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Plotting & Planning


16 WAYS TO PLOT A BOOK: FROM CIRCLES AND SNOWFLAKES TO PYRAMIDS AND POINT GRAPHS

THERE ARE INNUMERABLE WAYS TO STRUCTURE A NARRATIVE! HERE, WE LOOK AT 16 OF
THOSE PLOTTING METHODS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR BOOK.

byB.K. Bass


22 Minute Read

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Narrative Structure?
Sixteen Ways to Structure a Narrative
1. 7-Point Story Structure
2. 27-Chapter Method
3. Aristotle’s Poetics
4. Fichtean Curve
5. Freytag’s Pyramid
6. The Hero’s Journey
7. The Heroine's Journey
8. Kishōtenketsu
9. Romancing the Beat
10. Save the Cat Story Beats
11. Snowflake Method
12. Story Circle
13. Story Genius
14. Story Grid: The Five Commandments
15. Thematic Square
16. Three-Act Structure
Advanced Plotting Scenarios
What a Dastardly Plot!
B.K. Bass
bkbass
B.K. Bass is the author of over a dozen works of science fiction, fantasy, and
horror inspired by the pulp fiction magazines of the early 20th century and
classic speculative fiction. He is also a freelance editor with experience both
as a publisher and editor-in-chief of a literary journal. When B.K. isn’t
dreaming up new worlds to explore, he spends his time as a lifelong student of
history, bookworm, and film buff.
View Profile

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Narrative Structure?
Sixteen Ways to Structure a Narrative
1. 7-Point Story Structure
2. 27-Chapter Method
3. Aristotle’s Poetics
4. Fichtean Curve
5. Freytag’s Pyramid
6. The Hero’s Journey
7. The Heroine's Journey
8. Kishōtenketsu
9. Romancing the Beat
10. Save the Cat Story Beats
11. Snowflake Method
12. Story Circle
13. Story Genius
14. Story Grid: The Five Commandments
15. Thematic Square
16. Three-Act Structure
Advanced Plotting Scenarios
What a Dastardly Plot!

Narrative structure comprises the foundational elements of all storytelling.
Understanding it can inform your plot structure and help you finish drafting
your story, but there are so many models that choosing one can feel
overwhelming.

In this article, we will explore:

 * What narrative structure is and why it is important.
 * Sixteen types of narrative structures.
 * How to handle advanced plotting situations.

Now... Let's plot a book, shall we?!


16 different ways to plot a book.


WHAT IS NARRATIVE STRUCTURE?

Narrative structure, sometimes also referred to as plot structure or story
structure, is the organizational scaffolding of storytelling.

Though these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between
story, plot, and narrative structure.

 * Story: All the elements of storytelling, including character, setting, plot,
   and theme.
 * Plot: The sequence of events within a story.
 * Narrative Structure: How we arrange the elements of a story.

According to James Scott Bell in his book Plot & Structure, “Structure is what
assembles the parts of a story in a way that makes them accessible to readers.”
Narrative structure thus combines the elements of a story with a plot
(structured or otherwise) to shape and mold the story you're writing!


WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF PLOT?

No matter the narrative structure, stories all share common elements that make
up a plot. There are several models of this, but most agree there are five
stages of a plot:

 * Exposition: The starting point or status quo.
 * Inciting Incident: The event that challenges the status quo.
 * Rising Action: Events that drive the plot toward the climax.
 * Climax: The finale where the main conflict is confronted.
 * Denouement or Resolution: A new status quo created by the consequences of the
   climax.

We also often discuss story beats, which are points of a narrative that move a
plot forward. This term originated in screenwriting, where writers would mark
key scenes in a screenplay with the word “BEAT.” An outline focusing on beats is
often referred to as a “beat sheet.”


PLOTTING METHODS VS. NARRATIVE STRUCTURES

What sets a plotting method apart is that it is a tool used to shape the
structure of a story. In other words, it is the intentional use of a narrative
structure during the writing process to create a framework for writing a book.

