What Is Plot Structure? Definition, Examples & How To Use It Effectively

Do you ever wonder what goes into a story? What makes something engaging and interesting to read? The answer is all in the plot.

The plot is everything in a story, from the beginning to the end. It’s how every detail gets put together to create an enjoyable experience for readers.

What Is Plot Structure

The plot structure is the arrangement of events in a narrative work. The plot can be organized by time, as with a story that moves from the past to the present day.

By space, as with a story that jumps around between different settings and locations; or by cause and effect, such as when events are related to each other through chains of causation.

Definition Of Plot And Structure

A plot is defined as a sequence of events that makes up a story. The structure is how this sequence of events is arranged in relation to one another.

The plot can be broken into 4 parts:

1. The exposition or introduction where the reader learns about the setting, characters, and what has happened before the beginning of the novel;

2. Rising Action which starts with the first conflict and ends with an event that changes everything for our protagonist;

3. Climax which directly follows from rising action; it’s when all conflicts come together to create a single dramatic moment – usually an emotional high point in the book;

4. Resolution. Where Falling Action happens after a climax.

Elements Of Plot

The “elements” of the plot are:

• setting,
• character,
• conflict,
• rising action,
• climax/turning point/climax,
• resolution.

Essential Narrative Devices For Plot And Structure

Plot and structure are essential components of any story.

Many novels, movies, and stories can be dissected into their main plot points using a narrative device called the “Hero’s Journey.” Within this framework, there are stages that your protagonist must go through in order to become a hero:

• The Call to Adventure – where the protagonist is confronted with an event or problem;
• Refusal of The Call – when the protagonist refuses to accept that they need help;
• Supernatural Aid – when something supernatural intervenes on behalf of the protagonist;
• Crossing The Threshold – when the character starts exploring their new world   (most often represented by crossing either literal or metaphorical boundaries);
• Tests, Allies, And Enemies – the tests faced by our protagonist.

Plan A Linked Series Of Story Events

Are you having trouble figuring out how to plan your story?

A series of events is a way to organize the plot and make it easier for readers to understand what’s going on.

There are four main ways that people use when planning their series of events: The Snowflake Method, Spaghetti-Forking Method, Chronological Ordering, or Dramatic Irony.

Use Plot Diagrams To Visualize Story Structure

Plot diagrams can be used to visualize the structure of a story or novel.

A diagram is composed of circles that represent events, lines connecting these circles that represent causal relationships between events, and arrows representing time flow in one direction from past to future.

This allows readers to visualize the plot of a story without having to read it.

Structure Each Individual Part Of Your Plot

The plot structure is a tricky thing to master. There are many different ways to write it, and no one way is the best for each story.

However, there are some general guidelines that can help you with your writing process.

Plot Structure Diagram For Books

The most important part of any good book is its plot. A well-structured story will keep readers engaged and eager to find out what happens next.

For example, the bestsellers Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins are both known for their gripping plots that keep readers guessing until the end.

A plot diagram is a great tool when it comes to understanding how a story unfolds over time and in what order events happen.

It may seem counterintuitive at first glance, but once you start mapping out your novel’s timeline visually, everything quickly becomes clear!

Plot Structure Diagram: Freytag’s Pyramid

Freytag’s Pyramid is a rhetorical structure that was developed by Gustav Freytag in 1874.

It contains 5 parts: exposition, complication, turning point (climax), falling action, and dénouement.

The basic idea of Freytag’s pyramid is to show how narratives are built up into a story with an exciting climax at the end.

The pyramid can be illustrated as follows:

Exposition – introduction of setting and characters;

Complication – events unfold leading up to turning point;

Turning Point – major event such as conflict or change in status quo;

Falling Action – events following the major event that leads to the resolution or conclusion;

   

Dénouement – final outcome for characters.

Three Act Structure

The 3 Act Structure is a story-telling technique that can be applied to any type of story, regardless of genre.

It divides your plot into three parts:

1. Setup;

2. Confrontation;

3. Resolution.

Each one takes up roughly 33% of your screenplay or novel, with each part following a definite climax and resolution point for the protagonist.

Narrative Arc

The term “narrative arc” is one that has been around since Aristotle coined the idea of dramatic structure in his Poetics.

In this article, we’ll take a look at what narrative arcs are, why they’re important to understand as writers and readers, and how you can use them in your own work.

