1. A Way to Organize Your Story Before (or after) You Write
7 Point Story Structure
A Way to Organize Your Story Before (or after) You Write

2. The Seven Points Hook Plot Turn #1 Pinch #1 Mid-Point Pinch #2
Resolution

3. Where to Start? Hook Plot Turn #1 Pinch #1 Mid-Point Pinch #2
Resolution: Where do you want your character to end up?

4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hook
Plot Turn #1
Pinch #1
Mid-Point
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2
Resolution: Harry Potter defeats Voldemort; He is happy, has friends, and is a hero

5. And Then… Hook: Usually the opposite state of Resolution Plot Turn #1
Pinch #1
Mid-Point
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2
Resolution: Where do you want your character to end up?

6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hook: Harry lives a boring, miserable life; doesn’t know he’s a wizard.
Plot Turn #1
Pinch #1
Mid-Point
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2
Resolution: Harry Potter defeats Voldemort

7. And Then… Hook: Usually the opposite state of Resolution Plot Turn #1
Pinch #1
Mid-Point: When the hook moves to resolution (character stops reaction and begins action)
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2
Resolution: Where do you want your character to end up?

8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hook: Harry lives a boring, miserable life
Plot Turn #1
Pinch #1
Mid-Point: Harry realizes what the Sorcerer’s Stone is and that Voldemort wants it
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2
Resolution: Harry Potter defeats Voldemort

9. And Then… Hook: Usually the opposite state of Resolution
Plot Turn #1: Moves the plot from beginning to midpoint; character is given a goal, a call to adventure, or confronted to a new idea
Pinch #1
Mid-Point: When the hook moves to resolution (character stops reaction and begins action)
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2
Resolution: Where do you want your character to end up?

10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hook: Harry lives a boring, miserable life
Plot Turn #1: Harry finds he is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts
Pinch #1
Mid-Point: Harry realizes what the Sorcerer’s Stone is and that Voldemort wants it
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2
Resolution: Harry Potter defeats Voldemort

11. And Then… Hook: Usually the opposite state of Resolution
Plot Turn #1: Moves the plot from beginning to midpoint; character is given a goal, a call to adventure, or confronted to a new idea
Pinch #1
Mid-Point: When the hook moves to resolution (character stops reaction and begins action)
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2: Move from Mid-point to end; The characters have everything they need, they just barely realize it; grasping victory from the jaws of defeat
Resolution: Where do you want your character to end up?

12. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hook: Harry lives a boring, miserable life
Plot Turn #1: Harry finds he is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts
Pinch #1
Mid-Point: Harry realizes what the Sorcerer’s Stone is and that Voldemort wants it
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2: Harry gets the stone; he realizes his mother’s protection
Resolution: Harry Potter defeats Voldemort

13. And Then… Hook: Usually the opposite state of Resolution
Plot Turn #1: Moves the plot from beginning to midpoint; character is given a goal, a call to adventure, or confronted to a new idea
Pinch #1: Apply Pressure; force the characters to action; introduce the villain; First time character must show mettle.
Mid-Point: When the hook moves to resolution (character stops reaction and begins action)
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2: Move from Mid-point to end; The characters have everything they need, they just barely realize it; grasping victory from the jaws of defeat
Resolution: Where do you want your character to end up?

14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hook: Harry lives a boring, miserable life
Plot Turn #1: Harry finds he is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts
Pinch #1: The Troll enters the castle and there are no adults; Harry et al have to figure it out
Mid-Point: Harry realizes what the Sorcerer’s Stone is and that Voldemort wants it
Pinch #2
Plot Turn #2: Harry gets the stone; he realizes his mother’s protection
Resolution: Harry Potter defeats Voldemort

15. And Then… Hook: Usually the opposite state of Resolution
Plot Turn #1: Moves the plot from beginning to midpoint; character is given a goal, a call to adventure, or confronted to a new idea
Pinch #1: Apply Pressure; force the characters to action; introduce the villian
Mid-Point: When the hook moves to resolution (character stops reaction and begins action)
Pinch #2: Serious Pressure; Completely hopeless point; mentor falls, plans fail, loss of something or everything
Plot Turn #2: Move from Mid-point to end; The characters have everything they need, they just barely realize it; grasping victory from the jaws of defeat
Resolution: Where do you want your character to end up?

