Seven story structures

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1. Freytag’s Pyramid

  • Introduction. The status quo is established; an inciting incident occurs.
  • Rise, or rising action. The protagonist actively pursues their goal. The stakes heighten.
  • Climax. A point of no return, from which the protagonist can no longer go back to the status quo.
  • Return, or fall. In the aftermath of the climax, tension builds, and the story heads inevitably towards...
  • Catastrophe. The protagonist is brought to their lowest point. Their greatest fears have come true.
Freytag’s Pyramid: Understand the Shape of Tragic Drama
Plotting a Novel with Freytag's Pyramid - YouTube

2. The Hero’s Journey

  1. The Ordinary World. The hero’s everyday life is established.
  2. The Call of Adventure. Otherwise known as the inciting incident.
  3. Refusal of the Call. For a moment, the hero is reluctant to take on the challenge.
  4. Meeting the Mentor. Our hero meets someone who prepares them for what lies ahead — perhaps a parental figure, a teacher, a wizard, or a wise hermit.
  5. Crossing the First Threshold. The hero steps out of their comfort zone and enters a ‘new world.’
  6. Tests, Allies, Enemies. Our protagonist faces new challenges — and maybe picks up some new friends. Think of Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road.
  7. Approach to the Inmost Cave. The hero gets close to their goal. Luke Skywalker reaches the Death Star.
  8. The Ordeal. The hero meets (and overcomes) their greatest challenge yet.
  9. Reward (Seizing the Sword). The hero obtains something important they were after, and victory is in sight.
  10. The Road Back. The hero realizes that achieving their goal is not the final hurdle. In fact, ‘seizing the sword’ may have made things worse for them.
  11. Resurrection. The hero faces their final challenge — a climactic test that hinges on everything they’ve learned over their journey.
  12. Return with the Elixir. Having triumphed, our protagonist returns to their old life. Dorothy returns to Kansas; Iron Man holds a press conference to blow his own trumpet.
  • Act 1: Setup
    • Exposition. The status quo or ‘ordinary world’ is established.
    • Inciting Incident. An event that sets the story in motion.
    • Plot Point One. The protagonist decides to tackle the challenge head-on. She ‘crosses the threshold,’ and the story is now truly moving.
  • Act 2: Confrontation
    • Rising Action. The story's true stakes become clear; our hero grows familiar with her ‘new world’ and has her first encounters with some enemies and allies. (see Tests, Allies, Enemies)
    • Midpoint. An event that upends the protagonist’s mission. (Similar to the climax in Freytag’s pyramid)
    • Plot Point Two. In the wake of the disorienting midpoint, the protagonist is tested — and fails. Her ability to succeed is now in doubt.
  • Act 3: Resolution
    • Pre Climax. The night is darkest before dawn. The protagonist must pull herself together and choose between decisive action and failure.
    • Climax. She faces off against her antagonist one last time. Will she prevail?
    • Denouement. All loose ends are tied up. The reader discovers the consequences of the climax. A new status quo is established.
The Three-Act Structure: The King of Story Structures
The Three-Act Structure: Writing a Strong First Act - YouTube

4. Dan Harmon's Story Circle

  1. A character is in a zone of comfort... This is the establishment of the status quo.
  2. But they want something... This 'want' could be something long-standing and brought to the fore by an inciting incident.
  3. They enter an unfamiliar situation... The protagonist must do something new in their pursuit of the thing they want.
  4. Adapt to it... Faced with some challenges, they struggle and then begin to succeed.
  5. Get what they wanted... Usually a false victory.
  6. Pay a heavy price for it... They realize that what they 'wanted' wasn't what they 'needed'.
  7. Then return to their familiar situation... armed with a new truth.
  8. Having changed... For better or worse.

