The Only Plot Structure You Will Ever Need

Summary

Ce script vidéo aborde la structure narrative essentielle pour les débutants dans l'écriture. L'auteur présente un modèle de 40 chapitres, le 'module de trame narrative', qui guide les écrivains à travers les étapes clés de l'histoire, du début à la fin. Divisé en quatre parties, chaque chapitre a un objectif précis, aidant à développer le protagoniste, l'antagoniste et à construire le conflit. Le script insiste sur l'importance de cette structure pour créer une histoire cohérente et engageante, adaptable à tous les genres littéraires.

Takeaways

• 📚 L'importance de la structure narrative est cruciale pour les débutants comme pour les écrivains expérimentés, même si certains écrivains comme Stephen King semblent avoir un sens inné de la structure.
• 🔍 Même si certains disent qu'il n'y a pas de règles rigides pour le récit, il est important pour les nouveaux auteurs de comprendre qu'il existe des compétences à apprendre et à enseigner dans l'art d'écrire une histoire.
• 📘 L'auteur a développé un 'module de trame de 40 chapitres' qui fournit un aperçu des événements clés qui devraient se produire dans chaque chapitre, servant de guide pour les auteurs débutants et expérimentés.
• 🔑 Le module est divisé en quatre parties, chacune représentant 25% de l'histoire, allant de l'introduction du protagoniste à la résolution finale du conflit.
• 🏞️ L'Acte Un introduit le monde ordinaire du protagoniste, ses objectifs, ses défauts et l'incident déclencheur qui le pousse à quitter ce monde.
• 🌱 L'Acte Deux est divisé en deux parties, 2A et 2B, montrant l'action ascendante positive et négative respectivement, où le protagoniste apprend et grandit, puis fait face aux défis et à l'échec.
• 🛡️ Le troisième acte représente le point culminant de l'histoire, où le protagoniste affronte et surmonte sa faille interne, vainquant l'antagoniste malgré des obstacles considérables.
• 🎭 Le module comprend également des chapitres facultatifs comme un prologue et une scène d'après-les-crédits, offrant des opportunités de développement de la trame et de la thématique.
• 🔄 Le module s'adapte à différents genres littéraires, permettant aux auteurs de l'adapter à leurs besoins spécifiques, que ce soit pour le roman d'action, la romance ou le mystère.
• 👥 Pour les histoires avec plusieurs points de vue, le module peut être étendu avec des scènes supplémentaires pour chaque personnage, respectant leur propre arc narratif.
• 📈 L'auteur prévoit de développer d'autres modules pour enrichir la structure narrative et aider les auteurs à intégrer harmonieusement plusieurs personnages et arcs narratifs dans leurs histoires.

Q & A

Pourquoi la structure du récit est-elle importante pour les écrivains débutants?

La structure est importante car elle permet de créer une histoire cohérente et engageante. Sans structure, il n'y a que des événements qui se produisent sans lien, ce qui rend difficile la vente d'un roman.

Quels sont les auteurs qui ont une connaissance instinctive de la structure narrative?

Certains auteurs comme Stephen King, qui sont des écrivains découvreurs, ont une connaissance instinctive de la structure narrative et la suivent pendant qu'ils écrivent.

Pourquoi certains auteurs peuvent-ils dire qu'il n'y a pas de règles rigides pour le récit?

Ils peuvent dire cela parce qu'il existe de nombreuses structures de récit différentes et qu'elles sont toutes des outils à utiliser en fonction des besoins spécifiques de l'histoire, ce qui est vrai dans une certaine mesure.

Quel est le 40 chapitres outline que l'orateur a développé et comment l'appelle-t-il?

L'orateur a développé un plan de structure narrative appelé '40 chapitre plot module' qui donne un aperçu de ce qui devrait se passer dans chaque chapitre pour aider à comprendre et à apprendre la structure de l'histoire.

Comment est divisé le '40 chapitre plot module'?

Le '40 chapitre plot module' est divisé en quatre parties, chacune comprenant 10 chapitres, couvrant l'Acte Un, l'Acte Deux A, l'Acte Deux B et l'Acte Trois, chacun représentant 25% de l'histoire.

