There are three main novel structures to choose from for any new novel. We're going to cover all three very basically here today. All diagrams come from my favourite writing blog, Well-Storied (Well-Storied.).
Freytag’s Pyramid
This is possibly the simplest form of novel structure you can find. Basically, the story builds in tension and at the halfway point your climactic conflict explodes, and the second half of your novel is slow, mind-numbing cool-down.
The Fichtean Curve
If you’re writing a fast-paced story, this one’s for you. This structure starts with rising action, the protagonists facing crises after crises with short respites before building up to the next one. Around two-thirds of the way through the story we reach out climax, with falling action comprising the final pages.
The Hero’s Journey
The Hero’s Journey is probably one of the most common structures for novels, especially in YA fiction and fantasy fiction. As you can see in the diagram, the hero’s journey is a cyclical structure. It starts with the MC in their known world before being called to a new and unfamiliar one, often a fantasy world.
Once accepting that call, the characters face many challenges that change and transform their worldviews. People die, whether literally or figuratively and seek to make amends for mistakes before returning to their known world to live happily (or unhappily) ever after.
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