How to Use Seven-Point Story Structure in Your Writing

The seven-point story structure is a list of sequential events within a story. Writers use these seven plot points as a guide to help map out their story. From beginning to middle to end, there are certain milestones every story should reach to propel the plot forward, like the opening hook, turning points, and the climax. The seven-point structure outlines each important element to guide a writer while they’re crafting a story.

Writers use different approaches when writing stories. Some prefer to follow the hero’s journey—a narrative archetype first conceptualized by Joseph Campbell. Others adhere to a strict three-act structure. Another way to break a story down is into a seven-act structure. Whether you’re hammering out the details of a novel outline or screenplay structure, it can be useful to approach it with a framework in mind. Here’s how the seven-point system guides an author through the writing process:

1. Hook.

The hook is the first scene of act one. This is your starting point. In this first section, you establish the setting and introduce your main character. In every story, the main character goes through a transformation. In this first section, the writer must give readers a solid feeling of who the main character is and what their life is like before they embark on their mission.

2. Plot Point 1.

After you’ve introduced readers to the people and places of your story, next comes the inciting incident. This is the event that fuels the plot and sets the protagonist off on their journey, forcing them out of their comfortable existence. There must be a strong reason that compels them to reluctantly accept this challenge. It’s a point of no return and roughly where the traditional second act begins.

3. Pinch Point 1.

As act two gets underway, your character sets out on their journey and reacts to their new surroundings and challenges. External conflicts begin to apply pressure on them. This is where antagonists, or bad guys, are often introduced.

4. Midpoint.

About halfway through a story, there needs to be a major event. As a result, the protagonist sets their eyes on the prize and pivots their strategy from reaction to action. As the story begins its upward climb to the climax, the intensity and tension kick into high gear.

5. Pinch Point 2.

As the protagonist moves full steam ahead, something goes wrong. The protagonist hits an obstacle. It’s a turning point and creates suspense by making the reader question whether the protagonist will be victorious at the end. The protagonist doubts their own abilities as they gather the energy to face the enemy and complete the journey. As this section builds towards the big climactic showdown, the protagonist gains a new perspective, and they find the confidence to persevere as the end of a traditional act two draws to a close.

6. Plot Point 2.

It’s here that the story approaches the climax. This is where the protagonist finally meets their nemesis face to face. This is the peak of a story’s dramatic and emotional intensity and must provide a big payoff for readers.

7. Resolution.

Also known as the denouement, this final scene (the conclusion of act three in a traditional structure) is where the protagonist returns to some semblance of normalcy or accepts their new normal. By the end of this act, character arcs conclude and the protagonist has undergone a transformation that leaves them in the opposite state they were in when the reader first met them.

Whether you’re starting a story from scratch or trying to map out a work in progress, use the seven points to help structure your story. Not only will they make it easier for you to write, they will help create a readable, coherent storyline for your audience to follow. While there are plenty of helpful resources for fiction writing and screenwriting, beginning with these five writing tips will help you apply the seven point structure to your story:

1. 1. Work backwards. With the seven-point story structure, start at the end. Determine how the climax plays out and where your character ends up. Mapping out your destination first allows you to navigate the rest of the story as you write.
2. 2. Create your hook. With your ending established, go back and start at the beginning.
3. 3. Write the midpoint of your story. With the beginning and ending anchors of your story in place, tackle the midpoint. Figure out what events will serve as the turning point for your protagonist.
4. 4. Flesh out all the details in between. With your three main events mapped out, begin to connect the dots of your story by writing the details of your pinch points. Use these moments to focus on deepening your character development and visit your subplots.
5. 5. Apply this structure to all of your writing. From sci-fi to suspense, novels to short stories, the seven point structure can apply to any story you write. To really get a grasp of how these seven pivotal events propel a story, read books and watch movies with a pen and paper in hand. Write down the seven points in each to study how writers use this structure to tell a story.

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