Quel est le rôle de l'antagoniste dans le lien au protagoniste selon le script?

Le lien au protagoniste est important car il montre qu'il y a une connexion unique entre eux, ce qui rend le protagoniste significatif et non simplement un citoyen aléatoire dans l'histoire.

Quelle est la signification de 'Stasis equals Death' dans le contexte du script?

'Stasis equals Death' signifie que si le protagoniste reste dans son monde ordinaire, il finira par mourir, que cela soit physiquement, émotionnellement, mentalement, socialement ou financièrement.

Quels sont les trois éléments clés abordés dans le chapitre 16 selon le script?

Le chapitre 16 met en avant un essai ou une tentative du protagoniste, où il peut échouer mais avance, gagnant de nouvelles compétences et de nouvelles connaissances, même s'il échoue finalement le test.

Quel est le but de l'All Is Lost moment dans le récit?

L'All Is Lost moment est un point bas de l'histoire où tout semble s'aggraver et où le protagoniste reçoit une révélation choquante, ce qui semble indiquer qu'il n'y a plus d'espoir.

Comment le script suggère-t-il d'adapter la structure narrative à différents genres littéraires?

Le script suggère que la structure narrative peut être adaptée à tous les genres littéraires en identifiant ce qui pourrait être considéré comme antagoniste ou protagoniste, que ce soit dans un roman d'amour, un mystère ou un autre genre.

Quelle est la différence entre un roman simple avec un protagoniste unique et un roman avec plusieurs points de vue?

Un roman avec plusieurs points de vue nécessite l'ajout de scènes supplémentaires pour chaque personnage important ayant une arc de personnage, ce qui peut étendre la longueur du roman et enrichir la structure narrative.

Quels sont les avantages de l'utilisation du '40 chapitre plot module' pour les écrivains débutants?

Le '40 chapitre plot module' offre aux écrivains débutants un moyen de comprendre et de suivre une structure narrative solide, ce qui peut les aider à éviter les écueils courants de la création littéraire et à écrire des histoires plus cohérentes et engageantes.

Outlines

00:00

📚 L'importance de la structure narrative

Le script met en évidence l'importance de la structure dans l'écriture, en particulier pour les débutants. Même si certains auteurs comme Stephen King semblent suivre une structure intuitivement, la plupart des nouveaux auteurs ont besoin d'un cadre pour écrire une histoire convaincante. Le script introduit le 'module de trame de 40 chapitres', un outil développé par l'auteur pour aider à comprendre et à suivre une structure de récit efficace. Ce module est divisé en quatre parties, chacune représentant 25% de l'histoire, et couvre de l'introduction du protagoniste à la résolution finale. Il est adapté pour les auteurs débutants ainsi que pour les auteurs confirmés qui cherchent à améliorer leur travail.

05:01

🎬 Les éléments clés du début d'une histoire

Le deuxième paragraphe détaille les premiers éléments d'une histoire, allant de la journée désastreuse du protagoniste à l'introduction de l'antagoniste. Il explique l'importance d'un élément mystérieux et d'un thème clair pour attirer le lecteur. Le lien entre le protagoniste et l'antagoniste est établi, suivi d'une prise de conscience que la stabilité actuelle peut mener à la mort symbolique ou physique. L'incident déclencheur et l'appel à l'aventure sont abordés, ainsi que le rôle d'un mentor et la résistance initiale du protagoniste à l'idée de quitter son monde ordinaire pour entrer dans un monde nouveau et inconnu.

10:02

🛠️ Le développement de l'intrigue et les points de tension

Ce paragraphe explore le développement de l'intrigue à travers les différentes étapes de l'acte II, commençant par le premier point de l'intrigue où le protagoniste entre activement dans le nouveau monde. Il introduit les ennemis et alliés, le récit B, et la montagne d'apprentissage du protagoniste. Le paragraphe décrit également les points de tension, tels que le premier point serré et le point médian, où le protagoniste réalise ses limites et doit faire face à des défis internes et externes, menant à un tournant majeur dans l'histoire.