On the other hand, narrative, plot, or story structure are terms used both to
describe this methodical part of the writing process and in analyzing a story.

A story, then, can make use of both a plotting method and a narrative structure.
For example, the three-act structure can be both a method for shaping a story
and a quality that a story possesses once complete.


NARRATIVE STRUCTURE FOR DISCOVERY WRITERS

Even if you don’t outline your stories, you'll need to consider plot structures.
For those who practice discovery writing (aka pantsing), where you make up the
story as you go, structure is still foundational to storytelling.

While plotters write an outline to map out their story in advance, pantsers
consider plot structures when revising their story and mold the draft into the
desired result. No matter how you get there, narrative structure is something
you must contend with.

Here, you'll find several methods that could be just the spark you need to
ignite your story-planning process!


SIXTEEN WAYS TO STRUCTURE A NARRATIVE

The well-known narrative structures we'll discuss in this article include (but
are not limited to):

 1.  Dan Wells' 7-Point Story Structure: A seven-step story-planning method to
     hit the most important story beats.
 2.  Kat O'Keefe's 27-Chapter Method: 27 chapters are divided into three acts,
     each with nine blocks, for a clearly defined framework.
 3.  Aristotle's Poetics: A simple template to drive the drama of a story by
     focusing on a character's objectives and their relative success.
 4.  John Gardner's Fichtean Curve: A series of increasingly difficult crises
     culminate in a climax and lead to a resolution.
 5.  Gustav Freytag's Dramatic Pyramid: A five-act arc for dramatic
     storytelling.
 6.  Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey: The classic heroic quest as outlined by
     Campbell through years of work studying world mythologies.
 7.  Maureen Murdock's Heroine's Journey: A response to Joseph Campbell's Hero's
     Journey emphasizing the female experience.
 8.  Kishōtenketsu Story Structure: A four-act story structure that originated
     in Eastern Asian classical poetry and literature.
 9.  Gwen Hayes' Romancing the Beat: A four-phase, twenty-beat story outline to
     write a romance.
 10. Jessica Brody's Save the Cat! For Novels: Fifteen beats to help outline a
     compelling story in one of the more popular novel plotting methods.
 11. Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Method: A plot structure designed to start
     small and build your way outward for an intricately detailed story.
 12. Dan Harmon's Story Circle: The hero's journey but simplified into an 8-step
     journey that focuses on character development.
 13. Lisa Cron's Story Genius: A character-first approach to crafting a story.
 14. Shawn Coyne's Story Grid: An easy approach to devising a plot using The
     Five Commandments of storytelling as outlined by the Story Grid method.
 15. Robert McKee's Thematic Square: A method to compose elements in such a way
     as to ensure you clearly express your story's dominant theme.
 16. The Three-Act Structure: The classic three-pronged approach to covering all
     your bases for your story's plot.

These story structures vary significantly in the manners in which they are
presented, but when you strip away the specific method, you'll find a set of
common components found in all stories.

With this understanding of narrative, story, and plot in mind, let’s take a
brief look at some different types of story structures that you can use as
plotting methods.


1. 7-POINT STORY STRUCTURE

Created by Dan Wells, the 7-Point story structure is all about pushing the
protagonist from one event to the next.


Dan Wells' 7-Point Story Structure.

This makes it great for fast-paced, plot-driven stories, and it is my favorite
structure for plotting novellas.

 * Hook: Establish the status quo.
 * Plot Turn 1: The inciting incident.
 * Pinch 1: The situation escalates.
 * Midpoint: The protagonist changes from being reactive to proactive.
 * Pinch 2: A major setback occurs.
 * Plot Turn 2: The key to victory is discovered.
 * Resolution: The conflict is resolved.

This method’s simplicity makes it great to work with, but it can also be a
drawback. If you only plot out the seven points, you will likely have gaps to
fill. Make this your own and add more story beats between the major plot points.
When I use this method, I add rising action and reflection points.

