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OUTLINE
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ACT I
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Hook
- 0% - 5%
- Grab the reader, provoke interest,and cause questions to be asked.
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Inciting Event
- 5% - 10%
- The event that sets the story in motion, and will lead to the Key Event.
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Key Event
- 10% - 15%
- Reaction
- The event that causes the protagonist to be caught up in the story.
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Plot Point 1
- 25%, End of the Act
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a.k.a
- First Pillar (suspension bridge metaphor)
- Reaction
- A change of surroundings. A personal turning point. The point of no return for the protagonist.
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ACT II
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Strong Reaction
- 25% - 30%
- The protagonist has a strong response to the 1st Plot Point.
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Pinch Point 1
- 35% - 40%
- The antagonist’s presence and power are displayed.
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Plot Point 2
- 50%
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a.k.a.
- Midpoint
- Mirror Moment
- Turning Point
- Shift from Reaction to Action
- The midpoint. The turning point of the novel. A change of direction for the characters. A push from reaction to action. A personal catalyst for the protagonist. A move to dramatic, new, fresh, different circumstances.
- The moment. The true midpoint is not a scene. It's a moment within a scene. It's like the earth's core. The true center. Find it in your novel, and everything will radiate from it.
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Strong Action
- The protagonist takes a strong action after the Turning Point.
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Pinch Point 2
- 60% - 65%
- The antagonist’s presence and power are reaffirmed.
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Plot Point 3 (a.k.a. Pillar 3)
- 75%, End of the Act
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a.k.a.
- Second Pillar (suspension bridge metaphor)
- We are setup on our inexorable course towards the Climax. A low point for the protagonist. Perhaps a meeting between protagonist and antagonist? A decision? An upheaval? An unexpected event?
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ACT III
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Increased Pace
- 75% - 97%
- The pacing will naturally increase (and chapter length will decrease) as we approach the Climax.
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Climax
- 90% - 95%
- The final 10% of the novel, where the core conflict between the protagonist and antagonist is brought to a conclusion.
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Climactic Moment
- 95% - 97%
- The critical moment that fulfils the dramatic promise of the story.
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Resolution
- 97% - 100%
- A brief hint (a scene or two) of how the story continues beyond the novel’s scope. A period of emotional recovery. A chance to spend another brief moment with the protagonist.
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About
- Based on the book "Structuring Your Novel" by K. M. Weiland, ISBN 978-0-9857804-0-1
- Map created by Cody Burleson, codyburleson.com
- For a PDF chart of this structure, see: http://mattgemmell.com/structuring-your-novel/