Fichtean Curve

  1. Rising Action
    • Inciting incident. The novel begins with the line: “Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.” Within the first three paragraphs, Marilyn realizes that her daughter Lydia is missing. Thus, readers are thrown straight into rising action as Marilyn anxiously searches all the usual places Lydia might be found.
    • First crisis. Lydia’s family is informed her body was found in a nearby lake. From this first crisis's climax, the narrative flashes back to provide exposition and details of the family’s history.
    • Second crisis. In flashbacks, we discover that, 11 years prior, Marilyn abandoned her family to resume her undergraduate studies. In her absence, the family begins to fall apart. Marilyn learns she is pregnant and is forced to return home. Having lost her opportunity for further education, she places the pressure of academic success on her children.
    • Third crisis. Back in the present, Lydia’s father, James, is cheating on Marilyn. The police decide to close the investigation, ruling Lydia’s death a suicide. This results in a massive argument between her parents, and James leaves to stay with the “other woman.”
    • Fourth crisis. Flashback to the day Lydia died. From her perspective, we see that she’s misunderstood by her parents. She mourns her brother’s impending departure from college, leaving her as the sole focus of her parents’ pressure. Isolated, she tries to seduce a friend — who rejects her advances and explains he’s in love with her brother.
  2. Climax
    • Lydia takes a boat into the lake in the middle of the night — determined to overcome her fear of water and reclaim control of her life. Lydia jumps off the boat, into the water, and out of this life. As in a classical tragedy, this moment is both devastating and inevitable.
  3. Falling Action
    • Some level of resolution is achieved, and readers get to at least glimpse the “new norm” for the characters. Lydia’s family lean on one another in their grief. While they may never be able to make their amends with Lydia, they can learn from her death. Not all of the loose ends are tied off, but readers infer the family is on the long road to recovery.

6. Save the Cat Beat Sheet

  1. Opening Image [1]. The first shot of the film. If you’re starting a novel, this would be an opening paragraph or scene that sucks readers into the world of your story.
  2. Set-up [1-10]. Establishing the ‘ordinary world’ of your protagonist. What does he want? What is he missing out on?
  3. Theme Stated [5]. During the setup, hint at what your story is really about — the truth that your protagonist will discover by the end.
  4. Catalyst [12]. The inciting incident!
  5. Debate [12-25]. The hero refuses the call to adventure. He tries to avoid the conflict before they are forced into action.
  6. Break into Two [25]. The protagonist makes an active choice and the journey begins in earnest.
  7. B Story [30]. A subplot kicks in. Often romantic in nature, the protagonist’s subplot should serve to highlight the theme.
  8. The Promise of the Premise [30-55]. Often called the ‘fun and games’ stage, this is usually a highly entertaining section where the writer delivers the goods. If you promised an exciting detective story, we’d see the detective in action. If you promised a goofy story of people falling in love, let’s go on some charmingly awkward dates.
  9. Midpoint [55]. A plot twist occurs that ups the stakes and makes the hero’s goal harder to achieve — or makes them focus on a new, more important goal.
  10. Bad Guys Close In [55-75]. The tension ratchets up. The hero’s obstacles become greater, his plan falls apart, and he is on the back foot.
  11. All is Lost [75]. The hero hits rock bottom. He loses everything he’s gained so far, and things are looking bleak. The hero is overpowered by the villain; a mentor dies; our lovebirds have an argument and break up.
  12. Dark Night of the Soul [75-85-ish]. Having just lost everything, the hero shambles around the city in a minor-key musical montage before discovering some “new information” that reveals exactly what he needs to do if he wants to take another crack at success. (This new information is often delivered through the B-Story)
  13. Break into Three [85]. Armed with this new information, our protagonist decides to try once more!
  14. Finale [85-110]. The hero confronts the antagonist or whatever the source of the primary conflict is. The truth that eluded him at the start of the story (established in step three and accentuated by the B Story) is now clear, allowing him to resolve their story.
  15. Final Image [110]. A final moment or scene that crystallizes how the character has changed. It’s a reflection, in some way, of the opening image.
  1. The Hook. Draw readers in by explaining the protagonist’s current situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should be in direct contrast to what it will be at the end of the novel.
  2. Plot Point 1. Whether it’s a person, an idea, an inciting incident, or something else — there should be a "Call to Adventure" of sorts that sets the narrative and character development in motion.
  3. Pinch Point 1. Things can’t be all sunshine and roses for your protagonist. Something should go wrong here that applies pressure to the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.
  4. Midpoint. A “Turning Point” wherein the main character changes from a passive force to an active force in the story. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist decides to start meeting it head-on.
  5. Pinch Point 2. The second pinch point involves another blow to the protagonist — things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. This might involve the passing of a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.
  6. Plot Point 2. After the calamity of Pinch Point 2, the protagonist learns that they’ve actually had the key to solving the conflict the whole time.
  7. Resolution. The story’s primary conflict is resolved — and the character goes through the final bit of development necessary to transform from who they were at the start of the novel.
The Seven-Point Story Structure: From Idea to Plot in 5 Steps (reedsy.com)

