Plot Structure Diagram Page 2

McCormick   S tudios  

HOW   T O   C OMPLETE   T HE   P LOT   S TRUCTURE   D IAGRAM  

 

 

 

1. Identify   t he   m ain   c haracters   w ithin   t he   s tory.   R emember   t he   c haracters   y ou   s hould   l ist   a re   t hose   t hat  

participate   i n   t he   a ction.  

 

2. Identify   t he   s etting   o f   t he   s tory.   T his   c ould   i nclude   w here   t he   s tory   t ook   p lace   o r   w hen   t hen   s tory   t ook  

place.   ( Time   o f   d ay,   y ear,   m onth,   e tc.)  

 

3. Identify   t he   c onflict   b etween   t he   h ero   ( protagonist)   a nd   t he   ( enemy)   a ntagonist.  

 

4. Identify   t he   r esolution.   H ow   w as   t he   c onflict   s olved?  

 

5. Identify   t he   t urning   p oint   o r   c limax.   T his   i s   t he   m ain   e vent   b etween   t he   h ero   a nd   t he   o pponent.   T his   c an   b e  

identified   a s   t he   m oment   y ou   h ave   b een   w aiting   f or.  

 

6. Identify   t he   r ising   a ction,   w hich   a re   t he   m ajor   e vents   t hat   l ead   t o   t he   t urning   p oint.  

 

7. Identify   t he   f alling   a ction,   w hich   a re   t he   e vents   t hat   l ead   t o   t he   r esolution.  

 

8. Identify   t he   t heme   o f   t he   s tory.   W hat   i s   t he   l esson   o r   m essage   t he   a uthor   i s   t rying   t o   h elp   y ou   t o  

understand?   W hat   i s   t he   l esson   t he   p rotagonist   l earned?  

 

* Reword   # 4   s o   t hat   i s   c an   a pply   t o   a nyone   w ho   r eads   t he   s tory.

 

9. Identify   t he   e xposition   o f   t he   s tory.   U sing   t he   c haracters,   s etting,   c onflict,   a nd   m ood   ( how   t he   s tory   m ade  

you   f eel)   t o   c reate   t he   e xposition   o f   t he   s tory,   w hich   h elps   y ou   t o   “ get   i nto”   t he   s tory,   n ovel,   o r   m ovie   f rom  

the   v ery   b eginning.  

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