There are several variants of this method, including an alternate version for
romance, plus options for adding an “Ice Monster Prologue” or a try-fail cycle.


2. 27-CHAPTER METHOD

The 27-chapter method from Kat O’Keefe is sometimes referred to as the 3-Act
9-Block Method.


Kat O'Keefe's 27-Chapter Method.

This method divides the story into three acts, then each act into nine blocks,
each serving a specific role in the plot.

 * Act I sets the stage for all events in the story to come. We get a glimpse of
   your character in their ordinary life, but something occurs to shake things
   up. There is some tension in which your character refuses to acknowledge that
   the status quo has changed.
 * Act II is when your character must contend with the fact that change really
   has arrived and they must own up to it. They get to have a little fun in this
   "new world" as they explore it and gain the skills or knowledge needed for
   the third act.
 * Act III sees everything finally coming to a head for your character. The
   trials they have been facing, the skills they have been gaining... They'll
   need everything they have learned thus far in the story to face the final
   showdown.

It's a rather brilliant technique, being that it offers a straightforward
framework to work with and one that also works on multiple levels. While the
overall method follows a clear three-act structure, each act itself also follows
its own three-act structure.

Despite the name, the resulting story need not have strictly twenty-seven
chapters. Rather, think of these as plot points! Add, condense, or take away as
needed for your own unique variation on the method.

The 27-chapter plotting method can create a story structure that is extremely
well-defined, with clear arcs from beginning to end, from the outset. It's a
great option for those who like to plan out exactly what is going to happen,
when it will happen, and why it will happen.


3. ARISTOTLE’S POETICS

From one of the earliest works studying the nature and formation of a story,
Aristotle's Poetics takes a character-first approach to crafting a narrative.


Aristotle's Poetics.

In it, the ancient philosopher analyzed Greek dramas and presented key elements
that place a story firmly in the goals and objectives of a character.

 * Dramatic Action: The character(s) and what they are doing.
 * Inciting Incident: The event that initiates the story.
 * Super Objective: What the main character most desires.
 * Objective: Goals the character(s) are pursuing in each scene.
 * Recognition: The moment the main character learns something that changes
   either them or the situation.
 * Reversal: The choice made resulting from the recognition, the consequences of
   which mark the end of the story.

Although Poetics is not a structured plotting method, putting its theory to
practice can help you ensure your story covers some of the more important
concepts!

For those who don't like other standard plotting methods that place a heavy
emphasis on action, you'll find that Poetics puts your core story elements into
a whole new context.


4. FICHTEAN CURVE

One of the simplest plotting methods, the Fichtean Curve story structure focuses
on rising action—consisting of a series of increasingly tense crises—which leads
to a climax followed by falling action and a resolution.


John Gardner's Fichtean Curve.

This plotting method, laid out by John Gardner in The Art of Fiction, is an
episodic plot structure where everything that happens is linked but the focus is
on each crisis instead of the big picture. The protagonist may have an overall
goal, but each scene involves achieving a smaller goal that adds progress toward
the finale.

This is a great method for those wanting to focus on the action, such as any
author trying their hand at a pulp-fiction style of writing.


5. FREYTAG’S PYRAMID

There are a few theories regarding when the five-act structure was actually
created, but it was the German playwright and author, Gustav Freytag, who
devised a clearly outlined method to follow in the 1800s.


Gustav Freytag's Five-Act Pyramid.

Introduced in Technique of the Drama, Freytag’s Pyramid uses five acts to create
a tragic plot structure that hinges on a central conflict ending in disaster.

 * Introduction: Establishes the status quo.
 * Rising Action: Events push the characters out of their comfort zone,
   gradually increasing in scope and scale.
 * Climax: The situation drastically changes for the worse.
 * Falling Action: The consequences of the climax impact the protagonist.
 * Catastrophe: An ultimate failure or loss.

This five-act structure places the climax in the middle instead of the end where
it might traditionally be found in other plot structures, but it need not be in
the very middle of your story. The falling action, also, is often much shorter
than the rising action.


