Any medium · 12 beats
Best for: novelists who want a load-bearing structural blueprint. Larry Brooks's 'Story Engineering' model — four parts, each with a distinct mission for the protagonist, separated by five fixed milestones.
Percentages show roughly where each beat lands in the finished story — the midpoint of a 110-page screenplay is page 55.
Within the first pages, grab the reader — a question, an image, a voice, a flag of the stakes. Compels them onward.
Establish the protagonist's normal world, what they want, and what's at stake. Make the reader care before the plot turns.
An early disruption that foreshadows the coming conflict — not yet the full call, but the first tremor.
The most important milestone in the book. The true call to action — the protagonist's world and goal lock in. Everything before was setup.
The protagonist reacts to the new situation — running, hiding, trying and failing. Not yet equipped to win.
A clear, unfiltered reminder of the antagonistic force's power and the stakes. Pressure applied.
New information shifts the protagonist from reaction to action. They stop wandering and start attacking the problem.
Armed with what the Midpoint revealed, the protagonist pursues the goal proactively — still meeting resistance, but advancing.
Another forceful reminder of the antagonist's strength, now with higher stakes. The cost of failure is vivid.
The final injection of information — the last piece the protagonist needs. No new facts after this; the race to the climax begins.
The protagonist becomes the catalyst — the one who resolves the conflict through their own action, growth, and sacrifice.
The final confrontation and its aftermath. The story question is answered; the protagonist's arc completes.
Four-Part Story Structure (Larry Brooks) is built into One More Draft — pick it in the story wizard and every beat above becomes a slot in your outline, with Quill, your story editor, coaching each one. Free to start.
Start a story with Four-Part Story Structure (Larry Brooks)
