier and easier to plot.
Reply
12.
HaleyOct 8, 2013, 5:55:00 PM
So helpful! I'm starting to plan my NaNo novel and was at
a complete loss as to what to do for the actual PLOT! I
usually have a decent plan of the major plot points but
this year I had an idea for a novel but no idea what would
actually happen in the novel. This helped a lot. I wrote all
the headings out and filled them in with ideas for each
one although I'm still struggling with the mid point
reversal. Hopefully that will come with time, but knowing
what I'll need to do when I get there makes the novel
feel more manageable.
Reply

13.
Lynn BurroughsOct 9, 2013, 8:31:00 AM
Janice, as always a great post and very timely.
I have a question about the Act 1 problem/choice. Does
the protag have to choose the right path by the end of
the first act? Can choosing the wrong path set her on a
course that will later force her to repeat the choice. Early
on my character chooses to run rather than take the step
to resolving her story problem. This choice literally sets

her on a collision course with people and events that will

force her to either accept her situation and resolve her
problem or run away again.
Reply
14.
Janice HardyOct 9, 2013, 8:38:00 AM
Haley, that's great! Some pieces might not come to you
until you start writing, and that's fine. Sometimes we
only have an inkling about where the story will go, but
this type of structure can help guide our thoughts as we
figure it out. But your subconscious will be churning as
you write, and the midpoint reversal will come to you
eventually. Even if it's something you flesh out more on
the second draft after you see how the full story unfolds.
It's totally okay to fill in parts on the second (or third)
draft.
Lynn, sure, they can be wrong. The point is the choice to
move forward that puts them on the core conflict path.
Even if that choice is wrong, it leads them one step
closer. And if she runs and that's her flaw, forcing her to

choose again works well for her character arc. Until she
learns to stand and face her problems she can't win. She
might take a long time to get there but that wrong choice
does ultimate set her on the path she needs to be on.
Reply
15.
AdrianOct 9, 2013, 12:26:00 PM
As usual, some great insight. Thanks for putting it
together. And a good link to that Beat Sheet spreadsheet,
which is definitely a useful tool!
I can see myself visiting this post a few times. :)
Reply
16.
marti parhamOct 10, 2013, 7:38:00 AM
Hey Janice! Thanks so much for focusing on plot this
week. This post is right on time, and as always VERY
helpful. Now I'm off to fill in the blanks. Wish me luck!
Reply

17.
Michael CairnsOct 10, 2013, 2:10:00 PM
Hi Janice
Great post, thanks.
I've moaned before on here about my lack of plotting
skills! I've also mentioned being a pantser, so your idea
of using this during the editing stage is an excellent one!
You've described all three stages as 'typically' featuring
three key points. Do you ensure that you feature all of
them, or does it change depending on the book? For
instance, in my latest, the protagonist spends much of
the book running blindly from disaster to disaster, so the
planning part of act three never really occurs. He's learnt
a great deal, and become someone who can handle the
crazy stuff, but still heads to his show down with the
antagonist pretty much unprepared, mostly due to the
time constraints enforced by the evil dude's plans! I'm
not sure it's a loss, but I'd appreciate your thoughts :)
thanks
Mike
Reply

18.
Janice HardyOct 10, 2013, 2:24:00 PM
Adrian, the beat sheet is quite helpful. I recommend
picking up the Save the Cat book s as well if you like the
sheet. It'll give you a lot more info on how it works.
Marti, good luck!
Michael, there's flexibility in any structure, but even in a
scene by scene basis the "beginning middle and ending"
format still applies. So I find it very helpful to approach
my acts the same way. But I hate to say "YOU MUST DO
THIS" when you can structure your novel however you
see fit. It's your novel.
However, if your protagonist is just reacting to events in
the climax and not actually driving the plot, that's usually
a red flag that you might have a reactive protagonist.
Even if things are moving faster than he can keep up
with, he should still be making plans and acting.
And remember, "planning" doesn't necessarily mean

sitting around a table with allies and coming up with

ideas. It might be one guy taking two minutes to scope
out an area and figure out how he's going to break into a
building. His planning might be on the fly trying to deal
with things as they tumble out of control. Does that
help?
Reply
19.
Michael CairnsOct 10, 2013, 4:34:00 PM
Hi Janice
That does, and it's very useful, thanks. The challenge now
is to keep the sense of pace and action, but give him
those moments of proper conscious choice.
Having said that, I tend to write quickly, and then notice
things I've done once I start the edit, so maybe he's
planned more than I thought, :)
Thanks again. What is the thinking behind a reactive
protagonist being a bad thing? Is it the sense that readers
will find it difficult to relate to someone who doesn't
make the choices that affect the outcomes?

cheers
Mike
Reply
20.
Janice HardyOct 10, 2013, 4:47:00 PM
Michael, a reactive protagonist tends to feel like the
story is happening despite them. Like you could take
them out and nothing in the story would change because
they weren't actually doing anything to make story
happen. Plus, if all they do is react, the story can feel
aimless and low stakes because there's nothing to be
gained. No goal. Low stakes. Stuff is just happening willy
nilly for no clear reason.
Reply
21.
Michael CairnsOct 11, 2013, 2:25:00 PM
Yep, that makes sense
Thank you :)
Reply

22.
Rubianna MasaOct 19, 2013, 3:44:00 PM
Thank you for doing this on plotting. As a panster, I am
weaker in plotting on paper. It still lives in my head
though. I just need to transition to a little more paper. I
loved the links to the beat sheet. I am half-way through
my WIP and planning on writing for NaNoWriMo to
finish. I know I can only accomplish this if I have a solid,
firm plan. This is exactly what I needed!

Reply
Replies
1.
Janice HardyOct 23, 2013, 8:27:00 AM
Awesome! You can always use these during revisions as
well. I know a few pantsers who do that and love it. They
get the story down how they like to write, then use the
structures to help organize and tighter the story.
Reply
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