Seven-Point Story Structure

First, jot down your story idea. Add your Resolution.

Now ask: what would be the opposite of the Resolution — in setting, mood, and circumstances?

Second, jot down the problem (or conflict) at the heart of this story idea. Add its resolution.

Now ask: what would be the opposite of this resolution — perhaps its mirror image?

Third, jot down your protagonist and their main internal conflict. Add their state at the Resolution.

Now ask: what would be the opposite of this character’s ending — circumstantially, emotionally, and psychologically?

Fourth, put it all together now and write your Hook in one sentence.

E.g., A resourceful teen struggles to care for her mother and sister in the poorest district of a dystopian America.

Does your Hook sit in clear opposition to your Resolution?

If not, return to Step 1.

Is the problem in your Hook the seed of the one your Resolution settles?

If not, return to Step 2.

Is your protagonist in your Hook the opposite of who they become in your Resolution?

If not, return to Step 3.

First, jot down your story idea. Add your Resolution and Hook.

Now ask: what changes here that can't be undone — and does it sit midway between where your story begins and where it ends?

Second, jot down the problem (or conflict) at the heart of this story idea. Add its resolution and origin.

Now ask: what kind of problem would turn the story on its head, while propelling it forward in a way that feels natural but unavoidable?

Third, jot down your protagonist and their main internal conflict. Add their state at the Resolution and the Hook.

Now ask: what would force the protagonist to see their entire journey differently, and spur them from reactivity to proactivity?

Fourth, put it all together now and write your Midpoint in one sentence.

E.g., Katniss stops following the script laid out by the antagonists and starts to write her own story.

Does your Midpoint genuinely divide the journey from Hook to Resolution?

If not, return to Step 1.

Does your Midpoint turn the problem from the one in your Hook towards the one your Resolution settles?

If not, return to Step 2.

Does your Midpoint mark the turn from the protagonist in your Hook towards the protagonist in your Resolution?

If not, return to Step 3.

First, jot down your story idea. Add your Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint.

Now ask: what would have to happen to disrupt the status quo of the Hook and push the protagonist towards the Midpoint?

Second, jot down the problem (or conflict) at the heart of this story idea. Add its resolution, origin, and its turning point.

Now ask: what external or internal pressures would make it impossible to return to the beginning?

Third, jot down your protagonist and their main internal conflict. Add their state at the Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint.

Now ask: why must the protagonist respond to this disruption — what is at stake for them personally if they don't?

Fourth, put it all together now and write your Plot Turn 1 in one sentence.

E.g., To save her sister, Katniss volunteers to take her place in the contest.

Does your Plot Turn 1 bridge your Hook to your Midpoint?

If not, return to Step 1.

Does your Plot Turn 1 push the problem from its latent form in your Hook into active conflict leading to your Midpoint?

If not, return to Step 2.

Does your Plot Turn 1 force your protagonist out of the state they were in at your Hook and onto the path that leads to your Midpoint?

If not, return to Step 3.

First, jot down your story idea. Add your Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint. Insert Plot Turn 1 as well.

Now ask: what would have to happen to set up an inevitable confrontation or resolution?

Second, jot down the problem (or conflict) at the heart of this story idea. Add its resolution, its origin, and its turning point. Include the complication of Plot Turn 1 as well.

Now ask: how does this moment escalate the stakes compared to the Midpoint?

Third, jot down your protagonist and their main internal conflict. Add their state at the Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint. Include their response to Plot Turn 1 as well.

Now ask: what would give the protagonist the ability — or the need — to act?

Fourth, put it all together now and write your Plot Turn 2 in one sentence.

E.g., Katniss outsmarts the Gamemakers by denying them the finale that they need.

Does your Plot Turn 2 bridge your Midpoint to your Resolution?

If not, return to Step 1.

Does your Plot Turn 2 equip your protagonist to resolve the central problem at your Resolution?

If not, return to Step 2.

Does your Plot Turn 2 demonstrate the internal transformation that will carry your protagonist from your Midpoint to your Resolution?

If not, return to Step 3.

First, jot down your story idea. Add your Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint. Insert Plot Turn 1 and Plot Turn 2 as well.

Now ask: what challenge or threat can you introduce between Plot Turn 1 and the Midpoint to put pressure on the protagonist?

Second, jot down the problem (or conflict) at the heart of this story idea. Add its resolution, its origin, and its turning point. Include the complication of Plot Turn 1 and Plot Turn 2 as well.

Now ask: how can the stakes be heightened for the protagonist at this point in the story?

Third, jot down your protagonist and their main internal conflict. Add their state at the Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint. Include their response to Plot Turn 1 and Plot Turn 2 as well.

Now ask: what might the protagonist’s emotional response be to this pressure, and how does it influence their next decision?

Fourth, put it all together now and write your Pinch 1 in one sentence.

E.g., Katniss watches the other tributes train and realises how outmatched she is.

Does your Pinch 1 apply pressure between your Plot Turn 1 and your Midpoint?

If not, return to Step 1.

Does your Pinch 1 show the scale of the problem your protagonist will face at your Midpoint?

If not, return to Step 2.

Does your Pinch 1 test your protagonist in a way that prepares them for your Midpoint?

If not, return to Step 3.

First, jot down your story idea. Add your Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint. Insert Plot Turn 1, Plot Turn 2, and Pinch 1 as well.

Now ask: what would push the protagonist to their lowest emotional point?

Second, jot down the problem (or conflict) at the heart of this story idea. Add its resolution, its origin, and its turning point. Include the complication of Plot Turn 1, Plot Turn 2, and Pinch 1 as well.

Now ask: how is the central conflict at its most impossible from here, and what paths forward does this moment close off?