How To Introduce Plot To Your Story: A Disturbance And Two Doorways

At the beginning of a story, there is usually an introduction to the setting and characters.

This introductory passage sets up the world that readers will enter for a short time before they go on their way.

When you write your beginnings, it’s important to introduce yourself as well.

You want your first sentence or paragraph to be interesting enough so that people can’t help but read more about what you have to say.

Elements Of Plot Structure: Character Arcs

In a short answer, a character arc is an emotional journey that your protagonist goes through throughout the course of the story.

From start to finish, there will be some amount of change in their thoughts and feelings which can be reflected by what they say or do.

This transformation changes how you view them as a person and makes for interesting reading.

Character arcs usually have three stages: denial, anger, acceptance (sometimes called despair).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL0OBybFu2I

Elements Of Plot Structure: Story Arcs

Story arcs are the most important part of any narrative.

Whether it’s a novel, film, or TV show, every storyline has one.

A story arc is the series of events that happen to your protagonist in order for them to achieve their goal and realize their personal growth.

They are usually broken up into three parts: introduction (exposition), rising action (complications), and resolution (conclusion).

A Guide To Plot Structure In Screenwriting

Writing a script is an experience that requires knowledge of guide to plot structure in screenwriting. It is imperative that the writer knows how the structure works.

The proper use of subplots, main plots, and minor plots is essential to developing a strong script.

All the components need to be thought out carefully in order for a script to work. A guide to plot structure in screenwriting will assist in developing a solid screenplay.

The first step to creating plot structure is to determine the general theme of your story.

This will set the stage for your plot structure.

The most common theme for story plots is romance, war, and adventure.

These provide the foundation for subplots, which are smaller stories that take place within the larger main plot.

The subplots are usually two to three sentences long and are central to the flow of the story.

While you are writing your script, think about your characters. Subplots can develop around important characters or minor characters.

Once you determine who the central character is, you can turn your attention to the minor characters who fill out the rest of the script.

A good guide to plot structure in screenwriting will help you develop each character.

Your guide to plot structure in screenwriting will show you how to introduce your characters.

One of the most important aspects of a successful screenplay is how easily the audience is drawn into the main characters.

Once you have established major characters, it is easy to develop minor characters.

You may even consider having some of your minor characters become major characters as part of your guide to achieve greater success.

When developing a successful story, a guide to the plot structure will provide you with tips and strategies for developing your plot.

You need to take time in developing your plot.

You should take time to think about the conflict between the different characters, how the conflict affects each character, how the conflict can be resolved, what will eventually happen after the conflict is resolved, and so on.

Your guide to the plot will also help you in developing the other characters in your story. There are common mistakes that many people make.

For example, they don’t pay enough attention to how their characters feel about the situation. Or they fail to motivate their characters to do what is necessary.

A good guide will help you develop your character. Take time to think about your character’s personality.

Consider each character’s strengths and weaknesses.

Then think about how the character would act in certain situations.

The guide will provide you with tips on how you can develop your character. If you are struggling with developing a character then you can look up similar characters or you can watch a movie about someone who has the same character as you want your character to have.

A guide to plot structure in screenwriting will help you achieve success in screenwriting.

You will get invaluable advice on how to develop your characters, how to develop your plot, how to write successful plots, and so on.

You need to pay attention to how a guide to plot structure changes the way you write.

It will make it easier for you to develop plots, develop your characters, write successful stories, and overcome obstacles.

You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll write.

When deciding what format you will use for your story, you need to decide on a guide to the plot structure in screenwriting.

There are several different formats that you can use depending on the type of story you are planning to write. Each format is designed for the purpose of helping you tell a compelling and interesting story.

If you are planning to write romance then a guide to structure in screenwriting will focus on romance plots. In this genre, the plot should follow a number of different paths throughout the story.

   

Each character in the novel should have at least one major conflict. The guide will tell you how to create the conflicts within your characters so you can bring life to your characters and build tension.

How do you know if a guide is right for you? Only you can answer that question. If you find that the information in a guide makes things seem more difficult than they are, or your mind gets lost trying to piece together your characters and plot, you may not need a guide.

However, if you find that the information is easy to understand and you like being guided, then it may be a good idea to get a guide to plot structure in screenwriting.

It will help you learn about all of the different types of plots out there and help you figure out how to structure your own novel.