15:04

🏹 La montée vers le point culminant et la résolution

Le quatrième paragraphe décrit la progression vers l'acte III, où le protagoniste fait face à de plus grands dangers et doit réévaluer sa situation. Il explique comment le protagoniste et ses alliés réagissent aux défis et planifient leur attaque contre l'antagoniste. Le point culminant est abordé, y compris les différentes étapes de la bataille finale, où le protagoniste affronte un moment 'Tout est perdu' avant de trouver l'inspiration interne pour surmonter les obstacles et vaincre l'adversaire. La résolution de l'histoire est suivie d'une réflexion amère et d'une image fermante qui montre la transformation du protagoniste.

Keywords

💡Structure narrative

La structure narrative est la disposition des événements dans une histoire, qui est cruciale pour les débutants comme pour les écrivains expérimentés. Dans le script, l'auteur insiste sur l'importance d'une structure bien définie pour que l'histoire soit cohérente et attrayante. L'exemple donné est le '40 chapitres plot module', une structure en quatre parties, qui guide l'écrivain à travers chaque étape de son récit.

💡Ordinary World

L'Ordinary World est l'environnement initial dans lequel se trouve le protagoniste au début de l'histoire. Il permet d'établir les normes de la vie du personnage avant l'intrusion de l'incident déclencheur. Dans le script, c'est dans ce monde ordinaire que les aspirations et les défauts du protagoniste sont introduits.

💡Incident déclencheur

L'incident déclencheur est l'événement qui bouleverse le monde ordinaire du protagoniste et le pousse à entrer dans une nouvelle phase de l'histoire. Dans le script, il est mentionné comme le point de départ qui force le protagoniste à quitter son confort zone et à se lancer dans une quête ou une冒险.

💡Acte

Les actes sont les divisions principales de la structure narrative, chacun pesant une partie égale dans l'équilibre de l'histoire. L'script décrit les trois actes classiques: l'introduction, le développement et la résolution, chacun comprenant 25% de l'histoire.

💡Point de vue multiple

Un point de vue multiple signifie que l'histoire est racontée à travers plusieurs personnages, chacun ayant sa propre perspective. Dans le script, l'auteur mentionne que si une histoire comporte plusieurs points de vue, des scènes supplémentaires pour chaque personnage peuvent être nécessaires pour suivre leur arc narratif.

💡Protagoniste

Le protagoniste est le personnage principal autour duquel l'histoire est construite. Dans le script, le protagoniste est introduit avec ses objectifs, ses défauts et son monde ordinaire, qui sont les bases de son développement tout au long de l'histoire.

💡Antagoniste

L'antagoniste est le personnage ou la force qui s'oppose au protagoniste, créant les obstacles et les conflits de l'histoire. Dans le script, il est souligné que le lien entre le protagoniste et l'antagoniste est crucial pour l'intrigue.

💡Élément mystérieux

Un élément mystérieux est un composant de l'histoire qui intrigue le lecteur et le maintient engagé dans le récit. Dans le script, il est mentionné que la présence d'un mystère dès le début est un ingrédient clé pour un histoire captivante.

💡Thème

Le thème est la notion centrale ou le message sous-jacent d'une histoire. Dans le script, le thème est lié au défaut du protagoniste et à la leçon qu'il doit apprendre, comme illustré par la répétition de la leçon à travers l'histoire.

💡Échec fructueux

Un échec fructueux est un échec qui, bien que négatif, permet au protagoniste d'apprendre et de progresser. Dans le script, il est utilisé pour montrer comment le protagoniste grandit et acquiert de nouvelles compétences malgré les échecs.

💡Climax

Le climax est le point culminant de l'histoire où le conflit principal est résolu. Dans le script, le climax est décrit comme le moment où le protagoniste affronte et surmonte son défaut interne, permettant de vaincre l'antagoniste.

Highlights

Plot structure is essential for beginner writers but often misunderstood.

Even discovery writers like Stephen King follow an innate structure.

Lack of structure results in a series of events rather than a coherent story.

Many story structures exist but convey similar principles.

New authors benefit from learning structured storytelling skills.

Established authors have acquired knowledge that is hard to impart to beginners.

