1. Narrative Structure
A.K.A. Plot Structure

2. What is Narrative Structure?
It is the organisation of:
a story
account of events
facts, ideas, and concepts
in a coherent and emotionally engaging way.
“The mind is… a narrative concern” Brian Sutton-Smith.

3. Coherent & Emotionally Engaging Organisation of Information
Plot
Order of Events
Point of View

4. Plot Pyramidal Episodic Epiphanic
Can be analysed with Freytag’s Triangle
Episodic
Features distinct episodes that are related to each other but can almost be read individually (also see Dual & Multi-Narrative).
Epiphanic
The protagonist gains a sudden insight into their condition or situation, this is usually caused by the struggle against antagonist forces and brings on the climax of action.

5. Freytag’s Triangle
H:\yr10\PlotStructure.pps

6. Order of Events Chronological or Linear Structure Flashbacks
This is where the plot is written in the time sequence that it took place.
Flashbacks
This is when a narrative moves backwards through time.
Metafiction
This is a story within a story within a story again.
Fragmented narrative
The story is given in ‘bits and pieces’ with no chronological order. The reader must work out what happened in the plot and the order it happened in, for themselves.
In media res
This is when the reader is thrown into the ‘middle of the story’. Without the exposition introducing the plot.

7. Point of View First person Third person omniscient Dual-narrative
In other words, the story is told and the plot is developed and created from the point of view of a single narrator that essentially is telling his or her own story.
Third person omniscient
In this type of narrative and plot structure, the story is presented; the plot unfolds and is structured, as if the story itself is being told by an invisible narrator that knows all.
Dual-narrative
This is when two stories run alongside each other. It may be two characters telling the same story (two different points of view) or even two different stories that alternate.
Multi-narrative
This is when more than one voice is telling the story or when points of view of different characters are given. This could also be several different stories that alternate in the narrative.

8. Organisational Tools Index Cards
We are going to experiment with the following plot structure organisational tools:
Index Cards
Many writers love the flexibility of index cards. If you don't like where you've placed a certain scene, simply move it. This also allows you to free up your plot structure without being so confined.
If you're like most writers, you have a sense of specific scenes you'd like to include in your novel or short story. Writing a synopsis of each scene on its own index card and then arranging them - or re-arranging the cards - is very beneficial for a constantly changing plot structure.

9. Organisational Tools Flowcharts storymap2_eng.pdf sense_eng.pdf
Flowcharts not only help you organize your entire plot, you can also create alternate outcomes to see how that would affect the overall story. You can then evaluate the flow of the story based on both scenarios.
storymap2_eng.pdf
sense_eng.pdf
5Ws.pdf