Third, jot down your protagonist and their main internal conflict. Add their state at the Resolution, Hook, and Midpoint. Include their response to Plot Turn 1, Plot Turn 2, and Pinch 1 as well.

Now ask: how can the protagonist be forced to face this loss?

Fourth, put it all together now and write your Pinch 2 in one sentence.

E.g., The Capitol rescinds the two-winners rule, and all hope of Katniss and Peeta surviving together dies.

Does your Pinch 2 apply pressure between your Midpoint and your Plot Turn 2 — and feel like the darkest point in the story?

If not, return to Step 1.

Does your Pinch 2 make the problem feel unwinnable?

If not, return to Step 2.

Does your Pinch 2 strip away what your protagonist gained at the Midpoint — and do they have somewhere to fall from?

If not, return to Step 3.

The skeleton is complete!

Read the seven sentences in order, from Hook to Resolution. Does the story hold?

What do they look like?

Describe them as seen by a stranger in one quick glance.

What do they sound like?

Describe them as heard by a stranger in one quick glance.

What first impression does their appearance give?

Is it correct or not?

What is their signature or preferred outfit?

How does it reflect their personality? Think colors, cuts, fabrics, etc.?

What are their signature accesories?

Think glasses, canes, pipes, necklaces, etc.? How do their accessories reveal taste, personality, or status?

What is their typical speaking style?

E.g., crisp and formal, fast and excitable, slow with deliberate pauses, etc.?

What gestures or habits reveal who they are?

What mannerisms might signal their role as a mentor, rival, comic relief, etc. to the reader?

What is their favorite...

Curse word? Catchphrase? Quote?

What is their sense of humor like?

Write out a joke they would tell or a situation they'd find funny.

What are their defining personality traits?

How does it compare and contrast with the protagonist?

What is their biggest goal or ambition?

How does it relate to the protagonist's journey or growth?

What drives them?

And what belief guides their choices? What personal stake keeps them connected to the plot?

What are their strengths?

And what does it bring to the story or the protagonist? How might it affect the course of the story?

What are their weaknesses?

How does it complicate the storyline, if at all? Think friction, plot twists, etc.?

What skills, talents, or powers do they possess?

How does it impact the protagonist or the story?

How would the story change significantly if they were removed?

Would it create any plotholes?

What early experience most defines who they are now?

Why is that?

Who are the people who matter most to them?

And does that impact their relationship to the protagonist at all?

What is their relationship to the protagonist?

How do they support or challenge the protagonist, particularly when it comes to their growth?

What do they value most in a friendship?

And what do they bring to a friendship?

What role do they play within their family or closest circle?

And is it the same role they play within the story itself?

Put it all together now.

Given everything that you've developed about their life, relationships, and goals, write a summary of the supporting character's journey: their impact on the protagonist's arc and their own before-and-after in the story.

What does the landmark look like?

What makes it distinctive in terms of shape? Color? Textures?

How has the appearance of the landmark changed over time?

Describe the landmark in three different centuries.

What can you hear around the landmark?

How does the time of day or season change what you hear?

What does it smell like?

Describe a memory triggered by the landmark’s scent.

How does it feel?

Think temperatures, textures, etc.?

Who discovered or built the landmark?

When, and why? What stories surround its origin?

What purpose did it originally serve?

How has its meaning shifted across eras?

What major historical events might be tied to it?

E.g., wars, treaties, discoveries, etc.?

How do locals vs. outsiders tell its story differently?

How do biases shape each version?

How is the landmark used today?

E.g., is it now a tourist attraction, abandoned, repurposed, etc.?

How is it used in politics or propaganda?

How does its image appear in speeches, posters, currency, etc.?

What economic value does it provide?

Or is it purely symbolic?

How do foreign cultures perceive it?

Describe a foreign artist creating a painting based on rumor alone.

What role does it play in the future?

How might its meaning shift for future generations?

What was this locale originally created or used for?

Think residence, business, sanctuary, crime hub, military stronghold, etc.?

What is its primary role today?

Has it stayed true to its origins, or been repurposed over time?

What activities or events commonly take place here?

Describe a typical day from dawn to dusk in this locale.

What rules, traditions, or customs must be followed here?

Compose a hand-lettered “house rules” sign posted at the entrance, if applicable.

What kinds of people visit, and why?

Think nobles, pilgrims, merchants, criminals, adventurers, etc.?

What is the most valuable thing here?

Or the most worthless?

Where is this locale located?

How do travelers reach it?

What natural surroundings frame the locale?

E.g., mountains, rivers, forests, etc.?

What is the first impression a traveler has when approaching it?

And what scents, sounds, and textures define the locale?

What details give the locale its unique identity?

E.g., in terms of architecture, mood, physical details, people, etc.?

Who built or established this place?

And for what reason?

How has the place changed over time?

E.g., has it been rebuilt, expanded, defaced, restored, etc.?

What rumors, myths, or ghost stories are tied to this locale?

How do these tales explain strange sights or sounds?

What future reputation might the place be heading toward?

How do current events hint at it?

How do outsiders and locals perceive this place?

How do first impressions differ from long-term experience? Write a dialogue between a newcomer and a lifelong resident comparing opinions.

Who owns or controls this locale?

How is authority established?

Who uses or visits this place most often?

Are there any natural barriers that border the city?

What are the typical social classes or groups found in this location?

Are there any relationships or rivalries exist between people tied to this locale?

What are the local customs, taboos, or etiquette rules?

Think greetings, dress codes, gestures, etc.? Describe a newcomer’s first lesson in proper behavior.

What stereotypes do outsiders hold about the locals here?

How do these stereotypes arise?