29: Writing the Three-Act Structure: A Beginner-Friendly Breakdown

I will stand by this for the rest of my existence: your story needs structure.

And for those of you still defiantly refusing this fact because you swear by pantsing (which I am not totally opposed to because I pants within structure), but here is why structure matters just as much as voice, worldbuilding, character, or plot.

Structure taps into the psychology of reading.

It gives your story a natural rhythm that keeps readers hooked and emotionally invested. It also makes sure they care about the people you’ve placed on the page.

I’m not saying you must follow strict rules, frameworks, or formulas. Creativity always has space to breathe. What I am saying is that structure should guide your plot so your readers can feel the journey with you.

The three-act structure does exactly that. It outlines what belongs in your beginning, middle, and end so your characters are fully realised, your tension escalates in the right places, and your readers never feel lost or confused.

Overview of the Three-Act Structure

Each act of the framework contains three key beats.

ACT I: SET-UP: Exposition | Inciting Incident | Plot Point One

ACT II: CONFRONTATION: Rising Action | Midpoint | Plot Point Two

ACT III: RESOLUTION: Pre-Climax | Climax | Denouement

A few important things to note about the three act structure before we dive in:

• Each act is bridged by a major turning point that shifts the direction of the story.

• Every moment should grow out of the one before it. Cause and effect is everything.

ACT I: The Set-Up (0–25%)

Step 1: Exposition

This is where you open the door and invite readers into the world. Introduce the setting, establish the tone, and ground them in who the main character is. There should also be a hint that something is off. A desire the character can’t reach. A flaw that keeps them stuck. A conflict quietly waiting to grow teeth.

Step 2: Inciting Incident

Something significant disrupts the character’s normal world. A challenge, opportunity, or problem they can’t ignore. This moment pushes them out of comfort and onto a path they can’t walk back from. The entire story begins here.

Step 3: Plot Point One

Your character chooses to act. Whether reluctantly or passionately, this is the decision that propels them into the unknown. The antagonist often plays a role here, raising the stakes or creating pressure that forces the character forward.

ACT II: Confrontation (25–75%)

Step 4: Rising Action

The middle of a story is never a straight line. Your character tries, fails, learns, tries again, fails again, and gathers new information each time. Complications stack. Plans crumble. Stakes rise. They are stretched, challenged, and pushed into parts of themselves they haven’t had to access before.

Step 5: Midpoint

The biggest shake-up so far lands right in the middle of the story. Something happens that forces the character to question whether they can actually succeed. Not break them entirely, but make them doubt. Make them face what is truly at stake if they fail.

Step 6: Plot Point Two

After the shock of the midpoint, the character almost always spirals into self-doubt or fear. They reflect deeply. Something clicks. A new understanding, a realisation, or a shift in perspective pushes them into renewed action. This is the spark that carries them into the final act.

ACT III: Resolution (75–100%)

Step 7: Pre-Climax

Momentum builds again. The character tries again with everything they’ve learnt, but then the biggest setback of all strikes and the main character really understands just how powerful the antagonist truly is. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, something knocks them down hard. It becomes painfully clear just how much the antagonist stands to win. Things look bleak.

Step 8: Climax

This is the peak of the entire story. The character regroups and makes one final attempt to overcome the central conflict. They draw on everything they have learnt throughout the journey. This is the full, all-or-nothing confrontation. The ultimate final test of who they have become.

Step 9: Denouement

Loose ends are tied up. Subplots reach their close. Questions are answered. The theme is felt one more time as the new normal settles in. This is where the story lands and where the reader can exhale.

Epilogue

The three-act structure isn’t about boxing your story in, it’s about giving it the backbone it needs so your readers stay connected, invested, and emotionally hooked from the first page to the last.

When you understand what each act is doing, what each beat is guiding the character through, and how those beats create a chain of cause and effect, you give your story direction.

You give your characters purpose.

And you give your readers a narrative that actually lands.

Whether you use this framework loosely or closely is completely up to you. Let it support your creativity, not stifle it. If you know the job each section of your story needs to do — the set-up, the struggle, the resolution — you’ll naturally build a plot that feels intentional, cohesive, and satisfying.

If you’d like personalized guidance on choosing or refining the best structure for your manuscript, apply for AUTHORED by Renee Ella and get hands-on guidance to shape your story exactly as you envision.

Happy Writing,

Renee Ella xx

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