6. THE HERO’S JOURNEY

One of the most popular plot structures, especially in the fantasy genre, The
Hero’s Journey takes inspiration directly from world mythology.


Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey.

The base of the structure is three acts, as defined by Joseph Campbell in The
Hero With a Thousand Faces:

 * Departure: The hero leaves the Known World.
 * Initiation: The hero faces the Unknown World and overcomes challenges.
 * Return: The hero triumphantly returns to the Known World, changed by their
   ordeals.

This was further developed by Christopher Vogler in The Writer’s Journey, where
he broke down the structure into the twelve stages of the Hero’s Journey we know
today.

 * The Ordinary World: The journey begins with the status quo—business as usual.
 * The Call to Adventure: The inciting incident takes place and the hero is
   called to act upon it.
 * Refusal of the Call: The hero hesitates and instead refuses their call to
   action.
 * Meeting the Mentor: The protagonist receives knowledge or motivation from a
   powerful or influential figure.
 * Crossing the First Threshold: The hero leaves the Known World to face the
   Unknown World.
 * Tests, Allies, Enemies: The hero explores the Unknown World.
 * Approach the Inmost Cave: The hero nears the goal of their quest.
 * The Ordeal: The hero faces a dire situation that changes how they view the
   world.
 * Reward: The hero discovers what they require to achieve their goal.
 * The Road Back: The hero returns to the Known World, facing unexpected
   challenges.
 * Resurrection: The hero faces their ultimate challenge and emerges victorious,
   but forever changed.
 * Return With the Elixir: The hero returns home as a new version of themself.

Following a circular plot structure, the story ends where it began, but the
protagonist is changed. Sometimes also referred to as the monomyth, this type of
plot focuses on a single character and the changes they go through in the story.

Despite how popular the Hero's Journey is, it is not without its faults, as
we'll see in the next plot method!


7. THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY

A student of Joseph Campbell's work regarding numerous world mythologies,
Maureen Murdock felt the original Hero's Journey method failed to address the
contemporary female experience.


Maureen Murdock's Heroine's Journey.

As a critique of Campbell's outline, she presented a ten-step story-planning
process—the Heroine's Journey—that outlines a cyclical quest of the feminine
soul.

 * Separation From the Feminine: The heroine abandons the archetypal "Mother"
   because they feel they need to do this in order to be seen in some certain
   way.
 * Identify the Masculine and Gather Allies: They emulate traditionally
   perceived male behaviors or actions.
 * Road of Trials: They face trials, learn new skills, and overcome challenges
   to achieve their goals.
 * Boon of Success: They achieve success but doubt lingers... When will the ball
   drop?
 * Realization of Spiritual Barrenness: Even though they have achieved some
   success, something feels like it's missing.
 * Initiation and Ascent to the Goddess: The heroine withdraws from their
   surroundings to face an internal darkness.
 * Yearn to Connect to the Feminine: They emerge from their darkness to carve a
   new person of themselves. They may form new relationships or try something
   new.
 * Healing of Mother/Daughter Split: They reconnect with the feminine traits
   they abandoned in the first step and, in doing so, begin to rediscover
   themselves.
 * Healing of Wounded Masculine: They recognize that the masculine traits they
   tried to emulate are not inherently bad. They keep what is valuable to them
   and leave all else.
 * Integration of Feminine and Masculine: The heroine becomes their whole self,
   with both feminine and masculine traits, behaviors, or ideals.

At its core, the Heroine's Journey plot structure provides a framework for the
journey of the self. Where the hero's journey puts emphasis on a grand outward
adventure (a quest), the heroine's journey puts emphasis on a grand inward
exploration of emotions and the spirit for a character who is a woman.

All of the above being said, both the Hero's Journey and the Heroine's Journey
were first proposed decades ago and much has changed today. Use these frameworks
as you see fit for your character(s), and even modify them to create a heroic
journey that is unique to your story!


