Structure is essential if you want readers to be interested in your book and read until the last page. First and foremost, structure is about timing: where do all the plot elements go? If a reader does not connect with a novel, even though it has strong characters and a good dialogue, structure might be the problem.
How to Write Books With Good Structure: Three Acts
Every good novel contains three different acts. This three act structure goes back to Aristotle and it is also reflected in everyday life. Most of what we do contains of three acts: we get up in the morning, then spend the biggest part of the day awake while doing all kinds of things and eventually we go back to sleep. Just like in everyday life, act two will take up the most time (or in the case of novel writing; the most space).
The Novel Plot: Act One
The length of the first act of the novel will be about one fifth or one fourth of the entire novel. Obviously the first act is the beginning of the novel. In the beginning of the novel the reader is introduced to the setting and the lead character. The writer should try to connect the reader to the lead character as fast as possible. The most important things that a writer needs to do in the first act are:
- Presenting the world the story takes place in: is it 21st century New York or is it in ‘a galaxy far, far away’ as in George Lucas’ Star Wars?
- Establishing the tone of voice: is the book a humoristic chick lit or an emotional biography?
- Determining the goal: what is it that the lead character wants to achieve?
- Introducing the enticing incident: who or what will turn the lead character’s world upside down?
- Interest readers to read on: why should they care to read on? Make the first act as appealing as possible.
The Novel Plot: Act Two
The second act is the biggest part of the book, also called the middle or confrontation. In this part the lead character will encounter obstacle after obstacle. It is the point of no return and the part of the novel where are the action takes place. The end of act two will be ‘the black moment’: the moment where everything falls apart for the lead character and where it seems that the goal will never be reached.
The Novel Plot: Act Three
The last and third act of the plot is the end or resolution. The entire story of the novel gets a resolution here and all the loose ends are tied up. The end can be positive, ambiguous or negative. The end should not be written lightly, because this is the part of the novel that will convince readers to buy an author’s next book or not.
Every good novel needs a good structure to glue the plot together in a way that compels readers. If you can do this, your readers will be interested to keep reading until the end, which will convince them whether or not to buy another one of your books.
For more information on writing novels, also read:
Start Writing: How to Write Books With a Great Beginning
Character Descriptions: How to go About Character Development
Sofie De Cocker - Sofie is an experienced freelance writer and book translator. She writes for small and big companies and she is the editor of the Flemish ...
Join the Conversation