Crafting your first story can feel overwhelming, but there's an easier way to start than staring at a blank screen, waiting for inspiration to strike.

Consider following a common story shape.

Writers often resist this idea, fearing their stories will become formulaic or predictable. Like any artist, they want to break boundaries and let their creativity soar.

I admire that, but many great stories remain unwritten because writers don’t know where to begin.

Many of your favorite books likely follow well-known narrative structures that have been used for decades, if not centuries.

In this post, I’ll outline seven distinct story shapes that can help you craft a compelling narrative. But before we dive in…

What is story shape?

Story shape (often called structure) is the framework that determines the order in which plot events are presented to the reader. While stories can be told in various ways, most Western narratives share common elements: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

A well-crafted shape will answer readers’ questions, deliver a satisfying climax and resolution, advance character development, and resolve central conflicts.

In short, mastering story structure is key to creating a narrative that captivates your audience and achieves your storytelling goals.

Writing may be an art, but when it comes to story shape, a bit of science is involved. Master it, and you'll have the world at your feet.

1. Freytag's Pyramid

If you've ever studied storytelling, you might have come across Freytag's Pyramid. Named after the 19th-century German novelist and playwright Gustav Freytag, this five-point structure has its roots in classical Greek tragedies like Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripedes.

So, what’s it all about? Let’s break it down.

1. Introduction
   This is where we meet the protagonist and understand their world. It’s the setup—the status quo. Think of this as the calm before the storm, where everything seems predictable. Until it isn’t.

2. Rising Action
   Here’s where the plot thickens. The protagonist actively pursues their goal, and as they do, the stakes get higher. This phase is all about escalating conflict and keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

3. Climax
   The climax is the story’s turning point—the moment of highest tension. This is where the protagonist faces their biggest challenge and faces a point of no return.

4. Falling Action
   Following the climax, the story begins to wind down. The aftermath of the protagonist’s decision unfolds, and the tension gradually decreases.

5. Catastrophe or Denouement
   This is where the protagonist’s greatest fears come to pass. In classical tragedies, this often means the protagonist’s downfall, but in modern storytelling, it might look different—maybe it’s a moment of profound realization or loss.

2. The Hero's Journey

The Hero's Journey, inspired by Joseph Campbell and popularized by George Lucas’s Star Wars, is a storytelling blueprint used in countless myths and modern stories.

Here’s a simplified breakdown of the 12 steps from Christopher Vogler’s version and an example using J.R.R. Tolein’s Lord of the Rings:

1. The Ordinary World
   Introduce the hero's everyday life and the world they live in. Frodo Baggins lives a peaceful life in the Shire.

2. The Call to Adventure
   Something happens that invites the hero to leave their comfort zone and embark on a journey. Frodo learns that he must destroy the One Ring to save Middle-earth.

3. Refusal of the Call
   The hero hesitates or doubts their ability to face the challenge. Frodo initially hesitates to leave his home and take on such a dangerous quest.

4. Meeting the Mentor
   The hero encounters a guide who provides advice, tools, or training for the journey ahead. Gandalf guides Frodo and provides him with wisdom and support for his journey.

5. Crossing the First Threshold
   The hero leaves their familiar world and enters a new, unknown realm. Frodo leaves the Shire and enters the wider world of Middle-earth.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
   The hero faces various trials, meets new friends, and encounters adversaries. Frodo encounters challenges, befriends Aragorn and Legolas, and faces foes like the Ringwraiths.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
   The hero gets closer to their ultimate goal, facing deeper challenges. The Fellowship ventures towards the dark lands of Mordor.

8. The Ordeal
   The hero confronts their greatest challenge, a pivotal moment of crisis. Frodo and Sam face the terrifying spider Shelob in the pass of Cirith Ungol.

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)
   The hero achieves their goal and gains something of great importance. Frodo obtains the strength and determination to continue his quest despite overwhelming odds.

10. The Road Back
    The hero realizes that achieving their goal has set up new challenges or complications. Frodo and Sam must navigate Mordor's dangers as they try to reach Mount Doom.

11. Resurrection
    The hero faces a final, climactic test that integrates all they've learned throughout the journey. Frodo faces the final confrontation with Gollum and the ultimate struggle over the Ring.

12. Return with the Elixir
    The hero returns to their original world, transformed by their experiences, and shares the benefit of their journey. Frodo returns to the Shire, forever changed, and Middle-earth is saved from the darkness of Sauron.

3. Three Act Structure

Most people understand the Three Act Structure with the core idea that all stories have a beginning, middle, and end. This story shape takes the Hero’s Journey and gives it slightly less exciting labels.

Here is the walkthrough:

Act 1: Setup

• Exposition: Introduces the ordinary world and main characters.

• Inciting Incident: An event that sets the story in motion.

• Plot Point One: The protagonist decides to tackle the challenge, marking the transition to Act 2.

Act 2: Confrontation

• Rising Action: The protagonist faces challenges and encounters allies and enemies.

• Midpoint: A significant event that changes the protagonist's mission or understanding.

