The Three Acts in the Structure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The three acts represent the beginning, middle, and end of a story. The first Act is called the Setup, the second being the Confrontation, and the last being the Resolution. The most basic of the three act plot only indicates what each Act should contain, which can be too vague for many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A popular variation of the Three Act Structure divides each act into three parts, listed below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Setup
- Exposition<\/li>
- Incitement<\/strong><\/li>
- Plot Point 1<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Confrontation
- Rising Action<\/li>
- Midpoint<\/strong><\/li>
- Plot Point 2<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Resolution
- Pre-Climax<\/li>
- Climax<\/strong><\/li>
- Denouement<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
It should be noted that despite being called the Three Act Structure, a novel is not equally divided into three parts. Each Act has a unique expected length, which mostly serves as a guideline to help newer writers usher specific plot points in a cadenced manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Setup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The first Act, the Setup, only usually takes up the first 25% of a novel. It starts with the Exposition, where the character and the normal world are introduced. The point of the Exposition is to set up the contrast of a character\u2019s typical life and how it will be changed by the major conflict in the story. This part also introduces important characters and events that will be referenced later on in the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most important part of the Setup is the Incitement, or the call to action\/adventure. After introducing the daily life of the character, you must then create an incident which will threaten this daily life. The Incitement is important because this will drive your plot forward: this is the motivation that will start your story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Incitement often breaks your character outside of their comfort zone, and this must be compelling enough to force your character to engage and face the threat, which would be Plot Point 1. The close-knit relationship of the Incitement and Plot Point 1 often makes it that these two events happen in quick succession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plot Point 1 serves as the transition from Act 1 to Act 2, the Confrontation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Confrontation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The second Act, Confrontation, often takes up the bulk of your story, around 50% or even more, depending on how you write it. The first part, the Rising Action, usually entails a series of unforgiving trials that the character goes through. It is rightfully called the rising action since you try to raise the stakes or the action against your character. Often, your character will come out of these trials victorious, but will end up losing something or winning only by the nick of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re nearing the middle part of your novel, you should now introduce the Midpoint, when your character\u2019s goal is now being actively blocked. This is usually introduced in one or at the end of the mundane trials from the Rising Action. The Midpoint should emphasize how high<\/em> the stakes are right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Midpoint is important because this is when your character starts to truly get involved with the conflict. Your character starts to take matters into their own hands, moving the plot actively because the threat to their goal is now apparent, and that without their action, they will never achieve success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Midpoint then ushers in Plot Point 2, which covers the parts where the character falls into despair. After getting involved with the conflict, they encounter their greatest defeat yet, plunging them into their lowest point. This should be the worst crisis your character will have suffered so far, from which they will bounce back in Act 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Resolution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The third Act, Resolution, can easily take the least content of your novel, around 25% or less, yet this is where all the buildup from the previous two acts culminate. This is where your story reaches its highest physical, mental, and emotional intensity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, before that specific scene or sequence of events start, you should start with the Pre-Climax. The Pre-Climax can often get mixed up with Plot Point 2 from the Confrontation, as these parts often show the darkest moments of the character in the story. This specific drop into despair is also known as the \u201cdark night of the soul,\u201d and it can occur either at the end of Plot Point 2 or the start of Pre-Climax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the important role of the Pre-Climax is to prepare the character for the Climax, the most intense scenes in your novel. In the Climax, your character is now facing the conflict and the antagonist head-on, with no choice left but to fight for their life. This is where your story peaks; everything that you have written so far rides upon the success (or failure) of the character in this battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After an intense face-off, the story reaches the Denouement, or the finale. Here, your character achieves (or cannot any more achieve) their goal, allowing them to be able to go back to their normal life. However, the tribulations that your character faced in the story will make them a truly changed person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Denouement is where you get to clean up plot holes and re-emphasize the theme of your novel. This is also where you release all the tension built up from the Climax, coming back to the peace of Act 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Three Acts in Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- Denouement<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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