Dreame Writing Guides

Part 9 The Structure of Novel (1)

Writing a novel is not an easy task. There is no universal formula for completing a story, but most stories begin with an idea. Inspiration can come from any number of sources and, if you are lucky, they will stimulate your desire to write. When you get to your computer, though, you may realize that you have no idea how to organize your story. This is natural. Luckily, there are many ways to overcome this block and develop a solid structure, so that you have a strong foundation from which to build your story.

What is a Novel Structure? 

Novels usually contain essential elements such as plot, theme, characters, and setting. These elements are generally needed if you want to tell your story conclusively. Structure refers to how writers divide a story into parts and how they connect and resolve each piece to convey particular themes and emotions. A structure can be used to build and arrange a story around a central idea or theme.

A prearranged structure is a means of ensuring that a story has a definitive beginning, middle, and end. You can think of it as a kind of road map; laid out on a dashboard, a driver can see where they are, where they are going, and what to expect along the way. In this chapter, we will share some popular narrative structures.

1. The Three-Act Story Structure

The three-act structure is perhaps the most common structure in the world for plotting stories. Screenwriters and novelists widely use it, and it emphasizes the popular notion that a story must have a clear beginning, middle, and end. The Three-Act Story Structure goes like this:

Act 1:

Setup – Here, we introduce the main characters, reveal a snapshot of the world that they inhabit, produce the necessary background of the characters, and get the ball rolling. By the end of Act 1, the initial conflicts should have been introduced.

In Act 1, it is important to introduce your readers to your characters and their environment and give them a good sense of what the story is about. The description of the environment usually appears at the beginning of the story, because the readers need to understand the natural and social circumstances in which the story takes place. The description should include, among other things, what kind of community the characters live in, and where they work or study. If your story is set in the past or future, you must describe what kind of environment it is and how it differs from our contemporary society. In sci-fi and fantasy stories, the establishment of a world different than ours is of great significance.

Act 1 needs to introduce important characters and the beginning of the story. Writers need to demonstrate what kind of story they are getting themselves into. Is it a campus love story? A vampire story? A detective story? Or is it something so unique that they've never heard of anything like it before? Whatever it is, is up to the author, but it is their job to inform the reader where the story will take them.

In Act 1, the characters must reveal their characters' TRAITS, but there is no need to show character GROWTH. There is plenty of time for that later.

After the introduction, the writer needs to quickly tell the reader what is happening to the character at the moment and what he may face in the future. Your characters can't always be successful. For your story to move forward, they must face trials. Before moving forward, the readers need to know the difficulties the characters are currently facing. A young boy might be being bullied at school, or a loved one might have recently died. These difficulties do not have to be monumental, but it is imperative that they set the character back in some way and prompt him into action. Let's look at some examples.

His Mate And His Mistress by Irtania Adrien is a Werewolf love story. Alpha Demitrey is the hero of the story. He is a handsome but arrogant male, and he treats the female lead, Adelina, unkindly. Adelina is considerate and robust, but she comes from an abusive family, a family that sold her to Alpha Demitrey. Adelina knew that Alpha would be her mate, but Alpha claimed that he did not need a mate. In Act 1, all of this is revealed, and, already, we understand the difficulties that Adelina faces. Not only that, but we can predict some of the problems she might face in the future.

In Hamlet by Shakespeare, the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet, who was studying at Wittenberg University in Germany, suddenly receives the news of his father's death. When he returns to his country for the funeral, he encounters a series of incidents. These include the accession of his uncle Claudius and the hasty marriage of his uncle and mother. The wedding happened only one month after his father's funeral, which leaves Hamlet with feelings of doubt and dissatisfaction. The beginning of this story leaves the audience with doubts about the king's death and sets the stage for Hamlet's suspicious and sensitive character. Then, when the ghost of old Hamlet's father appears, Hamlet meets his first contradiction.

Act 2:

Confrontation – Show the central conflict here, along with some secondary conflicts. Describe the changes and contradictions that occur within your characters. By the end of Act 2, the conflicts that were introduced here should come to a head, and the characters should encounter their most significant difficulties. Typically, Act 2 is the longest of the three acts.

In Act 2, the action begins to rise. The conflicts from Act 1 may start to ease slightly, but the underlying issues should not be resolved. As the plot continues, the main characters should begin to face at least one major conflict. This conflict could involve core beliefs, such as love, hate, trust, and loyalty. Here, the characters should begin to make decisions that will eventually change their nature and complete them.

Act 2 should contain a moment that could be described as a "pre-climax to the story," After a series of tribulations, the leading characters might confront an enemy, learn a dark secret, discover an inner love for another person, or find God. This action is decisive. If the character succeeds, he should have a shot at his HAPPY ENDING. If he fails, though, there should be the potential for him to lose everything. We see an example of a "pre-climax" in the scene in Hamlet where the ghost of Hamlet's father tells Hamlet the truth about his death. From here on, Hamlet is motivated primarily by his desire for revenge. To confirm that his uncle is the murderer, Hamlet plays the fool. While this is going on, secondary conflicts are introduced, ending in the accidental death of Ophelia's beloved father. Hamlet becomes Ophelia's brother, Leotis', mortal enemy. Ophelia commits suicide, and Hamlet flees to a foreign country, making this the greatest trial of his life.

Act 3:

Resolution -- The characters' final act. By the end of Act 3, all conflicts should be resolved, and all questions should be answered. Remember, if a reader has taken this journey with you, but you leave them unsatisfied, they may not want to go on another trip with you. That is, they may not want to read your next story.

In Act 3, Characters must take action in the face of a significant conflict, such as fighting the most prominent enemy or solving the biggest mystery. Usually, justice triumphs over evil, and love overcomes all obstacles - but not always. It is here that the theme of the story is fully revealed and, if you are writing a tragedy, like Hamlet, this might not be the case. If you sprinkle your account with foreshadowing, a reader should be able to look back and recognize it for what it was. An example of this can be seen in the movie The Sixth Sense. In the end, when it is revealed that Dr. Malcolm Crowe is a ghost, there is an "Ah ha! Moment" where the audience typically looks back and thinks, "So that's why Cole Sear was the only one who could see Dr. Malcolm Crowe!"

Harry's final battle with Voldemort is a satisfactory conclusion. Harry defeats the bad guy and brings peace and order back to the magical world. The mystery of Harry's parents' deaths is solved, and the main characters find true love. At the end of the novel, Harry brings his child to the Three-Quarters Platform to take him to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and most readers close the book with a smile on their faces, hoping that, one day, there might be another Harry Potter adventure.

A duel between Hamlet and Leotis resolves hamlet. While the contest is going on, Hamlet's mother is accidentally poisoned. She dies, and then Hamlet and Leotis die too; both of their swords had poisoned tips. As he dies, Hamlet kills Claudius and asks his friend Horatio to tell him his story. Though the story is tragic, every conflict is resolved.

                                                                                                                                                                                 BY Kiwi