Story Mastermind Novel Structure: Premise
Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
By Mary Kole
The Story Mastermind Novel Structure Framework
If you join us for a Story Mastermind cohort, you’ll be taught this novel structure framework firsthand, as it applies to your project. But we don’t want to hide the good stuff. This novel structure can benefit all novel writers, so let’s dig in and pull back the curtain on the Story Mastermind novel structure framework.
Build Your Premise
Figuring out and being able to articulate your novel premise is crucial to building a novel structure from scratch. The premise is the answer to the question of, “What is your story about?” You might also have heard it called the elevator pitch or logline. It’s basically the one-sentence hook you include in your query. It generally gives a hint about:
The characters,
The main story conflict,
The climax or stakes (ideally both, as the stakes give it the “so what?” factor),
The universal theme or a timeliness angle (optional).
The premise for our purposes can also be in the form of a what-if question. For example:
In a world that pits tweens in a horrific fight to the death, one girl must not only prevail in the arena … but take down the entire system. (The Hunger Games)
What would happen if two teens from rival families met at a party and fell in love? (Romeo and Juliet)
What if a man obsessed with travel and status discovered that he wanted to put down roots, after all? (the book and movie Up in the Air)
Premise Ingredients
Theme
The theme is the emotional core of the story. Consider the character’s emotional state at the beginning, the midpoint, and the end. How it changes, and how the character’s actions and plot’s obstacles affect the character are all part of the theme.
What does the character learn? How is the character transformed? What misbelief, misconception, or flaw does the character have that the story helps them clarify or resolve? How does the plot push the character to change? What does the character need, regardless of what they say they want? What is the universal idea about being alive that the story plays with? (You’ll see more about these character elements, below.)
Character Objective
It’s important to note that you will not explicitly discuss your theme in the manuscript. Your job is to create the theme in the reader’s mind, so that when they finish the story, they instinctively know what the bigger picture is “about.” You might also not even discover the theme yourself until later in your drafting process.
Character Need
This is often unclear to the reader at the opening, but becomes apparent as the story unfolds. It could be the opposite of what the character wants, in fact. And it ties into the theme as the character needs to grow and change in order to realize what they need. This is generally an unconscious desire tied to the wound, until the character has a revelation. For example, Ryan Bingham might actually need to step back from his career and value himself, or give himself over to love and value someone else, first. His single-minded pursuit of work and status is dimming the potential relationships elsewhere in his life (with family or romantic partners).
Character Misbelief, Misconception, or Flaw
This is a belief system or flaw that keeps them from thriving, whether they know it or not. It is often explained by events in their backstory, or worldviews that others have imposed on the protagonist in their formative years. In the Up in the Air example, Ryan has been trained to literally see people as disposable. This leads him to initially act selfishly—or reject/devalue people—only to open himself up to vulnerable relationships when he meets another road warrior and falls for her. (The movie has an unexpected, darker ending, which makes it fresh.)
Stakes: Internal and External
There are character and story consequences if something doesn’t happen, or if something does. These consequences weigh on the character and create tension. Depending on the story, there may be an imbalance between internal and external tension at the opening, and this balance shifts as the story develops.
For our job-oriented status-seeker, Ryan Bingham, his career—which is literally all he has—is threatened early on, and he’s pulled off the road. Everything falls apart, and the stage is set for him facing his demons at last.
Emotion From Beginning to End
Nobody’s perfect, which means well-developed characters are flawed. They can be oversensitive or disgruntled or selfish or any number of things at the beginning, as long as they recognize this flaw and conscientiously work to overcome it. The flaw should tie in with the plot.
For example, in The Hunger Games you could say that Katniss’s flaw is that she’s headstrong, and she feels defiant. This compels her to volunteer in Prim’s place at the inciting incident and thus propels the story forward. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo enters as a lovesick character thinking no one will ever surpass Rosaline, which propels the story as Tybalt is determined to fix him up with someone new. In Up in the Air, Ryan is nonchalant to the point of being flippant about firing people, but readers (of the book) and viewers (of the movie) end up coming away with a very nuanced view of him by the end. Especially since, in the movie, Ryan actually goes out on a limb and wants something unexpected, only to be heartbroken.
