Any medium · 7 beats
Best for: thrillers, suspense, and any story that should start fast. The Fichtean Curve drops exposition almost entirely — open near the inciting incident and drive through a chain of escalating crises straight to the climax.
Percentages show roughly where each beat lands in the finished story — the midpoint of a 110-page screenplay is page 55.
Open in or just before the action. Minimal setup — establish protagonist and problem on the move. The hook IS the inciting incident.
The first major complication. The protagonist's attempt to deal with the problem creates a new, sharper one.
A higher-stakes complication. Backstory and character are revealed through pressure, not exposition.
The tension ratchets again. Each crisis is worse than the last and harder to escape.
The final, most dangerous complication before the peak — the protagonist is cornered, options exhausted.
The highest point of tension. The accumulated crises force the decisive confrontation and choice.
A brief, controlled descent. Consequences land and the story closes quickly — the curve drops fast.
Fichtean Curve 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 Fichtean Curve