• Plot Point Two: A crisis that tests the protagonist, raising doubts about their success.

Act 3: Resolution

• Pre Climax: The protagonist must make a decisive choice to overcome the final challenge.

• Climax: The final confrontation with the antagonist or the resolution of the main conflict.

• Denouement: Loose ends are tied up, and a new status quo is established.

4. Dan Harmon's Story Circle

Let’s move into the Story Circle, a versatile, character-driven structure developed by Dan Harmon, co-creator of Rick and Morty. The Story Circle simplifies the Hero's Journey by focusing on the protagonist’s character arc. It’s perfect for sitcoms that need to cycle through the same characters in different story arcs.

Here’s the main structure:

1. A character is in a zone of comfort: Begin by establishing your character’s normal life and their status quo.

2. But they want something: Introduce a desire or goal that drives your character to leave their comfort zone.

3. They enter an unfamiliar situation: Place your character in a new or challenging environment where they must confront new obstacles.

4. Adapt to it: Show how your character navigates the new situation, facing and overcoming various challenges.

5. Get what they wanted: The character achieves their goal or obtains what they were seeking, but this usually comes with complications.

6. Pay a heavy price for it: Illustrate the costs or consequences of achieving their goal. This realization often leads to a deeper understanding or regret.

7. Then return to their familiar situation: Have your character return to their original world, now changed by their experiences.

8. Having changed: Conclude with the character’s transformation, showing how they have grown or gained new insights.

Parks and Recreation is a great sitcom to use for the Story Circle. Let’s break down an episode:

1. A character is in a zone of comfort: Leslie Knope, the enthusiastic Parks Department employee, is in her familiar world of Pawnee, Indiana, where she’s committed to improving the community.

2. But they want something: Leslie wants to organize a large community event to bring more people to the park and boost local engagement.

3. They enter an unfamiliar situation: Leslie faces bureaucratic obstacles and opposition from her colleagues and the local government, making her job harder.

4. Adapt to it: Leslie navigates these challenges by rallying her team, brainstorming creative solutions, and using her unique skills and passion.

5. Get what they wanted: Leslie successfully organizes the event, which is a hit with the community.

6. Pay a heavy price for it: She faces unexpected complications, like last-minute issues or criticism from a local politician, leading to stress and exhaustion.

7. Then return to their familiar situation: Leslie wraps up the event, returning to her usual routine at the Parks Department.

8. Having changed: Leslie gains a renewed sense of accomplishment and confidence, appreciating her role and the support of her team even more.

5. Fichtean Curve

The Fichtean Curve, described in John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction, is a structure that keeps readers on the edge of their seats by layering obstacles and crises for the protagonist. Unlike traditional structures, it skips the conventional setup and jumps straight into action, maintaining a relentless pace of tension and drama. Let’s explore this structure using the popular film The Hunger Games as an example:

Structure:

1. Inciting Incident: The story starts with the announcement that Katniss Everdeen’s sister, Prim, has been selected for the Hunger Games. This dramatic moment thrusts Katniss into the center of the story, setting her on a path of immediate conflict as she volunteers to take her sister’s place.

2. First Crisis: Once in the Capitol, Katniss faces the harsh reality of the Games and the political machinations at play. The tension escalates as she is forced to undergo extensive preparation and public displays, underscoring the high stakes of the competition.

3. Second Crisis: In the arena, Katniss must navigate deadly traps and confrontations with other tributes. The first major crisis occurs when she forms a fragile alliance with Peeta Mellark, which complicates her situation and adds to her emotional and physical challenges.

4. Third Crisis: The narrative heightens when Katniss and Peeta defy the Capitol’s rules by threatening to eat poisonous berries rather than killing each other. This intensifies the conflict and reveals the extent of their defiance.

5. Fourth Crisis: The film's climax unfolds as Katniss and Peeta are declared victors, but their victory is bittersweet. They must return to a world that their actions have fundamentally changed.

6. Climax: Katniss and Peeta’s final confrontation with the Capitol culminates in their joint victory, a moment of both triumph and tension. Their success in the Games not only signifies personal achievement but also sets the stage for future resistance against the oppressive regime.

7. Falling Action: The story wraps up with Katniss and Peeta returning home, where they face the aftermath of their actions. The resolution shows their tentative reintegration into their old lives, now marked by their newfound awareness and the looming challenges.

6. Save the Cat: The Hollywood Screenwriting Blueprint

Save the Cat, developed by Hollywood screenwriter Blake Snyder, is a highly specific variation of the three-act structure embraced across various storytelling mediums.

Named after a moment designed to endear the protagonist to the audience, this framework is particularly famous for its prescriptive nature. It provides precise points in the story where key beats should occur.

The number in the square brackets below refers to the page where the beat should occur. Assuming you’re writing a 110-page screenplay for The Incredibles, it would look like this:

1. Opening Image [1]: This is the audience's first glimpse of the world you’ve created. For example, in The Incredibles, the movie opens with a montage of superheroes in their prime, setting the stage for the superhero world and hinting at the fall from grace that follows.