In all three cases, this opening emotion drives the plot and comes into play throughout. The characters learn how to handle it differently, and in the end, they have a different perspective on themselves.
The Why
Why does the specific moment of your beginning matter in the character’s life? Why does your story start now? Why write a book (or make a movie) about it at all? What are you saying? So what?
Figuring out where to begin a story, particularly when you’ve worked out the backstories of the characters and the world, is often a tough decision. Generally, the story should open right before the inciting incident, and give the reader a taste of the character’s life and world in its normal state. It’s important to get into the character’s head to get a sense of what drives them before things change.
The Inciting Incident and Life-changing Decision
These reflect the internal and external stakes. The inciting incident is typically external, but the decision it pushes onto the character is high stakes for them, emotionally. For maximum tension and impact, we need to know the character well enough in the first few pages (their normal situation, their misbelief, their want, and maybe even a hint of their need) to understand how the inciting incident seems custom-made to rock their world.
Imagine our friend Ryan Bingham, singing the praises of his jet set lifestyle and his crazy job (which he’s very, very good at). Only to see a new management decision come down that threatens not only his livelihood, but (what he sees as) an integral part of his identity.
By this point, readers must know enough (but not too much!) in order to appreciate the external (how it drives the plot) and internal (emotional effect) impact on the character. Then, even though it’s probably the last thing the character wants to do, they must make a binding, one-way decision to engage (rather than hide or put their emotional shields up, which would probably be more comfortable).
Plot and Character Intersection
How does the premise tie into the character’s misbeliefs/flaws, wants, and needs? Ideally, the plot is purpose-built to challenge the character and force them through a personal crucible. This idea may seem obvious if you’re writing a character-driven novel, however, we sometimes see plots that are driven by action and populated by characters who are merely along for the ride. Even if your character is a reluctant hero who has greatness thrust upon them, they still need to become a hero worthy of the journey. This means they should eventually discover what they really need. They should also contribute to the forward momentum of the plot in turn, proactively rather than reactively.
Download the Story Mastermind Novel Structure Framework
Story Mastermind Novel Structure: Layer II
Outlining Your Story
Layer II: Relationships, Peaks/Valleys, Objective/Need
Now you begin to flesh the story out. Who are the supporting characters? How do they help or hinder the protagonist? What’s the protagonist’s emotional state as the action progresses and their stated objective and misbelief are challenged? This is where you start to layer in the theme and develop the contrast between what the character wants and what they need.
Layer II contains everything in Layer I, and also:
Inciting Incident
Brief glimpse of the character’s normal before things change.
Misbelief/flaw in action (shows the growth the protagonist needs to do).
Ally introduction.
Antagonist introduction (firsthand or secondhand via a show of power).
Theme introduction.
Typically touched on by another character, hinting at what the protagonist really needs to learn/do/realize.
Escalating Obstacles
One (peak or valley).
Character change (emotional, attitude, decision-making).
Two (peak or valley).
Character change (building on previous change, creating a trajectory).
Make sure to work in some regression—the character will be very tempted to lean on their flaw or how they used to operate to solve these issues.
The character often gets a push in the right direction from allies or mentor or love interests, which the protagonist rejects.
Three (peak or valley).
Character change (ramping up to the next big plot shift).
More as needed.
Emerging need.
Becoming apparent to the reader, if not the character.
Midpoint
Peak.
Change in ally relationship.
Maybe this supporter pushes too hard or vows to quit.
Change in antagonist relationship.
Now things get personal—the antagonist has figured out how to push the character’s buttons and it feels more dangerous (emotionally).
Valley.
Character change.
If the character has been reacting to external circumstances up to this point, here they need to start making decisions that inform the plot and also take their emerging need into consideration.
They make decisions from the beginning, but often in the first half they rationalize and allow themselves to be led, or make easy choices that reinforce their misbelief/flaw.
Here they need to shift to own their decisions and take actions—good or bad—that affect the rest of the story.
