Kindle Notes & Highlights
Structure is the basis for how you pick the order of the beats that appear in their story while an outline is a much more fleshed out tool you use when writing their story.
A character arc is the change a character goes through from the start of your story till the end of your story.
The most common character arc is to have a protagonist with a flaw and to have them either overcome or fail to overcome that flaw.
The basic structure of this kind of character arc is simple… Establish a character’s flaw. Character’s flaw causes relationship problems. Character’s flaw gets in the way of them getting what they want. Character is forced to see they have a flaw. Character will change or not change (based on the theme you want).
The next most common type of character arc is one where there is no change.
When handling a story that is more episodic in nature, it’s a bit easier sometimes to have a character who, instead of changing themselves, they inspire change.
The third kind of character arc is a full downward spiral with no redemption.
Breaking Bad
Raging Bull
The downfall arc
Act I is setup. Act II is the messy middle where the meat of your story happens, and Act III is the climax.
acts, Act I is the most formulaic.
Readers must meet the main point-of-view (POV) character.
The secret to understanding Act II is that it’s the part of the story where you as the author really get to shine.
At its core, Act II is about building up relationships between the characters so that at the end of Act II everything can implode.
Because stories build to a climax, Act III has to be about paying off everything set up in Acts I and II.
Wonder Woman
Act I - Establish Diana’s view of how the world works. Act I End - Because of her worldview, Diana leaves Themyscira to end the war. Act II - Diana is confronted with reality and forced to question her worldview. Act II End - Diana’s worldview is shattered and she fails to end the war. Act III Start - Diana grows, forming a new understanding of the world.
The King’s Speech
Act I - Establish Bertie’s anger and frustration over his stuttering. Act I End - Bertie agrees to be treated by Lionel. Act II - Bertie and Lionel work together on his stuttering and become friends. Act II End - Bertie’s anger gets the best of him. He lashes out at Lionel ending their
friendship. Act III Start - Bertie realizes his mistake and grows to overcome his anger. Act III - Bertie makes amends and is able to make a speech without stuttering.
Act I ends when the POV character develops a
Big Want. Act II ends when that character either gets their Big Want and it fails or they fail to get the want. That failure causes the character to hit a rock bottom which launches the story into Act III.
The basic beats that appear in Act I are: Opening Hook Meet the Protagonists
The Status Quo Catalyst Moment Deal with Catalyst The Big Picture
The opening is one of the most important parts of a novel.
The hook in your opening needs to grab the reader’s attention and create a spark or mystery that will make the reader continue reading.
Once the reader knows what kind of story they are going to get, it’s time to really introduce your main point-of-view character or characters.
At this point you should know what kind of arc your character will have and this sequence should start to establish it.
At the end of Act I your POV character will develop a Big Want that will push them through the rest of the story, but early on they should have an Intimate Want.
the Intimate Want
For a reader to understand a character we need to show that the character is layered and has varying facets.
They will fail to get what they want and they will burn bridges with all their relationships.
For those bridges to be burned those relationships have to be set up.
Your character should exist in a frozen moment of time.
This is a bit of a reprieve where your POV character has to deal with what just happened.
Big Want.
The important thing about the Big Want is that there must be consequences if a character doesn’t get it.
Act II is all about the the character’s arc and the Big Want that was established at the end of Act I.
The easiest way to digest Act II is to think of it as a repeating cycle where your point-of-view character is attempting to achieve their Big Want.
New Status Quo Big Want Step 1 Attempt Big Want Step 1 Fail or Success Status Quo Growth Status Quo Growth and Big Want Attempt Cycle
Big Want Final Step Rock Bottom
Having a Big Want will change the POV character’s relationships.
This is the first step in achieving what they need to get the Big Want.
Your POV character will either fail or succeed at overcoming the thing preventing them from achieving their Big Want.
With the success or failure, the status quo will once more change.
The POV character will make a Big Want Step 2 Attempt.
Your POV character is ready to go after their Big Want.
The Protagonist has failed to get their Big Want.
Progression is the secret to Act II.