The 40-chapter plot module is introduced as a tool for story structure.

The module is divided into four parts, each with 10 chapters, mirroring story acts.

Act One introduces the protagonist, their world, and the inciting incident.

Act Two A shows the protagonist's positive rising action in a new world.

Act Two B presents negative rising action and the protagonist's struggle.

Act Three is the climax where the protagonist confronts and overcomes their flaw.

The plot module includes optional chapters like a prologue and a 'really bad day'.

The 'mystery and theme' chapter sets up the story's central conflict.

Chapter 3 introduces the link between the protagonist and the antagonist.

The 'first plot point' marks the protagonist's active entry into a new world.

The 'All Is Lost' chapter is a major low point before the protagonist's final confrontation.

The plot module is adaptable to various genres beyond action or fantasy.

The 40-chapter outline is designed for novels with a single protagonist.

The document of the 40-chapter plot module is available for free to subscribers.

An original book on the subject is in development for further in-depth exploration.

Transcripts

plot structure is one of those things

that is difficult for beginner writers

to understand and yet it is one of the

most important things that you need in a

book everyone needs structure even

people who discovery write and figure

out the story as they go if they want to

have a novel that has a good chance of

actually selling they are going to have

to go back into it and make sure

retroactively that it is following the

right structure now thankfully a lot of

authors like Stephen King who are

Discovery writers have an innate sense

of what structure is and so as they're

going along they're sort of following

structure as they go but if you don't

have some kind of structure then you

don't actually have a story you just

have things that happen and there are

actually quite a few story structures

out there but honestly most of them are

kind of saying the same thing some

people will even say that there are no

hard and fast rules around storytelling

I disagree and that every possible

structure out there is so different and

it is really just a tool to be used if

you need that kind of story structure

depending on your specific situation

which to a degree is true but I think

this attitude actually does a little bit

of a disservice for newer authors

established authors have a lot of things

that they are familiar with a lot of

different tools and tricks of the trade

but they took a while to acquire all of

that knowledge and they have a much

better sense of whether they should use

it or not when someone is just starting

out they don't know a lot of the things

that established authors know and it is

very difficult for those established

authors to then sort of turn around and

impart their knowledge to these people

because there are so many different ways

you could take it and this attitude that

there are many ways to go many different

templates that you can use and that

they're all tools to use at your

disposal while that is true I think it

does a disservice because it implies

that writers can just write whatever

they want for their story and that's

okay that's actually not true because

despite what everybody says there are

stories that are better than other

stories and there are authors that if

you look at the course of their career

they and everyone else would admit that

what they have later in their career is

better than what they had earlier in

their career what that implies is that

there are skills at work here something

that they weren't so good at at the

beginning and then later after less of

experience became good at and if there

are skills then those skills can be

taught and they can be broken down and

made easier for newer writers to

understand and that is exactly what this

40 chapter outline that I have developed

is doing and I call it the 40 chapter

plot module now this plot module has

been in the works for a while and I'm

finally excited and ready to reveal it

to the world this is the story structure

that I wish I had had 12 books ago when

I was getting started it gives you a 40

chapter outline and tells you exactly

what should be happening in each chapter

now of course these are not hard and

fast rules you can deviate from this if

you feel so inclined but for newer

authors this is a great way to really

understand and learn story structure and

for for a lot of established authors too

I'll bet you will find that this saves

you a lot of time in figuring out where

your story should go next now I could go

on and on about how I developed this

thing but you are probably interested in

what's actually on it and what it looks

like well it is divided into four parts

and each part has 10 chapters each we

start with act one which like all of the

other acts makes up 25% of the story it

does a couple of things including

introduces us to the protagonist and the

Ordinary World that they live in as well

as their goals their flaws and the

inciting incident that forces them to

leave the Ordinary World then we move

into act two specifically act 2A which

is the first half of Act 2 uh which also

makes up 25% of the story it is the

first half of the middle section which

shows us positive rising action as the

protagonist enters the new world learns

grows and has more successes than

failures this is basically the kind of

stuff that you would see in a movie

trailer as the protagonist is learning

