Beauty is produced by the pleasing appearance and good taste of the whole, and by the dimensions of all the parts being duly proportioned to each other. - Vitruvius

What is a 'plot' in storytelling?

- The main events of a story, devised and presented by the author as an interesting and interrelated sequence.

What are the parts of a plot?

The plot of a story contains certain elements that are essential in taking the reader from the beginning to the end in an entertaining way. We have put together a list of the most common elements (or parts), with a description of each.

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Story Arc aka Narrative Arc: The story arc is a literary term for the path a story follows. It gives your story a backbone, providing a clear beginning, middle and end. At its core, the story arc contains the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Beats: Within each act of a story are a number of different 'beats' (or plot events). According to Aristotle, who first analyzed storytelling through three parts, each act should be bridged by a beat that sends the narrative in a different direction. The story can be kept on track through a beat sheet, which is used to map out these beats. Typically, beat sheets are used for screenplays, but many novelists use them as well. There are a number of beat sheet templates online, with the most popular being Save The Cat.

Exposition: Narrative exposition is the insertion of background information within a story. This information can be about the setting, character backstories, prior plot events, historical context, etc. Exposition can slow the pace of a story if it is too dense or occurs too often. These are called info dumps. Many articles can be found online on how to keep a narrative from weighing down the forward progress of a plot.

Hook: A literary technique in the opening of a story that 'hooks' the reader's attention so that he or she will keep on reading. This can be a life-changing event, a unique character trait, an unusual story location...anything significant and intriguing that will cause the reader to want to keep turning pages. (more details here)

Inciting Incident: An event that sets into motion everything else that happens. This is the moment when the protagonist is thrust into the main action of the story.

Rising Action: A related series of incidents in a literary plot that builds toward the point of greatest interest, which includes all decisions, characters flaws, and background circumstances that together create turns and twists leading to a climax. Rising action begins immediately after exposition.

Plot Points (Changes): Plot Points include the Midpoint, Binding Point, and Turning Point. These are the main decisions the protagonist makes that change the direction of the story. They are the protagonist's short-term goals, efforts, decisions, etc.

Pinch Points: At their most basic level, pinch points stymie the protagonist's goal. They're used as a pacing trick that re-orients the readers' attention during the long span of the second act. They provide new information to the plot that begins setting up the major events in the midpoint and third plot point. Pinch points can be defined as 'mini-battles' where the protagonist loses.

Pre-Climax aka Dark Night of the Soul: This is where your protagonist will face their hardest obstacle. As they desperately lunge towards that elusive but coveted prize, everything they cherish is put at risk. At this point, they will look back on their journey and question their commitments, beliefs, choices, and actions. There is no retreating. The only way out is through to the climax.

Climax: Taking place in the last act, the climax is the highest point of tension and drama in a narrative work. This climax occurs when the main problem of the story is faced and solved by the protagonist.

Falling Action: This occurs after the climax but before the resolution as things start to work themselves out in the story. You are coming down the mountain, just as you are coming down from the excitement of the climax.

Resolution: After the falling action, the resolution is the solution to the problem as your protagonist reaches the bottom of the mountain.