A symbolic or literal death or rebirth. Can be “where illusions die” (Jordan Rosenfeld’s Make a Scene).
Developing theme—now the character realizes that that there’s more going on beneath the surface of the story than they originally thought.
Emerging wound—a growing sense of what has influenced the character’s need, and maybe their objective. Throughout, you will be strategically weaving in information that forms the “origin story” for why they are the way they are, why they want what they want, etc.
This often results in an extinction burst reemergence of the misbelief/flaw behavior, where the character does it “the old way,” only to find that it no longer feels right.
All Is Lost/Dark Night of the Soul/Climax
Ally stepping back, or a final betrayal—the protagonist is on their own.
The antagonist seems more powerful, including a twist or reversal where the character’s initial plan to defeat the antagonist falls apart.
Things have never seemed more dire on both a plot level, and a personal level.
The climactic battle between the protagonist and antagonist is considered the “obligatory scene” (Robert McKee’s Story) which readers will expect as soon as the opposing forces are set up at the beginning. Make sure to fulfill their expectations.
Synthesis/Wielding
The character’s need and wound are synthesized, informing their new approach to the problem.
The stakes now relate more to the need, not the want, threatening the protagonist on a much deeper level. Their emerging sense of self is on the line, and they actually want to protect/nurture it, against all odds. Transformation of character’s internal stakes—they now decide what really matters.
They see a glimpse of their potential shimmering future ahead of them that they never dared to imagine. All they need to do now is make it theirs.
Most importantly, the realizations they come to here are their own, not stated or given to them by anyone else.
When they are able to “solve the problem the right way” (from Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat Writes a Novel), then they are wielding their new power.
Ending
A final image that captures the theme without stating it.
We see the character and any important secondary characters emerging into that new world they glimpsed earlier.
There’s a sense of what might be happening in everyone’s future, and readers can guess how the character’s next chapter might play out.
Download the Story Mastermind Novel Structure Framework
Story Mastermind Novel Structure: Layer I
Outlining Your Story
Layer I: Protagonist and Plot Cornerstones
At this level, you only need the bare bones: a sense of the character, their normal and how it changes, how they change as a result, how they rise to the odds and solve the problem the right way, and the resolution/what they learned. This will help you get your key plot and character shifts down before adding the extra layers of subplots and secondary characters and conflicts.
Inciting Incident
A sense of character, their normal, and how it changes.
Character’s decision to engage.
Escalating Obstacles
The character leaning on their flaws and misbeliefs to solve the problem the “wrong way” (from Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat Writes a Novel).
Midpoint
The character realizing what they really need to do to solve their current problem, they shift to wanting what they need.
All Is Lost/Dark Night of the Soul/Climax
Synthesis/Wielding
Generally, the opposite of the Inciting Incident, emotionally.
Ending
Now try …
The Campfire Exercise
For this layer, picture yourself sitting around a campfire, telling your story to a friend. Typically, a story base layer follows the format of:
Once upon a time … Every day … (character in their Before World) … Until one day (Inciting Incident) … And because of that … because of that … because of that … (new obstacles, raising stakes) … Until finally (dark night of the soul/all is lost leading to the climax) … And ever since then … (wrap-up, show how character has grown and changed). And finally ... The moral of the story is … (what the character has learned about the world and themselves).
Download the Story Mastermind Novel Structure Framework
Story Mastermind Novel Structure: Layer III
Outlining Your Story
Layer III: World, Worldview, Theme and Subplot
This layer adds a sense of the timeline and pacing (if possible). It also sketches out any non-straightforward narrative choices like multiple POV distribution, major flashbacks, etc. Talk about the weather. Talk about how the setting impacts the story.
Make your big chronological and narrative and POV choices here OR PERISH. (Well, not really, but it’d really be a pain in the butt to make major narrative changes after you’ve developed the entire story, as adding another POV character will necessitate a new character and plot arc, for example.)
Layer III contains everything in Layers I and II, and also:
Inciting Incident
Opening situation/character/world.
Worldbuilding introduction, we get a sense of not only what the world looks like, and how it functions, but the systems of power and values operating underneath the surface
Antagonist worldview, why they do what they do.