8. KISHŌTENKETSU

The Kishōtenketsu story structure is a four-part narrative blueprint rooted in
East Asian traditions.


A diagram modeling the Kishōtenketsu story structure.

Originating from classical Chinese literature and found in Japanese and Korean
tales alike, Kishōtenketsu comprises four parts:

 1. An introduction (ki): This is your exposition, where you introduce the
    characters and world of your story.
 2. Development (sho): Your characters face obstacles or choices that raise the
    stakes and add tension—but these need not be overly dramatic. Simply,
    something has changed.
 3. Pivotal twist (ten): The story is thrown for a curve—something unintended or
    unexpected happens. The entire story is made to reach this moment.
 4. Harmonious conclusion (ketsu): What remains after the events of the twist?
    Tie the end back to the beginning and give your characters closure.

One of the most interesting components of the Kishōtenketsu method derives from
its reputation as a “plotless” story structure. Its central philosophy leans
toward slice-of-life—big, world-ending conflict is not a requirement. The
narrative doesn’t even need to have a proper resolution, it just needs to end
once the twist in part three has taken place.


9. ROMANCING THE BEAT

When Gwen Hayes created Romancing the Beat, she outlined a new structure
specifically for plotting romance novels.


Gwen Hayes' Romancing the Beat.

It's divided into four phases, each with five beats, for a total of twenty story
beats that loosely translate to:

 * Phase 1: Introducing the love interests and setting the stage for their
   romance.
 * Phase 2: A period where the love interests get to know each other better, but
   are not quite firmly in a relationship.
 * Phase 3: One or both characters begin(s) to doubt the relationship entirely,
   leading to a breakup.
 * Phase 4: The love interests face their darkest moment, realize they can't
   live without each other, and go on to live happily ever after.

By using this romance novel beat sheet, you can easily map your romance story
from the meet-cute to the happily ever after (HEA) and all the messy in-between.

If you're writing a love story, though, or even a different type of story simply
with a romantic subplot, you may want to consider another plotting method, or
modifying this one. After all, not all love stories end in an HEA!


10. SAVE THE CAT STORY BEATS

Another method composed of story beats, the Save the Cat! story structure
focuses on setting the pacing of a story.


Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! Story Beats.

Originally set forth by Blake Snyder in his book of the same name as a
scriptwriting method, it has become a popular tool for novelists thanks to
Jessica Brody's Save the Cat! Writes a Novel.

The Save the Cat beat sheet consists of:

 * Opening Image: Establish exposition and introduce the protagonist.
 * Theme Stated: Establish the theme.
 * Set-Up: Delve further into the status quo.
 * Catalyst: The inciting incident takes place.
 * Debate: The protagonist debates whether to respond to the catalyst or not.
 * Break Into Two: The protagonist rises to the challenge.
 * B Story: The protagonist meets an important secondary character.
 * Fun and Games: This is all rising action. As the name of the beat suggests,
   have fun with it!
 * Midpoint: The protagonist meets a false victory or defeat.
 * Bad Guys Close In: Things take a turn for the worse.
 * All is Lost: A tragic event occurs.
 * Dark Night of the Soul: The protagonist is changed by the tragedy.
 * Finale: The protagonist overcomes the challenge or meets their worst fate.
 * Final Image: Resolution.

There are some who feel the Save the Cat! method is overdone, citing that it
leads to predictable stories—especially in today's films. You can probably think
of a few movies off the top of your head right now that follow these beats to a
tee.

However, that doesn't change the fact that it's a tried-and-true plot method
that has helped countless authors finish their first drafts. If it works for
you, that's all that matters!


11. SNOWFLAKE METHOD

Created by Randy Ingermanson, the Snowflake Method eschews the beginning-to-end
approach to plotting, opting for a top-down approach.


Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Method.

The story elements of the Snowflake Method consist of the following.

