The three-act structure dates back to Aristotle’s Poetics and is the typical structure for much of fiction, particularly in Western culture. While Aristotle’s framework focuses on writing tragic plays and has specific recommendations tied to that form, a contemporary three-act structure is a bit looser and boils down to a simple formula: 3 + 2 = 1. Three acts plus two pivot points (where one act transitions to the next) equals one classic story structure. Furthermore, most contemporary stories include two additional and important plot points. These are the midpoint in Act 2 and the climax in Act 3. Let’s take a closer look at how the three-act structure works.
The story begins with Act 1 where you establish the status quo. Imagine this
