TL/DR (last line is important)
Narrative structure, a literary element, is generally described as the structural framework that underlies the order and manner in which a narrative is presented to a reader, listener, or viewer. The narrative text structures are the plot and the setting. Generally, the narrative structure of any work can be divided into three sections, which is referred to as the three-act structure: setup, conflict, resolution. The setup is where all of the main characters and their basic situation are introduced, and contains the primary level of characterization. A problem is also introduced, which is what drives the story forward. The second act, the conflict, is the bulk of the story, and begins when the inciting incident sets things into motion. This is the part of the story where the characters go through major changes in their lives as a result of what is happening; this can be referred to as the character arc, or character development. The third act, or resolution, is when the problem in the story boils over, forcing the characters to confront it, allowing all elements of the story to come together and inevitably leading to the ending
Action
- Goal: Your character is pursuing a goal.
- Conflict: They face conflict while trying to reach that goal.
- Outcome: There’s an outcome, either positive or negative.
Reaction
- Reaction: Your character reacts to the previous outcome.
- Reflection: They reflect on their options going forward.
- Decision: They make a decision, forming a new goal and beginning the cycle again.
- Cause: One ball strikes another.
- Effect: That ball rolls across the table.
An event’s effect on a character should be immediately evident to readers. Even if the character is trying to ignore or repress a response, he’ll be impacted somehow. He must be. If he isn’t, readers will lose trust in the story’s believability.
Every action should be justified by the intersection of setting, context, pursuit, and characterization. They all need to make sense. They all need to fit.
If you have to explain why something just happened, you’re telling the story backward.
Fixing Causality Issues
Causality is closely related to believability and flow. If an event has no cause, readers will find the scene unbelievable. If there isn’t a strong enough stimulus to cause a certain event, it’ll seem contrived.
Neither unbelievable nor contrived events serve your readers or the story.
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