3-Act Story Structure

The problem that needs to be solved.

• Resolution

• Inciting Incident

  (Conflict)

• Exposition

• Climax

A series of events that builds from the conflict

• Rising Action

• Inciting Incident (Conflict)

• Plot

• Climax

People, animals, or things in a story.

• Character

• Foreshadowing

• Resolution

• Conflict

Events after the climax, all the loose ends are tied up. The conflicts are taken care of.

• Climax

• Plot

• Denouement/Falling Action

• Foreshadowing

The peak moment of the story where the primary conflict comes to a head. This is the most exciting part of the story.

• Resolution

• Exposition

• Suspense

• Climax

The beginning of the story introduces the characters, setting, and conflict

• Suspense

• Exposition

• Falling Action

• Resolution

The story comes to a reasonable ending and our hero returns to their "Ordinary World"

• Plot

• Plot Diagram

• Conflict

• Resolution

When and where the story takes place

• Dialog

• Setting

• Narrative

• Suspense

When the author hints at something that will happen later.

• Rising Action

• Resolution

• Foreshadowing

• Climax

Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution

• Exposition

• Plot Diagram

• Narrative

• Falling Action