It’s important to remember that a compelling antagonist operates from their own value system and believes they’re doing the right thing—but in a skewed way.
Escalating Obstacles
Subplot introduction—we need a few other things going on in a fully rendered story, so how can you tease out other stories that relate to the same theme or show different versions of the character’s main emotional struggles?
New character injection, because we’re shaking everything up, so does a love interest, a new friend, a new enemy, someone posing as one or the other, or a mentor add some tension?
Worldbuilding initial problem or disillusionment:
The main character (or ally or new character) really start to question the status quo—the problem isn’t just that the character’s normal was disrupted during the inciting incident, but there’s a sense that the problem might be “bigger” than that.
Midpoint
Subplot complication/twist—the character’s emerging sense of self and dissatisfaction with the world and how they’ve always existed within it should create conflict in the subplot as well.
New character trouble—same idea as above.
Worldview change, from internal to external.
Not only is the character now seeing more clearly, but they could also be gathering the motivation to change the world as they know it. The story isn’t just about them—the lens is widening to a bigger picture.
All Is Lost/Dark Night of the Soul/Climax
A subplot complication/twist is a factor in this climactic sequence as well—then the subplot is more or less resolved as the main plot takes precedence.
They must come to terms with what they’ve been doing/thinking/saying, recognize their flaw, and decide to move forward differently. This grappling is often very difficult, which is why it’s called the dark night of the soul.
World valley, when the world is at its worst/most dangerous/most personally discouraging, egged on by the antagonist.
Synthesis/Wielding
The character “digs down deep” (Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat Writes a Novel) and finds the will to fight and/or change the game. They will no longer play by the rules of others (or, if they have been a lone wolf all along, maybe playing by the rules of someone else or trusting them for the first time is the revolution.
Ending
Resolve relationships with allies, mentors, love interests, and even the antagonist.
We see a snapshot of the character with their primal need met (or a sense that it will be met).
Subplots are resolved and we see some payoff there.
We establish the final resolution and change (or the potential for change) in the world.
Download the Story Mastermind Novel Structure Framework
Story Mastermind Novel Structure: Final Story Elements
Outlining Your Story
Final Story Elements and Ingredients
At this point, you will also want to add some of the following story elements that keep your plot moving forward:
Something that makes your character relatable/sympathetic, especially at the beginning (something they do, or something unjust that happens to them).
Fresh news throughout that keeps external forces interfering with your character and plot (per Eric Edson’s The Story Solution).
Mystery/suspense “open loops” where readers are given something to wonder about, and every time you resolve one element of mystery or suspense, open another loop.
Red herrings: misdirection for readers about what actually matters.
MacGuffins: an object or person or goal (often literal, but can be figurative) that the characters are chasing, which can bring the conflict between the protagonist and antagonist to a point.
STAKES! Whenever you introduce a new character element, character, plot point, or decision, focus on the stakes—why does this matter? What’s the worst that could happen if something goes poorly? If it goes well? What’s the internal stake? What’s the external stake? And? So? Can it be BIGGER?
Urgency: to keep your pacing tight, consider introducing a ticking clock (a realistic one that makes sense in the world of the story, or readers won’t buy it).
Motivation logic: Make sure a character’s reason for doing anything is clearly defined and makes emotional and/or logical sense, so readers can follow along. Otherwise, they might not buy into what your character is doing, or why.
Morality: You don’t want to write a “morality” story, but your characters and world should demonstrate a value system, and which value prevails at the end will dovetail with your theme and speak to your project’s worldview, which, in turn, should relate to the project’s category and genre tropes, and what readers might be expecting. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is a great example of this, as the characters each have their own moral code.
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission.
Want writing guidance, feedback, and accountability?
Self-guided writing study is great, but can only take you so far. Apply to Story Mastermind—a small group workshop intensive for your novel, memoir, outline, or picture book idea. Achieve a robust outline or draft, or a portfolio of picture books, in a rigorous but supportive environment. Imagine how much closer you can be to your writing goals after participating in Story Mastermind.