16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Hook: Harry lives a boring, miserable life
Plot Turn #1: Harry finds he is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts
Pinch #1: The Troll enters the castle and there are no adults; Harry et al have to figure it out
Mid-Point: Harry realizes what the Sorcerer’s Stone is and that Voldemort wants it
Pinch #2: Harry loses Ron and Hermione in the challenges and faces Voldemort alone
Plot Turn #2: Harry gets the stone; he realizes his mother’s protection
Resolution: Harry Potter defeats Voldemort

17. Main plots and sub-plots
Every plot in your story will follow this structure, even plots that aren’t main plots
Main Harry Plot
Hagrid Sub-Plot (book)
Harry non wizard
Hagrid wants a dragon
2. Harry learns about Wizarding
2. Hagrid acquires the dragon egg
3. Troll enters the castle
3. Dragon eggs are illegal
4. Voldemort wants stone
4. The dragon Hatches
5. Harry loses Ron and Hermione
5. The dragon is too big for the house; Malfoy sees the dragon
6. Harry has the stone; realizes the power his mother gave him
6.Harry and friends smuggle dragon out of castle
7. Harry defeats Voldemort
7. Hagrid Loses his Dragon

18. More Plots: Romance Hook: Elizabeth and sisters single
Plot Turn #1: Elizabeth and Darcy hate each other
Pinch #1: Darcy breaks up Bingley and Jane, and insults Elizabeth during a proposal
Mid-point (moving from first state to final state) Darcy’s Letter of Explanation
Pinch #2: Lydia runs off with Wickham
Plot Turn #2: Darcy saves Elizabeth’s family; Lady Catherine’s visit
Resolution: Elizabeth and Darcy are in love and marry.

19. More Plots: Tragedy
Hook: Romeo and Juliet are alive, but their families hate each other
Plot Turn #1: Romeo and Juliet meet at the party
Pinch #1:Their families hate each other, but Romeo and Juliet are in love
Mid-Point: Get married secretly
Pinch #2: Romeo kills Tybalt and must go into exile; Friar’s plan fails: Juliet kills herself (pretend); Romeo really kills himself
Plot Turn #2: Juliet realizes Romeo is dead
Resolution: Romeo and Juliet are dead, but the families are together

20. Make it Interesting: Characters
Stories are not fun unless we have interesting characters.
Harry Potter: Hermione, Ron, Hagrid, Voldemort, Snape, Malfoy, etc.
The Princess Bride: Wesley, Buttercup, Fezzik, Inigo, Count Rugen, etc.
Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, Lydia, Wickham
The Hunger Games: Katniss, Peeta, Gale, etc.

21. Try/Fail Cycles
It’s not good unless the character earns it.

22. The Princess Bride: Plots and Subplots
Romance Plot
(Wesley and Buttercup)
Character Plot
(Wesley)
Power Plot
(Prince Humperdink)
Revenge Plot
(Ingio Montoya)
Buttercup and Wesley aren’t in love
Wesley is a poor Farmboy
Falls in love with Buttercup
Wesley leaves Buttercup
Wesley killed by the Dread Pirate Robbers
Confident and Powerful
Buttercup is captured; “As you Wish”
Becomes the Man in Black
Cannot find the 6-fingered man
Tracks Buttercup
Fences the Man in Black and loses
Buttercup and Wesley make it through the Fireswamp
Buttercup gives up Wesley; regrets it; sends 4 letters

23. The Princess Bride: Plots Continued
Drunk and in Despair; has no one
Fezzik tells him where 6-fingered man is
Tortured then killed by the Prince Humperdink
Prince Humperdink loses control and kills Wesley
Man in Black is lost and dead
Break-in at the wedding
Confronts Rugen; He runs; knife in gut
Kills 6-Fingered Man (Count Rugen)
Wesley is alive
Wesley can stand, “Drop Your Sword”
Together and in Love
Strong and confident
Sad and Powerless