Any medium · 5 beats
Best for: literary fiction and stage plays where the climax is revelation, not action. Gustav Freytag's classical model of dramatic structure, formalized from Shakespeare and Greek tragedy. Lighter scaffolding than Save the Cat.
Percentages show roughly where each beat lands in the finished story — the midpoint of a 110-page screenplay is page 55.
Introduce the world, the protagonist, and the conditions of their life before disturbance. Plant the conflicts and themes that will surface later.
A series of escalating events that disturb the equilibrium of the exposition. The protagonist's situation grows more complex, more pressured, harder to ignore.
The pivotal moment of greatest tension or change. A decision is made, a confrontation reaches its peak, or a truth is revealed. The story's trajectory turns here.
Consequences of the climax play out. Tension releases gradually. Loose threads tie or unravel. The protagonist absorbs the climax's meaning.
The new equilibrium. Show how the world looks now, what has been lost or gained, who the protagonist has become. The thematic question is answered.
Five-Act Structure (Freytag's Pyramid) 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 Five-Act Structure (Freytag's Pyramid)
