• Exposition. The necessary character, setting, and background details readers need to understand the context of your novel. (Note: exposition is *not* the beginning of a novel, though most often exposition is revealed during the first few chapters in order to set the scene).
• Call-To-Action. The moment when the hero is called to leave the ordinary world to take part in an otherworldly adventure. Usually found in fantasy and science fiction novels.
• Rising Action. The series of events leading up to the climax of the story.
• Crises. Peaks in tension or conflict that occur throughout the rising action of the novel.
• Climax. The most intense crisis found in the narrative, though not necessarily the final crisis.
• Falling Action. The series of events after the climax of the story where questions are answered and any remaining crises occur and are resolved.
• Journey Home. A specific type of falling action where the hero returns to their ordinary world bearing some memento of his otherworldly journey. Typically found in fantasy and science fiction novels.
• Resolution. The final moments of a novel where any remaining threads of tension are resolved and a new reality is established.
Recommended plot structure
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What is it? The Fichtean Curve begins immediately with rising action, the exposition being scattered throughout first half of the story. Many crises appear, each followed swiftly by its own mini falling and rising action. At last, the story reaches its climactic conflict around two-thirds of the way through the book, leaving the remaining pages for falling action. This is where loose ends are tied up and a new normalcy is established for the characters.
Why does it make bestsellers? The Fichtean Curve creates a page-turner that won't let your readers go. Why? Because the multiple crisis moments keep readers from getting bored. Since the characters aren't allowed to get comfortable, readers will be chomping at the bit to see what happens next.
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Next chapter will be about creating a relatable main character!