growing training all of that sort of

thing then we move into act 2B which

also makes up 25% of the story and it's

the second half of the middle section

and act 2B even though it's still part

of the second act is really kind of an

act on its own because it is a reversal

of act 2A resulting in negative rising

action as the protagonist struggles

against the antagonist and things slowly

start to fall apart and get even more

desperate and finally the fourth part is

act three which makes up 25% of the

story like all of the others it is the

climax of the story where the

protagonist finally confronts their

inner flaw and overcomes it and which

allows them to defeat the antagonist

despite very very tall odds so let's

just do a brief overview of what all of

these chapters look like first we

actually have an optional chapter so

while there are 40 chapters here there

are actually 42 because there are two

additional and optional chapters one is

a prologue which gives us an opening

image that sort of visually represents

the central conflict of the story

particularly if it does not directly

involve the protagonist then we move

into the protagonist's life with a

really bad day where they sort of just

they're we get used to the world that

they're in but we also get a sense of

what they really want in life and that

they're not getting it in some way we

then move on to chapter 2 which is a

mystery in a theme one of the things I

discovered in all my research is that

almost all of the gripping stories out

there even if they're not Mysteries have

some sort of mysterious element at the

beginning it's one of those things that

can really get people reading and then

the mystery and the theme is something

you want to keep in mind because at some

point the theme needs to be stated right

so if you have a character whose flaw is

that they're you know they don't take

themselves too seriously maybe they're

they're a little hard on themselves then

the theme would be someone coming in and

saying you're too hard on yourself you

need to learn to let go and that will be

basically the statement that sets up

everything that's going to happen

throughout the rest of the novel in

chapter 3 we have a link to the

antagonist this is a moment where the

protagonist finds that there's something

connecting them to the antagonist or the

forces of the antagonist that they can't

ignore they're more than just a random

citizen in the story that we're in they

have some kind of unique connection to

the antagonist that makes them important

the cliche the ultimate cliche version

of this is they are the chosen one right

where the the antagonist has to take

note of them but think of it on as the

chosen one Trope kind of on a lesser

scale something that's really tying them

to the antagonist we then get a grasping

at straws chapter where the character is

kind of like resisting this push the the

things that it's learning that and this

uh push towards a new world that they

don't really like but they discover as

they're resisting that that stasis

equals Death this is a phrase I got from

save the cat where they discovered that

if they remain in their Ordinary World

they're going to end up uh dying whether

that is physical death or it could be uh

emotional mental social or financial

death and this usually leads right into

the inciting incident this is the big

thing that sort of pushes them right out

of their comfort zone and disrupts

everything that's going on in the

Ordinary World that they live in this is

often accompanied at the same time or

shortly thereafter by a call to

Adventure a moment where the protagonist

decides oh they need to do something and

yet there's still a lot of resistance

there uh this Call to Adventure is often

accompanied by a Mentor someone who

comes along and sort of helps the

protagonist in the state that they are

in but there's usually a refusal of the

call a refusal what the mentor brings

the protagonist uh where the protagonist

really kind of digging their heels in

not wanting to to take this leap we then

get a pull out the rug chapter where

whether the protagonist wants it or not

they something happens that causes them

to really just have to take steps and

they move out of their Ordinary World

into this much broader much stranger

newer World which leads us into act two

and the first chapter of Act 2 is called

the first plot point where the

protagonist actively chooses to enter

into the new world and there's going to

be a little bit of floundering as they

sort of enter this really unfamiliar

realm then we get our enemies and allies

chapter where we are introduced to

pretty much the remainder of the cast

that we haven't met at this point

particularly any important Sidekicks or

love interests that might uh have a role

to play in the story there's often some

conflict there between them and the

protagonist themselves and that also

leads into chapter 13 which is the B

Story the B story is basically uh where

a character such as the love interest

but can be the mentor or any other

character kind of comes in and helps the

protagonist work on their flaw this is a

moment where the theme might be stated

again and we're really like learning

sort of the message the what is the

story about from chapters like this one

we then get a set of three different

chapters that in save the cat are called

fun and games I split them into three

specific chapters to give us three

attempts at basically it's like a

montage a training montage where in the

first one the character is trying

something new and they might fail they

