Most successful novels abide by the rules of story structure if they are going to hold the reader’s attention. They generally have 3 Acts:
- Beginning – inciting incident and the point of no return.
- Middle build – the protagonist faces a series of challenges and obstacles.
- Ending – the protagonist succeeds or fails or a combination of both.
Some authors use structure to plan out a novel from the start, while others use it to edit a story after they have the first draft. Some knowledge of story structure is innate, but a deeper understanding of what makes stories work will improve any novel.
The writer needs to tap into their creativity both in writing into the dark and during the planning process.
Tip:
Suppose you get stuck while writing. Try a different method. What have you got to lose? At the very least you might find out something about yourself.
For more information and to try out lots of different structures, check out story planner.
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