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10 Questions to Negotiate Anything

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Look in the mirror, before you enter into any negotiation, take thirty minutes to first ask yourself five good questions. Look out the window and see the other party clearly. Ask questions and then listen empathetically. Try and discern their needs, concerns, and feelings


Look in the Mirror

1. What problem do I need to solve?

  • Take a piece of paper and write down the exact problem you want to solve.
    • Define something concrete, not abstract.
  • Take what is written and summarize it in one sentence.
    • Have a clear, concise aim for the negotiation.
  • Change anything which is backward-looking and negative to forward-looking and positive.
    • Focus on what you want in the future rather than being trapped in the past.
    • e.g.: "Our junior employee satisfaction rating is low" should become "We need to achieve high junior employee satisfaction levels".
  • Take your sentence and change it into a question by adding how, what, who, or when. 
    • e.g. "What can we do to achieve high junior employee satisfaction levels?"
  • Revise your question to broaden it – to reflect the true bigger picture issues at play here.
    • e.g. "What can we do to make this a great place to work, and where achievers will want to come and stay?"

2. What do I need to get out of this?

  • Take a piece of paper – and write down your initial answer to the question "What do I need?"  
    • Take five minutes to write down everything that comes to mind without censorship.
    • Remind yourself that needs are the reasons why you make demands, not the demands themselves.
  • Divide your list into two buckets or categories – tangibles and intangibles. 
    • Make a fresh list of your tangible needs and your intangible needs.
  • Now take your tangibles list – and for each item ask "What makes this important?" and "What does this represent for me?" 
    • Write down your answers to those questions because this is getting to the why.
    • You're heading towards understanding your deepest needs and values.
    • You should also ponder the question: "How else might I fulfill my need for  __?"
  • Then turn to your intangibles list – and for each item ask: 
    • "What would that look like?" Write down your answers to that follow-up question. 
    • Then ask: "How else might I __?"
  • By the way, if you get stuck and can't come up with any specific needs, think about whatever you find intolerable about your situation and flip it around. 
    • Write down the opposite and go from there.

3. What do I feel about this?

  • It will help you understand your own priorities before the negotiation begins.
  • You'll craft better solutions – by harnessing your feelings rather than ignoring them.
    • "What would help eliminate or at least reduce my feeling of X in this negotiation?" 
    • Working through that question will frequently lead to some concrete ideas for how to move forward. 
  • You minimize the opportunity for your underlying feelings to sideline your negotiation.
    • Go through the list and see if you agree you're feeling one of these emotions or a mix of a few different ones. You can also go back to your needs (tangible or intangible) to try and put your finger on what you're feeling. 
    • The two most common hidden emotions tend to be guilt and fear. These are the two emotions that most often blow up negotiations, so take care to identify whether guilt or fear is present.

4. How have I handled this (successfully) before?

  • You'll be able to place today's negotiations into context.
    • A powerful positive anchor is great because it will launch you into the future in the best way possible.
  • Remembering your prior successes can generate some very worthwhile data.
    • Recall good strategies that were delivered in the past and can work again.
  • Having a positive frame of reference will prime you to think creatively.

