The Three Act Structure

     Writing a story can be very daunting just because of the sheer huge vastness of what you can write about. Thankfully, people have been writing stories since before Greece became a nation and penned the Illiad and the Odyssey and have discovered a basic structure that you can follow. It is called the three-act structure and is sorted into three acts. The first act begins your story, after you've introduced your setting, characters, and done all your exposition. It begins with the First Plot Point.

    The First Plot Point is a choice your character makes that he cannot unmake. It will launch him into the "adventure" and he will be unable to go back to his life previous to this choice. At this point, your character should be passive, reacting to the events around him. Move your character farther away from what he wants. 

    The First Pinch Point is when your character faces an EXTREME amount of pressure because of the choice he made in the first plot point. Move your character closer to what he wants. 

    The Midpoint concludes the first act and begins the second act. The midpoint is when your character switches from a passive position to an active position. He stops just reacting to the events around him and starts shaping the events around him. Move him just a smidgeon away from what he is fighting for, but not completely there. 

    The Third Plot Point is your story's darkest hour. At this point, your hero is at absolute rock bottom. This is the closest he gets to losing. People usually die at this point in the story. This part should make your readers cry if done correctly and well. Put your character as far away from what he is fighting for as possible.

    The Climax is probably the most well-known point in your story. This is when your character wins and should be the most exciting, and tense point in the story. Everything should build to this moment. Your character should get what you want at this point.