The Story Structure Template to outline your novel (PDF)

Mar 07, 2025

As an author, one of the most challenging yet rewarding tasks is creating a story that resonates with readers. The structure of your novel plays a huge role in ensuring your plot unfolds smoothly. That's where The Plot Structure Workbook comes in. It's designed to guide authors step-by-step through the process of outlining and crafting their stories.

Using the three-act structure as a foundation, this workbook will help you shape your narrative into something captivating. Let’s break down the process.

The Three Act Structure

Every great story follows a rhythm that guides readers through the emotional and plot twists of the narrative. The three-act structure is a timeless framework that helps writers create well-paced stories with a satisfying progression.

Act One introduces the world, the characters, and the main conflict.
Act Two delves into the complications and challenges, driving the tension.
Act Three brings everything to a climax and resolution.

The Plot Structure Workbook is built around this three-act structure, helping authors maintain balance and coherence from start to finish. Each section of the workbook aligns with one of the three acts, offering prompts, checklists, and cheat sheets that will guide you through the plot development process.

Building Characters

Characters are the heart and soul of your story. Without compelling, well-developed characters, your plot can fall flat. The workbook offers in-depth exercises to help you create multi-dimensional characters that will engage readers from the first page.

Inside The Plot Structure Workbook, you'll find a series of prompts and questions designed to make you think deeply about who your characters are:

What do they want?
What do they fear?
What are their strengths and weaknesses?
How do their goals align with or oppose the plot?

These questions ensure that your characters aren’t just passive participants in the story, but active forces that drive the narrative forward.

The Character's Arc

A character arc (like the very popular redemption arc) is the transformation or growth a character undergoes throughout the story. This arc is vital because it gives the plot emotional weight and a sense of progression. Whether your character experiences triumph, tragedy, or self-discovery, their journey should feel earned.

The workbook provides a cheat sheet to help you outline and track your character’s arc:

Beginning: What does the character look like at the start of the story?
Middle: How does the character evolve through challenges?
End: How has the character changed by the story's conclusion?

By using these exercises, you’ll ensure that the character’s arc complements the plot structure, making for a cohesive and emotionally rewarding story.

Act One

The first act of your story sets the stage. In The Plot Structure Workbook, you'll find a series of checklists that guide you through this crucial opening phase. From establishing your setting to introducing your protagonist, Act One needs to hook the reader immediately and help authors get over the first chapter syndrome.

Some key components that the workbook helps you map out include:

Inciting Incident: What event propels the protagonist into action?
Setting: Where and when does your story take place, and how does it influence the narrative?
Supporting Characters: Who else is introduced, and what roles do they play in the protagonist's journey?

The workbook offers detailed questions to explore these points, ensuring you set up a solid foundation for the rest of your plot.

Act Two

Act Two is where the bulk of the story’s action and conflict unfold. It’s often referred to as the "rising action," and it’s in this section that your characters face their biggest challenges.

The Plot Structure Workbook provides exercises to help you plot the rising action of your story, ensuring that the tension continues to build and that every scene serves a purpose. Key elements the workbook helps you tackle include:

Midpoint: The point where everything changes for the protagonist. What major shift in the story occurs here?
Rising Tension: How do you increase the stakes to keep readers on the edge of their seats?
Character Relationships: How do relationships evolve during this act?

With a focus on plotting the turning points, this section of the workbook ensures your story doesn’t drag or lose momentum.

Act Three

The final act of your story is where everything comes to a head. It’s where the conflicts are resolved, and the character’s arc is completed. The goal is to leave your readers satisfied with a conclusion that ties up the story's major plot points.

In Act Three, the template helps you outline:

Climax: What is the final, decisive event that determines the outcome of the story?
Resolution: How do you tie up loose ends and bring closure to the narrative?
The Aftermath: What is the emotional and physical state of your protagonist after the climax?

By helping you structure Act Three, the workbook ensures your story ends on a high note—whether that’s with triumph, heartbreak, or something in between.

Writer's Plan

A successful writer’s journey is one that's well-planned. The Plot Structure Workbook not only helps you develop your plot but also guides you through the planning process. The Writer's Plan section includes a series of worksheets that help you:

Map out key scenes: Plan each important moment in your story to ensure you have a clear vision for the narrative.
Set writing goals: Whether it's daily word count targets or deadlines for drafts, this section keeps you on track.
Track character development: How will your characters evolve, and how does this tie into the larger plot?

By following the plan, you'll be able to stay organized and ensure you're making consistent progress as you work on your novel.