2. Set-up [1-10]: We establish the protagonist's ordinary world here. What are their dreams, desires, and current state of life? In The Incredibles, we see Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) struggling with the mundanity of civilian life and yearning for the days when he was a hero.

3. Theme Stated [5]: Early on, the story hints at its deeper meaning—the lesson the protagonist will learn. The Incredibles explores the theme of embracing one’s true self and the importance of family, subtly introduced during these early scenes.

4. Catalyst [12]: This inciting incident propels the protagonist into action. For Bob Parr, it’s the mysterious message inviting him back into superhero work, reigniting his passion for heroics.

5. Debate [12-25]: The hero wavers, unsure if they should leap. Bob debates whether to accept the offer, torn between his family responsibilities and his desire to relive his glory days.

6. Break into Two [25]: The protagonist makes a decisive choice, transitioning into the story's second act. Bob accepts the offer and enters the unfamiliar world of secret missions, marking a clear break from his routine life.

7. B Story [30]: A secondary plotline, often romantic or thematic, begins. In The Incredibles, the B Story involves Helen Parr (Elastigirl) and her growing concern for Bob, highlighting the family unity theme.

8. The Promise of the Premise [30-55]: This is the fun part of the story, delivering on the premise's core appeal. We see Bob in action, performing daring superhero feats and feeling alive again, embodying the “fun and games” promised by the movie's premise.

9. Midpoint [55]: A significant plot twist raises the stakes. Bob discovers that the secret missions are part of a sinister plot to eliminate superheroes, shifting the goal from personal satisfaction to survival.

10. Bad Guys Close In [55-75]: The tension escalates as the protagonist faces increasing challenges. Bob’s family is drawn into the conflict, and the villain’s plan becomes more threatening.

11. All is Lost [75]: The hero reaches their lowest point. Bob is captured, his family is in danger, and all seems lost.

12. Dark Night of the Soul [75-85]: The hero reflects on their situation, often in a moment of despair. Imprisoned and helpless, Bob reflects on the danger he’s put his family in, realizing the actual cost of his actions.

13. Break into Three [85]: Armed with new insight, the protagonist decides to act once more. Bob’s family comes to his rescue, and together, they plan to stop the villain, highlighting the power of unity.

14. Finale [85-110]: The climax of the story, where the protagonist confronts the antagonist. The Parr family works together to defeat Syndrome Buddy Pine, demonstrating the importance of teamwork and the story's thematic resolution.

15. Final Image [110]: The last scene reflects the protagonist's change. The movie ends with the family united and ready to face new challenges, showing how they’ve grown and embraced their true selves.

Seven-Point Story Structure

Author Dan Wells developed the 7-Point Story Structure, a streamlined adaptation of the Hero’s Journey.

It focuses on the highs and lows of a narrative arc, guiding writers through key moments of transformation in their protagonist’s journey. This structure emphasizes starting with the end in mind.

One of the most famous stories ever written was an adaptation of this story shape, Harry Potter:

1. The Hook: This is where the story begins, drawing readers in by presenting the protagonist’s current situation. The protagonist's state at this point should starkly contrast with where they will end up by the story’s conclusion. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry starts as an ordinary boy living a miserable life under the stairs at the Dursleys’ home. This “hook” establishes the humble beginnings of a character who will eventually become a hero.

2. Plot Point 1: The “Call to Adventure” that propels the protagonist into the story’s central conflict. This is the inciting incident that sets the narrative in motion. For Harry, this moment comes when he receives his letter to attend Hogwarts, pulling him out of his ordinary world and into the world of magic.

3. Pinch Point 1: To create tension, something goes wrong for the protagonist. This first setback applies pressure, forcing the protagonist to confront the emerging challenges. In Harry Potter, this could be seen when Harry learns about the mystery of the Philosopher’s Stone and realizes that danger is afoot at Hogwarts.

4. Midpoint: The protagonist experiences a significant turning point, shifting from being a passive participant to taking an active role in the story. This is where the main character decides to face the conflict head-on. For Harry, this occurs when he decides to investigate the Philosopher’s Stone and protect it from Voldemort, taking a more proactive role in the story.

5. Pinch Point 2: The second pinch point brings an even more significant challenge, escalating the stakes. Things go more awry than before, pushing the protagonist to their limits. This could be when Harry, Ron, and Hermione face the series of trials leading to the Stone, each more dangerous than the last.

6. Plot Point 2: After the hardships of Pinch Point 2, the protagonist discovers that they’ve had the solution all along. This revelation sets up the final confrontation. In Harry’s case, he realizes that he is the one who must face Voldemort alone and that his courage and love are the keys to protecting the Stone.

7. Resolution: The story’s central conflict is resolved, and the protagonist undergoes the final transformation. This is where the character’s journey comes full circle, contrasting sharply with where they began. Harry defeats Voldemort’s attempt to steal the Stone and emerges as a hero, no longer the powerless boy who lived under the stairs.

Build enough stories, and you’ll see these shapes over and over again.