A Tale in Three Acts

As I sit here, taking aspirin with my third cup of coffee, I am forced to reconcile with my novel. I have taken a good amount of time off from the lovely thing, but this time off has given me doubts. I am beginning to question the bones of my novel, and I will not have the doubts drag me under. The characters are not developing as clearly as I want them too and the antagonist's motives are clear or even reasonable to me any more.

There is a lot of work that needs to be done here.

My plan to resolve the issue is to break the novel down in some sort of outline. Rather, I will be using the three act story structure. It is a tried and true plot format, which is very visible in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and I hope to have success with it.

The simple break down, as far as my knowledge, is this:

Act I: Welcome To The World Of Something Doesn't Seem Quite Right

• Show the reader the worlds, the setting and the background of the world in which the story takes place.
• Introduce the main character(s).
• A problem occurs that changes the world or more importantly how the main character(s) views it.
• Questions must be raised that the must be answered at the conclusion of the story.

Act II: The Hair Pulling and Nail Biting

• The main character(s) must try to resolve the problem. They make the problem worse as they do not yet have the skill to resolve the problem.
• The main character(s) must try to develop the new skill as well as come to a higher sense of awareness of what they are capable of.

Act III: The Part Where the Reader Just Can't Put The Book Down

• The Climax! (In some examples I have seen the climax as the end point to Act II, others the start point to Act III. Do as you wish in your own novel break down.)
• Answer the questions you raised through the story.
• Make the main character(s) victors or failures.

Now, keeping that structure in mind, I have drawn up this map. 

THREE ACT BREAKDOWN
ACT I: BOOK I			ACT II: BOOK II			ACT III: BOOK III
THE WORLD			THE PROBLEM			THE CLIMAX
THE CAST			THE SKILLS THE MC NEEDS
THE CATILIST OUT OF THE FAMILIAR			THE INNER TURMOIL THE MC MUST OVERCOME			THE RESOLUTION
THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE RAISED						THE MAIN EVENTS
THE MAIN EVENTS			THE MAIN EVENTS
BOOK I: IN THREE ACTS			BOOK II: IN THREE ACTS			BOOK III: IN THREE ACTS
THE WORLD	THE PROBLEM	THE CLIMAX	THE WORLD	THE PROBLEM	THE CLIMAX	THE WORLD	THE PROBLEM	THE CLIMAX
THE CAST	THE SKILLS THE MC NEEDS		THE CAST	THE SKILLS THE MC NEEDS		THE CAST	THE SKILLS THE MC NEEDS
THE CATILIST OUT OF THE FAMILIAR	THE INNER TURMOIL THE MC MUST OVERCOME	THE RESOLUTION	THE CATILIST OUT OF THE FAMILIAR	THE INNER TURMOIL THE MC MUST OVERCOME	THE RESOLUTION	THE CATILIST OUT OF THE FAMILIAR	THE INNER TURMOIL THE MC MUST OVERCOME	THE RESOLUTION
THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE RAISED		THE MAIN EVENTS	THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE RAISED		THE MAIN EVENTS	THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE RAISED		THE MAIN EVENTS
THE MAIN EVENTS	THE MAIN EVENTS		THE MAIN EVENTS	THE MAIN EVENTS		THE MAIN EVENTS	THE MAIN EVENTS

It is a simple structure based on the three act outline. My plan is to break the major plot down over the three books and break the sub plots down in the individual books. Please feel free to borrow and alter this outline, but send me any helpful tips you have on making it better!

I honestly believe this structure is what my novel is lacking right now. I know where I want the story to go, but it just seems to be flat-lining a bit. I know this change will put some fire under my butt.

Happy writing!