 * Story: This method starts with a single-sentence story concept that is then
   expanded to a paragraph summarizing the exposition, conflict, and resolution.
 * Character: After this, a one-page summary is written for each major character
   and a half page for secondary characters.
 * Expand: Next, the story summary is expanded into a four-page synopsis, and
   the character summaries are further fleshed out into full character charts.
 * Scenes: Finally, the story summary and character charts are used to create a
   scene chart, mapping out the actual narrative structure of the story.

This is somewhat of a broad generalization of the Snowflake Method, but the key
thing to remember when using it is to start small and work your way outward!

Establish your baseline story (what is happening), build your characters (who is
it happening to), then plot all of your scenes around those elements (when is it
all happening).


12. STORY CIRCLE

Developed by the creator of popular television series such as Rick and Morty and
Community, Dan Harmon’s Story Circle is a simplification of the Hero’s Journey.


Dan Harmon's Story Circle.

The method puts a strong emphasis on character development, focusing the plot
more on internal motivations versus external factors. The eight steps of the
Story Circle are...

 * Step 1: They are in a zone of comfort.
 * Step 2: But they want something.
 * Step 3: They enter an unfamiliar situation.
 * Step 4: Adapt to it through facing trials.
 * Step 5: They get what they wanted.
 * Step 6: They pay a heavy price.
 * Step 7: Return to the familiar situation.
 * Step 8: Having changed.

The story circle still centers on the main character’s arc, but because of the
episodic nature of its original application, it focuses on immediate desires and
incremental character growth rather than ultimate goals and life-changing
events.


13. STORY GENIUS

Much like the method outlined in Poetics above, Lisa Cron takes a
character-first story planning approach in Story Genius. There is a strong focus
on creating a character who arrives at the story already with a problem they
need to solve—this is what will drive your plot.


Lisa Cron's Story Genius.

Cron has also devised a detailed scene outline to follow once you've established
your character and their backstory. Scene cards in Story Genius consist of two
things: the plot and the third rail.

 * The plot describes cause (what happens) and effect (the consequences) in your
   story.
 * The third rail describes why the scene matters to the protagonist, what they
   realize during the scene, and how this changes them.

Story Genius is a creative method that begins with fundamental story concepts
and builds on these step-by-step toward outlining a character-driven novel
instead of jumping directly into the plot structure.

The actual “story as a whole" seems to take the backseat; as in, it isn’t given
a focus as far as plotting goes. Instead, your story will unfold as you write
once you have your character(s), their problem(s), and your scenes.

You may find Story Genius especially helpful if you're a pantser, as the method
actively avoids plotting in the technical sense. You'll still end up with a plot
by the end of it, but the process gives you room to explore instead of being
pigeonholed into a strict framework. Or rather, it puts the plotting process
into an entirely different context!


14. STORY GRID: THE FIVE COMMANDMENTS

The entirety of the Story Grid methodology can get pretty complex, pretty fast.
It doesn't just present a plot structure, but also a masterclass on the
philosophy of every single story element you can imagine, from genre to scenes
to character development to the "global story."

Shawn Coyne devised the Story Grid after having worked as an editor, to apply a
fully-developed methodology for analyzing and creating a story.


Shawn Coyne's Five Commandments of Storytelling (from The Story Grid).

The most applicable components of the Story Grid that one can use as a starting
base to plot a book are The Five Commandments (which may look suspiciously
similar to the five basic elements of plot!).

 * The Inciting Incident: Disruption of the status quo. This kicks off the
   events of your story; without it, there would be no story.
 * Turning Point Progressive Complication: The story's path changes direction,
   usually indicated by your characters coming to a crossroads.
 * Crisis: A direct result of the Turning Point. Your character may hesitate to
   choose a path, yet will be forced to do so in order to move forward.
 * Climax: Everything that has happened thus far in your story leads to this
   moment. Emotions are at their highest, all bets are off, and your character
   is forced to make their choice.
 * Resolution: The consequence(s) of the climax. Your character either does or
   does not achieve their goal. Depending on your story's genre, readers may
   expect a specific outcome or emotional payoff here.