might not but even if they do fail it is

a fall forward where they're gaining new

skills they're learning new things uh

even if they do ultimately fail the test

that they go under in chapter 15 it's

very much the same thing but they make a

second attempt or they try something

else and they might fail that trial as

well in chapter 16 they might actually

have some success something that

actually helps them earn a little

respect among all of the other allies

characters and maybe get a little bit of

attention from the antagonist and other

enemy characters and because of that

attention we are LED into chapter 17

which is called the first pinch point

this can be a literal or non-literal

battle between the protagonist and other

antagonistic forces this is an ideal

place for a plot twist or something big

that happens that kind of upsets the

status quo that has been building this

whole time we then get chapter 18 which

is problem revealed where the

protagonist is it's it's kind of a

reactionary chapter where the

protagonist sees everything that happens

and realize they're a little over their

head and in chapter 19 that chapter sort

of continues where they learn critical

information that kind of messes things

up a little bit it changes their whole

worldview and that leads to the midpoint

where the main character might actually

have a success it's going to at least

seem like a success and they are also

forced to sort of look at themselves in

a figurative mirror and realize that

there is something within them that

needs to change although they're not

quite ready to make that change yet this

is a major turning point of the story

and a opportunity for the external

conflict the a story and the internal

conflict the B story to kind of

intersect and that major turning point

leads us into act 2B and the first

chapter external demons close in this is

where the literal villains of the story

whoever that might be are St starting to

get more and more threatening and in

chapter 22 it gets even worse in chapter

23 this is another sort of reactionary

chapter to everything that's been going

on the internal demons or the internal

doubts or fears or whatever the

protagonist has going on inside them

will start to really manifest and get uh

to become a major problem and so at this

point the main character and all of his

allies are not doing so hot and so they

formulate a plan of attack where they

sort of regroup figure out what they're

going to do and make a plan now the

protagonist can't just be a random

member of this group they have to have a

crucial role which is what we

established in chapter 25 once that

crucial role has been established and

the plan is put into motion we get to

the second pitch point which is another

battle against the antagonist but once

again the protagonist realized that they

severely overestimated the antagonist

and they are way over their head and

things kind of fall apart which leads us

to chapter 27 where All Is Lost this is

a major low point of the story where

things just don't seem like they can get

any worse is often accompanied by a

shocking Revelation something that came

with the All Is Lost chapter where um it

just seems like there just isn't any

hope anymore the protagonist may feel

guilt they may feel anger they may

alienate some of the Allies that they

have with them and this leads to a

moment of depression where the main

character had it basically gives up and

says that they can't do it that they are

not the one for this job that they just

can't keep going on but one or more of

the Allies might come in and give them a

pep talk this is just a motivational

speech where they sort of help the main

character dig deep within themselves and

realize that yes they can do it and that

they can't give up now and that leads us

into act three the final Climax and the

last 25% of the novel where in Chapter

31 we have the seizing the sword chapter

this is basically where the protagonist

figuratively or literally picks up a

sword they pick up the tools that they

need or even just the mantle of

responsibility that they need to go at

the antagonist in their forces and from

there they gather the team in chapter 32

which is basically it's very similar to

the plan of attack that we saw earlier

but this time he's going around and

maybe making amends with some of the

Allies that they might have offended

before starting to really gather that

team and uh get ready for another major

confrontation which leads us to a set of

three different chapters here with the

first second and third stage of the

final battle the first stage is

basically where the protagonist and his

allies put the first part of the plan

into place and it actually usually goes

very smoothly the second stage of the

battle also usually goes well and

succeeds but at this point some of the

Allies might be dropping off think of

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone

where Harry Potter by the time he gets

to the final challenge at the end uh Ron

and Hermione have left they you know

they ended up not being able to continue

which leads us to the third stage where

the protagonist is basically all alone

up against the antagonist and thinks

that he's got this or she's got this and

then finds out that she does not have it

and they have another All Is Lost moment

where the antagonist gets a upper hand

on the protagonist and things just don't

look very good and that leads us to the

ultimate defeat where it looks like the

protagonist is just not going to be able