5. What's the first step?

  • Start designing your ideal future.
  • Determine the first step you want the other party to take to move them in the right direction.
  • Focusing on the first step forward will build momentum.
    • Momentum can then motivate everyone to take many subsequent steps forward.
    • Taking the first step will help people to focus and organize their thoughts so they can keep moving forward on their own power.
  • Many negotiations are cumulative.
    • If you can get people to successfully take the first step, they will then agree to take the next four or five as well

Look out of the Window

6. Tell me ......?

  • Tell me ..." allows you to learn exactly how the other party defines the problem at hand. It builds a relationship with the other party, and it signals you genuinely want to understand the pressures they are under and respond. It empowers you to listen to what's not being said. e.g.:
    • "Tell me about yourself" is the perfect icebreaker.
    • "Tell me about what brought you here today."
    • "Tell me about the issues and challenges you face."
    • "Tell me more."
    • "Tell me about your day."
    • "Tell me about your goals."
    • "Tell me have you made an offer yet?"
    • "Tell me about your hopes for this meeting."
    • "Tell me about the person you're looking for to fill this job opening."
    • "Tell me your thoughts on the settlement offer on the table."
    • "Tell me your perspective on what's been happening lately."
    • "Tell me what's been happening from your perspective."
  • Once you ask a "Tell me..." question, give the other person enough time to answer. Be comfortable with the silence while they think, and then summarize back to them what they say. This ensures you've heard correctly, and it's an invitation to give more feedback and details

7. What do you need?

  • Look the other person in the eye and ask: "What do you need?" If you cut to the chase like this, you'll be amazed at how frequently a collaborative and productive compromise can be reached, even in the most bitter negotiations. e.g:
    • "What do you need from any vendor who supplies your stores?"
    • "What do you need to get out of this deal in order to make all your stakeholders happy?"
    • "When you're considering how to prioritize your budget, what do you need the most?"
    • "What do you need first and foremost when you work with homeowners?"
    • "What do you need to get this job done?"
    • "What do you need here? I felt that earlier in our discussions, you were leaning towards ..."
    • "What do you need? 
    • "How about if we... "
  • Be comfortable with and enjoy the silence while they are thinking.
  • When they reply, you can then ask for an open-ended follow-up question to get more details.
    • "Thanks. Tell me more about..." or even just a direct "That's interesting. Tell me more."
  • The other party is either going to come back with some tangibles or intangible issues:
    • If they bring up intangibles, your follow-up question could be: 
      • "OK, what would that look like?" or 
      • "Great. Tell me, what would a workable solution look like and feel like for you?"
      • That will encourage the other party to bring their needs to live and to add some specific details. You can then work with them to find a mutual path forward.
    • If they bring up tangible items, you can then follow up with: 
      • "Excellent. Now help me understand. What makes this so important to you?" 
      • You signal that you're open to engaging and figuring out the best way forward.
  • Follow up with more open questions. 
    • Summarize what you're hearing and repeat that back to them to encourage more details to be forthcoming as well.
    • “What would that look like?" great follow-up.

8. What are your concerns?

  • Asking the other party in a negotiation about their concerns is better than asking about their fears.
  • Concerns are addressable, fears are emotional and hard to pin down. 
    • By signaling that you want to work systematically through their concerns, you maximize the chances they will go ahead.
  • As you ask about their concerns, be comfortable if there is an extended period of silence. That's perfectly fine, as they will need some time to think. 
  • When they answer, the best approach is usually to summarize back to what they just said, and add "Can you tell me more about that?"
  • Watch the non-verbal clues they give off as they speak. Listen for what is not being said. 
    • Some people will say "yes" while shaking their heads no at the same time. 
      • That should be a clue you need to dig a bit deeper.
    • A shrug of the shoulders may indicate there are other unexpressed concerns that they are afraid or embarrassed to admit.
      • You might need to do some probing to get to the heart of the matter.

9. Have you handled this before?


10 What's the first step?


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