Coyne put together a spreadsheet template for the Story Grid that can help you
write down all the necessary details for your story, as well as track the most
important information about each scene.


15. THEMATIC SQUARE

While not a strict plotting method, Robert McKee’s Thematic Square can be
applied to your entire story and individual scenes as a companion tool.


Robert McKee's Thematic Square.

It consists of four quadrants that illustrate the push-and-pull of forces in a
story:

 * Positive: This represents the protagonist’s worldview. It's the most
   important thing to them—the one thing they'll do anything for.
 * The Contradictory: This represents the opposing view. That could be the
   antagonist of your story or even an opposing idea expressed by a faction.
 * The Contrary: This is the in-between, compromise, or path of least
   resistance. It's another force that pushes on the positive to create dramatic
   tension.
 * The Negation of the Negation: This represents the dark consequence(s) of
   rejecting the theme or embracing the opposite of the theme.

It's a useful way to ensure your theme is expressed well across four essential
story elements. If you’re a pantser, the thematic square can help you develop
major scene concepts without having to plot out events!


16. THREE-ACT STRUCTURE

This is the backbone of many other plotting methods. One could say that every
story includes a three-act plot structure since every story has a beginning, a
middle, and an ending.


The Three-Act Structure.

Further, this narrative structure defines what should occur in each of these
three necessary parts of a story:

 * Act I: Exposition, the inciting incident, and a consequential plot point
   ending the act.
 * Act II: Rising action, the midpoint, and a consequential plot point ending
   the act.
 * Act III: The build-up to the climax, the climax, and the resolution.

No matter how you plot your novel, ensuring that every chapter or scene follows
a three-act structure template is a great way to ensure they each have an
impactful function and identity.


ADVANCED PLOTTING SCENARIOS

The narrative structures and plotting methods mentioned in this article
intuitively apply to a story that presents a straight line from A to Z, but
things are rarely that simple. How would one apply story structure to the
additional layers, curves, and corkscrews that inhabit complex novels?


PARALLEL PLOTS

Developing a parallel story structure shares much in common with planning a
single plot since you might plot each thread individually before weaving them
together. The storylines may rarely intersect, or you could end up with an
intricate tapestry.



Depending on the type of parallel narrative, the degree of interaction your
individual plots have can vary.

 * Some parallel narratives will address a common theme or deal with a single
   event from different perspectives.
 * Others involve multiple protagonists on separate journeys that come together
   for the third act or the climax.
 * Sometimes, these storylines intersect multiple times.

An important thing to ensure is that each plot carries its own weight and feels
like a complete story. And together, they should feel like one story. Even if
the protagonists never meet, their experiences should explore a single event or
theme through different lenses.


NON-LINEAR PLOTS

When telling a non-linear story, where events are not in chronological order,
you’ll require separate story structures for both the chronology of the events
and how the events are shown to the reader.

First, how the events play out in timeline order needs to still make logical
sense and follow all the rules of causality. Write down the sequential order of
events in your planning notes to make sure you cover all of your bases. Let's
take these events as an example:

 * Joe wakes up.
 * He gets ready for work.
 * Joe travels to the office.
 * He works all day.
 * Joe gets fired.

Now, the key to telling a good non-linear story is to make sure the flow of
events you present to the reader tells a compelling story with a narrative arc.
We can take our sample events and rearrange them so that they're still following
the structure of the five basic plot elements—and in a way that makes sense,
too.

 * Status quo: He works all day.
 * Inciting incident: He gets ready for work.
 * Rising Action: Joe travels to the office.
 * Midpoint: Joe wakes up.
 * Climax: Joe gets fired.

Even though events presented aren't in chronological order, you can still craft
a compelling narrative that makes sense to a reader.

It’s the “two birds with one stone” nature of this endeavor that makes it
challenging. To see it in action successfully, I’d give Quentin Tarantino’s film
Pulp Fiction a watch (this is both nonlinear and parallel!), or almost any
Christopher Nolan film.