to make it that All Is Lost that things

are not going to work out in the long

run and the protagonist has a moment

that I just call a use the force Luke

moment where the protagonist has to dig

deep inside themselves to really find

that nugget of a thing that they need in

order to win usually it is a

confrontation of an internal struggle

they've been having this whole time and

they finally make a personal change uh

or a change in attitude and beliefs that

allows them to actually succeed from

that comes the unexpected Victory where

they actually are able to overcome the

antagonist and win and this is basically

the final climax of the story where

everything you know just explod exps or

you know whatever happens the man and

the woman kiss for the first time and or

they get engaged or whatever it is uh

this is the final moment of that climax

where everything comes together then we

have a few chapters that are sort of uh

you know in the ACT threea structure

it's called the danuma uh or the the the

falling action and we start with a

Bittersweet reflection where you know we

have the protagonist has won the battle

and they have changed as a person but

there's almost a certain sorrow with

seeing the life that they love left

behind in order to make the changes that

they had to make and we see very vividly

the death of self that this person has

had how they are a very changed person

and there's a closing image at the end

of this chapter where we get to see just

how much this person is different from

the person that they were in the very

first chapter that we see them and then

we have one last optional chapter that I

call the after credit scene as a nod to

Marvel and their after credit scenes

where it's basically just a teaser of

the conflicts to come the conflicts that

might still remain uh it's useful if

you're doing a series uh in particularly

in certain genres now some of this and

the wording and everything that I've

been using might seem a lot like it is

only for action thrillers or fantasy

sci-fi but really you can adapt these

things however you need to do it for

romance for mystery whatever it is that

you need just figure out like what is

the antagonist or the protagonist of say

of romance right an antagonist could be

the parents of the love and interest who

don't really want the two to get

together it might be societal Norms

right an antagonist can be a whole lot

of different things so we're not

necessarily talking about life and death

situations here this could be as simple

as a relationship that may or may not

work out and that the sort of death the

All Is Lost moment that we're

encountering is just those moments where

we just don't think this relationship is

going to work out that's an example for

a romance story and I could go far in

more depth of how this applies to every

genre but it will work for every single

genre all right so note that this is a

plot template that I have put together

specifically for a simple standard novel

with a single major protagonist now if

you happen to have more than one

Viewpoint character that is a little

different you would have to add

additional scenes for that specific

Viewpoint character and if they have a

character Arc which they ideally should

you're going to have to put a separate

progression of scenes to show that

character Arc for that character and

this is why I named this the plot module

because something I'm going to be

developing in the future is more ways to

create other scenes for other characters

and a way of layering them in in a way

that makes sense for the story you'll

see for instance in Epic Fantasy it's

one of the only genres that allows for

multiple Viewpoint characters that go

really indepth and so you can get like

three 400,000 word novels and the reason

they're able to do that is because they

have a lot of viewpoint characters each

one of which probably has a similar

story structure to what you see here as

as it stands if you have 1,500 to 2,000

words per chapter here you're looking at

a 60,000 to 880,000 word novel which is

about standard for most simple novels

but if you're going to add another

Viewpoint that might expand it to 100 or

120,000 words so I'm going to be

developing a lot of different modules

that you can then work with this 40

chapter outline as a way putting them

together and you know in such a way that

they sort of fit perfectly into the

overall structure but that said you can

absolutely take this 40 chapter outline

for a simple single protagonist story

and use it all over the place and I've

already outlined about like six books

using this outline template that I'm

going to be uh handing off to other

writers and doing myself and doing with

AI and basically doing a variety of

different things I'll have more to say

about that in the future now if you want

to get your hands on this document that

you see right here this document is

available completely for free to those

who subscribe to my email list those of

you who are interested can find it below

and I am actually working on a

completely original book on this subject

where I will basically go far more in

depth than I'm able to do here in one

video and that book should hopefully be

available here in the next couple of

months now if you want to learn more a

little bit about story structure and

other essential storytelling skills I

have a video called storytelling 101

that you definitely want to check out

I'll put a link to it here but I hope

this video was useful for you and I'll

see see you in the next one