Be Brave Project, Day 50; Novel/Classical Story Structure, ACT I

A few years ago, when I was drinking and talking about writing but getting absolutely nothing done, a friend who now teaches at Columbia sent me a short, anonymous document entitled An Introduction to Three-Act Structure. In my many moves I managed to hold on to this document, and did so without really being conscious of it. It was just 4 sheets of paper I'd tuck in somewhere as I moved from NYC to Chicago to London (1, 2, 3 apartments there), back to NYC.

After I'd dried out I pulled this much-folded and stained document out again, re-wrote it, and used it as the guideline to structure a screenplay adaptation I actually--I haven't been able to get the rights for the novel, but I did complete the adaptation and it's damn good.

Now I want to use it to finally get this book started. It's time. I have some money to tide me over for a few months before I have to get a job. I have an agent who's said that she'd love to look at a novel of mine. I have an idea--an old one that's never left my system.

And I have the Be Brave Project, my redemption and my curse!--forcing me to get my finger out and face this big task once and for all. This document refers to screenplay length projects, but I think I'll just double it all and take it from there. So when it says an opening act should be around 30 pages, I view that as 60. That will ultimately create a 240 page-length novel. I'm not going to italicize it because, frankly, I always find that annoying to read.

So here, with apologies to whoever wrote it, are the opening words of

An Introduction to Three-Act Structure:

"Classical story form, handed down to us from the ancient Greeks, is based on a three-act structure. In the most general terms, the three 'acts' are what ensure that the story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Within each act, there are functional points which, when fulfilled, will help give the story an effective progression from beginning to end. When a writer departs from a classical story form, it should be done in a purposeful manner that serves the dramatic effect of the story.

Three Act Structure: The average screenplay is 95 to 120 pages long, based on a measurement of one page per minute of screen time, and contains approximately 60-75 scenes. There are three 'acts' which guarantee that the story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. In very general terms, the first act is measured at approximately 30 pages and 15 scenes, the second act is approximately 60 pages and 30 scenes, and the third act is approximately 30 pages and 15 scenes. These measurements should be taken as guidelines as opposed to rules and should be modified to serve the story. The most common variations are that the first act may be longer when a large amount of complex information needs to be established, and the third act may be shorter when little needs to be done to resolve the story.

The First Act

The first act introduces the main character, sets up the basic situation, the time and place, sets the tone and style of the film, introduces the "world of the story" and establishes the main conflict, central question, or the main character's goal or objective.

1. The Set Up. The 'once upon a time' part of the screenplay. Introduces the main character and the current situation in the character's life. Shows us what 'normal' is for this main character--and perhaps what is lacking in this character's life. Gives us a sense of the 'world of the story' and introduces other important characters. Sets up the status quo which will be disturbed by. . .


2. The Inciting Incident. (This is also sometimes called the Point of Attack, Catalyst, Hook.) Approximately 8-10 pages in but sometimes earlier or sometimes, but less frequently, as late as page 25. SOMETHING HAPPENS. An external event upsets the balance of forces in the main character's life. From this moment on, the story begins to take shape. We don't yet know how the main character will deal with the inciting incident. (Will Sheriff Brody be able to fight the shark in Jaws? Will Macbeth ignore what the witches have told him? Will Terry Malloy in On The Waterfront, be able to live with the guilt of setting up his friend Joey?) We do know that they will have to take SOME action in response to what has happened, and we are interested in finding out the outcome. The inciting incident gives a sense of what kind of story this will be--and what is at stake."

So, If I may break away for a moment--and dammit I shall!!-- this has us to the point I discussed yesterday, where Augusta is in her club, doing her depressing work in a dead-end job she's rapidly getting too old for, when she sees her husband in the crowd below her cage--she shouts for him--but when he sees her, he quickly pushes through the crowd and disappears.

That is the Inciting Incident, and I picture it as a sort of ledge that you push the main character toward and toward and toward until she and all her baggage go tumbling over--the fall into the new status quo is the plot of the novel. Begin with one status quo and move to another. . .

Tomorrow I'll finish with Act One.

Today I need to do boring but necessary things like buy ink for my printer so I can actually print out some of the plot-structure documents I have found on the web. Also need to go to the gym, to AA, to go to the library to write some notes on how Act one will play out.

Tomorrow I need to call the student loan people about deferring payments--I have a feeling there are a lot of people doing that right now, and that this might prove to be difficult. Ish.