SUBPLOTS

Adding a story within a story seems deceptively simple but can grow increasingly
complex.



For each subplot, you might use the same story structure as the main plot; or if
a subplot is brief or simple, you might choose a more streamlined plotting
method like the three-act structure.

At times, you'll want to make sure the beats of multiple plots coincide with one
another for maximum impact, such as the midpoint of the main plot coinciding
with a plot twist in a subplot, or both sharing a single event for the climax.

The tricky part is weaving your subplots into the main narrative in a way that
creates a single, cohesive story. The keys here are to ensure that events flow
logically from one to the next, all your plots are relevant to one another, and
every subplot influences the main plot, characters, or theme.

🔥
Whether you're writing one grand plot with lots of intricate subplots, or if
you're writing a story with several plots—perhaps from different points of
view—you still need to consider the logic of the story as a whole and its
pacing.

If you don't give the plots and subplots of a narrative room to breathe, your
reader won't experience that satisfying payoff when the story ends. Instead, the
narrative could feel confusing or incomplete.


SLICE OF LIFE STORIES

With a slice-of-life story, you explore a selection of small, everyday stories
focused on the character and setting rather than a sweeping narrative with a
central conflict.

However, narrative structure has a role to play even in stories that simply
examine ordinary facets of life instead of addressing some sort of impending
conflict.

Everything that happens to us follows a plot structure, which is what makes it
so natural and necessary for any kind of storytelling.

Let’s take buying a loaf of bread as an example, and apply the five elements of
plot:

I was at home (introduction) when I realized I was out of bread (inciting
incident). So, I went to the store (rising action) and bought a loaf of bread
(climax). Then, I went home with my new loaf of bread (resolution).

As we can see, even the most basic of interactions with the world involve a
narrative structure.


WHAT A DASTARDLY PLOT!

The variety of narrative structures and plotting methods can be overwhelming.
Take time to explore them. No single method is better than another, so find what
works for you.

Also, one should not feel beholden to existing formulas. Innovation is what
drives storytelling forward.

Jeff Vandermeer said it best in Wonderbook:

“An unusual structure isn’t necessarily experimentation for its own sake, but
more often just a healthy exploration of the perfect way to tell a certain kind
of story.”

Understanding existing plot structures is a vital foundation for any writer, but
don’t be afraid to experiment once that knowledge is at your disposal.


PLOT METHOD TEMPLATES IN CAMPFIRE

Ready to plot out your masterpiece in earnest? The Campfire team has put
together twelve of the aforementioned plot methods as templates in the Timeline
Module.


Screenshots of two readymade plotting templates in Campfire's Timeline Module.

Campfire's Timeline Module offers a versatile canvas to plot out each basic
component of your story while featuring nested "notebooks." Simply double-click
on each panel in the Timeline to open up a canvas specific to that card. This
allows you to look at your plot at the highest level, while also adding as much
detail for each plot element as needed!

If you're new to Campfire, their writing software is free to sign up for! Create
your account, find the right template for you in the Timeline Module, and start
planning out your novel in minutes.

Start Plotting

Storytelling is magic-making, so no matter what, the important thing is that you
get out there and make some magic!

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16 different ways to plot a book.
Dan Wells' 7-Point Story Structure.
Kat O'Keefe's 27-Chapter Method.
Aristotle's Poetics.
John Gardner's Fichtean Curve.
Gustav Freytag's Five-Act Pyramid.
Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey.
Maureen Murdock's Heroine's Journey.
A diagram modeling the Kishōtenketsu story structure.
Gwen Hayes' Romancing the Beat.
Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! Story Beats.
Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Method.
Dan Harmon's Story Circle.
Lisa Cron's Story Genius.
Shawn Coyne's Five Commandments of Storytelling (from The Story Grid).
Robert McKee's Thematic Square.
The Three-Act Structure.


Screenshots of two readymade plotting templates in Campfire's Timeline Module.




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